Turnaround time
At first, people said it was ugly, and now some say it’s too pretty. We take a look at the latest Mazda BT-50 to get to know it better.
After a 14-year co-operation agreement with Ford, Mazda decided to break away and join Isuzu. The latest BT-50 is based on the upcoming Isuzu D-Max, which landed in Australia ages ago. Unlike the collaboration between Volkswagen and Ford for the new Amarok and Ranger, Mazda was not involved in the development of the D-Max at all. Mazda simply gets a complete bakkie from Isuzu – with a Mazda badge on it, some unique body panels, and that signature Mazda grille.
Inside and out
The large grille has you taking a second look when a BT-50 heads toward you, because you could easily mistake it for a CX-5 or another Mazda. It’s commendable when a vehicle manufacturer ensures all its models follow a style guide. Mazda calls its design language the Kodo philosophy.
From the side, the BT-50 looks a bit like a hot rod with its hindquarters up high and its nose dipping slightly downwards. At the rear, there’s not much to discuss, except that the brake lights use bulbs – unlike the LEDs for the headlights. One wonders if Mazda shouldn’t have used LEDs here as well, because light bulbs feel so old-fashioned in a modernlooking vehicle like the BT-50.
The interior is pleasant, with black fabric upholstery and a combination of glossy black and satin silver on the centre console and instrument panel. The largeish nine-inch touchscreen has matt glass that doesn’t reflect sunlight into your eyes – that’s a blunder some manufacturers make.
The seats are comfortable, with an adjustable backrest for your lower back and kidneys, and the steering wheel can be adjusted up and down and closer and farther.
There are 1,5 ℓ bottle holders in all four door pockets, two cup holders in the fold-out armrest for the rear passengers, and two cup holders near the gear selector for the occupants in the front. Just be mindful not to put a McDonald’s coffee cup in these, as the holes are deep and you might struggle getting the paper cup out again.
The back bench is comfortable, but the backrest is quite upright. There’s at least
enough legroom for the average adult, although a tall guy will have to manspread. There are Isofix anchor points for baby seats, and one USB port for your teen’s cellphone. A clever feature is the two spacious compartments under the bench in which you can hide valuables.
And the ride?
First the good news: it’s been a while since we had an enginegearbox combination that works this well together. The 3 ℓ fourcylinder turbodiesel – it’s Isuzu’s J Series engine with a Mazda badge on it – and six-speed automatic gearbox complement each other brilliantly.
The gearbox uses a compact gear train and a hydraulic control system that responds quickly. According to Mazda, the electronic control module is programmed to match the torque delivery characteristics of the engine by always choosing the best ratio. Control modes such as Skip Gear Shift, Slip Lock-up and Slope Control ensure that the automatic gearbox responds correctly and intuitively to the prevailing driving conditions. It’s a mouthful, but in short: the combination works well.
We ventured on a moderate 4x4 trail in the Paarlberg Nature Reserve with the BT-50 (see p 62), because it was so pretty that we didn’t want to go hardcore on a proper 4x4 track – and we didn’t struggle at all.
Now for the bad news: the ride quality is poor. The last time we were this shaken up in a bakkie was during the nineties. We don’t know if Isuzu should be blamed for this, or whether Mazda fiddled with something best left alone. We measured the tyre pressure, and that’s not the problem.
After loading 15 bags of building sand (600 kg) on the back, the ride was significantly better, and the shaking was gone. Mazda South Africa doesn’t provide the specific permissible payload for the BT-50, and its media release states that it’s “significantly more than a tonne”.
But according to Mazda Australia, which gets the same bakkie as us, the number is 1 220 kg. From this, we deduce that the suspension, which can carry 1,2 tonnes, is so stiff that without a load it makes the BT-50 bounce even on tar.
This is, however, good news if you’re planning to fit a heavy canopy with a drawer system and built-in camp kitchen.
The competitors
When it comes to power and torque, the Volkswagen Amarok V6 leads the way with 190 kW and 580 Nm, compared to the BT-50’s 140 kW and 450 Nm. As for fuel economy, the current Isuzu D-Max is the winner with its 7,8 ℓ/100 km (according to the manufacturer), which is only slightly better than the BT-50’s number of 8 ℓ/100 km (also supplied ). We must mention that both these numbers are optimistic, because our fuel consumption in this Mazda BT-50 and the Isuzu D-Max that was our long-term test vehicle was heavier.
