Pickups today have come a long way from their utilitarian origins. Among the current crop in this highly competitive segment, none have come further than the Mazda BT-50. 

After all, these vehicles are now expected to do a variety of jobs besides just the usual site visit; from errands around the city, work-related trips, adventures out of town, and even the occasional formal event. 

Mazda avoids making the BT-50 appear like just another pickup. It’s evident in the BT-50’s refreshing styling. Bearing the signature KODO – Soul of Motion design language, this pickup dares to distance itself from the typical box-edge, tough-truck looks to deliver more sophisticated styling that suits an evening gala just as well as it does an out-of-town site visit.

It’s characterized by eagle eyes stretching out from the bold and distinct Mazda trademark grille. Chrome accents add a touch of class while a small cluster of foglamps and turn signals are positioned on the lower corners.

The hood and fenders are sculpted like a sports car to stand out from the typical box-flares favored by its competitors. The same care is applied to the rear bed and tailgate, imbuing it with the same grace and style of an executive sedan. It’s a masterful job by the designers staying true to the design philosophy.

The same attention to detail has been applied to the interior. The cabin is designed to feel more like a premium SUV with its broad dashboard, four-spoke steering wheel, and recessed door cards that offer more space to stretch out. Headroom is generous and the seats are very easy to adjust to the proper driving position. Depending on the variant, the BT-50 is offered with a leather interior or black fabric (with leather inserts). Ahead of the driver are two large dials for the speedo and tachometer with a center LCD display for additional driving information. 

The top of the dashboard boasts of leather trim just like an executive sedan. Other luxury touches include silver accents, around the vents and the gear shifter, and the push-button climate control system.

The center infotainment system comes with Bluetooth connectivity, Android Auto and even wireless Apple CarPlay to easily connect the mobile phone for navigation and entertainment. Touchscreen operation makes it easy to find the right settings while audio is piped through six speakers.

Finally, there are more than enough holders and storage spaces for canteens, drinks, and various equipment throughout the cabin. There’s even an upper glove box for valuables. 

Powering the BT-50 is a potent 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine. It produces 190-PS and a monstrous 450-Nm of torque to tow even a heavy trailer. Once you hit 3,000 RPM, prepare to feel some of that Mazda ‘zoom-zoom’.

Given how the BT-50’s target market is expected to use this vehicle for a variety of trips, the suspension has been tuned to feel softer than most pickups, even when unladed. It’s gentle coming off humps and does a good job keeping noise, vibration, and harshness out of the cabin. Plus, the wider track makes it more stable on the road.

When it comes to safety, the BT-50 isn’t found lacking either with a whole host of features that rival similarly priced sedans or SUVs. These include a reverse parking camera, ABS, electronic stability control, and 7 airbags for the 4x4 AT. The steering wheel includes cruise and audio controls and a few more buttons for the multi-information display in the instrument panel.

The Mazda Active Safety Technology, which is the brand’s own ADAS (advanced driver assist systems), are available on the top-of-the-line 4x4 AT.

The Mazda BT-50 comes in four trims, all equipped with the potent 3.0-liter turbodiesel. Prices start at P1.390 million for the 4x2, all the way up to P1,790,000 for the 4x4 AT. 

Furthermore, the Mazda BT-50 is also easy to acquire and maintain thanks to the current P99K all-in downpayment for the 4x4 or the P49K all-in downpayment for the 4x2 until November 30, 2023. Once paid for, maintenance need not be a problem thanks to its 5-Years Free Service Plan where all the preventive maintenance service (PMS) costs are already taken care of.

The Mazda BT-50 is the rare vehicle that can do it all, with the capability expected of a pickup, the comfort and space of a family SUV, and with the minimalist and sophisticated styling of an executive sedan.