2012 Mazda BT-50 XTR (4×4) review
I have owned this now for 4.5 years and clocked up 100,000km.
- It's great. The best light 4x4 out of five others I have owned
- Turbo intercooler hoses are very flimsy
The only fault I have found is that the turbo intercooler hoses are very flimsy – only one strand of cord and thin-walled. The first one blew at only 86,000km, at a cost of $135 including freight and handling. Most other intercooler hoses on other makes of vehicles have lasted up to and beyond 10 years and 400,000km plus. It has been reported to Mazda Australia.
Other than that, no complaints at all. I travel 260km round trip once a week on rough dirt road, and a lot of bush work along with that on the weekends. The suspension installed is the Tough Dog 50mm lift and Soft Ride springs, with airbags on the rear leaf springs to adjust accordingly with the payload.
There is plenty of room in the cab for five adults (size does matter), or four and the dog.
Pulling/towing power is one of the outstanding features of these. Towing a 10x6ft heavy-duty trailer full of steel supplies and blue metal is a piece of cake with the transmission performing with ease, and very rarely changes down on inclines.
The wrap-up – all good but needs something done about those intercooler hoses. The radiator hoses are a lot beefier than them, so let's get it right Mazda and people will get a trouble-free vehicle to enjoy with low maintenance costs.