Why are cars sold in other countries so much more fuel efficient than in the US?!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Apart from the lack of political interest, there's obviously a "cultural" barrier which tends to push the average Americans toward less-efficient vehicles. I don't hate full-size trucks or SUVs, actually I like them a lot, but sure they're not as efficient as they COULD be and it's more a matter of that mentality which tends to associate the power and the amount of cylinders as how manly a vehicle is. If a soccer-mom wants a Tahoe, for example, I don't understand why not to get a 4.3L V6 into that (apart from the absence of this option for the Tahoe), or even some 4-banger, eventually turbocharged such as the 2.0L Ecotec.

It was discussed before, but the perception of the amount of cylinders as a premium feature is one of the reasons why American vehicles often don't get the best efficiency they could. For example, many upscale European sedans actually are also offered with 4-bangers while a similar Cadillac wouldn't have anything smaller than a V6. Not just the displacement, but also the lower amount of internal frictions and the less restrictive intake and exhaust setups also help to balance efficiency and performance.

I've already seen many older American full-size sedans and trucks (including SUVs) which had its stock engines, either straight-6 above 3.0L or V8 often bigger than 5.0L, replaced by smaller 4cyl Diesels between 2.2L to 3.0L, and a handful of them even with 2.0L 4-banger gassers. Also, different gearings (usually with 5-speed stickshifts replacing older 3 or 4-speed ones) helped to not make it feel so underpowered, but couldn't make miracles

[IsaacCarlson]

I have thought long and hard about building fuel efficient vehicles for people who want them. Sort of a build to order type thing.

[Vekke]

Subcompact car sales in a funk despite high gas prices

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

If you're at a light on a stretch of road where the lights are set for say 30 mph, then you need to get up to 30 mph as quickly as possible after the light turns, otherwise you miss the timing and get stuck at the next light, and the next after that...

Few if any lights are like that here.

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Likewise, if you are entering a freeway, and can't (or don't) accelerate to match traffic speed before merging, you're creating a hazard.

Like this muppet who held me up a few weeks ago ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztAjjuZraTM

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Vekke

Subcompact car sales in a funk despite high gas prices

Very interesting.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

I have many Insights, one of them material with wheels and all and I can assure you that it is very quick on the 0-30 with or without assist, if you really boot it. I have had my traction control system jump in a few times, even in the dry...

What traction control system?

The Insight's CVT allows the ICE to operate at max power all the time, no need to shift.

Wouldn't know about that, as mine is - of course! - a manual.

30-60, that is a whole different story. Now the Insights lowish power/weight ratio comes into play. Even with full assist that takes almost 9 seconds.

Pretty much opposite to the MT, then. Without assist, it has decent acceleration as long as you downshift enough to keep the RPMs about 3-4K.

[RedDevil]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

What traction control system?
...
Wouldn't know about that, as mine is - of course! - a manual.
...
Pretty much opposite to the MT, then. Without assist, it has decent acceleration as long as you downshift enough to keep the RPMs about 3-4K

Mine is a 2nd generation, they come with TC as standard AFAIK and are all CVT.

You've got a 1st generation, the ultralight aluminium two seater.
Mine is mainly steel and seats 5 (but one of the passengers needs to have no head).

I'd love to have a 1st gen too, but they never sold them over here. Unbelievable, as you can see what our gas price is like a few posts back.

[War_Wagon]

Originally Posted by campisi

Exactly right. Every light in the US is not a drag race but, I'm sorry to say, Americans are most definitely hung up on power even though they rarely if ever get the chance to use it.

The guy I work with is a perfect example of this. He lives 8km from the office. He drives either a 2006 Dodge Charger Hemi SRT/8, a 2005 Cadillac CTS-V 5.7L with a 6 speed manual, or a supercharged BMW 3 series. And constantly complains that "There's nowhere I can even open this stuff up around here." He's right. But rather than, oh say, NOT drive it, he spends his $75 on gas every few days, and gets the same instant fuel display reading at idle in the Caddy as my Insight gets at highway speed. But there's no way to change his mindset, he'll keep buying stuff like that for daily use, so manufacturers will keep selling it.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

Mine is a 2nd generation, they come with TC as standard AFAIK and are all CVT.

You've got a 1st generation, the ultralight aluminium two seater.

OK, then the trying to accelerate without assist example may not hold for the 2nd gen Insight. (I've never ridden in one.)

There's another reason to want power (or at least a good power/weight ratio) in many parts of the US that you might not see in the Netherlands. We have mountains. Takes a good bit more power to climb them than to cruise on level ground, especially if you don't want to obstruct traffic. The Insight is just barely adequate: even a stiff headwind is enough to push it over the edge.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

There's another reason to want power (or at least a good power/weight ratio) in many parts of the US that you might not see in the Netherlands. We have mountains.

Even in Brazil there are mountains, Japan too, but the folks is more used to smaller engines. It's basically a cultural feature.