MAZDA Australia has been selling utes all the way through from 1966 but, while it has since established itself as a sporty, semi-premium brand with an excellent range of cars, the B-Series and later BT-50 utes sat in the shadows.

That all changes with the all-new BT-50, which was developed as part of a joint project led by Ford that also created the Ford Ranger. But Mazda’s ute has its own unique exterior and interior as well as a sportier suspension tune.

The new BT-50 has been designed to look more car-like, the shape certainly is polarising, but can still work hard, with a towing capacity of 3350kg and payload of up to 1271kg.