The Mazda CX-5 diesel was a good idea that came out too late and was a bit too expensive. We found it to be a decent car but, with a starting price of around $41,000, it was a tough sell. It seems Mazda got the memo and some dealers are putting some heavy discounts on the hood.

In case you missed

I appreciate that the CX-5 diesel exists. Variety is nice, and this is a nice idea. Agreeable as a daily driver, it has an impressively quality interior, too. Also, props to Mazda for building a diesel car that, you know, doesn’t cheat. (We think.)

But I also can’t shake the feeling this car sort of missed the boat. Had it come out 10ish years ago like it was supposed to, it probably would have had a fighting chance, since hybrids weren’t as prevalent and diesel’s reputation hadn’t been messed up beyond repair yet.

Even with 168 horsepower, 290 lb-ft of torque and a combined rating of 28 mpg, when priced against its own lineup or other mpg champs like the RAV4 Hybrid, the CX-5 diesel struggles to find a place on the market. However, if you are set on an oil-burner crossover that feels upscale and is a bit more lively in the corners, some recent advertised sale prices might make the CX-5 diesel a bit more tempting.

Our friends at has the scoop on some serious discounts -

Nationwide, we’re seeing a number of instances in which dealers are offering between $9,000 and $10,000 off in a broad range of places like Maryland, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Curiously, Mazda’s official website shows zero rebates on the diesel. So how are dealers advertising $10,000 off?

According to a national dealer incentive bulletin, the main reason appears to involve incentives that aren’t being advertised. To be more precise, dealers are being given up to $5,000 to help lower prices on diesel CX-5s. How dealers are able to offer an additional $5,000 remains unclear. Mazda normally prohibits dealers from advertising below invoice price. The diesel’s invoice is approximately $40,446 before .

A scan of various dealers throughout the country reveals discounts in the $9,000 to $10,000 range, so if you cast a wide net there are some diesel deals to be had.

While Mazda has yet to confirm or deny whether or not the CX-5 diesel will stick around in future model years, so this may end up being a limited run crossover with a cult following down the road.