2016 Mazda CX-3 Gets Only A Diesel Engine In Japan (Forbidden Fruit)

While U.S. buyers continue waiting for a promised diesel version of the Mazda 6 sedan, Mazda is set to unveil another diesel model for other markets.

The 2016 Mazda CX-3 is the brand's entry into the booming subcompact crossover field, and it will also be the next Mazda to forgo spark plugs.

DON'T MISS: 2016 Mazda CX-3 Details, Live Photos, Video: Small Crossover Debuts At LA Show

In fact, the CX-3 will be offered only with a diesel engine in its home market of Japan, CEO Masamichi Kogai told Reuters during the CX-3's launch there.

Japan isn't generally considered a strong market for diesels.

Diesels made up less than 3 percent of new-car sales in the country last year, and they reportedly suffer an image problem from being called a health hazard by a former Tokyo governor.

The compression-ignition engines are globally most popular in Europe, where they make up roughly half of all new-car sales in the European Union.

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Yet Kogai believes more Japanese buyers are considering diesel. Offering the engines in the CX-3 also follows Mazda's current strategy of increasing fuel efficiency without relying on hybrid powertrains.