Zoom Zoom diesel
 

A more viable crossover to replace my present zoom zoom family bus. A handsome & distinctive sheetmetal sporting a Sky-D twin-stage turbo 4 cylinder with an available 6-speed manual transmission. Claims of 33/43 mpg economy from a non-hybrid crossover. Satisfying old school driving fun and decent pump avoidance numbers. Video Mazda CX5, Mazda Skyactiv D Turbo, vehiculo Mazda

Is this something available in the US now?

More on the SKYACTIV :MAZDA: VISION | SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY | Mazda Spirit

I find it really interesting that Mazda decided to increase the compression ratio on the gasoline engine (14:1)

MAZDA: SKYACTIV-G | ENGINE | SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY


meanwhile decreasing the CR in the diesel version MAZDA: SKYACTIV-D | ENGINE | SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY.

Some very interesting information on that website regarding the necessary adaptations required by these engines.

Initial specs on lowering the compression ratio of the diesel engine may make it more difficult to warm up and in colder climes may mean improper combustion ~ misfires. There is a exhaust gas variable valve overlap system, heating up the next sequential cylinder with hotter gases but still waiting for cold weather testing.
SoCalifornians would love this but Minnesotans will have to wait for real world reviews.

The 2013 gasoline burning CX5 is rated 26/32 mpg.
2013 Mazda CX-5
The cheapest gasoline around here costs $3.34/gal and cheapest diesel costs $3.99/gal according to gasbuddy.
A gasoline fueled CX5 will cost $0.128/mile city and $0.104/mile highway
A diesel fueled CX5 will cost $0.121/mile city and $0.0927/mile highway.

Throw in the additional up front cost of the diesel engine and what are you left with? If you're going to pay extra for fuel economy, it might as well be a hybrid which would bump up city mileage substantially while burning cheaper gasoline.

Throw in the additional up front cost of the diesel engine and what are you left with? If you're going to pay extra for fuel economy, it might as well be a hybrid which would bump up city mileage substantially while burning cheaper gasoline.[/QUOTE]

...by replacing the biggest zoom zoom school bus, CX-9, would be an improvement.

Does anyone know why they've been decreasing the CR of diesels in recent years? I'd figure you want a higher CR to increase efficiency.

The trend to lower compression ratios (Mazda Sky-D, 14:1) is the convenient engineering solution to reduce temperatures = required lower NOx numbers. The observed fuel mix had less hot spots and locally rich areas that creates telltale exhaust soot. Mazda also claims the lesser compression also mitigate heat expansions thus less friction. Improvements and gains in fuel economy. Less internal stresses also let the engineers to make the crankshaft, rods & pistons much lighter for beneficial weight savings.
Again the lower operating temps mean some difficulty in colder climes.

...here in Tucson, AZ, the diesel-to-gasoline cost ratio is 1.28:1 [$4.059(d) / $3.179(g)], so in order for diesel to come out "ahead," it had better get 28% better fuel economy than its equivalent gasoline-powered counterpart...which means >51MPG!

...and, that's NOT considering any other cost "uppers" such as the higher "going-in" cost of the diesel engine versus the gasoline engine.

Oddly enough, diesel used to be cheaper than gasoline, at least where I live.