ON THE face of it, a ladder-frame pick-up truck is an odd member of the Mazda family, but it’s one that has worked well for the brand over the last nine years, with more than 100,000 sold since 2006, according to Mazda Australia.

It’s fair to say the sixth-generation truck (including previous iterations, dubbed Bravo), underpinned by mechanicals from the Ford Ranger, raised eyebrows in the media and in showrooms alike for its unapologetically modern exterior design.

Love it or loathe it, though, the BT-50, particularly in 4x4 3.2-litre turbo diesel dual-cab form, is a damn nice example of the breed, and keenly priced to boot.

It’s a bit odd that there are no real mechanical changes to write about at this mid-life refresh juncture, but minor exterior revisions and some key interior updates are as good an excuse as any to brush up on some off road skills.



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