The BT-50 Is Still Part of the PlanDid you know that Mazda currently sells a pickup truck in other parts of the world? Engineered with Japanese truck maker Isuzu (after Mazda's breakup with Ford), the BT-50 is a bruiser of a truck offered primarily in markets such as Australia, Southeast Asia, South Africa, and New Zealand. It shares much of its mechanical hardware with the Isuzu D-Max, while Mazda gives it its own styling and cabin treatment.The current BT-50 landed in 2021 and just got a 2025 refresh with some new looks and gear. If you're asking yourself whether the BT-50 badge is sticking around, Mazda has basically said, yes, it's not going anywhere.MazdaTough Time for DieselsEven with diesel falling out of favor due to rising oil prices and the midsize truck scene getting more crowded by the day, Mazda Australia boss Vinesh Bhindi told CarsGuide the BT-50 is still a must-have. Asked if that means a new model is coming (probably around 2028), his answer was short and sweet: "yes."That means the next BT-50 will be squaring off with the usual suspects in Australia, such as the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux, plus a growing crowd of electrified and Chinese newcomers.MazdaMazda Has a Couple of PathsThe easy play for Mazda? Stick with Isuzu. The current BT-50 is basically a D-Max in disguise, and keeping that partnership alive means Mazda doesn't have to start from zero with a new truck platform.That also keeps diesel in the mix for now. Isuzu is tinkering with electrified powertrains, but nothing's set in stone yet, so don't expect the next BT-50 to ditch the old-school formula right away.But there's another card Mazda could play. The brand has gotten cozier with Chinese automaker Changan, the folks behind the platforms for the Mazda 6e and CX-6e. That could pave the way for a very different kind of BT-50.Take Changan's Hunter K50 as an example: it runs a range-extender electric setup with a 43.47-kWh battery. Mazda could potentially use technology like this in a future BT-50, although that remains conjecture for now.The truck's chief designer, Eiji Kimoto, who also worked on the current BT-50, was similarly careful when CarsGuide asked about the replacement. "I am not allowed to speak much about the future product, but I can tell you, please look forward to it," he said.MazdaWhy America Probably Won't Get ItAs cool as a new BT-50 might be, American buyers shouldn't get their hopes up. Mazda doesn't have a US truck factory, and bringing in a foreign-built pickup means running into the infamous Chicken Tax.That 25% tariff on imported trucks makes the BT-50 a tough sell for the US. Mazda would also need a good reason to build a US-only version, like Hyundai is doing, in a market that's already packed to the gills.Changan
