Road test review: Mazda BT-50 Limited

Tuesday, 2 February 2021

• MAZDA BT-50 LIMITED

• Base price: $60,990

• Powertrain and economy: 3.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder, 140kW/450Nm, 6-speed automatic, 4WD, combined economy 8.0L/100km, CO2 208g/km (source: RightCar).

• Vital statistics: 5280mm long, 1870mm wide, 1790mm high, 3125mm wheelbase, 18-inch alloy wheels.

• We like: Looks great, high quality and comfortable interior, much-improved ride, sharp pricing.

• We don't like: Irritatingly intrusive lane assist.

With the specification and pricing of the all-new BT-50 ute, Mazda New Zealand has essentially positioned it as an alternative to an SUV. Just with a very big boot. But can a ute really be a credible substitute for an SUV? We check out Mazda’s top-spec BT-50 Limited to find out.

But haven’t utes essentially become a credible substitute to an SUV by default anyway?

Arguably, yes, because a lot of people seem to be buying them to do just that. And as they have become increasingly refined and comfortable, utes are only making a stronger case for themselves in the SUV/passenger car-replacement arena, even if only on the outskirts.

**READ MORE:

* First drive review: Mazda BT-50

* Road Test Review: Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain

* Mazda BT-50 grabs 5 star ANCAP rating

* Mazda ute to the D-max

**

But a ute is still a big ladder chassis/leaf sprung (most of them) light commercial that, ultimately, is designed as a rugged load hauler (be it in the tray or on a trailer) workhorse, regardless of how fancy its interior is.

That means that even as they become increasingly refined and competent on the road, they still aren’t as good as a car. Or an SUV, for that matter.

But man, does the BT-50 move things even closer again.

Really? So would you describe it as ‘car-like’ then?

Probably, yes, but that’s only because that is something all motoring journalists have come to use as a lazy shorthand way of saying “nowhere near as crap as utes used to be on the road”.

In reality, as good as the BT-50 (and its twin-under-the-skin Isuzu D-Max) is in terms of ride and handling, it still isn’t anywhere near as good as a car. But an SUV? Well, we certainly are getting close…

While there is still the noticeable lightness and jiggliness from the rear that you expect from an unladen ute (plus an eager willingness to squeal the rear tyres), the BT-50’s poise is impressive, with a wonderfully composed and confident feel.

The “ute-ness” from the rear has been very much minimised and, in all likelihood would be completely eliminated with a bit of weight in the back, leaving you with a ride that would be the equal of a lot of ute-based ladder chassis SUVs out there, and a few monocoque ones too.

Likewise, the BT-50’s handling is exemplary for a ute, although its steering is over-assisted and lacks feedback, but again that’s not unusual for the segment.

Isuzu’s 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel is still a reminder you are in a ute, however, and is neither as powerful, nor as characterful as the big five-cylinder Ford unit that the last BT-50 used. However, the new BT-50 is lighter, so Mazda says it is actually slightly faster, while the six-speed automatic transmission is slick and superb.

So it makes a convincing (if not overwhelmingly so) substitute for an SUV on the road. What about inside?

That’s the BT-50 Limited’s real strong point.

The Limited’s interior is a class above even the D-Max it is based on. While the basic layout is the same, the BT-50 Limited uses Mazda’s trademark black/very, very, very dark brown two-tone leather to remarkably good effect, giving the interior a luxury feel that even outpoints the sadly unloved (but utterly excellent) Mercedes-Benz X-Class in terms of quality.

The seats are nicely comfortable and decently supportive, while the back seats aren’t even too bad.

The Limited is fully-loaded with tech, including a touchscreen infotainment system that is good, but not as good as Mazda’s own system in its other cars, as well as a full suite of safety tech and driver assists.

And here is where we do run into a slight pothole on the BT-50’s so-far smooth road – the same irritating lane keep assist system that blighted the Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain we drove recently.

While the system was ferociously irritating in the X-terrain due to its tendency to wander all over the road on its silly big aftermarket wheels and all-terrain tyres, it is not quite so bad in the BT-50, which is on normal highway tyres and behaves far better.

But it is still a teeth-grinder that can’t be turned off with the push of a button when it starts fighting you. It can be turned off, however, but you have to be parked and then scroll through a number of menus to get there…

Does all that mean it is just an excellent ute? Or that it makes a convincing substitute for an SUV?

Well, it’s definitely the former. The BT-50 is a thoroughly brilliant ute that, like the related D-Max pushes the Hilux and top-selling Ranger hard for the title of best ute on sale today. But does that mean it is a good alternative to an SUV?

Well, that depends on your attitude towards the planet, really.

While in terms of ride, handling, comfort and quality, the BT-50 Limited convincingly takes the fight to an equivalently-priced SUV, but its impact on the environment is heftier.

While the BT-50 pumps out 208g/km of CO2, the equivalent diesel CX-8 SUV pumps out 156g. I’ll just leave that there for you to consider.

Any other cars I should consider?

It depends on whether you consider it a true alternative to an SUV or not.

The ute rivals are obvious, with the mechanically identical Isuzu D-max being the most obvious of all. Spec-for-spec the Mazda is cheaper than the Isuzu though, while it also effortless undercuts the now-ageing Ford Ranger too.

The Toyota Hilux is the undisputed price leader in the segment and is an excellent option as well.

And as for SUVs… well, we all know there are LOTS of them to choose from…