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The cost of certifying the engine is there... but if you spread the cost across different models, it works. Look at the 1.4 liter turbo in the Chevys. Look at the 3.0 turbodiesel in BMWs. BMW could bring in the 2.0 diesel if they really wanted to. Spread it across several product lines, from the 1-series all the way up to the 5-series (the 520d is a fantastic car)... but they won't because market demand simply isn't there.
You only have to look as far as the Honda Fit to see that. Here is a car that is fantastic fun to drive, just as quick as its competitors, and very fuel efficient.
Doesn't sell as well as it should... why? Because: 1.5. The general US market likes seeing a bigger number there. That's the long and short of "Why you can't have fuel efficient cars in the US".
Which is a shame, because I've driven the old 1.3 Fit up to 60 (US) MPG in the city. Fantastic performance for an automatic gasoline car with enough space in the trunk for one or two dead bodies, but clearly not a car you could sell in America. Too "slow".
I do agree that it might be possible to break the trend with smart marketing, as Ford is trying with "Ecoboost". And the cost of diesel will always be a problem in the US, as well as the hidden costs of maintenance over time, which are substantial for modern diesels.
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