Mazda BT-50 2020 Review

It’s a watershed year for ute-makers, but you’d argue none are undergoing the kind of change that is currently taking place at Mazda.

The new 2020 Mazda BT-50 arrives in showrooms nationally this week with not only a new nose, but an entirely new body, new internals and a suite of new safety and technology.

Having ended a utility partnership with Ford that dates back to the 1970s, Mazda is now in bed with Isuzu. As such, the new BT-50 borrows all of the internals of the new third-generation D-MAX.

What’s more, Mazda’s latest dual-cab range is a carbon copy of the Isuzu in terms of suspension and steering tune, engine and gearbox calibration and sound-deadening. The new Mazda BT-50 is even built by Isuzu on its Thai production line.

Utility partnerships are nothing new, and a quick perusal of Mazda’s timeline reveals it has shared the cost of ute development ever since the release of the B1600 back in 1972 – with, you guessed it, the Ford Courier.

However, with rampant competition at play, the modern ute buyer is clearly a more discerning type. Has Mazda done enough with its BT-50 this time round?

The 2020 Mazda BT-50 launches in Australia only in dual-cab form for now; single-cab and Freestyle extended-cab body styles won’t be available until 2021.

That means there is no replacement yet for the existing entry-level XT Single Cab Chassis 4x2 manual ($29,060 plus ORCs).

Therefore, the cheapest new BT-50 is the XT Dual Cab Chassis 4x2 auto priced at $44,090 plus on-road costs, which is also $3390 dearer than the new Isuzu D-MAX Crew Cab Chassis SX auto on which it’s based ($40,700).

Further up the range, the 2020 Mazda BT-50 Dual Cab Chassis 4x4 XT manual is priced at $49,360 (up $3350), the Dual Cab Pickup 4x4 XTR manual is $54,710 (up $1760) and the range-topping Dual Cab Pickup 4x4 GT manual is $56,990 – up $160.

As we’ve reported in separate stories, Mazda’s new ute comes with a host of extra standard equipment and safety technologies that officials argue brings an additional $3500 in value.

In terms of the cabin, even entry models get a 7.0-inch colour infotainment touch-screen with cabled Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, plus DAB+ digital radio, a reversing camera, USB ports for front and rear seats as well as rear air vents.

XTR models add bigger alloy wheels, LED fog lights and a bigger 9.0-inch touch-screen, while the top-spec Mazda BT-50 GT comes with brown leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat and heated front seats (trumping Isuzu on that front).

Safety also takes a huge step forward in the latest model. Standard driver assist systems include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), attention assist, automatic high beam (AHB), blind spot monitor (BSM), emergency lane keeping (ELK), lane departure warning (LDW), lane departure prevention (LDP), rear cross traffic alert (RCTA), roll over protection (ROP), secondary collision reduction and a speed assist system.

Also included are LED headlights and eight airbags including the Isuzu D-MAX’s first-in-class front centre airbag.

Mazda says it will conduct its own ANCAP crash testing to address pedestrian safety from the car’s new front nose. A five-star rating for the D-MAX bodes well.

Unlike the previous BT-50, those using child seats are asked to make do with a fabric top-tether loop in the latest model that re-routes belts to a central hard-mounted anchorage point behind the seat. There are, however, ISOFIX attachment points on the outbound pews.

Elsewhere, Mazda has announced a Guaranteed Future Value (GFV) plan for the new BT-50 via its Mazda Assured program. Customers who purchase a new BT-50 through Mazda Finance will be given a minimum value at the end of their finance contract.

The new BT-50 comes with Mazda Australia’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre factory warranty including roadside assist, and service intervals are 12 months or 15,000km. Capped-price service (Mazda Service Select) is available for a cost of $2288 over five years, which is said to represent a $685 saving on before.

The BT-50 is available in a choice of seven different colours in Australia – all no-cost options.

Even at $60,000, the top-spec dual-cab GT misses out on a tray liner or tonneau cover as standard; both are consigned to the options catalogue.

We’ve already recapped the subtle visual differences of the Mazda BT-50 and Isuzu D-MAX. Underneath, things are much more closely aligned.

All versions of both the D-MAX and BT-50 ride on a 3125mm wheelbase and measure about 5265mm long, 1870mm wide and 1785mm tall, while the dual-cab weighs about two tonnes.
Powering the BT-50 is Isuzu’s new 4JJ3-TCX 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel.

The Euro 5 emissions-compliant engine produces 140kW of power at 3600rpm and 450Nm of torque from 1600-2600rpm, with 450Nm available over 1400rpm-3000rpm.

That represents a 7kW/20Nm fall against Mazda’s previous Ford-sourced engine, but officials claim better torque delivery and less weight makes the new BT slightly quicker than before.

The engine is mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or Aisin’s latest six-speed automatic with sequential sports mode.

Fuel economy is rated between 7.7L/100km and 8.0L/100km for dual-cab models, depending on the grade.

All BT-50 models are rated to tow up to 3500kg (750kg unbraked), all cab-chassis models come standard with an alloy tray, and payloads range between 1055kg and 1106kg.

Elsewhere, the suspension platform comprises independent double wishbones up front and three-leaf springs and dampers at the rear. The range also now benefits from electric power steering and, for 4x4 models, a rear differential lock as standard.

Vented front discs have increased both in diameter and width (now 320x30mm – up from 300x28mm), while 295mm drum brakes continue at the rear.

Elsewhere, a high-set air intake ensures an official wading depth of 800mm. There’s also high-range and low-range four-wheel drive settings, hill start assist and hill descent control.

With so much in common with the Isuzu D-MAX, it’s no great surprise the new Mazda BT-50 offers similar key character traits on the road.

The engine wakes with an audible diesel clatter, the steering feels light at low speeds and the cabin offers strong passenger amenity, including decent incidental storage, individual USB ports front and rear and rear air vents.

Passengers front and rear also have access to a grab rail upon entry and exit, and space is par for the course across both rows.

The subtle changes introduced by Mazda present nicely, including the firm yet supportive brown leather pews in our test example. Unlike the D-MAX, they get seat warmers, too.

There’s a hard-wearing premise to the cabin, but soft touch-points and a mix of materials lend the BT-50 a modern, contemporary vibe.

The driver instrument cluster presents information clearly and legibly, while on first impression the 9.0-inch centre screen lacks the clarity and ease of use of rival units.

The BT-50 also takes a step forward in terms of on-road refinement, thanks to a quieter cabin and the introduction of its slick electrically-assisted power steering.

There’s a new lightness at play, too, heralded by more confident changes in direction and an approachable on-road demeanour – at least where smooth surfaces apply.

But, as with the new Isuzu D-MAX, the on-road experience is undermined slightly by a gruff, audible diesel engine and a busy, at times jarring, ride.

In regular conveyance, the diesel engine builds speed smoothly and progressively, working in concert with our tester’s six-speed automatic transmission to gently slur through the ratios.

The engine lacks the torque of like-minded rivals, which means it’s more reliant on the auto to kick down gears and retain its sweet spot.

All told, though, it’s a nice synergy, and the gearbox is quite effective in kicking down to assist in engine braking. It’s also an efficient alliance: we had little trouble bagging an 8.3L/100km fuel rating over a loop that encompassed 700km.

As for the ride quality, it’s a mixed bag. On smooth surfaces, it feels firm yet tolerable, tremoring over small-amplitude imperfections. On a bumpy B-grade road familiar with much of rural Australia, the ride is much busier; harsher obstacles jar through the cabin.

Twenty years ago, you would have shrugged your shoulders and moved on to load-carrying ability. Today, the dual-cab ute is expected to regularly carry children, families, and there are other utes that do this more effectively.

As for load-carrying, we only got to putting a 300kg load in the tray, and it went some way in tempering the BT-50’s busy progress. Recent experience with the Isuzu D-MAX suggests the BT-50 will be proficient under heavy load and off-road.

We’ve decided to reserve judgement on the BT-50’s towing ability until a standalone test.

Elsewhere, the suite of new safety features is a welcome addition to the BT-50 range. There’s certainly less audible chimes and bells than that of the D-MAX, but some fine-tuning is needed in terms of the lane keeping functions and occasionally the forward collision alert – they’re effective but occasionally overzealous in their application.

There’s no doubt this is a significant step forward for the Mazda BT-50, a vehicle which ably juggles modern safety and technology demands with the load-carrying abilities expected from a modern dual-cab.

With that said, the BT-50 ultimately lacks the final layer of on-road polish commensurate with all other Mazda models.

That might have worked in years gone by, but in today’s increasingly competitive ute market, buyers might tend to disagree.

How much does the 2020 Mazda BT-50 GT 4x4 automatic cost?
Price: $59,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 140kW/450Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 207g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: TBC