The Ford Ranger is the largest and heaviest bakkie on this list (not that it’s a good thing) and the Amarok the shortest – a whole 3mm shorter than the BT-50 – although the Mazda BT-50 weighs the least: 2 018 kg against the runner-up, the Amarok, 2 078 kg.
The BT-50 also performs well with its towing capacity, in this case 3 500 kg, but it’s obviously reduced by legislation to 2 018 kg (the Mazda’s tare weight). As we’ve already mentioned, its load capacity is by far the best among its competitors here, but when it comes to peace of mind, Isuzu’s five-year/120 000 km warranty is the best. Mazda only gives a three-year warranty… for the same bakkie as the Isuzu.
Conclusion
The stiff rear suspension is clearly meant to carry loads, and you won’t be sorry if you buy the BT50 to transport heavy goods. But the smart interior and its striking outward appearance suggests that the BT-50 is intended for a different role – one that doesn’t necessarily include the transport of building materials.
The new BT-50 also costs more than the outgoing Isuzu D-Max and Ford Ranger in the same category, and that’s something budget-conscious South Africans may not accept. Its appearance, inside and out, and the great engine-gearbox combination do count in the BT-50’s favour.
The stiff rear suspension is clearly meant to carry loads, and you won’t be sorry if you buy the BT-50 to transport heavy goods
The exterior look is lovely, and the finishes on the outside and inside are great. It’s the most comfortable I’ve been behind the wheel of a towing vehicle in a long time. In addition, the driver’s seat adjusts electrically – not the passenger’s one though.
Although the model has just about every imaginable gadget, it doesn’t have gear shift paddles or an electronic hand brake. Although, I do prefer a brake lever you pull by hand.
On the highway, the Navara tows without difficulty at 120 km/h, even going up steep hills. The automatic gearbox with its seven gears is basic, but shifts evenly and also doesn’t hunt between gears unnecessarily. The accelerator is quite sensitive – you barely touch it and the car responds. You don’t have to kick down for the gearbox to wake up and downshift when you want to accelerate, for example.
The instrument panel displays a variety of information at once – and it’s easy to interpret. For example, the screen with the electronic speed also shows the wind direction you’re travelling towards.
I think the consumption of 14,9 ℓ/100 km is fair, because we mostly towed at 120 km/h with a strong wind.
My only gripe is the turning circle – it feels a bit wide.
The price is competitive. It’s definitely an improvement on the previous model, which reminded me of a revamped Hardbody, and it tows like a champ. In fact, I think it’s now moving in on the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux. If I were to choose a bakkie today, this would be my choice.
It simply has everything you’re looking for: beautiful, comfortable, tows well, has a smooth gearbox, and a strong engine… all at the right price. What more could you ask for?
the Navara for a while, and it’s still there.
Nissan also knows how to keep all passengers happy. There are no less than three USB ports in different spots: one is in front of the gear selector, the other one in the box between the front seats, and the third one behind the box for the guys on the back seat.
The ride is on the softer side, thanks to the coil springs. When you’re towing, however, it does get a little bumpy, but it’s nothing too serious.
On both sides of the loading bin there’s a rail with two anchor points that can move. It’s practical, and you can attach anything from a motorcycle to a pile of camping gear. What’s even more practical is a spring at the hinges of the tailgate. This prevents the lid from falling open and also helps with closing it. That’s something that belongs on every bakkie.
Then, of course, the real question is how much you’ll have to budget to get to a campsite. At 14,9 ℓ/100 km, it’s on the heavy side, but we must say that with our test, a strong wind blew. The numbers for the three models we previously tested were 13,44 ℓ/100 km, 13,1 ℓ/100 km, and 14,71 ℓ/100 km respectively. It may be a coincidence that the latter was also for the 2,5 ℓ engine, which means the newer model is slightly thirstier than its modest predecessor.
Drive & Camp says If you want to read about the 4x4 model’s off-road ability, see our previous issue – it costs R50 000 more than the 4x2 model reviewed here.