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this post was submitted on 30 Jul 2023
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Its probably worth noting that Europeans get more powerful cars than we do here in the US. I drive a 02 Golf TDI and it was only available as a 1.9L 90hp front wheel drive. The base model in Europe has a bigger turbo and offers 4wd versions.
I wonder why that is
for make you buy a suv or pickup with a v8 i guess.
Diesel emissions regulations specifically are stricter in the US than in the EU.
I've also noticed the European versions of cars are rated to tow more. The Hyundai Ioniq I had wasn't rated to tow anything in America. It would void my warranty. The European version was rated for 1000lbs or something like that. Europeans demand the ability to tow while I guess in America we just don't expect a small car to do it.
Probably a result of how legislation is designed for different towing strategies. From what I've seen, the US favors trailers with higher hitch weight and axles further back, requiring more substantial and heavy towing vehicles, but allowing for higher speeds. In Europe, trailers are more balanced with hitch weights in the 100-150lbs range, but speed limits are lower (50ish mph).
Well, in the US you only need to pay cash to get the law that you need. The best democracy money can buy.
The same goes with laws like extending copyrights, forbidding selling cars without dealerships, low safety margins with rail cars transporting dangerous goods, no drinking breaks for people working in the heat, most modifications (mainly exceptions) in the tax code, etc, etc, etc. The list is long. Each one bought by someone with serious money against YOUR interests.
Did your car have a factory tow hook option? Because on many cars the "tow hook" option, makes the car come with a bunch of stuff. A strengthened rear bar, often auxillary oil coolers for the gearbox, sometimes different final drive, restriction to only a MT, or a completely different gearbox alltogether. So maybe for some reason the US ioniq didn't have the parts available that made the ioniq be safe to tow with...
No, it definitely wasn't an option. If you see a hitch on small cars here in America, is usually just to mount something like a bike rack. Our cars just aren't rated to tow.
This was my exact point from earlier - most cars that can tow a bunch of stuff in Europe or Australia simply don't get tow ratings here at all. And yes, manufacturers will void your waranty of you do tow anything. It's infuriating.
That's crazy I didn't realize they had such low horsepower. I guess that makes sense, a diesel engine has high torque. I have a 2017 golf tsi, and it gets around 170 horsepower for comparison. I have always loved and wanted one of those TDIs.
The 02 had the 90 I think. But yeah obv. everybody bought the 116 the 131 or the 2liters.