Ford Ranger vs Mazda BT-50

What's the difference?

The Ford Ranger Raptor is a purpose-built adventure ute. It is comfortable to drive on-road and very capable off-road. 

It’s a high-end, high-performance ute with a V6 engine, an upgraded suspension set-up and drive modes aimed at making it a built-for-purpose adventure machine.

It is, however, laser-focused on doing one thing supremely well – driving at speed on unsealed surfaces – and that means it falls short in a few other areas. 

It's day-to-day drivability is less than ideal because of its size and fuel consumption and it lacks some potential as a touring 4WD because of its payload and the fact its towing capacity is below the industry standard.

But those factors aren't going to sway someone who is truly keen for the fun and thrills of driving a Raptor. 

The Mazda BT-50 was already a decent ute with a lot to like about it, but this third-generation variant doesn’t feel as cohesive a package as it does in Isuzu D-Max form. 

However, it’s still comfortable, capable and, with a few styling tweaks, Mazda has managed to up the BT-50’s prestige factor without overdoing it. 

For me though, it’s the D-Max’s rough charm – underneath the BT-50’s metal – that is this Mazda ute’s most appealing quality.

The Raptor is 5380mm long (with a 3270mm wheelbase), 2208mm wide, 1926mm high and it has a listed kerb weight of 2473kg.

This ute has been engineered – and marketed – as a high-performance off-road vehicle, so, in line with that it has a wide stance (with a 1710mm wheel track front and rear), big wheel arches, chunky side-steps and substantial tyres (BFGoodrich K02 high performance all-terrains, 285/70R17 on 17-inch alloys).

The Ford Performance Seats are embossed with the Raptor logo and there’s Code Orange accented stitching on the trim – so there’s Buckley’s chance of forgetting you’re in a Raptor.

The Raptor is one of the more distinctive-looking utes in a mainstream market flooded with vehicles of very similar appearance and, in terms of overall design, it easily takes on the likes of the Nissan Navara Warrior and Toyota HiLux GR Sport, if not besting them.

Ever since the last phase of development, this ute has maintained an understated, urban-friendly appearance.

And, as the top-shelf variant, the SP seems better suited to stylish outings with the family than it is to driving through the scrub.

The SP package boils down to 18-inch black alloy wheels and Gloss Black everything: sail plane sports bar, side steps, fender flares, roof rails, exterior mirrors, door and tailgate handles.

Other variant-specific standard gear includes a roller tonneau cover (manual operation), and black and terracotta Maztex (faux leather) interior trim, which adds another layer of premium feel to this cabin.

In terms of dimensions, the BT-50 is 5280mm long (with a 3125mm wheelbase), it is 2160mm wide (mirrors out), 1810mm high and it has a listed kerb weight of 2176kg. 

The Raptor’s interior is spacious but has a welcoming cosy feel and (despite Raptor logos and Code Orange stitching throughout) the cabin retains a low-level, cool atmosphere.

All controls are easy enough to operate – a lot of functions are accessed and adjusted via the 12-inch multimedia touchscreen and sometimes you have to repeatedly jab your finger at the screen to work your way through menus and sub-menus to reach the function you need. Thankfully, plenty of functions are via tangible off-screen buttons. 

There are USB ports and a power socket up front and storage spaces in all of the usual places you’d expect: a two-level glove box, some hidey-holes (for your wallet, keys etc), a centre console, cupholders and bottle receptacles in the doors.

The sporty front seats are comfortable enough for long-distance trips and the back row is easily big enough for three kids or two adults and one man-child.

Rear-seat passengers have air vents, a fold-down armrest with cupholders and a space for a bottle in each door.

The Raptor’s tub is 1541mm long, 526mm deep, and 1578mm wide (with 1218mm between the wheel-arches). Load height is 870mm.

The tray has a spray-in tub-liner that seems quite durable, four tie-down points and a 12V socket.

Our test vehicle also had the optional power roller shutter ($3800). In the past, in any utes with a power or manual roller shutter, the storage drum for the roller shutter occupied quite a lot of otherwise useable space in the tub, but that’s no longer the case.

There’s a nice blend of form and functionality in the SP cabin and it all feels comfortably familiar because, even though Mazda has firmly stamped its own style on the interior, it still feels like a D-Max X-Terrain cabin.

