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2012 Toyota HiLux Diesel Pickup

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Little secret about this truck

Mazda will have a diesel in the US in 2013 or '14, and Chrysler will offer a diesel option in the Jeep and Dodge Durango next year.

I doubt either of these things will happen.

But we'll see. If I'm wrong, great!

According to this site, the Mahindra was to start at $22k. That's a compact pickup, not a fullsize. Boy, they sure are ugly! You know a vehicle is ugly when the sales material cites "unique styling. "

-Ryan
 
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There has been a few small american diesel powered vehicles-they did not sell well... ... ..... The Jeep liberty,the Grand Cherokee. Very small sales volume. They have been big in Europe but never here. Remember that most people on this forum are somewhat diesel fanatics and not an accurate slice of mainstream America.
 
There has been a few small american diesel powered vehicles-they did not sell well... ... ..... The Jeep liberty,the Grand Cherokee. Very small sales volume. They have been big in Europe but never here. Remember that most people on this forum are somewhat diesel fanatics and not an accurate slice of mainstream America.



The Liberty CRD was off to a pretty good start, but the DC torque converter issues, and their various attempts to band-aid it took the wind out of her sails/sales. I had one for a loaner at the time, and thought it was a good running rig. I'd love to have a Wrangler Unlimited with a CRD.
 
The VM did not cut the Mustard... ... ... way too many issues and expensive to operate and repair. Very few shops will even attempt to work on them.
 
The VM did not cut the Mustard... ... ... way too many issues and expensive to operate and repair. Very few shops will even attempt to work on them.



Interesting, I've heard of EGR problems, but not much else. What have you seen?
 
I sat and drove a Mahindra pickup at Global V's head quarters. The truck was bigger than a Dakota but smaller than a 1500. The cab was more upright the seats were more like sitting at your dinner table rather than on a phone book as in a Dakota. Ugly? Maybe but it seemed to be well built had a firm ride but not uncomfortable. The engine was more than up to the task of moving the truck, not a rocket but no slouch ether. What the truck was a great mid sized work truck that would give good Mpg. I had one on order still do only... . Well Mahindra corp. does not want to sell them here.
That engine that Jeep used in the Liberty is still being used in the Wrangler and other jeep products over seas. They seem to hold up ok, they also have more support there than they had here. Cummins was importing that engine for the MerCruiser marine product line. They had the same issues that we had with them in that jeeps not enough product support. Cummins is dropping them this year for VW marine engines.
 
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I sat and drove a Mahindra pickup at Global V's head quarters. The truck was bigger than a Dakota but smaller than a 1500. The cab was more upright the seats were more like sitting at your dinner table rather than on a phone book as in a Dakota. Ugly? Maybe but it seemed to be well built had a firm ride but not uncomfortable. The engine was more than up to the task of moving the truck, not a rocket but no slouch ether. What the truck was a great mid sized work truck that would give good Mpg. I had one on order still do only... . Well Mahindra corp. does not want to sell them here.

That engine that Jeep used in the Liberty is still being used in the Wrangler and other jeep products over seas. They seem to hold up ok, they also have more support there than they had here. Cummins was importing that engine for the MerCruiser marine product line. They had the same issues that we had with them in that jeeps not enough product support. Cummins is dropping them this year for VW marine engines.

Where did you hear the vm was in other Jeeps??

The grand uses the MB it is not used in the diesel caravan either
 
just my 2 cents worth :) i could get by with a VW, Jetta front wheel drive pickup for 95% of my daily driving. I am know when i add a little weight in the rear i would want a real wheel drive.



If wants start coming around i want a 4x4, but i know it would kill mpg i just want to 38 mpg or more and enough head and leg room for a 6'5" 230 lb american man. A 2 door cab with enough room to have the seat lean back a bit when the seat is pushed all the way back.



Give it a 5 or 6 speed manual trans, with a super low first gear. no 2 speed transfer case. just keep it simple and light duty. ... ..... Can i get it in white with a cool little TDI sticker on the tail gate :) please
 
The Mitsubishi/Dodge D50 that Dl5 referred to delivered these numbers. It also had their SilentShaft balance system, so it was very smooth for a 4-cylinder engine. The trouble was they were expensive trucks in their day ($13-15K), and they had the tendency to rust like an old Chevy Blazer, from which they were possibly made. A friend of mine had two of them, a 4X2 and a 4X4. The 2wd was very economical, when I drove it on the road, 40+ MPG was no problem. When he drove it, it was always in the low thirties from cruising at 80-90 MPH. The 4X4 was noticeably slower due to its extra weight and larger wheels and tires, but was still a good runner.



They both suffered from deferred maintenance, and at the end of the day he sold both of them for $1500. You could have made one good truck from the two of them.
 
rcurtis is very much correct, the Ram 50/Mighty Max will rust just thinking about road salt...



A person can purchase a slightly newer 4D56 Mitsubishi diesel engine, transmission, and transfer case as a take out assembly from a late 80's early 90's Pajero or equivalent, from the Japanese engine places.



They make an awesome conversion for a Montero or newer '87-'93 Ram 50 pickup, or anything else really.



The newer Ram 50 had a much improved body quality and putting a diesel in one of those would be really cool IMHO.
 
My super eco friend drove a Toyota Hilux diesel in Nicaragua and was blown away. He calculated that it delivered 25 mpg.

This is a guy who bought and survives daily driving one of those pos China built 3-wheeled ZAP electrics in a small Oregon town.
 
"back in the 80s everybody had a small diesel pickup" yah name one of those that WASNT stinky and slow... ... .

A 200 horse 1/2 ton or compact could be easily made and would be more than sufficient for most folks.

This comment explains precisely why we won't ever have small diesel trucks in the US. It reinforces what KL5treez was saying above.

Our government decided long ago to favor gasoline power by punishing manufacturers and owners a little less than it punishes diesel manufacturers and owners and our buying public is simply ignorant.

I remember a time in the '80s when Mitsubishi, Ford Ranger, and Isuzu offered a small pickup with a four cylinder non-turbo engine. They were great little trucks for that type of service. The public didn't buy many of them because they were small, smoky, and accelerated slowly just as Nyoest said above. Combine that with the unattainable demands of our economic punishment agency and we lose.

It won't happen, folks.

VW sells lots of TDI cars and wagons because VW can built a great small car with a diesel engine and drivetrain and sell it cheaply in America. American manufacturers can't and the public will compare the price of a 1/2 ton diesel and buy gasoline or move up to a 3/4 ton.
 
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There is a big market for a ½ ton diesel pickup in the US. Dodge should have been on this years ago.



Am I correct?



You are correct. The hang up is how much more does the diesel end up costing. A couple grand to hit 30MPG instead of 20 is worth it. But if it end up being 6-8K more to get 22MPG instead of 21mpg, then they just keep reducing the market and it will fail. For many people its all about the numbers...



I really think VW was smart when they finally brought the TDI here as they had no compitition. Whoever brings the 1/2 diesel BACK to the USA FIRST is going to have a winner, I believe.



My next vehicle purchase is going to be a 2013/2014 Jeep Wrangler JK Rubicon. If they'd bring diesel I would jump for it depending on the $$$$ additional cost. I like the idea of a Toy Taco with a diesel, would make a great rig for me when I don't need to haul or tow heavy (that is why I have a dually:)) I am really just not a car person... .
 
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