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• The all-new Mazda BT-50 is officially available in South Africa.
• The bakkie is powered by a choice of two engines, mated to manual and automatic transmissions.
• The new BT-50 shares an architecture with the upcoming Isuzu D-Max.
• For more motoring stories, go to Wheels24
Mazda South Africa officially launched its all-new BT-50 double cab bakkie in the country. Sharing an architecture and drivetrain with the 2022 Isuzu D-Max, the Mazda looks to regain lost ground in a country where bakkies are consumers' staple food. For the new BT-50, Mazda decided on fitting a 1.9-litre and 3.0-litre diesel engine under the bonnet, with only the 3.0-litre mill available with a 4x4 system.
The South African specification BT-50 is imported from Thailand and consists of three derivatives: Active, Dynamic, and Individual. Six exterior colours are available: Gun Blue, Rock Grey, Red Volcano, Ice White, Ignot Silver and Concrete Grey.
The new Mazda BT-50 comes standard with a three-year unlimited km service plan, a three-year unlimited km Warranty, and a three-year unlimited km Roadside Assistance.
Engines explained
As mentioned, two engines will power the new BT-50 line-up, with a choice of two gearboxes available. The 1.9-litre engine is mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, with 110kW and 350Nm sent to the rear wheels. The 3.0-litre unit, available with the same gearbox options, offers 140kW and 450Nm. The top-spec Individual derivative is the only 4x4 model in the range.
READ: How will the new 'Mazdu' BT-50 bakkie do in South Africa?
Mazda says that its automatic gearbox's electronic control module "is programmed to match the torque delivery characteristics of the engine by always selecting the best ratio." Of course, we'll report on the bakkie's driving characteristics after having driven the bakkie.
The BT-50 Active rides on 17-inch wheels, while the Dynamic and Individual derivatives is fitted with 18-inch units.
Price
• Mazda BT-50 1.9 Active MT 4x2 - R611 900
• Mazda BT-50 1.9 Active AT 4x2 - R647 900
• Mazda BT-50 3.0 Dynamic AT 4x2 - R759 400
• Mazda BT-50 3.0 Individual AT 4x4 - R794 400
