First off, you can't compare the fuel economy values between countries just by doing a conversion. Europe has different testing procedures that give higher numbers than the American EPA test does (normally around 20-25%), and the only way you'll have an accurate number is if the car is sold in both countries.

The F150 has fuel economy close to that of wagons sold in the US. The F150 is less efficient, but it has way more than half the fuel economy of a wagon. Examples:

A base E-Class Wagon gets 24 mpg (22 city, 28 highway). A 4WD V6 F150 (which I think is the most popular) gets 21 mpg (19 city, 24 highway). The most efficient F150 available (the 2WD Hybrid) gets 25 mpg (25 city, 26 highway).

Wagons aren't super popular in the US so there aren't that many on the market. Here is a comparison of the fuel economies of the F150 vs several wagons available in the US: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=43464&...

That’s a 4wd E450, it’s the most powerful of the standard range! hardly a “base e-class”… which would be an E200

Of course the E450 is going to get atrocious mileage, it’s a V6 turbocharged luxury car

It is the base E Class in the American market. Americans don't drive <150 HP manual cars and would never buy them. Those are the only versions of cars that get substantially better gas mileage then the versions of cars that Americans typically drive.

The fact that Mercedes (a luxury car manufacturer) choose not to import their smaller engines to the US doesn't mean you can't get smaller engines. Subaru outback, kia niro, even a volvo v60 or audi a4 come with efficient 2l engines if you absolutely want luxury

Did you not read the link I posted in my first comment in this chain? Two of the cars in the fuel economy comparison are the Subaru Outback and the Volvo V60. The most efficient Outback has 29 mpg (26/33) and the most efficient F150 has 25 mpg (25/26). Almost identical in city, and in the same ballpark for highway. Numbers are similar for the Audi A4 Allroad (though you'll have the same concern as the E-Class as only the higher worldwide trims are available) and for the V60.

Ah sorry I’m on mobile, didn’t see the horizontal scrolling!

It’s crazy that the choice is so limited in the US. I can understand why the Prius was so popular with you guys, despite handling like a whale on wheels.. there are nearly no options in the big hatchback segment .

Most sedans get somewhere in the 30s on the highway unless they are hybrids, so it’s about a 50% difference. Not insignificant, but not as massive of a difference as you would think. From a purely economic point of view you’d have to drive a lot for the cost of gas to cost you more than you save from having less depreciation.

You're going to be really sad when you do the comparison for people who drive sports cars. Porsche 911's run at 19 mpg for the 2020 models and ~14mpg for the 2000 models, and the 2010 Cayenne (SUV) runs at 11 mpg. 11!

I actually had a Fiesta ST before my truck and because it required premium fuel (it would run on standard fuel but burned it quicker and had less power doing it so it was pointless) the actual $ cost per mile was similar to the truck I have now but with shorter range because of the much smaller fuel tank