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What's the difference?
This is one of the most expensive utes in its class. It’s more expensive than a Ford Ranger Platinum, a top-spec VW Amarok Adventura or even a V8-powered LandCruiser 70 Series - when you could still get one.
The reason? Mazda has ticked just about every box on this BT-50 Thunder, thanks to the addition of the 'Pro Pack'.
It’s designed to be plush on the inside while being capable and lifestyle-compatible when you’re outside. But does it do the job. or are there better options for what you need?
A week of driving this specced-up ute through some of Australia’s varying environments has helped us judge.
Mid-sized (2.5 to 3.5-tonne) commercial van buyers have a variety of makes and models to choose from, even though most buy the venerable HiAce.
Latest VFACTS figures confirm Toyota’s long-standing dominance, as the HiAce commands just under 40 per cent market share with the remainder spread across ten competitors from Europe, China and Korea.
One of those is Peugeot’s Expert, which is available with a choice of wheelbases, transmissions and model grades. It currently represents just 1.3 per cent of sales in this segment, so we recently spent a week behind the wheel to see how it compares to the market leader.
The BT-50 Thunder Pro is hard to fault as an option for a specced-up, comfortable dual-cab… aside from its price.
The benefits that come with the Pro Pack - its beefed-up suspension, snorkel and spotlights - are the sort of thing you’d expect a slightly more rugged off-roader to feature rather than a leather-upholstered ute with an electric tray cover.
While the suspension contributes to its smoothness on-road, there’s no question a much cheaper version of the BT-50 with the same OME BP-51 suspension upgrade (less than $7000 on Mazda’s accessories list by itself) would suit many buyers better.
After all, you’d hate to get mud all over that leather.
Positives are higher payload and tow ratings than the Toyota HiAce along with superior fuel economy. Negatives are inferior safety, evidence of questionable build quality and a list price more than $3000 above a HiAce equivalent. So, whether the positives outweigh the negatives to justify its higher price, only a potential buyer can decide.
As it’s not quite on the podium of popular utes in Australia, the BT-50’s advantage is that it stands out a little more in ute-heavy traffic or on rural roads, especially in our test car's 'Red Volcano Mica' paint.
The BT-50 isn’t properly new, its design has become relatively familiar over the years, but it still boasts a modern look in the relatively slow-moving dual-cab ute world, especially compared to the likes of the Toyota HiLux.
Mazda’s well-liked SUV design DNA is on show here, but it blends in well with the ute’s overall shape, and the Thunder elements (perhaps aside from the ‘Thunder Pro’ decals) drew compliments in the city and outta town.
Inside, it’s a little easier to see the Isuzu D-Max twin’s influence, but the Thunder’s brown leather makes up for some otherwise unremarkable interior elements.
For a ute, it’s quite nice inside, though not quite up to high-spec Ford Ranger or VW Amarok standards. The multimedia screen looks a bit dated and feels it in use.
Our 'Long' example rides on a 3275mm wheelbase with 5309mm overall length, 1920mm width and 1948mm height, so compared to the HiAce it's slightly longer in wheelbase and overall length but narrower and not as tall. It’s also significantly lighter with a kerb weight that’s almost 500kg (or half a tonne) less than the Toyota; a big factor in its spirited performance and superior payload rating.
The Peugeot’s front-wheel drive underpinnings include MacPherson strut front suspension, coil spring semi-trailing arm rear suspension, rack and pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes. Its 12.4-metre turning circle is also more than a metre larger than the HiAce.
The Pro’s work focus can be seen in its black plastic front and rear bumpers and side mouldings where most scrapes and dents occur in hard-working vans. There’s matching black on other high-wear surfaces like the door mirrors, door handles, hubcaps, rear wipers and rego plate shroud.
The cabin has seating for three with a driver’s bucket seat and separate two-passenger bench seat. Although all occupants have ample headroom, the dashboard’s protruding centre console leaves little legroom. In fact, the centre passenger must travel with both knees skewed to the left of this extension, which then encroaches on the outer passenger’s legroom. So, for a crew of three we’d recommend short trips. Our only other criticism was the lower dash panel on the passenger’s side, which kept popping loose despite repeated attempts to click it back into place.
At $83,141, before on-road costs, the BT-50 Thunder Pro is $9046 more expensive than the standard Thunder on which it builds.
