Dumb & Dumber move: 2019 Mazda CX-5 Diesel!

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Just a few years ago, it seemed everyone wanted to sell diesel engines in the US.
There were announcements after announcements. Even Nissan claimed a Diesel Maxima was coming!
But, since the VW diesel scandal,  most of these have been officially canceled. Or they just quietly never mentioned them anymore.
Except for Mazda!
 Diesel sales in the US have plunged to an all-time low. But Mazda, after years of delays, has finally announced their new Diesel for the US!
It will be a $4000 (!!!) option on the Signature version of the Mazda CX-5.
Yes, this is no joke.
The Signature version is already available with the new Turbo engine. 
I cannot imagine one person buying this in the US over the turbo. Not one.
Diesel is getting more and more expensive. Many gas stations are actually dropping it and not selling it anymore.
And the Mazda 2.2 Diesel engine gets only about 15% better gas mileage!
Sure, “diesel torque”. Well, the turbo version also has plenty of torque and I am sure the diesel isn’t a better performer. For, again, about $4000 more!
This has to be the dumbest/weirdest move I have seen in years from a car manufacturer. 
Mazda really needs to get it together if they want to survive. Some sort of electrification is badly needed. This is where that precious diesel development money should have gone…

Conversation 12 comments

  1. I'll be first in line. I love the diesel powertrain concept, especially for mega-mileage, high-speed cruising over many years of ownership.

  2. Why???

    This will probably be a very short line.

    – TheDiesel has less torque than the gas Turbo Engine. And less power.
    – MPG for the diesel is 27City and 30 highway (28 combined) which is pretty bad for a diesel.
    While the turbo numbers are 25/31 and the same 28 combined.

    All of this for $4000 extra! And I can only imagine the resale value of these in a few years. Once Diesel is all but gone from any gas station.

  3. The only other diesel CUV available are the Equinox and the Terrain. Mazda has an infinitely better turbo, so this makes absolutely no sense at this point. They are an entire decade late.

  4. I love my CX-5 and think highly of Mazda in general, but I can't see the logic of this either. If it got amazing mileage, maybe, but it doesn't at all. If it was the same price as the turbo, maybe, but instead it's way more expensive and the turbo seems a better engine.

    The only thing stupider than this is offering the diesel in the 6, which no one is buying with the engines it has in it now.

    They've been bombarding my inbox today with the "exciting reveal" of their "new way forward." Seriously? Very disappointed in them. The cars are gorgeous. They handle great, are very reliable and the interiors are fantastic, but they need something electric NOW, not a throwback engine choice that has a black eye from the VW scandal.

  5. I am also disappointed in this announcement and I am one of Mazda's biggest fans by far. I think the reason they made this move is because of their promise years ago at the then new 6's unveiling, of offering the skyactive D powerplant in North America. Mazda had problems with emissions, and since they refused to cheat them, unlike VW, obviously with their TDI engines,they had to delay this needed option in North America. I have the upmost respect for Mazda for doing it the right way, and condemn the Volkswagen Co.for doing it the fraudulent way, by refusing to ever spend my hard earned money on a VW/Audi/Porsche vehicle ever. Somethings just can't be forgiven and the immeasurable damage to our environment all because of Corporate greed is in my opinion inexcusable. Sorry for getting off topic. Don't forget, Mazda and Toyota have an electric car promise and partnership to eventually turn out electric cars together in the future. While I believe that EVs are definitely going to be the best way to take Mazda in the future, I also believe Mazda has already taken steps to ensure they will be sustainable in the future. Sky Active D will not be one of those.

  6. They probably spent millions upon millions of dollars in development and need to launch the product to have something to show for it.

  7. We all know the mileage for the diesel will be higher than quoted. We also know that turbo petrol SUVs and even turbo petrol cars in general are nowhere near as economical as claimed. My Renault Megane 1.2 turbo claims 5.6 L/100km and I get about 8L/100km. This whole lie about efficient small turbo engines has to stop.

    Diesel isn't going anywhere anytime soon and actually a recent article showed diesel to be in fact be very clean. In some cases cleaner than petrol engines due to the high tech exhaust management systems. Fair enough moving to electrification but dropping diesel is just car makers freaking out over bad press nothing more. I think consumers have just been conned into thinking small turbo petrol engines are better than they actually are.

  8. They constantly make wrong moves. Added horsepower with the turbo, sorely needed, way too late. Targeting the have- nots with low profit margin vehicles, appealing to niches that do not translate to high sales volumes and now a diesel in 2019. They do not understand that for many consumers out there a vehicle is a fashion statement, a power trip and ego statement. They are commended for fixing the road noise issues and quality of interior. But not many appreciate those improvements when they drive something in the $30ks and with horsepower under 200.

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