2022 Ford Ranger vs Mazda BT-50

What's the difference?

After more than six years of blood, sweat and tears, millions of kilometres of testing and heaps of customer feedback that helped shape the 2023 Ford Ranger to what we see today, what can we say?

It is a huge step forward for the truck. In fact, we'd go as far as saying that it might be one small step for the Ranger, but it's one giant step for pick-up kind.

Anyway, this is at Ford's proving ground, so we'll have to wait until we get it out in the real world, to see exactly how good the new-gen Ranger is.

But, as first tastes go, this is extremely promising indeed. The designers and engineers at Ford Australia have plenty to be proud about.

This is effectively a 1.9-litre 4x2 D-Max with a dual cab ute configuration that’s not available in the Isuzu range. It’s a good-looking, comfortable, economical and capable workhorse with a big payload capacity that’s sure to appeal to tradies and fleet buyers alike.

It's very obvious that the Ford F-Series is the design inspiration for the new Ford Ranger. And that's very noticeable in the C-shape headlights and the new grille treatment, amongst other areas.

It also seems likely that fitting a big V6 engine helped determine the extra front-end bulk and resulting improved road stance compared to before. The newcomer looks quite a bit more different in the flesh than it does in photos, especially when compared to the preceding PX III series side-by-side.

The new Ranger features 50mm more track width and 50mm more length in the wheelbase, and what this does is fundamentally change the proportions of the truck compared to the previous model. The bonnet sits higher, the sheetmetal is all new, and the rear cargo bed has changed completely.

Overall, then, it looks a whole lot wider, tougher and – yes – more modern. Job well done.

We reckon this is a good-looking truck, thanks to Mazda creating nicer styling than the previous Ford Ranger-based generation. The latest BT-50 is shorter in wheelbase and length, lower in overall height and lineball on width and turning circle compared to a 4x2 Ranger XL Hi-Rider.

The XS looks a cut above the usual bare-boned base model with its body-coloured front and rear bumpers, door handles, door mirrors and tailgate handle. And it has the same raised ride height and 235mm of ground clearance as the 4x4 version, along with some underbody armour. This not only gives it a more rugged and capable appearance but will be appreciated by tradies and no doubt farmers who often encounter rough terrain.

The DNA shared by the BT-50 and its D-Max donor is most obvious in the cabin, where only a few cosmetic changes define them. Even so, the Mazda’s interior lay-out is spacious and practical, with big passenger-assist handles on the A and B pillars and wipe-clean vinyl flooring.

It also has an upmarket look and feel thanks to contrasting fabric seat trim, exposed stitching along numerous seams, a tasteful blend of piano black and satin chrome highlights on the dashboard and door linings and adjustable a/c vents on the rear of the centre console for back seat travellers.

There’s generous space for driver and front passenger and the rear seating is surprisingly comfortable, given that there’s ample head and kneeroom even for those in the 1.8-metre-tall zone. However, if adults are travelling three-abreast, shoulder room is tight like all dual cabs short of a full-size US pick-up.

Since this is a prototype of the Wildtrak Dual Cab, and not everything is quite in its final production-spec form, we can't tell you much about the interior other than it is both extremely familiar as well as a dramatic departure from the old Ranger.

The familiarity comes from the same basic dimensions, even though Ford says that the redesign has brought minor gains in cabin space.

But current owners will instantly appreciate the reach-as well as tilt-adjustable steering column, completely different dashboard with its huge portrait touchscreen, electronic instrumentation display and nicer-quality cabin materials. And the removal of the manual handbrake for an electronic one frees up space in the centre console.

What they make of the new-fangled electronic automatic gear lever remains to be seen. It's a bit fiddly at first, but maybe we'd get used to it after a while.

Never mind. The seats are snug and comfy, the driving position is A1 and there is absolutely no shortage of storage. And in our all-too-brief time inside, the ventilation system helped us keep our cool over the demanding 4x4 track.

