COMMERCIAL VEHICLES TEND TO HAVE longer lifespans than passenger vehicles, so the update for Mazda’s strong-selling BT-50 ute has been a long time coming.
However, patience is being rewarded as Mazda Australia has today revealed the tough new look for its ute, announcing the new Mazda BT-50 will go on sale in Australia towards the end of the year.
Taking years of experience and customer feedback into account, Mazda has ensured the Mazda BT-50 will launch with a comprehensive list of advanced features, blending with sleek and bold styling and rugged capability, all designed to the highest safety standards.
Mazda Australia Managing Director Vinesh Bhindi said the BT-50 sets a new benchmark in the segment.
“Brand-New Mazda BT-50 will bring unrivalled design, comfort and capability to the popular ute segment, raising the bar for what these customers can expect from their ute,” said Mr. Bhindi.
“A more rugged, muscular application of Mazda’s successful Kodo design gives Brand-New Mazda BT-50 unmistakable road presence, while the high-tech safety features provide drivers and fleet manager with peace of mind. Ownership experience remains key to Mazda customers and Brand-New Mazda BT-50 will take it a step further with a long list of accessories and customer programs to launch as we get closer to going on sale later in the year.”
In case you hadn’t noticed, Mazda is making it very clear that the BT-50 is “Brand-New”.
Kodo design incorporated
Mazda has fused its Kodo design language with the bold, muscular proportions a ute demands.
The new Mazda BT-50 adopts a distinctive Mazda face with its three-dimensional signature wing wrapping its commanding front grille and extending out to the side of the vehicle into the sharp, deep sculpted headlamps. A strong rear-view mirror presence is amplified with a sense of width created by the use of low outboard parking lamps.
Kodo design is exemplified by sweeping crease lines running from the front grille out towards the wing mirrors, paired with an unbroken centre line that flows from front to rear, combining to ensure a dynamic, powerful appearance.
A strong shoulder line running into the tail lamps and sculpted door design complements newly developed body colours, engineered to enhance Mazda BT-50’s rugged, muscular exterior. Gunblue Mica features lighter blue highlight areas that play off against the deep, dark blue of the shaded areas, while Concrete Grey Mica is a solid, deep colour with a sparkling aluminium flake for a more industrial presentation.
Inside, comfortable and supportive seats wrap around the body are positioned in a wide, spacious cabin environment, which benefits from the soft-touch horizontal layout of the instrument panel extending from door-to-door, further amplifying the sense of width and space.
The new Mazda BT-50 is designed for ease-of-use and to match driver needs, with a telescopic steering column to find the perfect driving position, and a large touchscreen infotainment system with functionality including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Additional new features
Developed in partnership with Isuzu Motor Limited (the previous model shared much of its architecture with Ford’s Ranger; Isuzu previously partnered with Holden to create the Colorado ute and Colorado 7 SUV), Mazda BT-50 boasts the renowned capability and reliability the Isuzu brand enjoys in the light commercial segment, with the striking design and leading safety credentials available on the rest of the Mazda range.
Mazda BT-50 blends rugged off-road performance with refined on-road driving using a 3.0-litre diesel engine, packing 140kW power and 450Nm torque. With a reduced body weight and more frugal engine, Mazda BT-50 will also launch with a significant improvement in fuel economy.
Capability and versatility for a variety of tasks are ensured with 3500kg towing capacity and over 1000kg payload.
Mazda’s commitment to offering best-in-class safety carries over from passenger cars and SUVs to Mazda BT-50, bringing new features to the segment to ensure the BT-50 is the safest and most technologically advanced in its class.
For the first time Adaptive Cruise Control, Auto Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are all available as standard equipment, designed to the highest safety standards. Mazda BT-50 is scheduled to go on sale in Australia later in 2020.
Once we have tested and assessed the new Mazda BT-50, seniordriveraus will bring you a comprehensive review, including everything the over-50 driver needs to know.