Tow test: Mazda BT-50 2017

Work-and-play ute passes the towing test with flying colours

You’re looking at the hardest working ‘tow test’ vehicle ever to occupy the Caravancampingsales garage!

In the space of four months this Aluminium Metallic Mazda BT-50 GT dual-cab ute tackled eight towing jobs in total – from relatively lightweight 1500kg vans to 22 footers weighing close to three tonnes, with a big trailer boat thrown in for good measure.

At other times we had the long-term test vehicle up on the hoist to check the suspension, and up against six of its main rivals in an exhaustive 4x4 dual-cab ute comparison.

In between it performed equally demanding domestic duties from daily commuter to family runabout and week-end getaway machine.

Clocking up more than 9000km before we reluctantly had to hand back the keys to Mazda, we can offer at least two main conclusions from our time with the rugged BT-50...

BUILT FOR TOWING

The first is that despite some reservations about towing big trailers with dual-cab utes, the BT-50 proved more than capable, and is certainly one of the best load luggers for towing close to the maximum 3500kg.

It was actually a joy to use (well, as much as towing can be fun!), thanks to the stable platform and willing five-cylinder engine. It’s not the quickest nor quietest (especially with the breathy factory snorkel fitted), but the BT-50 rarely struggles up hills or labours when overtaking, regardless of load or trailer out back.

This was backed up in an on- and off-road as well as towing showdown with six of the most popular pick-ups, where it scored second best off-road, third in towing and engine performance – and a commendable third overall.

The second conclusion is that unless you plan to regularly make use of the big tray, close to one-tonne payload and heavy-duty towing capacity, think carefully about buying a big ute.

Parking ease, driving refinement and general comfort and technology levels are no match for a decent-sized SUV for around-town and highway work; there’s no option of a third row of seats either.

LOOKS THE PART

Loaded up with close to $10,000 and around 200kg of factory-fitted accessories, including bull bar, snorkel, hard tonneau cover, tub liner, and dual battery kit, the top-spec, BT-50 certainly looks the part.

Of all accessories fitted, the auxiliary battery was in our case the most useful. Fitted permanently inside a box in the tray, it provided ample 12V power for a portable fridge on camping trips without fear of draining the main car battery. The downside is it takes up some valuable room in the tray.

Probably the best value-for-money accessory was the rubber mats, which stopped muddy boots from spoiling the floor carpet.

The steel painted bull bar with Light Force spot lights are handy features if you plan to head into the Outback and go night driving in the bush. But onnce again, think twice if you really need them as around town they add significant weight to the Mazda's front end and detract from its otherwise decent cornering ability.

A wide turning circle and big footprint when parking is the BT-50’s (and any dual-cab ute’s) Achilles heel, and on shorter trips we’d often opt for the smaller family SUV, faced with the prospect of tackling a busy shopping centre car park.

The jacked-up ride height was also an issue for shorter family members who struggled to lift goods in and out of the tray. The solid, heavy tailgate can be a chore to use too.

While good for securing goods in the back, the optional hard lid was probably more of a curse than a blessing, at least around home as it had to come off if we wanted to take the dog to the beach, or carry taller objects.

However, the hard lid definitely looks good, is easier to use and a better option than the soft tonneau cover, for deterring thieves, although a full canopy would be my choice...

DECENT FUEL ECONOMY

The BT-50 doesn’t have the most contoured seats but they're pretty comfy over the long haul, and the black leather trim in the top-spec GT does a good job of repelling sand, mud, melted chocolate and dirty paw prints.

We can’t complain about fuel economy either, averaging around 10.5L/100km driving ‘solo’, and anywhere from 12L/100km (1200kg caravan) to 20L/100km (2900kg van) when towing.

Probably the biggest letdown in the range-topping GT is the outdated infotainment system. Slow to ‘boot up’ and ‘buggy’ on occasion, it sometimes refuse to connect the phone via Bluetooth. The tiny screen for the reverse camera located in the rear view mirror is also behind the times.

On the daily commute I really missed a more up-to-date, higher-tech infotainment system to match the Ranger’s or Triton’s. So it’s good to hear that Mazda has since updated the BT-50 with a new touchscreen unit including full screen reverse camera display.

Overall, build quality is pretty good, with only a couple of minor squeaks in the dash plastics, which tended to come and go. There was also some driveline ‘snatch’ and occasional jerky gear change, although never enough to be annoying.

JACK OF ALL TRADES

It’s clear the dual-cab BT-50 does the workhorse ‘basics’ well; towing, hauling, off-roading, as well as comfortably transporting old, young and furry family members.

It’s no surprise that grey nomads – if less so tradies and fleet owners -- are attracted to the Mazda load lugger, which currently sits in sixth place in the 4x4 ute sales race.

Minor grumbles aside, the top-spec GT at drive-away pricing around $50,000 is one of the better ute deals. It would be easy to justify as a ‘cheap’ alternative to the top-selling Ranger, if the better-equipped Ford ute falls beyond your budget…

2017 Mazda BT-50 dual-cab GT

Engine: 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel

Output: 147kW/470Nm

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Payload: 1082kg

Tie-down points: Six

GVM/GCW: 3200kg / 6000kg

Vehicle weight: 2118kg (tare) / 2181kg (kerb)

Towing capacity: 750kg (unbraked) / 3500kg (braked)

Tray dimensions: 1360mm (L) x 1560mm (W) x 510mm (H); 1080mm (b/w arches)

Ground clearance: 237mm

Wading Depth: 800mm

Approach Angle: 28 degrees

Break-over Angle: 25 degrees

Departure Angle: 26 degrees

Towing capacity: 350kg (tow ball), 3500kg maximum

Price: $53,790 (plus on-road costs)

Tow test: Mazda BT-50 2017

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