New 2025 Mazda BT-50 car review

An Aussie favourite has undergone fresh changes for 2025 to fight against increasingly impressive rivals.

There’s plenty of old in the new Mazda BT-50 ute.

The Mazda BT-50 is still tough, capable and practical in a way that won’t offend the ute faithful.

So much so that it’s no different to drive than the Isuzu-based model that first arrived in 2020.

While the BT-50 has undergone its biggest update in almost five years, the core of the car hasn’t changed.

It uses the same engines and suspension – so drives identically – and has the same basic body, translating to a spacious cabin with thoughtful storage areas, including two gloveboxes.

As before, the BT-50 is available in single-cab, extended cab and dual-cab guises along with the choice of a ute tub or bare chassis on which to bolt your contraption of choice.

2025 Mazda BT-50. Picture: Supplied

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Instead, it’s aesthetics and equipment levels that have been updated for 2025 to freshen the workhorse as it comes up against a barrage of fresh competition, including the hybrid BYD Shark 6 and upcoming Kia Tasman.

Key among the BT-50 revisions are new lights and wheels. A more modern grille and fresh front bumper make for a more rugged face, the Mazda grille now bigger than ever.

There’s also a new colour, Red Earth Metallic, inspired by the Australian outback. As the biggest market globally for Mazda’s workhorse Australia gets plenty of sway in shaping the BT-50.

Ultimately, though, it’s Isuzu with a bigger sway because the BT-50 still emerges from an Isuzu factory sharing its underpinnings with the D-Max.

That includes the 110kW/350Nm 1.9-litre four-cylinder in the $38,990 drive-away single cab XS, which is no longer available as a manual.

Its autonomous emergency braking system has been upgraded to respond to more potentially dangerous situations, including the ability to respond to pedestrians and bikes.

There’s also adaptive cruise control and blind spot warning across the range.

But the XS is a basic ute, with vinyl floors and steel wheels and a modest 8-inch touchscreen.

The most affordable dual-cab four-wheel drive model, the XT, costs $54,990 and picks up alloy wheels as well as the 140kW/450Nm 3.0-litre four-cylinder fitted to all dual-cab variants.

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2025 Mazda BT-50. Picture: Supplied

The XTR 4x4 ($62,490) gets family-friendly features such as dual-zone ventilation with rear vents, smart key entry and carpet.

Plus there’s a tub liner and tow kit, although to utilise the full 3500kg tow capacity you’ll have to add a brake controller, one of more than 100 accessories that also include a snorkel, bullbars, roof platform, canopy, load area drawers and additional lights, including spotlights with an adjustable beam.

That XTR also gets a new 9-inch touchscreen that sees the return of dials to adjust the volume, making it much easier to use than the previous model.

It’s the leather-clad GT ($65,990) and SP ($67,990) – the latter with black highlights and terracotta trim highlights inside – that Mazda hopes will lure more buyers away from more expensive versions of the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux, between them accounting for about half of ute sales.

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2025 Mazda BT-50. Picture: Supplied

The BT-50 still has a workhorse flavour on the road, which to some will be reassuring.

The 3.0-litre diesel is gruff but effective. What it lacks in outright muscle – key rivals pip it on outputs – it partially makes up for with the ease with which you can access tap into the full 450Nm. The six-speed auto plucks ratios decisively.

Taut suspension fends off big hits confidently but can grizzle over pockmarked roads, reinforcing the distinctive ute flavour in everyday driving.

Steering is responsive enough for a faithfully controlled driving experience, albeit without the crispness of Mazda passenger cars.

2025 Mazda BT-50. Picture: Supplied

It’s characteristic of the more ute flavour to the BT-50’s on-road manners.

Off-road the BT-50’s rugged suspension deals with big lumps with little fuss. You’ll feel the hits but there’s a solidity that suggests it is unfazed by hard work.

The part-time four-wheel drive system incorporates a locking rear differential for superb traction in slippery conditions or when a wheel is hanging in the air.

Good ground clearance and solid underbody protection protect vitals from scrapes.

2025 Mazda BT-50. Picture: Supplied

The new infotainment unit now incorporates a tilt and steering angle graphic to help in extreme off-road situations.

And with a revised interface – including fixed touch buttons at the bottom and the volume dial – it’s a far easier system to negotiate.

All of which refines a proven formula in an era of immense change for the ute market.

For those wanting to ride the tech wave the BT-50 may miss the mark.

It’s not spectacularly well equipped – even in flagship guise you’re manually adjusting the passenger seat – and misses things such as app-based remote connectivity.

But for anyone chasing an honest workhorse done well with the back-up of the Mazda dealer network (something increasingly important for those heading out of town) the latest BT-50 hits the mark.

And the new tougher look alone may be enough to seal the deal.

2025 Mazda BT-50. Picture: Supplied

Verdict: Old school ute adds some design muscle and tech thoughtfulness but doesn’t shift the workhorse needle.

Star rating: 3.5

Mazda BT-50 XTR

Price: From $62,490 drive-away

Warranty/servicing: 5 yrs/unlimited km, $2498 for 5 yrs/75,000km

Safety: 8 airbags, auto emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert, rear auto braking, driver attention monitoring, traffic sign recognition

Engine: 3.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo diesel, 140kW/450Nm

Thirst: 8.0L/100km

Spare: Full size

Payload/tow capacity: 1002kg/3500kg

Originally published as New 2025 Mazda BT-50 car review