Mazda says vehicles comply with regulations

[TOKYO] Mazda Motor Corp, the top seller of diesel cars in Japan, said on Tuesday its vehicles do not feature defeat devices - software Volkswagen AG said it used to skirt US emissions tests - and that they complied with regulations in all its markets.

The statement comes after Japan's transport ministry said on Friday it had asked automakers selling diesel cars locally to report on whether they complied with legal procedures.

Diesel cars account for less than 2 per cent of passenger vehicles on Japanese roads, with under 80,000 sold last year.

Mazda, however, has been alone among Japanese automakers in aggressively marketing its diesel cars, with global sales making up 13 per cent of its total in the April-June quarter.

German rival Volkswagen does not sell diesel cars in Japan, but the transport ministry said about 230 of its diesel cars imported by individuals were on the road now.

Governments from Italy to India have ordered probes into Volkswagen cars since US regulators earlier this month said the automaker used software to lower emissions in testing. In normal conditions, emissions exceeded permitted limits.

REUTERS