The Thunder being the otherwise top-spec model, starting at $74,095, before on-roads, is still itself up there with the likes of the Ford Ranger Wildtrak ($74,840) and Toyota HiLux GR Sport ($74,310), both toughened-up rivals in terms of their styling.
The Thunder already comes with a decent list of features, arguably more than most dual-cab buyers are looking for, so it would be an understatement to call the Thunder Pro ‘well-equipped’.
The Thunder’s list of standard equipment includes electrically adjustable driver’s seat, heated seats in leather up front, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, eight-speaker sound system and both 12-volt and USB-A plugs for devices. You’ll need the latter for Android Auto phone mirroring, because only Apple CarPlay is wireless.
Outside, the Thunder is distinguishable by its bullbar with mounted Lightforce LED light bar, fender flares, side steps and its sports bar up back over its electric roller tonneau cover.
The Pro Pack adds manually adjustable Old Man Emu BP-51 suspension, featuring nitrogen-filled dampers with a remote reservoir, as well as round Lightforce spotlights joining the LED light bar and a snorkel.
The Thunder Pro has plenty of kit, but you’ll be shelling out plenty, too.
Our test vehicle is the Pro Long Auto variant. ‘Pro’ means it’s the lower-priced and more work-focused of two Expert model grades. ‘Long’ means it has the longer of two wheelbases and ‘Auto’ denotes auto transmission as opposed to the manual alternative.
Powered by the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel shared by all Experts, it has a list price of $50,075 plus ORCs which is significantly more than its LWB HiAce auto equivalent at $46,760. And our example is finished in Artense Grey metallic, which is one of several premium colours available at extra cost.
The Pro Long Auto is built for work with 16-inch steel wheels and 215/65 R16C Michelin tyres plus a full-size spare. Useful workhorse features include rear parking sensors, 12-volt accessory socket, automatic headlights and wipers, front fog lights, cruise control and a multimedia system with 7.0-inch colour touchscreen and multiple connectivity including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.
The Thunder Pro comes with the bigger of the two engines available in the BT-50 range, shared with the related Isuzu D-Max.
The 3.0-litre Isuzu turbo-diesel four-cylinder unit is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, driving all four wheels if you’ve got them locked in.
The engine makes a claimed 140kW and 450Nm, relatively standard for the segment, but the 3.0-litre engine is fairly well-regarded for its smoothness and reliability.
The Expert’s punchy 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel is one of its strengths. Turbocharged and intercooled, it has Euro 5 emissions compliance and produces 110kW at 4000rpm and 370Nm at 2000rpm. The eight-speed torque converter automatic has near-seamless shifting and offers the choice of sequential manual-shifting using steering wheel paddle-shifters.
Given how much bitumen (and gravel) we covered during testing the BT-50 Thunder Pro - around 1500km - putting the claimed fuel consumption figure to the test was paramount.
Mazda claims the BT-50 uses 8.0 litres for every 100km covered under a combined (urban, extra-urban) cycle WLTP test with the 3.0-litre engine and an automatic transmission.
It’s got a 76-litre fuel tank, which theoretically should mean a range of around 950km.
With much of our testing done on either highways or fairly rugged country roads, plus some driving in inner-city Melbourne and in some NSW rural centres, the test figure of bang-on 10.0L/100km feels like a fair indication of a real-world figure.
After more than 650km of driving I was able to fill up with a comfortable level of diesel still in the tank.
Important to mention one of the days of driving was plagued by constant heavy rain, and some of the roads between Melbourne and the guts of NSW have seen better days, so there was a fair bit of fluctuation in speed for long stretches.
Also, the Thunder Pro carries some extra weight and aerodynamic disadvantages in its features (bullbar, spotlights, snorkel, sports bar, etc) so you could likely better that figure in a lesser variant on a more consistent highway drive.
Peugeot claims a combined average consumption of 6.3L/100km and the dash display was close to that at 7.6L after 386km of testing, which included about one third of that distance carrying a full payload. Our own figure calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings came in higher again at 8.3L/100km, which is still outstanding economy for a vehicle of this size. So, based on our numbers, you could expect an extensive driving range from its 70-litre tank of around 840km.
While the BT-50’s main rival, Ford’s Ranger (and the related VW Amarok), is often considered the class leader in road manners, the Thunder Pro’s Old Man Emu BP-51 suspension upgrade is a game-changer for the ute.
