US Diesel's big splash introduction

[jmhumr]

It's nowhere near 40mpg. The diesel only shows 3mpg more than the gasoline version. Who will pay more $$ for a diesel, thousands more, then pay more $$ for diesel fuel. All for 3mpg? Not going to happen.

Mazda will have to take a loss on US diesel release and maybe offer the diesel for the same price as for the 2.5T gas version.

Car & Driver said it best:

Mazda has yet to confirm when Americans might actually buy a CX-5 diesel*seriously, we've been sweet-talked into thinking this could happen for eight years and now, we are wondering if any Americans will. The Environmental Protection Agency published its estimates for a 2018 CX-5 diesel at 28 mpg city and 31 mpg highway for the front-wheel drive version and 27/30 mpg with all-wheel drive. Compared to the gasoline version, city mileage improves by just 3 mpg for both diesels. Highway mileage, normally the reason anyone buys a diesel, improves not at all.

Making matters worse is that the CX-5 diesel's direct competitor, the Chevrolet Equinox diesel, matches or betters the CX-5 in the city and trounces it on the highway, at either 39 mpg (front-wheel drive) or 38 mpg.

The UK diesel gets 42 MPG, so there*s some confusion as to why the US testing had such terrible results. I certainly wouldn*t take the early numbers as gospel.

That being said, I 100% agree the sentiment in this thread that diesel would flop in the US.

 

[Unobtanium]

The UK diesel gets 42 MPG, so there*s some confusion as to why the US testing had such terrible results. I certainly wouldn*t take the early numbers as gospel.

That being said, I 100% agree the sentiment in this thread that diesel would flop in the US.

Oh...so now the EPA is wrong? I got told "your real world experience is invalidsted by the EPA" so much over the mileage i was getting with my cx5, some people even going so far as to opine that my car had a mystery flaw that wouldn't throw a code. Now its all "buy muh experience in another country!"

 

[Xeler8ing]

The UK diesel gets 42 MPG, so there*s some confusion as to why the US testing had such terrible results. I certainly wouldn*t take the early numbers as gospel.

That being said, I 100% agree the sentiment in this thread that diesel would flop in the US.

There is no confusion AFAIK.

In order to comply with USA regulations be it emissions or whatever - is the reason why the diesel has received worse EPA fuel economy results.

 

[jmhumr]

Oh...so now the EPA is wrong? I got told "your real world experience is invalidsted by the EPA" so much over the mileage i was getting with my cx5, some people even going so far as to opine that my car had a mystery flaw that wouldn't throw a code. Now its all "buy muh experience in another country!"

I*m not saying it*s wrong. But two things to consider:

1. The EPA database numbers are for a 2018 car that doesn*t exist in the US, so perhaps there*s an explanation. Maybe Mazda goofed with a tune for the early test and Mazda is prepping a redo? How else would you explain that the equivalent UK MPG is 42? That*s too much to blame on stingy US EPA standards.

2. The EPA hwy test cycle is not friendly to diesel. The average speed is 48 mph. The cycle touches 60 mph for literally just a couple seconds. Diesels make their money cruising at REAL highway speed, like 65-70, for extended periods. So yeah, I have no doubt the CX-5 diesel would do much better than the gasoline version. I wonder if Mazda*s interest in making the car fun to drive at low speed prevent it from *acing* the EPA test. Something a boring Chevy SUV doesn*t have to worry about.

 

[Unobtanium]

I*m not saying it*s wrong. But two things to consider:

1. The EPA database numbers are for a 2018 car that doesn*t exist in the US, so perhaps there*s an explanation. Maybe Mazda goofed with a tune for the early test and Mazda is prepping a redo? How else would you explain that the equivalent UK MPG is 42? That*s too much to blame on stingy US EPA standards.

2. The EPA hwy test cycle is not friendly to diesel. The average speed is 48 mph. The cycle touches 60 mph for literally just a couple seconds. Diesels make their money cruising at REAL highway speed, like 65-70, for extended periods. So yeah, I have no doubt the CX-5 diesel would do much better than the gasoline version. I wonder if Mazda*s interest in making the car fun to drive at low speed prevent it from *acing* the EPA test. Something a boring Chevy SUV doesn*t have to worry about.

It's not like we'll ever find out, so I won't venture too far into conjecture.

 

[NealfromNZ]

Debate on fuel use easily solve. Thiis use is a combo of suburban use and some 62mph highway use.
Average is 36 miles per US gallon for all travel. The cx5 does at least 430 miles to the fuel warning light and the cx5 has a large reserve. It could easily do 500 miles or more if highway driving.
This is a 2.2 D.

Could someone in the USA post a 2.5 petrol for comparison?

 

[svhofxho]

That is impressive.

 

[dougal]

Debate on fuel use easily solve. Thiis use is a combo of suburban use and some 62mph highway use.
Average is 36 miles per US gallon for all travel. The cx5 does at least 430 miles to the fuel warning light and the cx5 has a large reserve. It could easily do 500 miles or more if highway driving.
This is a 2.2 D.

Could someone in the USA post a 2.5 petrol for comparison?

Well, I don't have a picture but honestly, I get 26 MPG per US gallon for all travel. I generally fill up 10-12 gallons at time and get ~300-350 total miles. If I pushed it on the highway I could get close to 380. This is on a 2014 GT AWD with the 2.5L engine. You can see all my data on the fuelly link.

If I could get those numbers, 35 overall MPG and 40+ on the highway, I might be interested in the diesel.

