The Fusion Diesel, Europe has them.

[GrySql]

They are a very popular option on the Euro Ford Mondeo.

Hatchbacks and sport wagons too. Would you buy one?

 

From the article:

As is common in many cars, the best efficiency and fuel economy is offered by the Mondeo's range of diesel engines. They may be more expensive to buy but as long as you clock up enough miles on a regular basis then the extra cost will hopefully balance out. The 138bhp 2.0-litre TDCi is a solid and popular choice, returning more than 50mpg while retaining plenty of performance and emitting 139g/km of CO2. Meanwhile, the 1.6-litre TDCI diesel ECOnetic model, fitted with start-stop, is even more fuel efficient, returning 65.7mpg and emitting only 114g/km of CO2.

[kuzzi]

Absolutely

[Ted Swing]

They should at least offer the option here in the US. For those who drive most of their miles at 70+ MPH, diesel would probably give better MPG than a comparable hybrid.

[storksb]

I would certainly consider a diesel option if it was available, used to drive turbo diesel mondeos when I lived in England and liked them a lot.

[corncobs]

I would buy a sport wagon in a second even if I like the Fusion sedan style. I have already seen a few of them around here they look really sharp. It's still the old model with the old front but the rear is already very similar.

 

Now that I own a hybrid it would a difficult decision between hybrid and diesel.

[kuzzi]

I would venture to guess that a reasonably priced Mondeo Diesel Wagon would do quite well in the States vs the TDI lineup and in the family sedan segment of the market.

[hybridbear]

If I had a long highway commute instead of our driving being almost all city then I would buy a diesel.

[Waldo]

But how much would you pay? People forget that to sell a diesel in the US it needs a very costly after-treatment system that is not currently needed in Europe. That means a comparable diesel car is going to cost $3000+ more than a gas engined car. That's about the same premium as a hybrid, so would you really pay up when it came down to decision time? Also don't forget that diesel is more expensive than gasoline in the US, not the case in Europe.

[aaronj1159]

Yeah diesel is a solid .70 cents more expensive per gallon here. Even if it did improve my highway mileage from what I get in my hybrid (EPA range) I feel like I'd be paying more money still. I haven't calculated anything but I think the improvement would be minimal over what I have, if at all.

[kuzzi]

I would pay the diesel premium up front and at the pump for the longevity and customization options.

 

I'd have ponied up $10k more for a Ford Fusion ST Diesel AWD then slapped on a fat turbo, massive injectors, and a tuner. That's Audi A6 Quattro 3.0 TDI territory.

[Waldo]

Yeah diesel is a solid .70 cents more expensive per gallon here. Even if it did improve my highway mileage from what I get in my hybrid (EPA range) I feel like I'd be paying more money still. I haven't calculated anything but I think the improvement would be minimal over what I have, if at all.

 

Well say you get 40mpg on the highway in your FFH. Over 100 miles, that's 2.5 gallons. You could probably get 50mpg in a diesel, so that would be 2 gallons. So if gas is $3.50 and diesel is $4.20, you'd be ahead by 35 cents with the diesel. But do 100 miles in the city at say 45mpg in the FFH and maybe 30mpg in the diesel and the FFH comes out ahead by over $6! You'd have to do almost 95% of your driving on the highway for the diesel to pay off, assuming the purchase price was the same.

 

As an aside, note who are the main players in diesel cars in the US - VW, GM, Mazda, Chrysler (Jeep/RAM). They are only bringing over the diesels because they don't have strong (ie profitable) hybrid technology.

Edited November 11, 2013 by Waldo

[acdii]

If the premium were the same as the Hybrid I would get the diesel, provided, A: it had more power, and B: it did get better than 47 MPG real world highway. Most of my commutes are at 55 MPH and above so I would be getting better MPG than with the Hybrid I have now. I can flat out say that anything under 50 MPH does net 47 MPG in the FFH, but above that you are really trying hard just to stay above 40. The previous generation FFH had no problem getting over 40 MPG above 55 MPH, It was only rated at 36 highway, but easily exceeded it, while city driving tended to be just at the 41 mile mark or below, while the new one is just the opposite, easily exceed the city but fights hard to get highway.

 

So after owning both Gens, if a diesel were to come out and owners results show that it does get at least 47 on average highway, you can believe I would get one over a hybrid. It would have a larger tank, which means further range, and only filling once a week instead of twice like I do now with the Hybrid.

[djminfll]

It would've a tough decision for me, but I'd probably stay with the hybrid. But this is really because (a) I don't do as much highway driving, and (b) diesel price fluctuates, but it has been substantially higher, at least since I got my FFH. I last paid $3.09 for regular gas, diesel fuel at the same station was $3.79.

[corncobs]

If the premium were the same as the Hybrid I would get the diesel, provided, A: it had more power, and B: it did get better than 47 MPG real world highway. Most of my commutes are at 55 MPH and above so I would be getting better MPG than with the Hybrid I have now. I can flat out say that anything under 50 MPH does net 47 MPG in the FFH, but above that you are really trying hard just to stay above 40. The previous generation FFH had no problem getting over 40 MPG above 55 MPH, It was only rated at 36 highway, but easily exceeded it, while city driving tended to be just at the 41 mile mark or below, while the new one is just the opposite, easily exceed the city but fights hard to get highway.

 

So after owning both Gens, if a diesel were to come out and owners results show that it does get at least 47 on average highway, you can believe I would get one over a hybrid. It would have a larger tank, which means further range, and only filling once a week instead of twice like I do now with the Hybrid.

I'm 100 % with you on that statement but you can pretty used to the quietness of a hybrid system a diesel is definitely louder no question.

[Eddie Sessum]

A diesel actually get around 40-44mpg in the city. Look up what people actually get with the VW tdis.

[acdii]

Reason I would put up with the noise, Bio-Diesel! Unlike gas engines and Ethanol, A diesel can run on anything that is oil based. The first diesel engine ran on peanut oil. Diesel can be made from soy, algae, corn, or anything type of plant that has oil. As long as the correct amount of modifiers is included the diesel can burn it. I run my Kubota on used motor oil that I filter down to 1 micron and blend with regular diesel fuel at a 50% mix. I run it year round.