2012 Mazda CX-5 diesel fuel economy confirmed: 5.7L/100km combined

Mazda CX-5 models powered by the brand’s new SkyActiv-D 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine will use 5.7 litres of fuel per 100km on the combined cycle.

The only compact SUVs currently on sale in Australia that better the CX-5’s promised economy are the Mini Cooper D Countryman (4.4L/100km) and the Peugeot 3008 1.6 XSE HDi (5.1L/100km). With 129kW of power and 420Nm of torque on tap however, the CX-5 is significantly more powerful than the Mini (82kW/270Nm) and the Peugeot (80kW/240Nm).

Compared with the best-selling and segment-leading diesel-powered compact SUVs – Hyundai ix35 (7.5L/100km), Mitsubishi ASX (5.9L/100km), Nissan X-Trail (7.4L/100km), Subaru Forester (6.4L/100km), Volkswagen Tiguan (6.5L/100km) – the Mazda CX-5 is the outright leader.

The CX-5 diesel is also 25 per cent more fuel efficient than the CX-7 diesel, which it will replace in the long run. Mazda Australia will sell the CX-5 and CX-7 alongside each other for a period this year following the launch of the new vehicle in March.

Diesel-powered variants of the CX-5 will be equipped with all-wheel drive as well as the brand’s new six-speed automatic transmission, making the CX-5 the first Mazda passenger vehicle available with a diesel-auto combination in Australia.

Mazda Australia national marketing manager Alastair Doak said the brand “can’t wait” to bring its latest SkyActiv technology to local showrooms.

“There’s certainly demand for a diesel automatic combination, particularly in the SUV segment, and with the right powertrain combinations plus all-new technology and design we’re confident that CX-5 has the goods to become one of Australia’s most popular SUVs.”

Full specifications and prices of the Mazda CX-5 will be released closer to the vehicle’s local launch. The base model front-wheel drive petrol model should start below $30,000, while the top-spec all-wheel drive GT Diesel will cost approximately $55,000 driveaway.