Despite the declining popularity of diesel vehicles in recent years, particularly in Europe where electric vehicle sales have surpassed diesel deliveries, Mazda has introduced new diesel engines, such as a 3.3-liter turbocharged diesel, in models like the CX-60 and CX-90.
“If customers want diesel, as long as we can comply with the emissions regulations in an efficient manner, as long as we can do that we would like to continue providing diesels,” Mazda CX-90 program manager Mitsuru Wakiie is quoted by CarExpert. “Demand for diesel is really weakening these days, so the need for a diesel engine may not expand so that’s why we provide this unit in an efficient manner to the markets that want the diesel engine, like Japan, Australia.”
In the past, diesel engines became popular because they were efficient in fuel consumption and produced less carbon dioxide than gasoline engines. However, different reasons caused people to change their minds suddenly. In 2017, about 44 percent of new cars sold in the European Union were diesel cars, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). However, this number drastically dropped to approximately 25 percent by 2021. In June of this year, it dropped significantly again to only 13.4 percent.
Source: CarExpert
