The new Mazda BT-50 was recently unveiled for South Africa, and officially launches in July.
The exterior design has been heavily updated, thanks to inspiration taken from the company’s SUV range.
It now features a horizontally-slatted grille with chrome wings, while sharper LED headlights as well as stylish new alloy wheels are fitted.
When the BT-50 goes on sale locally, we will get a choice between three trim lines – Active, Dynamic, and Individual.
Standard equipment on the base Active specification includes:
- Cruise control
- Reverse camera
- Rear parking sensors
- Multifunction steering wheel
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- 7-inch MZF infotainment display
The more expensive Dynamic and Individual trims then receive a 9-inch central screen.
Every model also offers hill launch assist, hill descent control, trailer sway mitigation, and seven airbags – while the range boasts a 5-star Australasian NCAP safety rating.
Engines
Under the hood, the entry-level model gets a 1.9-litre, diesel engine paired with the buyer’s choice of either a manual or automatic transmission.
This specification produces 121kW and 213Nm, and drives the rear wheels only.
Both higher-end models are fitted with a 3.0-litre, turbo-diesel motor that puts out 140kW and 450Nm – paired with a six-speed automatic gearbox.
The range-topping Individual is then the only model that drives all four wheels.
Price
The South African starting price for the new Mazda BT-50 range will be announced at its launch, and the only company stated that every purchase includes a 3-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, service plan, and roadside assistance.
However, if we look at the Australian starting price for the new BT-50 – A$49,000 for the 3.0-litre variant – we can get a rough idea of what it will compete against.
The market
The South African bakkie segment is a tough market to enter for any new vehicle.
Not only will the new BT-50 have to compete against local favourites like the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger, it will also go up against the range-topping GWM P-Series and Mitsubishi Triton.
Listed below are the BT-50’s biggest competitors in South Africa.
Click on the underlined price to visit TopAuto Car Prices for more information.
Nissan Navara 2.5DDTi SE Plus Auto
- Price – R528,000
- Power – 140kW/450Nm
- Safety – 5-star Australasian NCAP
- Warranty – 6-year/150,000km warranty and a 6-year/90,000km service plan.
GWM P-Series 2.0TD LT 4×4
- Price – R554,900
- Power – 120kW/400Nm
- Safety – No official rating
- Warranty – 5-year/100,000km warranty and 3-year/40,000km service plan.
Isuzu D-Max 300 3.0TD X-Rider
- Price – R590,300
- Power – 130kW/380Nm
- Safety – 4-star Euro NCAP
- Warranty – 5-year/120,000km warranty, 5-year/90,000km service plan, and 5-year/120,000km roadside assistance.
Ford Ranger 2.0SiT Hi-Rider XLT
- Price – R604,200
- Power – 132kW/420Nm
- Safety – 5-star Australasian NCAP
- Warranty – 4-year/120,000km warranty, 6-year/90,000km service plan, and 3-year/unlimited kilometre roadside assistance.
Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 Raider Auto
- Price – R644,500
- Power – 150kW/500Nm
- Safety – 5-star Australasian NCAP
- Warranty – 3-year/100,000km warranty, and 9-services/90,000km service plan.
Mitsubishi Triton 2.4DI-D 4×4 Xtreme
- Price – R699,995
- Power – 133kW/430Nm
- Safety – 5-star Australasian NCAP
- Warranty – 3-year/100,000km warranty, 5-year/90,000km service plan, and 5-year/unlimited kilometre roadside assistance.
Keyword: What the new Mazda BT-50 will compete against at launch