We'll wait for the launch versions before we can comment on how well the new Ranger is built, how much better the new multimedia system is and if it's more refined to ride in compared to before.

But, for now, so far, so good.

Our test vehicle’s relatively low 1865kg kerb weight is 70kg lighter than its 4x4 equivalent, which with a 3000kg GVM rating results in a mighty 1135kg payload limit. It can also tow up to 3000kg of braked trailer, but to do that the payload would need to be reduced by 500kg or half a tonne to avoid exceeding the 5500kg GCM rating, or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time.

Alternatively, you could lower the trailer weight by that same 500kg to 2500kg and keep the maximum payload. Either way, these are practical numbers to suit numerous work applications, whichever way you arrange them.

The load tub, which on our test vehicle was fitted with a non-standard tub-liner, has a 1571mm floor length, 1530mm width (measured at the top), 490mm depth and 1120mm between the wheel housings. There are four load anchorage points and a handy step in the centre of the rear bumper for accessing the tub when the tailgate is closed.

Cabin storage includes a large-bottle holder and bin in the base of each front door and a closable compartment to the right of the driver’s knee for small items. There’s also an overhead glasses holder, upper and lower gloveboxes and a centre console with open tray at the front, twin small-bottle/tall cup-holders in the centre and small box at the rear with a lid contoured to double as a driver’s elbow rest.

Rear passengers get a large-bottle holder and small storage nook in the base of each door plus flexible pouches on the front seat backrests. However, there’s no fold-down centre armrest with cup holders, so no cup storage when travelling with only two in the back.

The rear seat base cushion has a 60/40 split and both sides can swing up through 90 degrees and be stored vertically if more internal load space is needed. Doing this also reveals two large underfloor compartments with lids which could be particularly useful for storing valuables out of sight.

Our test vehicle, with 1.9-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel and six-speed automatic, has a list price of $42,590 plus ORCs. That’s in the ballpark of 4x2 rivals like Ford’s Ranger XL 2.2-litre Hi-Rider ($40,790) and Toyota’s HiLux Workmate 2.4-litre Hi-Rider ($42,795), but Mazda is offering drive-away pricing of $43,990 for ABN holders.

Although clearly focused on work duties with its 17-inch steel wheels, 255/65 R17 tyres and full-size spare, it’s not starved of desirable features either given that there’s LED headlights with halogen DRLs, adaptive cruise control, reversing camera, USB ports front and rear and benchmark safety.

A four-speaker infotainment system with steering wheel-mounted audio controls includes Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay and DAB+ digital radio. Unfortunately, it also shares the same infotainment screen as its D-Max SX equivalent, with the display shrunk to 7.0 inches surrounded by thick black borders. This downgrade serves no useful purpose other than a visual point of difference from higher-grade models that use the full screen.

Everyone wants to know what the new Power Stroke 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel is like.

Delivering 184kW of power and 600Nm of torque, it is paired solely to a 10-speed torque-converter automatic transmission. No manual alternative is available.

Being a Wildtrak, it sends drive through to a new electronic on-demand four-wheel-drive system, with full-time 4WD that varies drive to the front or rear wheels as required.

There are now six driving modes: Normal, Eco, Tow/Haul and Slippery for on-road driving, and Mud/Ruts and Sand for use off-road. Each alter engine throttle, transmission, braking, traction and stability controls.

There's also an electronic rear differential lock which can be activated via the new SYNC 4 multimedia screen, for improved off-road traction.

Cheaper versions will stick with the standard part-time 4x4 set-up that offers 4x2 (rear-drive), 4x4 Low range and 4x4 High range.

Still on going off the beaten track, there are now dual recovery hooks incorporated up front, and more prominently placed, for easier use.

More information about the powertrain will be revealed closer to the Ranger's launch.

