Mazda BT-50 test drive since 2006-
Urban village
What are people guided by choosing a car in a pickup back? In America, image considerations. In agricultural countries in Europe, like Greece or Portugal, pickups are a farmer workhorse. In Russia, pickups are bought mainly because it is impossible to buy a large full -fledged SUV (of course, new and imported), having a sum of up to $ 30,000. For fresh pickups, such as Mazda BT-50, everything is in order and with image, and with the ability to work, and with a price.
The Russian representative office Mazda arranged a sideling presentation of the novelty at the Pirovo resort near Moscow. At the disposal of journalists were an impromptu off-road route and six BT-50 first arrived in Russia. The first thing that catches the eye, the modern design of the Double Cab body with two full -fledged rows of seats for five gray -hairs (a two -seater version of Regular and a four -seater Freestyle Cab will not be delivered to Russia). The second increased assembly quality level.
Compared to the previous Mazda model, the length increased by 70 mm, the height of the doors by 30 mm, and the sides of the cargo compartment by 60 mm. A solid front lining appeared, which combines a radiator grill with thick strips and a large emblem of Mazda, a bumper, front headlights and fog. All this, coupled with cast wheels with a diameter of 16 inches, extended arches, footboards, chrome door handles and mirrors, an outer baggage compartment with a folding side gives the appearance of the car solidity and athletism. The gaps between body panels are significantly reduced almost like in passenger models. The interior is also noticeable to close as possible to the level of comfort and decoration of Mazda sedans. Convenient seats, a dashboard with three dials, a central silver console (with music and three microclimate handles), ventilation petrons with outlets, gearbox levers and a full-wheel drive transmission, everything corresponds to the company-Zoom-Zoom style. Landing is also quite passenger. True, there is no steering wheel adjustment, but the optimal position is without difficulty. 
Under the hood of Mazda BT-50, a new 2.5-liter 16-valve turbodiesel MZR-CD Common Rail with two camshafts, an intercooler and a turbine with variable geometry. The power now is 143 hp, and the torque is 330 nm. By the most approaching the quality of the execution and comfort of the BT-50 to passenger models, the Mazda in no way infringed on its off-road abilities. This is still an honest frame all-wheel drive fighter. A reinforced handout works in pairs with a 5-speed mechanics, with which the car can move either in the rear-wheel drive mode, or with a connected front (including with a rigidly locked center differential), or even with a partial blocking in the rear bridge (self-locking differential increased friction). A serious gazepa arsenal complements the corresponding torsion suspension with A-shaped levers in front and an uncertain bridge on sheet springs from behind. Of course, such a suspension will not behave very well on the asphalt, but you can’t imagine better for the crossed terrain.
On hard coatings, it was not possible to evaluate the BT-50 at the presentation, but I got some idea of \u200b\u200bits patency. The track laid on the shores of the Klyazminsky reservoir could be called off -road very conditionally. The organizers can understand no one wants to drown new cars in a swamp or jump on them through ditches. But on the other hand, we woven enough. With the Mazda reduced nearby, he confidently storms the dunes, climbs onto the sandy rise, when only the sky is visible through the windshield, overcomes artificial log bridges and swings. Just have time to twist the steering wheel four revolutions from the stop to the stop! 
One exercise was quite serious a wooden overpass with a longitudinal slope of about 30. On it it was possible to hang a car diagonally, stop and then try to move again. And I succeeded, although not the first time. The fact is that when the car hangs on two wheels and you press on the gas, the lock in the rear bridge works only after a while, for which the wheel manages to make several revolutions, which, in my opinion, is critical on less stable coatings. In addition, the lock is not hard (not more than 45%), this is a kind of compromise, because with 100% insufficient rotation would become too strong, the car would just go with a plow. 
But despite this nuance, the BT-50 is an example of a real car for directions. And this off-road eccentricity, along with a high-quality convenient salon, a spacious luggage compartment, a fairly low noise level and more than acceptable for diesel all-wheel drive, the level of comfort for five saddlers costs from $ 24,000 to $ 30,000. A direct competitor of the BT-50 Mitsubishi L200, other full-fledged SUVs of Nerossian Production that can worthy to move around the city does not exist in this price range. 
Prices and configuration All Mazda BT-50 is offered with a diesel turbocharged 4-cylinder engine 2.5 liters (143 hp) and a 5-speed mechanical gearbox with a decreasing nearby, rigid center lock and a differential of increased friction in the rear bridge. Direct (EBR), Touring (EBS and L01) and Active (L02) are available. Prices from $ 23,490 to $ 30,300.
Dmitry Krotov
A source: Motor magazine [May 2007]
