Why are consumer grade diesel vehicle more common in foreign countries versus the United States?
How are gasoline engines cheaper to make than diesel? I always thought it was the other way around, since diesels are available in "less developed" countries.
Lastly, what's the best (most reliable) diesel engine and/or diesel car maker?
Diesels are more reliable outside of the US (generally) because of all the emission stuff. It is not here in the states but I heard the 1.4L Toyota Diesel is extremly reliable in Europe.
I would only get a diesel in the US if you are getting a truck/van for heavy use. I would not get a diesel in a traditional sedan or SUV because of the federally mandated emissions regulations.
It depends not every country is ruled by diesels. Exmpl ex east Europe used to have a lot of gasoline cars like Lada, Yugo, Polski Fiat which were gasoline. Diesels needs more high tech to build so in small cars were dominion of western producers like the germans with the top VW or Mercedes ones, italians with Fiat diesels, and french with some very good Peugeot diesels. For best diesel engines I can guarantee 100 % in small cars none better than those Mercedes Benz back in the '70, '80 till mid '90. W123 and W124 with 240d or 250d engines. Engine code I guess OM 602 OM 603. They can burn even water and still could run and run. Mechanically indestructible. No car in the planet would compared to them how tough they were build. Simple robust cars. One exemplar 1974 240d reached 3 million miles, sooo. Now days no more cars like those. In USA i guess the cheap price of gasoline makes no one to care about diesels. In some cases cold weather favorites gasoline ones. But believe me those back then Mercedes diesels were tanks on the wheels.
Gasoline ignites on spark, diesel ignites under high compression. To withstand that, the diesel engine must be massive and that is why it is more expensive to make.
Diesel fuel needs also special additives to not get frozen during common winter, while petrol does not have such issues.
Diesel engines are suitable for longer distances and consume far less fuel under heavy loads. That is why they use them in trucks, trains, ships ...
Folk was getting diesel cars more because lower consumption diesel fuel was also cheaper than petrol for several years. Now it is quite opposite.
Nowadays gasoline engines can get good fuel economy. I think all this complexity does not overweigh lower consumption when it breaks down. I still prefer reliability over consumption.
it's quite simple. fuel prices.
... and popular demand
