Wait, Why Does the Mazda CX-5 Diesel Get 10 MPG Less in the US than in Europe?

After years of waiting, the EPA released fuel economy numbers for the Mazda CX-5 diesel.

Mazda has sold a 2.2-liter turbodiesel version of their best-selling CX-5 abroad for years now. However, for the past five years, we’ve been waiting for a U.S.-spec CX-5 diesel to hit the market. Now, after several delays, it appears we’ll finally get a diesel version of Mazda’s most popular crossover. There’s just a slight catch, as the EPA’s Fueleconomy.gov website and Autoblog points out.

If you were expecting the Mazda CX-5 diesel to be much more efficient than the gas engine – as indeed we were – you would be wrong. Surprisingly, the figures aren’t a significant improvement over the naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter gas version we get now. The most efficient front-wheel drive CX-5 diesel gets a 28 City / 31 Highway / 29 Combined mpg rating. By comparison, the gas engine scores 25 City / 31 Highway / 28 Combined mpg. It’s an improvement, sure, but nothing close to the likes of the Chevy Equinox, which manages 39 mpg on the highway.

The European CX-5 diesel, on the other hand, is rated at the equivalent of 42 U.S. mpg, according to Mazda UK. While the U.S. version isn’t as efficient, it will have better torque than the 2.5-liter gas engine. The naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter unit in the CX-5 produces 187 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque. In Europe, the 2.2-liter turbodiesel is less powerful, at 148 horsepower (150 PS). However, it produces 280 lb-ft of torque (380 Nm).

Mazda has not formally announced a launch date for the Mazda CX-5 diesel yet. That said, filings with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the EPA listings show the CX-5 Diesel as a 2018 model. Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates!