Mazda BT-50 XTR Freestyle Cab 2012 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory & delivery charges): $46,890
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Nil
Crash rating: Five-star (ANCAP)
Fuel: Diesel
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 8.9
CO2 emissions (g/km): 235
Also consider: Ford Ranger (from $19,740 - $59,390); Volkswagen Amarok (from $24,490 - $61,490) 

Since debuting at the Australian International Motor Show in Melbourne last year, the Mazda BT-50 Freestyle ute has gone on to achieve only modest sales.

The part-time four-door accounts for only 12 per cent of all BT-50 sales, and while we’re being honest about things, the BT-50 itself isn’t tracking so well. Its numbers are down markedly against cousin Ford Ranger (-26.1 per cent), and even out-of-date rivals like the Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara and top-selling Toyota HiLux.

We put this down to Mazda’s one-chromosome-short ‘Nagare’ body styling, because it sure can’t be anything else. In almost every other respect, the BT-50 is an absolute winner.

Sampling the Freestyle cab XTR 4X4 we find a capable ute that presents not only every attribute the discerning farm, trade or recreational buyer could possibly ask for, but an air of quality quite unexpected in the category, too.

The interior’s fit and finish is on-par with Mazda’s passenger line-up and on test the stiffer body paid dividends. We experienced no rattles, squeaks or quibbles -- a welcome improvement over the predecessor, whose bat-wing doors vibrated enough to act as a vacuum, sucking in dust over unsealed roads.

No such issues here thank goodness. The cabin is as tight as a drum. And although the rear pews are best thought of as a temporary solution, there is enough space to fit two adults. Sure, the cushion is firm, you’ll need to open your door to let them out, and there’s no head restraint (don’t worry; the glass should break before their neck does). But they do score three-point seatbelts...

That rear space is also very handy for storing those items you don’t want nicked from the tray, or that you just want to keep dry. There’s adequate space for access with the doors spread ajar, under-seat storage, even a 12V power outlet and drink holders in the rear doors -- but no rear-seat ventilation outlets.

Mazda’s MZ-CD engine, shared with twin-under-the-skin Ford Ranger, displaced 3.2 litres across five cylinders and outputs 147kW/420Nm. There’s a little lag under 1500rpm and the gearshift in our manually-equipped model was clunky. Otherwise the unit offers power that is not only usable, but would trounce all comers bar Nissan’s OTT 550Nm V6 turbo-diesel.

Acting as a long-weekend hauler, the BT-50 comfortably hauled its payload of Honda motorcycle (say, 160kg wet), eskies, luggage, tools and three adult passengers for many hundreds of kilometres. The sealed and unsealed conditions proved worry-free for the BT-50 and its occupants, though we hasten to add that the stiffer suspension setup offered over that of the Ford Ranger seems to skate more on dirt roads -- and in the wet.

The stability control is quick to action and recovers with little interruption to keep the BT-50 on course. It’s a compromise, of course, but goes to show where some of the price difference goes when comparing the model on test with its Ford cousin. (The Mazda BT-50 XTR Freestyle is priced from $46,890 MRLP versus Ford Ranger XLT Extended Cab from $50,890 MRLP). Both offer the same combination of a wishbone (front) / leaf (rear) arrangement, though the tuning and damper rates are appreciably different.

The upper-spec BT-50 on test was fitted with alloy wheels measuring 17x8.0 inches. The wheels are shod with 265/65-series rubber. A skinnier steel spare wheel (7.5 inches) offers the same height to keep you out of trouble, while a turning circle of 12.4 metres eases the pain at manoeuvring speeds.

The steering is hydraulically assisted with enough feel to keep you in touch with the front rubber’s intentions. While the smooth-action brake pedal provides ample modulation over the 320mm front discs and 295mm rear drums.

We like the small-diameter steering wheel and well-cushioned seats. It’s just a shame the steering column is only adjustable for rake and not reach. There’s heaps of storage and a decent centre bin. Three 12V outlets also come in handy when smart phones, tablets and such all need charging at once.

The deep-set dials are easy to read and the sat-nav screen is adequate for the task. The big hard buttons make a lot of sense in a vehicle whose orientations take it off the beaten track, while shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive also makes life simpler when the cabin’s full of weekend clutter.

Up the back, BT-50’s lengthy tray offers six tie-down points, but sadly on this occasion no tonneau cover. The tailgate is rather heavy but the upside is it’s sturdy enough to climb on, a handy feature when loading and unloading the bike. We barely scratched the surface of BT-50’s load lugging ability which, depending on variant, rates between 1088 and 1271kg. If you need more, the BT-50 can tow up to 3350kg (braked). At nearly 300mm longer than the tray on the dual-cab (1783mm versus 1485mm), it’s far more handy, too.

On test, the BT-50 XTR Freestyle averaged 8.6L of diesel per 100km. The driving consisted primarily of winding country roads with the occasional stint of 100km/h cruise-controlled freeway travel. The figure bettered the ADR combined cycle figure by 0.3L/100km.

If you can get past the looks the Mazda BT-50 Freestyle is a quality light commercial with an SUV-like drive. The spare seats are a great back-up when you need them but don’t take up valuable tray space. Cheaper than its nearest rival, packed full of grunt and one of motoring.com.au’s recommended Tradie vehicles for 2012 the BT-50 is well worth a test drive.

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at the carsales mobile site