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By
ALISTAIR KENNEDY
11 December 2006
Mazda's BT-50 ute is a replacement for the long running Bravo
series and is significantly larger in every dimension. At the same time
it has joined the growing band of sporting utes, with bold styling that
really makes a statement.
For the time being, the Mazda BT-50 is powered exclusively by
diesel engines, the 4.0-litre V6 petrol unit sold in the outgoing
Bravo having been discontinued. There are two diesels, both
common-rail turbo units, one an upgraded version of the 2.5-litre
used in the previous model, the other a new 3.0-litre.
The previous SOHC 2.5-litre diesel was barely powerful enough
for a working vehicle and although the new DOHC version has more
torque (up 59Nm to 330Nm) and power (up 23kW to 105kW), Mazda is
pushing buyers towards the 3.0-litre engine by making the
2.5-litre available only in the entry level 2WD cab chassis model.
Indeed we weren’t even given the opportunity to test drive it at
the press launch.
The new 3.0-litre diesel has significantly more torque than the
superseded petrol V6 - 380Nm at 1800 rpm compared with 323 Nm at
3000 rpm. Add to this the rated fuel consumption of 9.2 litres per
100 kilometres for the diesel against the 13.5 L/100 km of the V6
and Mazda’s diesel decision makes a lot of sense.
Both diesel engines are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox
with a five-speed auto to be available in the SDX Dual Cab models
early in 2007.
Body styles, as before, are Single Cab, Freestyle Cab and Dual
Cab. Freestyle is a cleverly designed extended cab body aimed at
providing secure, easy-to-access undercover stowage space with the
added convenience of small fold-down seats so it can act as a
four-seater for occasional use. It has four doors, the rear two
being rear-hinged and only able to be opened when the front doors
are also open.
The rear doors of the BT-50 dual cab aren’t a great deal
wider than those of the Freestyle cab however once you get into
the rear seat it’s surprisingly comfortably and quite suitable
for two full-sized adults. Legroom isn’t great but is acceptable
given the type of vehicle that it is, there’s plenty of headroom
and the seats are raised to allow good front and side vision.
Single cab BT-50 models come with a bench seat as standard,
although bucket seats can be specified for an additional $225.
Our initial test of the BT-50 was restricted to 3.0-litre, 4WD,
manual gearbox models with each of the three cab options. A good
proportion of the route, in the ACT and southern NSW, was over a
mixture of bitumen and well-maintained gravel roads where Mazda’s
improvements in noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels almost
gave it the feel and comfort of a large passenger car when
cruising.
Of more interest, and a real test, came when we were able to
put the vehicles through their paces under some severe conditions
at a 4WD driver training centre. The extra torque helped the BT-50
clamber up some steep gradients with relative ease while the body
felt strong and rigid over badly corrugated, rock-strewn surfaces.
Another plus for the working buyer is a big improvement in
towing capacity - up from a maximum of 1800 kg in the Bravo to
2250 kg in the BT-50 2.5-litre and 2500 kg in the 3.0-litre.
About the only disappointment with the BT-50 was the retention of
the old-fashioned pull-and-turn handbrake mounted under the
dashboard. Otherwise this looks to be Mazda’s best ute yet.
The complete Mazda BT-50 range with prices (excluding on-road
costs) is:
DX 4x2 2.5-litre diesel: $23,255 (manual)
DX+ 4x2 3.0-litre diesel Freestyle Cab cab chassis: $30,850
(manual)
DX+ 4x2 3.0-litre diesel Freestyle Cab utility: $32,220 (manual)
DX 4x2 3.0-litre diesel Dual Cab utility: $33,020 (manual)
DX 4x4 3.0-litre diesel Single Cab cab chassis: $31,975 (manual)
DX+ 4x4 3.0-litre diesel Freestyle cab chassis: $36,980 (manual)
DX+ 4x4 3.0-litre diesel Freestyle utility: $38,350 (manual)
SDX 4x4 3.0-litre diesel Freestyle utility: $42,750 (manual)
DX 4x4 3.0-litre diesel Dual Cab utility: $39,150 (manual)
SDX 4x4 3.0-litre diesel Dual Cab utility: $43,550 (manual),
$45,550 (automatic)
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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