THE OTHER RANGER

TO UNDERSTAND THE 2012-2020 MAZDA BT-50, YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND ITS BACKGROUND AND HISTORY

IN A departure from previous practice, where Mazda utes were actually Mazda designs, the BT-50 that arrived in late 2011 was essentially the same vehicle as the Ford Ranger released at the same time. Mazda had some presence at the design stage of this new model, and tweaked a few mechanical things (suspension spring rates and steering rack ratio, most notably) for its end product, but otherwise, the BT-50 was essentially the same mechanical package as the Ford. Mazda did, however, go its own way with the front- and rear-end styling, interiors, equipment and the model range, all of which accounted for the major differences between its BT-50 and Ford’s Ranger.

The mechanical similarity between the Ranger and the BT-50 serves the Mazda well off-road. There’s the same good wheel travel, decent effective ground clearance despite the long wheelbase, and standard rear locker on 4x4 models. Likewise, it had the same grunty 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel mated to either the same six-speed manual or six-speed ZF automatic of the Ford. Unlike Ford, Mazda didn’t, however, offer the 2.2-litre fourcylinder diesel in 4x4 models.

If the BT-50 and the Ranger started out the same, they didn’t end up the same, as Mazda didn’t adopt the significant upgrades to the BT-50 which made the Ranger a much better ute from 2015 on, nor the Ranger’s later powertrain options.

So the BT-50 that appeared in 2011 was much the same mechanically as the one that bowed out in 2020 when it was replaced by the current Isuzu D-max-based BT-50. Along the way, the various upgrades involved styling and equipment only.

For off-road use, that means engaging the BT-50’S rear locker which kills the ETC at both ends of the vehicle, unlike post 2015 Rangers where the front ETC is kept active. There’s a notable difference there alone.

Nor did Mazda fix the manual’s somewhat awkward shift, as did Ford in 2015. Nor did Mazda adopt the Ranger’s electric power steering or upgraded mid-range-enhancing turbo and injection systems. For all that, the 2011-2020 BT-50 is still a very useful off-road ute.