ROUGH, TOUGH AND RUGGED
It may not be luxe but a BT-50 will take a hiding
Mazda’s BT-50 ute has gone quietly about its business, never threatening the big-sellers but racking up sales from loyalists. It lacks the giant fan club and unbreakable reputation of Toyota’s HiLux and misses out on the Ford Ranger’s tough good looks but the Mazda’s a cheaper used prospect.
Engineered in Australia, with near identical underpinnings to the Ranger and sharing its 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo diesel, the BT-50’s an accomplished workhorse for town and bush.
It’s good for towing 3500kg and the 4WD versions have genuine off-road ability with lowrange and electronic locking rear differential.
The current series arrived in September 2015 but the bones of the model date back to 2011. As a used buy, it’s a mixed bag on the reliability front but this could be said of all one-tonne utes — they’re sold as rugged jobs and many lead a tough life, be it as worksite specials, off-roaders or heavy van towers, sometimes all three.
The preferred target is a BT-50 that’s had a cruisy, suburban life, well maintained and serviced correctly. Don’t discount one that’s had a tough life, just inspect ultra-carefully and expect issues to be more prevalent.
Speak to specialist workshops or check relevant online forums and you’ll compile a long list of reliability and other complaints that are common to most utes.
There are reports of failed engines and transmissions (manual and automatic alike), poor cabin quality and inadequate head units.
The loudest grumbles are about poor fuel economy and blocked or failed diesel particulate filters. It’s a huge issue as they’re painfully expensive to replace (think many thousands of dollars).
The filters are often blamed for the BT-50’s thirst. Mazda claimed 9.7L-10.0L/100km but many owners report far higher, even double that when towing.
Services cost $413 or $561 every 12 months or 10,000km (post April 2018, 15,000km). Even so, there’s a huge number of satisfied BT-50 owners who are keen on the engine’s ample grunt and the solid, well-engineered feel throughout. It’s regarded as a tough rig for towing and hauling heavy gear in the tub.
The late-2015 facelift brought 23 variants, including cab chassis and 2.2-litre fours. We’ll look at the far more popular 4WDs, among which dual-cabs outsold the Freestyle versions with their small rear-hinged back doors and cramped rear seating.
Grades were XT (4x2), XTR and GT, all with the five-cylinder engine and choice of six-speed manual or auto gearbox. They could lug more than 1000kg in the tub — some later “onetonners” can’t.
BT-50s weren’t flush with fancy infotainment or the safety kit of some rivals. The XT had 16-inch dark alloys, USB port, Bluetooth, aircon, cruise control and vinyl floors and XTR got chrome door handles, side steps and mirrors, 17-inch alloys, auto wipers and headlights, carpets, dual zone climate control, satnav through a tiny five-inch screen, digital radio, rear camera and front fog lights.
The GT was luxury-lined, with power leather seats, power mirrors, privacy glass, sports bar and tub liner.
In June 2017 the XTR and GT gained Alpine infotainment with eight-inch screen, satnav and reverse camera. It was a much-needed upgrade but some owners report this unit being slow and suffering gremlins.
From May 2018, the polarising frontal treatment was eased with updates to bumper and grille.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Mazda moved from three to five-year warranty in August 2018 — in light of reported issues, calculate the factory cover remaining an any example you’re about to buy.
Ask the seller what the BT-50’s been used for. If it’s a bush basher, look underneath for significant hits on the chassis, suspension and running gear. Some examples have off-road accessories fitted, which may look appealing but clearly suggest a rougher life.
Even for a city slicker, a wise investment is getting a thorough check from a specialist. Late model utes are big investments and identifying engine, gearbox and other big-ticket problems will save you in the long run.
A log book showing 10,000km servicing is imperative, ideally by a Mazda dealers or 4WD specialist — the BT-50’s engine needs a specific oil change.
Check under the oil filler cap for any mayonnaise type gunk, indicating water in the oil, and listen for untoward engine or gearbox noises. If an auto has trouble selecting ratios or a manual jumps out of gear, best walk away.
A diagnostic scan of the DPF is prudent. If
the filter is blocked, you feel loss of power, the engine goes into limp mode and/or there will be lots of black smoke pouring from the exhaust.
Leaking diesel injectors have been reported, the symptoms being engine rattles and rough acceleration.
Check the functionality of the screen, aircon, navigation and Bluetooth. Early wear on seats and cabin plastics also have been reported.
There have been numerous recalls for the BT-50, so check the list at productsafety.gov.au
IAIN SAYS
Reliability issues and lack of decent infotainment and modern safety kit count against the BT-50. A good one will be cheaper than Ranger and HiLux rivals and it’s a tough and very capable ute for work and play, especially off-road and towing. Warranty remaining is a huge bonus, a full service history is a must and your wisest investment is paying a specialist for a thorough report.
OWNER SAYS
PETER SUTTON: I have a GT with added ARB canopy, bull bar, driving lights and winch. I drove it around Australia with a camper trailer. It was plagued with a wiring fault to the glow plugs that caused problems reversing and slowing — this was repaired under warranty. I’ve had to replace the intercooler and there’s a recurring problem with the heat actuator. It uses about 11L/100km with mud tyres around town and 14L-19L when towing. Overall, I’m happy with the vehicle.