Tuesday, 21 February 2012 14:37

A most capable truck on road or rough

Written by 

THE SMILING corporate face of Mazda on the front of a ute makes a bold statement.

Not everyone has found it a comfortable mix, the curvy swoops that are Mazda's signature look melded onto the more traditional profile of a ute, but in the metal it looks good. Different, but good.

On the road, the new BT-50 is a revelation. The 3.2L 5-cylinder I5 20-valve turbocharged, intercooled diesel is all torque and nonchalantly throws the Mazda up hills and down straights without raising an eyebrow.

Power is a healthy 147kW, maximum torque is 470Nm generated at 1750-2500rpm – right where you want it for off roading and towing – and the five-cylinder growl makes the BT-50 far more interesting than a four-pot diesel.

The chassis dynamics of the BT-50 and its close cousin the Ford Ranger have drawn much praise from the motoring press (the mechanically identical Ford was named Autocar magazine's Car of the Year).

The steering is accurate and the chassis, within the limitations of a cart-sprung rear – comfortable and capable in a way most commercial vehicles are not.

A spirited drive up Highway 16, between Helensville and Wellsford, took in a mix of straight and winding sections of road, and some indifferent road surfaces, all of which the BT-50 easily took in its stride. It lopes along in the most effortless fashion.

Off road it was only stopped by its road-oriented rubber. Among the many active safety features is hill descent control which will safely 'walk' the truck down steep terrain, requiring the driver to do no more than steer. To help it get back up the hill is a diff lock.

Tick the automatic gearbox option, as fitted to the Limited test vehicle we drove, and you'll get the excellent ZF 6-speed automatic. Manual buyers also get six cogs. The higher gearing offers better fuel efficiency when cruising, the claimed average being 9.2L/100km.

Prices for the base 4WD double cab start at $51,295 and stop at $61,895 for the leather-lined Limited.

Featured

$52,500 fine for effluent mismanagement

A Taupiri farming company has been convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment.

Ospri brings Bovine TB testing in-house

The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Arable advocacy?

OPINION: Spare a thought for the arable farmer, squeezed on one side by soft global prices and on the other…

Gaslight much?

OPINION: Labour leader Chris 'Chippy' Hipkins is carrying on the world-class gaslighting of the nation that he and his cohorts…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter