2018 Mazda BT-50 pricing and specs
A modest Aussie-made makeover, new pricing, servicing savings and new features to boost ailing ute's market appeal
A subtly new Aussie-made look to the 2018 Mazda BT-50 could be enough to help improve sales for the hard-working ute, and a couple of key new features and ownership savings won't hurt.
That's what is on offer with the lightly refreshed 2018 BT-50, revealed today. Styling tweaks – billed as "major front-end design changes" – include a boxy new bumper design and big new horizontal bars through the grille.
Designed locally, exclusively for the Australian market, the squared-off look is intended to give the big BT-50 "a lower visual centre of gravity and a more solid bearing on the road".
XTR and GT models get chrome grille bars and a dark grey bumper insert, while XT gets the less flashy satin black grille bars and a plain black bumper insert.
Styling is otherwise unchanged, with the large leaf-shaped headlights – perhaps the ute's most polarising feature and now a tired holdover from the brand's previous-generation 'Nagare' styling language – staying as-is for now and likely until it's replaced by a new Isuzu-based generation.
Equipment upgrades include, for the flagship GT, a chrome sports bar and an integrated LED stop light, heavy-duty tub liner, tailgate central locking, and a 12-volt auxiliary socket in the tub.
The entry-level XT picks up a reversing camera and the upgraded 7.0-inch Alpine infotainment system, making up for the outdated single-colour LCD display initially offered.
The entire range now also benefits from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – oddly making the BT-50 Mazda's most advanced model on that particular front, with all of its passenger cars still left to go begging in the increasingly popular phone-mirroring game.
Mazda has also improved the ownership case for the BT-50, extending the allowed kilometres between scheduled services.
For the new model – a change which is not retrospective on pre-update models – service intervals have increased from 10,000km to 15,000km, while the 12-month timeline remains unchanged.
Costs are also improved, saving $854 over five years. See the table below.
15,000km p/a | Interval | 2 Years | 3 Years | 5 Years |
Previous model | 10k / 12 mth | $1414 | $2052 | $3537 |
New-Look Mazda BT-50 | 15k / 12mth | $1091 | $1522 | $2683 |
Improvement | $323 | $530 | $854 |
Lastly, new drive-away pricing is now in play, with the 4x2 XT single-cab chassis starting from $28,990 drive-away, while at the other end the 4x4 GT dual-cab is listed at $51,990 drive-away.
Despite these changes, Mazda is not expecting a massive improvement on last year's sales figures – aiming for 15,000 in 2018 against 14,119 last year – but the brand may be content to simply stave off any potential slide.
By the end of March – the most recent figures available – Mazda had reported 1232 4x2 and 2175 4x4 sales year-to-date, up and down respectively on the 1219 and 2312 sales recorded for the same period last year.
The BT-50 placed last in our 2018 dual-cab 4x4 ute mega test. Get the full write-up here.
2018 Mazda BT-50 pricing (drive-away)
4x2
- 6M 2.2L single C/CH XT 4X2 - $28,990
- 6A 2.2L single C/CH XT 4X2 - $32,205
- 6M 3.2L single C/CH XT 4X2 - $32,205
- 6M 3.2L Freestyle C/CH XT 4X2 - $34,490
- 6A 3.2L Freestyle C/CH XT 4X2 - $36,490
- 6M 3.2L dual C/CH XT 4X2 - $36,198
- 6M 3.2L dual-cab utility XT 4X2 - $35,990
- 6A 3.2L dual-cab utility XT 4X2 - $37,990
- 6M 3.2L dual-cab utility XTR 4X2 - $39,990
- 6A 3.2L dual-cab utility XTR 4X2 - $41,990
4x4
- 6M 3.2L single C/CH XT 4X4 - $37,990
- 6A 3.2L single C/CH XT 4X4 - $39,990
- 6M 3.2L Freestyle C/CH XT 4X4 - $40,490
- 6A 3.2L Freestyle C/CH XT 4X4 - $43,490
- 6M 3.2L Freestyle cab utility XTR 4X4 - $45,990
- 6A 3.2L Freestyle cab utility XTR 4X4 - $47,990
- 6M 3.2L dual C/CH XT 4X4 - $41,198
- 6M 3.2L dual-cab utility XT 4X4 - $40,990
- 6A 3.2L dual-cab utility XT 4X4 - $42,990
- 6M 3.2L dual-cab utility XTR 4X4 - $46,990
- 6A 3.2L dual-cab utility XTR 4X4 - $48,990
- 6M 3.2L dual-cab utility GT 4X4 - $49,990
- 6A 3.2L dual-cab utility GT 4X4 - $51,990
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