Even on particularly rough roads with brutal unexpected waterlogged potholes, the BT-50’s OME set-up managed to keep the ute on track and settled without letting crashy vibrations and forces enter the cabin too acutely.
Of course, the BT-50 is still a ladder-frame ute, and combining that with torrential rain in the middle of almost-nowhere isn't the right combination when it comes to leaning on a dual-cab’s dynamic ability.
But the braking and steering in the BT-50 are impressive for its category, both feeling well-sorted: the former firm and strong when needing to stop quickly, the latter light but communicative enough for purpose.
The Mazda doesn't feel too top-heavy in cornering, no wild pitching or rolling here. Stable on gravel, too, feeling sure-footed and only intervening with active stability control when necessary and in a measured way.
With just little old me and some overnight luggage, the BT-50’s engine wasn’t exactly pushed to its limits hauling the 2.2-tonne-plus ute up the Hume Highway at 110km/h. But even on twistier roads and under load up hills it never felt lacking.
Though not on this test, we’ve also tested the BT-50 under load and towing, both proving easy tasks for the ute.
Mostly low-RPM work and cruising contributed to its fairly efficient fuel figure mentioned above, but putting the right foot down a few times confirmed the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel has some decent muscle if needed.
Finally, and very much worth noting if the Pro Pack is why you’re reading this, the combination of Lightforce LED light bar and twin-spotlights is a must if you regularly drive at night through unlit regions of Australia.
As someone who grew up driving 4WDs with spotlights at night on interstate trips, the lights fitted to the Thunder Pro are impressive in their illumination, combining relatively wide light - perfect for ensuring you’re not caught out by surprise wildlife crossing your path - with the strong beams from the spotlights turning what seems like thousands of metres of road ahead into daylight.
Both sets of lights are controlled by buttons on the right of the steering wheel, useful for when you only need one, or when standard high-beams alone will do.
It has a comfortable driving position as the steering wheel is adjustable for height and reach, the bucket seat has a fold-down inboard armrest and there’s a prominent left footrest. Although the driver’s seat base has no rake adjustment, it’s long enough to provide good under-thigh support with enough rake to avoid sliding towards the front of it like some rivals.
The steering is responsive and nicely weighted, which combined with competent handling and braking makes the Expert feel sure-footed. The supple four-coil suspension provides a smooth unladen ride quality.
The energetic drivetrain with its 370Nm of torque has spirited acceleration and good agility in traffic. Although peak torque is at 2000rpm, the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel pulls cleanly from 1500rpm which showcases its flexibility.
The eight-speed automatic gets good results from this engine, but sequential manual-shifting using the paddle-shifters is handy when more driver input is required. The cabin is acceptably quiet at highway speeds, thanks to the cabin bulkhead and low tyre, engine and wind noise.
Our only major criticism is the absence of blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. In our opinion every van, particularly with solid side-walls and doors like this one, should at least have these active safety features as standard (like the HiAce which also has standard front parking sensors).
The Expert’s relatively small mirror on the passenger door is not sufficient in eliminating the large and potentially hazardous blind-spot over the driver’s left shoulder, particularly in heavy traffic and when reversing from driveways into busy streets.
The BT-50 is a maximum five-star model, according to its 2022 ANCAP assessment, with a decent list of safety features standard across the range.
Auto emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist and emergency lane assist, adaptive cruise control with ‘stop and go’, lane departure warning and prevention, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, driver attention warning and even features like secondary collision reduction are all standard.
There are front and rear curtain, front driver and passenger, side front, farside (front centre) and knee (driver) airbags.
As mentioned, a lot of the driver assistance tech is well-calibrated.
No ANCAP rating and although it’s equipped with AEB, emergency brake assist and forward collision warning there are only front airbags for driver and passenger, which looks threadbare compared to the HiAce’s seven airbags. It also misses out on important active safety features previously mentioned.
Mazda has a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty for all its models, plus capped-price or pre-paid servicing plans offered over two-, three-, four- and five-year periods are available.
For the BT-50, servicing is scheduled for every 12 months or a lengthy 20,000km, whichever comes first. And the average cost per workshop visit (capped price) is $661, compared to $595 pre-paid.
The Expert is covered by a five years/200,000km warranty. Scheduled servicing every 12 months/20,000km whichever occurs first. Five years of capped-price servicing totals $3049 or an average of $609.80 per year.