There’s an abundance of red-stitched faux leather and synthetic suede in black and terracotta, which works well in this space, as well as chrome-look edging (around the multimedia screen the vents, the shifter etc), and plenty of durable plastic. 

Controls are easy to locate and operate, and the multimedia screen is simple enough to use but the 9.0-inch screen still tends to catch and reflect glare, which can be distracting.

There are ample storage spaces in the cabin, including cupholders in the centre console, bottle holders in the doors, as well as all the usual spaces in which to place your wallet, keys etc. 

There’s a 12-volt socket and a USB port up front. 

The front seats are comfortable and heated. The rear seats are suitably comfortable (for a ute), with room enough for three adults, though perhaps it’s best if at least one of them is a jockey. 

Both seat-backs have a map pocket and there is a fold-out shopping-bag hook on the back of the front passenger seat.

Back-seat passengers have two cupholders in the fold-down centre arm-rest, directional air events, and a USB socket in the back of the centre console.

The back row has two ISOFIX anchor points and two top-tether points.

The tray is 1571mm long at floor height, 1530mm wide (1120mm between the wheel-arches), and 490mm deep. Its load height from the ground is 833mm. The SP’s tray has two tie-down points and a manually-operated roller tonneau cover, which also has to be manually locked.

Our test vehicle, the Mazda BT-50 SP 4x4 dual-cab ute, sits atop the current BT-50 line-up.

It has a manufacturer’s list price of $71,500 (a $2810 price increase over the previous SP, correct at time of writing), but our test vehicle had a raft of accessories onboard including slimline weather shields ($303), premium bull bar - hoops ($4340), Lightforce LED dual row lightbar ($761), tub lighting ($431), side steps - dual cab ($974), electric brake controller and breakaway ($864) for a total of $7673 – plus Red Earth Metallic paint ($695), pushing the test vehicle’s price to $79,868 (excluding on-road costs).

Standard features onboard include a 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (both wireless and USB), dual-zone climate control air-conditioning with rear vents, leather seats, heated front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, 18-inch alloy wheels and more.

The BT-50 SP is available in a range of exterior colours including Ice White Solid (no extra cost) or Geode White Pearl, Ingot Silver Metallic, Concrete Grey Mica, Sailing Blue Metallic, Red Earth Metallic, or True Black Mica' – all at a cost of $695 each. 

The Raptor has a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine – producing 292kW and 583Nm – and that’s matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

This is an impressive set-up – punchy off the mark, smooth and refined at highway speeds – it just trucks along – and overall it offers a controlled and comfortable driving experience.

The Raptor has full-time 4WD and an electronic rear diff lock.

Its selectable driving modes include Normal, Sport, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, Sand, Baja, and Rock Crawl.

The BT-50 has a 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, producing 140kW at 3600rpm and 450Nm between 1600-2600rpm.

It has a six-speed automatic transmission, a part-time four-wheel drive system (with high- and low-range gearing), and a lockable rear diff.

The engine and auto generally work pretty well together, although the whole combination feels a bit underdone. The engine would benefit from more grunt and the transmission is not quite as smooth as it should be.

The Raptor has an official fuel consumption figure of 11.5L/100km on a combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle.

I recorded 14.2L/100km on this test. I did a lot of high- and low-range 4WDing and the Raptor was never working hard.

The Raptor has an 80L fuel tank so, going by my on-test fuel-consumption figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 563km from a full tank. 

Official fuel consumption is 8.0L/100km on the combined cycle.

On this test I recorded fuel consumption of 9.1L/100km.

The BT-50 has a 76-litre fuel tank, so going by my on-test fuel-use figure you could reasonably expect a theoretical driving range of about 835km. 

Your fuel consumption will likely be higher than that, and consequently your driving range will be lower, because all we had onboard were a set of four Maxtrax in a carry bag, a vehicle-recovery kit, a tyre-puncture repair kit, a first-aid kit, an air compressor, and some tools – and my massive ego.

This is a Raptor review so you might expect I’d be justified in spending the entire test doing donuts in the sand and taking on jumps that would make dirt-bikers wince, but as much as I wanted to, I didn’t. I live in the real world so my tests are about how a vehicle performs in day-to-day driving and especially off-roading. 

