In theory, going for a higher mileage version would reduce the risk of DFP problems.

But, there is no way I'd be going for a Mazda 2.2 diesel under anycircumstances.

I am a great fan of the CX-5. I did a lot of research before buying one four years ago and concluded that, although it was possible that the widely-publicised diesel engine problems might have been fixed, as some were claiming, there is no way I would go down the diesel route without any certainty that they had in fact been fixed. As far as I know, the situation has not changed.

I'm sure that there are plenty of Mazda diesels that give no trouble, but the chance that a really big bill is possible put me off completely. Mazda petrol engines, in contrast, have an excellent reputation.

I suppose the only advice I could give is, how lucky do you feel?

It's certianly a big risk, even with a car that has done a decent mileage, unless you can 100% verfiy that the car has mostly done longer trips during its entire life.

The 2.2 diesel engine has had other issues, though hopefully they might've been fixed by now. Still, I would be very wary without knowing its ownership history in full.

Do you an alternative from a make with far less issues with their diesels, e.g. Honda? Do you absolutely need a diesel engined car or one that big or a SUV? Many modern petrol engined cars are quite efficient now, and despite the lesser reliability of modern diesels (when used for short trips), petrols still are priced cheaper because of the lower mpg.

Worth checking the purchase price plus fuel cost over how long you think you'll keep it, adding in an allowance for certain diesel-related parts replacements or repairs due to unreliability. You might find the petrol comes out better if the annual mileage is below 15k miles.