It might say Mazda on the engine cover but underneath it’s pure Isuzu - and that’s a plus. The hearty Euro 5-compliant 1.9-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel produces 110kW at 3600rpm and 350Nm between 1800-2600rpm. While that’s 30kW less power and 100Nm less torque than Isuzu’s more familiar 3.0-litre unit, our test vehicle has a low kerb weight and its diff ratio is slightly shorter to compensate for the lower engine outputs (see Driving).

 The Aisin six-speed torque converter automatic is a smooth-shifting and proven performer, with electronic control minimising gear-hunting on climbs and automatically downshifting on steep descents to assist with engine-braking. It also has fuel-saving torque converter lock-up on third, fourth, fifth and sixth gears and the option of sequential manual-shifting.

Like its D-Max donor, there’s no remote-controlled locking diff like some 4x2 Hi-Rider rivals, with the BT-50 relying instead on electronic traction control when rear tyre grip is compromised.

At the time of publication, Ford had not yet revealed the official consumption figures for the new Ranger V6 turbo-diesel.

But it does include stop/start technology, as well as a heavily revised version of the 10-speed automatic transmission that is claimed to have improved operating efficiency, so fingers remain crossed that the fuel economy won't be too bad.

Mazda claims an official combined figure of just 6.7L/100km but the dash display was showing a much higher 12.2 when we stopped to top up the 76-litre tank after 355km of testing, of which about one third was completed with more than one tonne of payload.  

However, our number calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings was only 8.5, which was lower than the dash reading but higher than the official figure. Even so, that’s pretty frugal for a big dual cab ute, so you could expect a lengthy ‘real world’ driving range in the high-800km zone from a full tank of diesel.

Months out from launch, we're here at the famous Durability Circuit deep within Ford's You Yangs Proving Ground, to try out the Ranger V6 for the first time.

For all you students of Australian motoring history, this is the same course that helped make generations of the Falcon the so-called "Great Australian Road Car" from the early Sixties to the end of Ford's local production in 2016.

Keep in mind, though, that it's only three fast laps in the new Ranger V6, sadly, it's supervised at all times by nervous Ford personnel as we're in an extremely expensive pre-production prototype, and we're not forgetting that driving a Ford at the You Yangs gives the new truck a home-ground advantage, since it's literally been designed and developed to be its best right here.

But this quick spin is still more than enough for us to give you an initial taste of the changes made between old and new Ranger.

And to refresh our memories, we've also had a run in the old Ranger – a PX III series Wildtrak BiTurbo with the 2.0-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel powertrain ¬– that highlights the many advances of the latest version.

Anyway, we're strapped in and finally ready to go!

Accompanied by the deep baritone exhaust note that can only be from a V6 turbo-diesel, initial acceleration is strong, with a decent amount of forward thrust on hand – or, rather, underfoot – even if you just tickle the throttle.

While the old 2.0-litre BiTurbo Ranger reacted fairly quickly when asked to simulate an overtaking manoeuvre at speed, the V6 lunged ahead, to power along much more briskly and with not much provocation from the pedal, highlighting the next level of performance that paying the extra $3000 brings to the Ford.

And even for this late-stage prototype, there's a sophisticated level of tuning going on here, as revealed by how progressively the truck responds to the driver's commands. The brakes pull up cleanly; the steering is light yet has a good deal of feel as well as feedback; and through the really fast corners, there's impressive composure and control, that elevates an already class-leading pick-up to what we believe will be new heights for this sort of vehicle.

One section of the Durability Circuit includes bumps and cobblestones that are designed to disrupt the suspension's ability to soak up or ride over them at speed; in our unladen Wildtrak, and with the newly redesigned independent wishbone coil-sprung front and leaf-sprung rear suspension set-up fitted, the Ford sailed over these, with little of the lateral 'crabbing' that was evident in the PX III Wildtrak we sampled straight after.

So, after three quick laps in the new Ranger V6 that ended all-too-soon, we're quietly confident that Ford might have upped the ante in terms of engine performance, handling capability and ride comfort.

