We had first heard rumors about Mazda’s plans to debut its first diesel-powered model in the States last summer, but now, a company spokesman has not only made it official but also gave a launch date.
Speaking with Car&Driver magazine, Mazda spokesperson Jeremy Barnes, said: “It’ll be here between 15 and 18 months behind the launch of the Skyactiv-G gasoline engine in the Mazda 3.”
Given that the Skyactiv-G Mazda3 arrived in the U.S. showrooms last October, the Japanese firm’s diesel model should go on sale sometime during the first months of 2013.
While Barnes did not name the model that will get the diesel engine, unnamed Mazda sources told Autonews last year that it would be the newly launched CX-5, which makes perfect sense since it is already available in Europe and Japan with the company’s new Skyactiv 2.2-liter diesel.
In Europe, the 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel that sports a two-stage turbocharger is available in two flavors, with 150 HP and 380 Nm (280.2 lb-ft) or 175 HP and 420 Nm (309.7 lb-ft), both linked to a standard 6-speed SKYACTIV-MT manual transmission with a 6-speed automatic unit being offered as an option.
The 150HP model accelerates from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 10.0 seconds and tops out at 198km/h (123mph), while the 175HP version completes the sprint in 9.2 seconds and reaches 202km/h (126mph) while returning a combined fuel consumption in the European cycle of 4.5 lt/100km (equal to 52.3mpg) with CO2 emissions of 119g/km.
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