But to reach the dirt you have to drive a bit of blacktop – so how does the Raptor perform on-road?

Once underway, there is plenty of good news about the Raptor because it is nice to drive on road: a composed stance, impressive acceleration with more get-up-and-go thrust under foot courtesy of the V6 and comfortable ride and handling. This is an easy-driving 4WD ute.

For a vehicle intended to be a great go-fast machine on dirt roads and gravel tracks – which, of course, it is – the Raptor is a pleasant surprise on bitumen – refined and comfortable with its off-road-suited long-travel Fox suspension that soaks up the worst lumps and bumps of back-road blacktop, yielding a smoothed-out plush ride.

As a bonus the steering has a sharp feel and a nice balanced weight to it – you can cycle through different modes ('Normal', 'Comfort', 'Sport', 'Off-Road') to find your favourite – and the gutsy V6 and clever transmission is a supremely relaxed pairing. 

There are also selectable damper modes ('Normal', 'Off-Road', 'Sport') and exhaust modes ('Quiet', 'Normal', 'Sport', 'Baja'). The latter exhaust setting is only available when in off-road mode and is more of a novelty, but still fun to play around with and a cool addition to the Raptor package.

On the open highway at 110km/h, the Raptor sits nicely, with that wider wheel track giving this ute a settled posture, and it comfortably trucks along the road, no matter how bumpy that road becomes.

Then you take it off the sealed surface.

The Raptor has all the mechanicals and the tech set-up for driving dirt roads and gravel tracks at speed, there’s no denying that, but all of those factors don't necessarily make it a good 4WD or indeed a good 4WD touring vehicle. 

However, it is.

It’s smooth and refined on fast dirt tracks and gravel roads – it’s right at home. The Raptor has that aforementioned wide wheel track and, even if the terrain is particularly severe, it drives comfortably.  

And any doubts about its ability to tackle low-range 4WDing are swiftly dispelled.

I scaled several of our favourite set-piece hill-climbs without the front or rear diffs locked, and the Raptor did it with absolute control and absolute ease. 

It's very capable and ticks all the boxes in terms of ground clearance (listed as 272mm), off-road angles (approach: 32 degrees, departure 24 (with towbar, 27 without) and rampover 24 degrees) and wading depth (850mm).

There’s ample torque available and it’s delivered in an even-handed manner; the Raptor has front and rear diff locks; and the driver-assist tech set-up is comprehensive and low-key effective.

Case in point, I used 'Trail Control' mode (a form of low-range ‘feet-off-the-pedals’ cruise control) to set the speed (2.0km/h) for a steep hill and it kept the Raptor to that speed – complete control at all times, no matter how the severity of the incline changed. 

The Raptor also has an onboard 360-degree camera system, giving the driver the ability to see forward of the vehicle, which is handy because this ute has a substantial bonnet. You can't see the track in front of you over the bonnet, especially when climbing a steep hill. 

It’s such a great combination of mechanicals and driver-assist tech and Fox shocks, long wheel travel and proper all-terrain tires (BFGoodrich K02s) that it’s a near-complete package, especially in terms of being an effective off-road vehicle. 

But if you’re considering a Raptor as a touring vehicle, there are some things working against it – and those things have to do with weight. 

Payload in the Raptor, at just over 717kg, is not spectacular, but it’s in line with a lot of modern dual-cab utes. However, it’s far from ideal if you're looking at putting aftermarket equipment on it or even loading up with camping gear. 

And another thing is the Raptor doesn't have an industry standard braked towing capacity for a dual-cab ute: it can legally tow 2500kg – the industry standard for similarly sized utes is 3500kg. Unbraked towing capacity is 750kg. 

And though the driver-assist tech onboard is comprehensive and effective, the Raptor misses out on a tow/haul drive mode.

For your reference, kerb weight is listed as 2473kg, GVM is 3130kg, and GCM is 5370kg.

If you’re looking specifically for a tow vehicle, then look elsewhere, but if you're looking for thrills and fun in a capable off-road vehicle, the Raptor should be at the top of your list. 

