2022 Mazda BT-50 XS dual-cab review

Mazda has just introduced its range of BT-50 light commercial vehicles for 2022, but it hasn’t actually changed much of the recipe. Most variants have little in the way of added equipment – save for a simple way to turn off overzealous lane-keeping tech.

What has changed for the 2022 Mazda BT-50 is an expanded range appeal, with a newly added top-spec BT-50 SP variant and a new business-focussed entry-level BT-50 XS, which gets an as yet unseen in Australia 1.9-litre turbo-diesel engine, again shared with the Isuzu D-Max.

We spent time in the former car at the BT-50’s launch last month, but it’s time to get behind the wheel of the BT-50 XS dual-cab with the new 110kW/350Nm 1.9-litre turbo-diesel engine.

Priced from $38,490 drive-away for ABN holders, this entry-level is obviously aimed at fleet buyers. This price is for the single-cab-chassis 4×2 layout, while the variant is also available in dual-cab 4×2 and dual-cab 4×4 configuration. On test we’ve got the $43,990 drive-away XS dual-cab pick-up 4×2.

It comes better equipped than expected, stocking items including LED headlights, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and lane-keep assist, a 7.0-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, digital radio, reversing camera, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams.

For a traffic-control-spec white ute, this is a surprising level of kit. Let’s see how it gets on.

The BT-50’s interior is a decently comfortable place to spend time – it just leans more utilitarian rather than nice. The cloth seats feel nice to the touch and appear to be built sturdily, and have great support especially around the shoulders.

You do get a few hard plastic surfaces on areas such as the door card tops and centre console lid, which makes it hard to rest elbows due to the fact they’ll be sore within minutes.

Elsewhere it stocks wash-out plastic flooring that feels entirely befitting of an entry-level ute. It’s not nice, but it does suit the car’s work-oriented intentions. What is annoying is the floor mats slide about over the plastic flooring – they are tethered down by two little hooks, but that isn’t enough to stop the mats from moving about when driving.

It’s a no-frills space, but you can’t expect much more from an entry-specification ute. There’s a good amount of room for the driver in the front row, and nice storage cubbies like the tray in front of the shifter and large door pockets for big bottles.

There’s also a two-part glovebox with space inside the dashboard as well as underneath it.

Even back seat passengers are well-sorted with good headroom and even decent knee room. The interior is equipped with an old school single-zone air-conditioning system, where outlets also extend to the second row. It’s quick to start up and blow cool air on a hot day.

Within the BT-50’s plasticky dash is a 7.0-inch infotainment system shared with Isuzu. The functionality of the system is simple with prominent shortcuts along the bottom of the screen, though it’s a little basic in terms of content and design.

The layout and feel are a bit more aftermarket than we’re used to from Mazda, mainly because it’s shared with Isuzu, so it’s a shame we miss out on the brand’s latest Mazda Connect software that the Drive team loves.

Users can connect up Apple CarPlay or Android Auto-equipped phones if that system is preferred – Apple CarPlay can be accessed via a wireless or wired connection, but Android users must carry a cord to use their software. As standard, there is an annoying beep played through the speakers every time you make a screen selection, but this is easily turned off in the settings.

To plug in and charge items, Mazda has provided a USB-A port up front and a 12-volt outlet.

A small TFT screen is found within the instrument cluster, which shows a digital speed readout and other pertinent drive information.

The Mazda BT-50 range scored a full five stars from ANCAP in 2020.

It counts a host of safety tech under its equipment list including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning and prevention, lane-follow assist, rear cross-traffic alert, speed assist (linking traffic sign recognition to the speed limiter), rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and a reversing camera.

That’s impressive for an entry-level specification. Last year’s BT-50 had an annoyingly overzealous lane-keep assist system that was heavy-handed and regularly cut in when not needed. Thankfully, there is a new way to turn this off by holding down the steering-wheel-shaped icon on the right ride of the steering wheel.

As with all Mazdas, the BT-50 is sold with a five-year-long warranty and there’s no stipulation on kilometres. Service intervals occur every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever is first.

According to Mazda’s scheduled service program, the BT-50 is set to cost $1255 over the first three years or $2005 over five years.

Against Mazda’s fuel consumption claim of 6.7L/100km, our testing showed a 7.4L/100km recording. Both these figures were recorded across a combination of rural and around-town environments.

Driving the BT-50 XS is a new 1.9-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that sends power to the rear wheels in this specification.

While it doesn’t nearly output the same kind of power you expect from most dual-cab ute models these days, the power and torque on tap are enough for most circumstances, and the ute will tow up to 3000kg. Mid-range punch is lacking, which is most noticeable when embarking on overtakes, but give yourself enough room and it’ll complete the job fairly quickly.

Being that it loses over a litre in capacity compared to the other 3.0-litre engine, the XS’s power plant needs to work harder and can become noisy under load. It’s fine for most applications, but those searching for a bit more oomph from their ute are better served by the 3.0-litre engine.

The throttle is quite sensitive and jolts the car when rolling on to the pedal in traffic – this also makes manoeuvring into tight car parks particularly troublesome.

The engine comes mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that acts smartly and picks the right ratio under most throttle demands. Unlike 3.0-litre models, the XS doesn’t offer a manual alternative.

Its ride is a bit jumpy across the board, and skipping over road imperfections and creases more than you’d expect. Impacts are well-damped on initial hit, but the movement does cause the cabin to buck around.

In that sense, the suspension tune feels tailored to carrying loads. That finicky ride quality settles down with some payload in the tray. Its maximum payload is rated at 1135kg.

While it’s positioned as an entry-level ute, the BT-50 XS feels a cut above its competition such as the Toyota HiLux Workmate and Mitsubishi Triton GLX. The amount of features and safety equipment Mazda has packed into its $43,990 drive-away price is impressive.

There are a few concessions you’ll have to deal with, like the downgraded engine and low-spec flooring, but on the whole the BT-50 represents a great take on what an entry-level variant should be.