The Tough as nails; the fully redesigned Mazda BT-50

The Mazda BT-50 used to be a household name for us, even after some badge engineering was introduced during the tie-up with Ford. Some of those cars used the ultra-tough Mazda powertrains and are still puttering about to reaffirm this. Lately, the name continues to impress, especially within the SUV segment. 

BT-50

Image: Mazda

Since its debut in 2006, the Mazda BT-50 has been sold mainly in regions which include Oceania, South America, the Middle East and Africa just to name a few. It boasts a sporty, yet powerful design and driving performance that is capable of taking on all kinds of driving situations. Fully redesigned for the first time in several years, the all-new BT-50 had to play catchup with cars in its league, it is now based on the latest Isuzu D-Max to take the battle even further. This makes sense because Isuzu has always been a strong contender, both in our country and on the continent.

To keep up with its competitors, some serious upgrades had to happen under the hood as well. The power output has increased to 140 kW with 450 N.m of torque, keeping up with modern technology. It pulls like a train and the conventional six-speed auto gearbox works well but the only minor criticism is that the transmission is eager to change down as if it was in sport mode.

BT-50

Image: Mazda

Inside the cabin, the seats are more comfortable and not affected by harsh summer sunshine, with great support from the upper cushions at the shoulders. Soft touch stitched material lines at the edge of the facia that switches to hard but well-textured plastic. Mazda developed the BT-50 with the intention of making travelling and the time spent inside the vehicle exceptionally pleasant. 

BT-50

Image: Mazda

Key features on the new Mazda include LED headlights, adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go, and a 7-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A reversing camera, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitor, dynamic stability control, hill descent control, hill launch assist, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and secondary collision reduction.

“As we move towards the brand-new BT-50’s second year, we are already focused on evolving the product and offering wider customer choice, which is a hallmark of our business,” Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi stated. “The new Mazda BT-50 SP model brings a strong, sporty aesthetic with impressive equipment levels, while the new 1,9-litre turbo-diesel drivetrain delivers a highly capable entry point into the BT-50 model range.”

Mazda BT-50 Fast Facts

Price: R794 400

Top Speed: 180 km/h

Power: 140 kW

Torque: 450 N.m

CAR fuel index: 9,60 L/100 km

 

Find the full story in the May 2022 issue of CAR Magazine.

The post The Tough as nails; the fully redesigned Mazda BT-50 appeared first on CAR Magazine.


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