Takami offers you loads for the bucks

Mazda ute aims to match performance of rugged pick-up with all the style of an SUV, writes

For the first time Mazda has produced a Takami grade ute — it says the aim is to match the performance of a tough pick-up truck with the comfort, safety and design of an SUV.

So has it worked?

I drove the new Mazda BT-50 Takami from Fairview Motors and would have to say the answer is yes.

It sits above the previous Limited flagship and costs an extra $6500 for purely cosmetic upgrades that include lots of black and grey trim on the exterior, gloss-black for the fender flares and alloys, roof rails, a sail plane behind the cabin, roller cover for the tray and khaki highlights for the leather-upholstered interior.

The Limited is already fully loaded with driver-assist and comfort/convenience features and the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel four is known for strength and reliability.

It has 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque, from just 1600rpm, delivered through a slick six-speed automatic transmission.

Claimed fuel use is 9.2l/100km with CO2 emissions of 238g/km.

Utes are well established as SUV alternatives, and while it is still not possible to match road handling, steering and ride with an SUV or passenger car, the gap is closing, and the BT-50 is an example of that.

So the Takami is pretty good on the road, but still has hard-core offroading ability and a 3.5-tonne tow rating.

The BT-50 has a car-like cabin — similar to Mazda’s SUV range, with a range of materials which betray its light-commercial status. The two-tone colour scheme gives it a lift.

The 9” infotainment screen nestles into the console and is a generous size. It operates Mazda’s own systems or uses wireless phone projection to utilise your own apps.

While the Takami is a significant price jump over the Limited, you get more for your buck and and an impressive-looking machine.

It compares favourably to other top end utes and has Mazda’s five year/150,000km warranty and $250 fixed-price five-year service programme.