Despite efforts to have the Skyactiv-D diesel engine certified in the United States, Mazda announced it will discontinue the product this year after being in the market for one model year.
The exit of the Skyactiv-D turbodiesel also means the CX-5 crossover will lose its standard engine. Plans for a Skyactiv-D version of the Mazda 6 sedan are also abandoned.
Mazda had a tough time getting the CX-5 Skyactiv-D approved to go on sale in America for years. In 2019, the automaker secured emissions certification for the engine; however, it failed to attract a large following with its higher price compared to other engines that deliver more than its 168 horsepower.
Also, in 2019, the company shared plans to release a Skyactiv-D engine for the Mazda 6 midsize sedan as well as an all-wheel-drive option. With these plans shelved, the page dedicated for this update on the brand’s site has also been taken down. And for the 2020 and 2021 model years, the CX-5 diesel is no longer listed on the EPA site.
The departure of the Skyactiv-D engine from the US market signifies further the depletion of diesel-powered vehicles in America. Since 2015, several brands have pulled out their diesel-powered passenger cars from the US such as BMW, Chevrolet, Jaguar, and Mercedes-Benz.
It’s a different story for the SUV and truck segments, though, as a number of manufacturers continue to offer the diesel engine. This includes FCA (for Jeep), General Motors (for Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac.)
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