Fuel-Sipping Cars North Americans Can't Buy

• SEE ALSO: Compare MPG For All Cars Sold in North America

Any American who has traveled abroad is familiar with the tiny, fuel sipping vehicles that cram the streets of Europe, Asia, and South America. Ideal for city driving, it would seem that these cars would sell well in at least some regions of the United States.

But, frustratingly, they are not available here for reasons that range from cost to diesel availability. BusinessWeek has compiled a slideshow of these cars Americans would love to love.

One is the Renault Twingo. That's not a British supermodel; it's a two-door hatchback that launched in 1992 and has sold more than 2.5 million copies in Europe and elsewhere. The newest version starts at about $15,000 and gets 43 mpg when equipped with a 1.2-liter gasoline engine.

Or what about the 60+MPG VW Polo BlueMotion? Volkswagen claims that the diesel Polo is Europe's most economical five-seater. The variant gets an impressive 62 mpg. But would U.S. buyers shell out $25,500 for a subcompact? Doubtful says BusinessWeek, But Yes Says TACH. What do you think? msnide@theautochannel.com

CLICK HERE for the complete BusinessWeek slide show of cars North Americans won't be saving gas with anytime soon.