Nissan to launch diesel SUVs in Japan

This is a mistake. There is no demand for diesels in Japan and never will be because hybrids have proven to be simply more superior and cleaner and easier to maintain.

Do you have anything new to say? Are you comparing apples and oranges? Which type of hybrid? How are they superior, cleaner, easier to maintain?

How about if you let the market in Japan decide whether there is demand for diesel engines in SUVs?

Just out of curiosity david989...what is your definition of superior?

Fuel consumption?
Power?
Cost?
Durability?
Re-sale?

I'm not sure how to follow the "easier to maintain" logic either. A hybrid uses both an electric motor as well as a gas powered motor. That two motors you have to service versus a diesel's one motor. And I don't know about anyone else but working on diesel engines is simple.

Also never say never:

No one will ever want to buy a 50cc motorcycle.

No one will ever want to buy a 4 cylinder vehicle.

No one will ever beat the Big 3 in sales in the US.

No one will ever want to buy a hybrid vehicle.

@vdiv

Hybrids are much cleaner than diesels, even a petrol engine with the same BHP as a diesel is cleaner.

The only reason peopele buy diesels here in europe is because diesel fuel is cheaper than petrol, and diesels are more fuel efficient.

And i don't think there is a market for diesel in Japan, if there was a market the Japanese manufactuers wouldnt discontinued all there diesel cars at the end of the 90's.

Diesels have advantages over gasoline engines that really become important in heavy duty applications.
Here we are talking about SUVs not cars. If there is a market for SUV's in Japan, then there is a market for diesel powered SUVs.
Diesels are considered to be more polluting due to the prior low quality of the fuel and the image of trucks blowing dark sooth in the air. The technology has come a long way, not only in engine management, exhaust systems, but also in transmissions. In the next couple of years we will see whether diesels can compete. Don't write them off.

Diesels emit less CO2 than petrols, and with new filters and traps, emit fewer particulates.

STJ8,
Where in europe are you from? The last time i filled up my diesel vehicle the price of diesel was not cheaper than petrol..in the uk...
And for the record they didnt stop producing all diesel vehicles.. you can still get a diesel Prado, a diesel landcruiser, plus one or two diesel cars from toyota...Townaces etc and from other manufacturers (diesel pick-ups, even the nissan patrol is still diesel) so the didn't stop them all together they just reduced the numbers they were making..do ure homework before you comment....

Shessh...

If they can meet tier II USA for all 50 states it would sell well in USA