 

[Unobtanium]

Debate on fuel use easily solve. Thiis use is a combo of suburban use and some 62mph highway use.
Average is 36 miles per US gallon for all travel. The cx5 does at least 430 miles to the fuel warning light and the cx5 has a large reserve. It could easily do 500 miles or more if highway driving.
This is a 2.2 D.

Could someone in the USA post a 2.5 petrol for comparison?

I've averaged around 380 miles before the light comes on in a 2.5 gas burner with my average speed well over 70. Not impressed.

Especially when the new RAV4 hybrid will get 600+ per tank, and be substantially faster than the diesel CX5. Oh, and electric torque is truly instant.

 

[Xeler8ing]

Debate on fuel use easily solve. Thiis use is a combo of suburban use and some 62mph highway use.
Average is 36 miles per US gallon for all travel. The cx5 does at least 430 miles to the fuel warning light and the cx5 has a large reserve. It could easily do 500 miles or more if highway driving.
This is a 2.2 D.

Could someone in the USA post a 2.5 petrol for comparison?

NZ emission requirements are less stringent than US therefore your figures will/are better

 

[NealfromNZ]

Point is that in real world figures you*ll get a third more range over a petrol version cx-5. The estimated economy by the epa is out considerably yet our engine does euro 6d by the look of things which is close to USA standards for emissions so I wouldn*t buy into USA needs a special tune and if it did no doubt it would have improved fuel economy ( leaner burn)

AnywY, real shame the USA does get the 2.2d. Hopefully you end up getting some kind of turbo model as the torque makes these very good for in gear responsiveness. Really does transform the cx5 without the need to head for redline

 

[yrwei52]

I've averaged around 380 miles before the light comes on in a 2.5 gas burner with my average speed well over 70. Not impressed.

Especially when the new RAV4 hybrid will get 600+ per tank, and be substantially faster than the diesel CX5. Oh, and electric torque is truly instant.

Average 380 miles before the low fuel light coming on? Thats pretty good for a 2.5L CX-5. My CX-5 is averaged about 325 miles when the light is on with almost all city driving.

Yeah upcoming Toyota RAV4 offers a new sporty hybrid grade: XSE Hybrid with class-leading fuel efficiency and horsepower, that should be interesting.

 

[Unobtanium]

Average 380 miles before the low fuel light coming on? That*s pretty good for a 2.5L CX-5. My CX-5 is averaged about 325 miles when the light is on with almost all city driving.

Yeah upcoming Toyota RAV4 offers a new *sporty hybrid grade*: XSE Hybrid with class-leading fuel efficiency and horsepower, that should be interesting.

I meant highway, not comb.

Their camry xse is hot stuff. 300+hp...from a camry. Ive got mah hopes in the xse branding

 

[yrwei52]

Point is that in real world figures you*ll get a third more range over a petrol version cx-5. The estimated economy by the epa is out considerably yet our engine does euro 6d by the look of things which is close to USA standards for emissions so I wouldn*t buy into USA needs a special tune and if it did no doubt it would have improved fuel economy ( leaner burn)

AnywY, real shame the USA does get the 2.2d. Hopefully you end up getting some kind of turbo model as the torque makes these very good for in gear responsiveness. Really does transform the cx5 without the need to head for redline

Your theory that EPA FE rating is way off from the real world FE for US CX-5 diesel is unfounded. Chevrolet Equinox diesel has no problem to outperform 33% better on EPA FE rating than its gas version. No matter what this very disappointing EPA FE rating on US CX-5 diesel is nobody else to blame but Mazda itself.

 

[xtrailman]

Point is that in real world figures you*ll get a third more range over a petrol version cx-5. The estimated economy by the epa is out considerably yet our engine does euro 6d by the look of things which is close to USA standards for emissions so I wouldn*t buy into USA needs a special tune and if it did no doubt it would have improved fuel economy ( leaner burn)

AnywY, real shame the USA does get the 2.2d. Hopefully you end up getting some kind of turbo model as the torque makes these very good for in gear responsiveness. Really does transform the cx5 without the need to head for redline

So NZ is different to Australia still on E5?

 

[NealfromNZ]

From the nz website.

*It*s lighter too and, thanks to a two-stage turbocharger, SKYACTIV-D reaches rpms others thought impossible. The ultra-clean SKYACTIV-D even meets the future Euro 6 emissions standard, all without the need of any expensive exhaust aftertreatment system*

Hopefully Mazda aren*t just cutting and pasting info as NZ has a consumer guarantee act which would give owners recourse against Mzada nz for false advertising.

 

[Jedi54]

so have we officially waived the white flag on the Diesel coming to the US or are we still holding out hope?
I say if it's not mentioned / out by the time the LA auto show rolls out, it's never coming here and we need to start settling bets.

I expect the 2.5T will be arriving around that time and some of us might just move to that instead.

 

[Xeler8ing]

so have we officially waived the white flag on the Diesel coming to the US or are we still holding out hope?
I say if it's not mentioned / out by the time the LA auto show rolls out, it's never coming here and we need to start settling bets.

I expect the 2.5T will be arriving around that time and some of us might just move to that instead.

Could be surprise announcement by Mazda NO when they reveal 2.5T update....

 

[ColoradoDriver]

Could be surprise announcement by Mazda NO when they reveal 2.5T update....

LOL. Guess that's the optimistic outlook.

 

[Xeler8ing]

LOL. Guess that's the optimistic outlook.

Indeed (wink)