New Mazda BT-50 ute ready to tow

The first photos of the all-new, 3500kg tow rated, 2021 Mazda BT-50 ute have been released ahead of its Australian release late this year.

Revealed only in volume-selling dual-cab 4x4 pick-up form, the new Mazda BT-50 shows off a bold new look inside and out.

And, thanks largely to the new Isuzu D-MAX on which it’s based, it also brings advanced driver aids, better connectivity and more luxury, amenity and safety.

Within its upmarket new cabin are new technologies including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the new Mazda BT-50 hasn’t turned its back on its utilitarian roots and will maintain the 3500kg towing capacity and 1000kg-plus payload of the outgoing Ford Ranger-based model.

This is despite downsizing to a smaller and lower-output turbo-diesel engine, also shared with the upcoming 2020 D-MAX.

The current BT-50 is powered by a 3.2-litre five-cylinder Ford turbo-diesel that delivers 147kW of power and 470Nm of torque, but in its place is an upgraded version of Isuzu’s 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel delivering 140kW/450Nm.

Once again six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions will be offered, as will 4x2 and 4x4 drivelines, the latter with 2H, 4H and 4L modes and a locking rear diff.

Ending a commercial vehicle partnership with Ford that dates back to the second-generation Mazda B-Series ute produced from 1965, the 2021 Mazda BT-50 is the mechanical twin of the Isuzu D-MAX for the first time, replacing the existing Ranger-based model on sale since 2011.

However, the new BT’s exterior and – save for the infotainment system and some switchgear – interior designs are unique.

Its all-new sheet metal, including the tub, adopts Mazda’s latest ‘Kodo’ design theme, making it more aggressive than its smiley-faced predecessor and providing a strong visual link with stablemates such as the Mazda CX-5 and CX-9 SUVs.

New slimline LED headlights will be standard on “all configurations”, says Mazda, and new tail-lights also feature the brand’s signature circular motif. Also making the new BT-50 appear more masculine is a squarer front-end design punctuated by a bold new grille and bulging bonnet.

Mazda BT-50: The details
The new Mazda BT-50 will bring a range of new safety technologies, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and blind spot monitoring system.

Therefore it will be able to accelerate, brake and steer itself for the first time, matching class-leaders like the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and Mitsubishi Triton.

It’s likely the new Mazda pick-up will get a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating.

As well as its new ladder frame, suspension, powertrain, electrical architecture and 9.0-inch infotainment touch-screen, the 2021 Mazda BT-50 also shares its heating/cooling controls with the Isuzu D-MAX.

But the dashboard, instrument cluster and air-vents are unique to the Mazda, as are the front seats in top-spec models, which score heating, leather trim and power adjustment including lumbar.

The new Mazda BT-50 will be available with 16-, 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels and in seven paint colours: Gunblue Mica, Concrete Grey Mica, Red Volcano Mica, True Black Mica, Ingot Silver Metallic, Rock Grey Mica and Ice White.

Pricing, exact specifications or model variant details have not yet been announced for the new ute, which will be produced alongside the new D-MAX in Thailand.

The outgoing dual-cab is priced from under $40,000 for the entry-level XT 4x2 manual cab/chassis, extending to $63,250 for the top-shelf Boss 4x4 auto pick-up.

The 2021 Mazda BT-50 will be covered by the Japanese brand’s five-year, unlimited kilometre factory warranty, and backed by transparent service pricing (as opposed to capped-price servicing). Service schedules and the costs involved can be checked via the calculator on the Mazda website.

Australia’s ute market has never been more competitive, with six new or upgraded models to be launched in the second half of 2020, including an updated Toyota HiLux (August) and Nissan Navara (November), and the new D-MAX (September) and Great Wall ute (December).

In the lucrative, volume-selling 4x4 segment, the current Mazda BT-50 lies eighth in the sales charts – behind the HiLux, Ranger, Triton, Holden Colorado, Toyota LandCruiser, D-MAX and Navara – with 2426 sales to May this year (down 30.8% year-to-date).

Stay tuned for more details and pricing soon.