On-road, the updated BT-50 is a smooth drive, and it’s refined inside – though diesel engine clatter still creeps into the cabin, especially when you accelerate hard, but that’s the Isuzu connection – and I don’t mind a bit of noise anyway.

Overall, noise, vibration and harshness levels have been appropriately subdued. 

Steering has a consistent weight to it and one which feels right for this ute. Turning circle is a listed 12.5m, so not insubstantial, but this BT-50 never feels too cumbersome to manoeuvre along busy suburban streets or bush tracks.

There’s adequate power and torque on tap, and acceleration is crisp, as long as you’re pushing it hard because this ute is more truck-like than dynamic, but that helps to make it an even-handed, considered driving experience overall.

Front suspension is independent (double wishbones and coil springs), and a live axle and leaf springs at the rear. Ride is firm but generally well sorted, even over chopped-up back-country bitumen.

When it comes to high- and low-range 4WDing, the BT-50 did well, mostly courtesy of the Isuzu mechanicals under the metal.

The engine became noisy when pushed hard, but otherwise the BT-50 did a good job of bush tracks at speed.

It yielded a comfortable and settled drive along the gravel and dirt tracks that lead to our unofficial 4WD proving ground for this test.

The Mazda’s suspension soaked up most of the shallow ruts, potholes and bumps along the track, but the rear end skipped a little here and there as we traversed harsher lumps and ditches. 

It also once again proved quite capable at the low-range 4WDing.

The BT-50 has a listed 240mm of ground clearance, a wading depth of 800mm and approach, departure and ramp-over angles of 27 degrees, 17.9 degrees and 24.3 degrees, respectively. These are not rock-crawling off-road measurements and angles but they check out for a 4WD ute that will spend much of its time on city and suburban streets.

And, even though its power and torque figures are down on what it had when it was based on the five-cylinder Ranger, the D-Max-based BT-50 does fine.

In low-range 4WD and with the rear diff locked, the BT-50 could tackle most challenges, even a steep rocky hill, but it needed plenty of encouragement (i.e. heavy throttle).

Off-road traction control is effective, hill descent control works well, restricting downhill speed to a controlled three to four km/h, and the BT-50 has reasonable wheel travel.

Driver-assist tech (such as rough terrain mode) aimed squarely at improving the off-roading experience is a neat fit in this package. This mode operates like a boosted off-road traction control, and is claimed to kick into action at a point of less wheel-spin than a standard off-road traction control system, transferring torque to the wheels that have the most traction, sooner rather than later.

Like many modern 4WDs straight out of the showroom, the BT-50’s standard tyres – Bridgestone Dueler H/T 684 II (265/60 R18) – are fine for the blacktop and some light-duty off-roading, but you need a decent set of all-terrains. If you plan to anything tougher than those surfaces.

Otherwise, the BT-50 is impressive off-road without being exceptional. It has a tractable engine, good low-range gearing, and a well-calibrated off-road traction control system, now bolstered with rough terrain mode.

Maximum payload is listed as 924kg, Gross Vehicle Mass is 3100kg, and Gross Combined Mass is 6000kg.

For those looking to tow with their ute, the BT-50 has an unbraked towing capacity of 750kg and a braked towing capacity of 3500kg.

The BT-50 has the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, from testing in 2022.

Safety gear includes eight airbags (dual front, driver’s knee, front centre, front side, full-length curtain), auto emergency braking (AEB), front parking sensors, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitor, attention assist, lane keep assist, emergency lane keeping, lane departure prevention and warning, and rear cross-traffic alert.

It has two ISOFIX child restraint anchor points and top tethers.

It also has off-road friendly driver-assist tech such as traction control, hill descent control, hill launch assist and a rear diff lock.

The Raptor has a five-year/unlimited-km warranty. That’s in line with its rivals except for Mitsubishi, which offers up to 10 years, and Isuzu, which offers up to six years.

Servicing is scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km and each visit costs $379 which is competitive – but check with your local dealership for the most up-to-date details. 

A five-year/unlimited warranty applies to the BT-50. Roadside assist is also valid for five years.

Servicing is recommended at 12 month/15,000km intervals and capped price servicing applies for seven years/105,000km.

Service costs are estimated at $1361 for three years, and $2498 over five years.