And the sound of that 3.0L V6 just amplifies as well as elevates the experience even further.

Clearly, we need to drive a Ranger away from its home base before we know definitively, but all the signs are extremely promising indeed.

And it was also telling to see just how good the old version still feels behind the wheel.

Ford also gave us an opportunity to try out the new Ranger V6's capabilities off-road. Again, back-to-back with an old Wildtrak to see how far it's come. Being a Wildtrak, it had the new electronic 4WD system.

And the biggest takeaway here is just how easy it is to drive the new model off-road, by selecting one of the drive modes on screen and letting the vehicle do the rest. That screen displays driveline and diff lock status, steering angle and vehicle pitch and roll angles.

It's also quite surprising how much more planted and surefooted the new Ranger feels.

Ford's claims about it having more wheel travel and articulation are realised driving the new Ranger over the deep ruts and potholes that make up the You Yang's off-road course, with the suspension doing a great job soaking up or traversing the bumps and thumps.

Plus, the V6 has the torque to really power up very steep inclines without struggling at all, while the new hill descent tech takes care of going down again, without the driver having to break a sweat.

In fact, it's how composed and in control the vehicle now feels off-road that separates the new from old Ranger, backed up by an engine that offers ample performance to do it.

Like we said, we'll need to take the new Ford ute out in the real world to make sure it's as good as it feels around the You Yangs, but first impressions suggest that few other midsized trucks anywhere in the world can offer the sort of bandwidth that the new-gen Ranger seems to have in spades.

We can't wait for that.

The 1.9-litre engine has 21 per cent less power and 22 per cent less torque than the 3.0-litre and is a full 1.1 litres or 37 per cent smaller in cubic displacement. However, our test vehicle is also 60kg lighter than its 3.0-litre 4x2 dual cab ute equivalent, resulting in power-to-weight ratios that are comparatively close, with the 1.9-litre carrying about 17kg/kW compared to around 14kg/kW for the 3.0-litre.

The 1.9’s slightly shorter diff gearing creates some extra punch when accelerating, particularly from standing starts. It also allows the smaller engine to operate at the slightly higher rpm it needs to showcase its flexibility, with 300Nm or 85 per cent of its maximum torque served across a 2150rpm-wide torque band between 1550rpm and 3700rpm.

The end result is a negligible difference when behind the wheel. In fact, we sometimes forgot we were driving the 1.9, given not only its willing performance but refinement and noise levels which are on par with the 3.0-litre. It also cruises comfortably at highway speeds, requiring only 1600rpm to maintain 100km/h and just under 1800rpm to hold 110km/h, combined with adaptive cruise control that makes longer trips more relaxing.

The driver’s seat offers good support and combined with the height-and-reach adjustable steering wheel and large left footrest, it’s not hard to find a comfortable position. The BT-50 has light but responsive steering feel and good braking response, with a ride quality that’s definitely on the firm side when unladen. As a result, it can get jiggly on bumpy roads without a decent load, but given its big 1135kg payload rating such rear spring stiffness is to be expected.

Shares the same ANCAP five-star rating achieved by the D-Max in 2020. Advanced safety includes eight airbags, AEB and forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, reversing camera, trailer sway control, hill descent control and heaps more. There’s also ISOFIX and top-tether child seat attachments on the two outer rear seating positions.

Ford offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with five-years roadside assistance.

Currently, the Ranger is also available with what Ford calls a Service Price Calculator, which is an online resource showing what the capped-price scheduled service costs will be over a 12-year/180,000km period. The same or something similar is expected for the new Ranger soon.

Other details, including other ownership and servicing info, will be revealed closer to the new model's launch, so stay tuned.

The BT-50 is covered by Mazda's five years/unlimited km warranty. Scheduled servicing every 15,000km or 12 months whichever occurs first. Minimum cost of $2085 for the first five scheduled services, which represents a total saving of $230 over the 3.0-litre version.