The small pickup truck market in the USA is already crowded with models like the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, and Honda Ridgeline. But last year Ford and Mazda broke cooperation (that is the reason why Mazda didn’t enter the small pickup truck market before). Honda will enter the US market with a new 2024 Mazda BT-50. There is a huge chance that the new BT-50 will debut with a new engine from Mazda. That should be a 3.3-liter inline-6 turbo engine. There will also be a plug-in hybrid version of the BT-50 that should also offer a powerful powertrain option with best-in-class mileage.
Not only the powertrain will be new, Mazda should also introduce a mid-cycle refresh for the upcoming model. That means the interior of the truck will get a new, more modern look to draw attention from US customers. Also, there are rumors that Mazda will introduce a new unibody platform with the new 2024 Mazda BT-50. If this doesn’t happen, the Mazda BT-50 will share the same base as the Isuzu D-Max.
Specifications
As we already mentioned, the new 2024 Mazda BT-50 will come with a newly introduced powertrain. The new engine will be an inline-6 gasoline engine with a displacement of 3.3 liters.It will produce 280 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. The truck will be all-wheel drive and come with a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Mazda promises a towing capacity of up to 6000 pounds and a payload capacity of up to 1300 pounds.
For other regions, Mazda will offer the BT-50 in a 3.0-L diesel variant, but for USA customers, it will only come in the hybrid and gasoline variants. This truck will go from 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds, and the maximum speed will be around 110mph. We expect to see the best fuel consumption in the class. It will be around 30 mpg in the city, and we should expect to see 26 mpg in combined driving. These figures should be even better for the hybrid variant.
2024 Mazda BT-50 Hybrid
Hybrid pickups have gained a lot of popularity in the US market lately. And there is no doubt that Mazda will introduce a new pickup in the following year. A good mix of towing capacity and good mileage is the dream of every customer in the US. Add good practicality. quality of the interior and exterior of the vehicle. Add a reliable and powerful engine to that, and you’ve got a good truck that is more than capable of being introduced to the US market.
In charge of powering the upcoming 2024 Mazda BT-50 Hybrid will be a new hybrid powertrain. It will be based on a gasoline engine with a displacement of 3.3 liters, and it will be helped by a small electric motor. Combined, they will be able to produce around 350 horsepower and nearly 400 pounds of torque. This powerful combination of engines will be able to tow up to 7,000 pounds. Payload capacity will stay the same as its gasoline cousin, which is 1300 pounds. The hybrid model will be all-wheel-drive with an 8-speed gearbox. We also expect to see a few changes on the exterior of the vehicle. That will include a new grille with an aggressive, futuristic look. Refreshed headlights with a daily LED bar.
2024 Mazda BT-50 Thunder (4×4)
This is the top-tier trim level of the new BT-50. Mazda also gives a lot of hope that this trim will archive good sales figures in the US. The Thunder Trim is a jack of all trades, and it will be good as a towing vehicle. Good as a working truck. It will boost fuel economy thanks to its reliable and powerful engine. Also, thanks to its all-wheel drive, it will be able to go for a little off-roading.
Also, Mazda is hoping that the look of the car will attract customers. It will include new 19-inch alloy wheels. A slightly revised black grille. few Thunder badges around the truck. Also, it will come with underbody protection as part of the standard equipment. Also included in the standard equipment will be a locking rear differential. The Thunder Trim equipment package will also be well-equipped inside, which will include a slightly revised interior.
This will surely not be a cheap truck with a starting price of around $65.000, but we hope that the 2024 Mazda BT-50 Thunder will find a way to customers.
Price and Release Date
There are no official statements from Mazda about when they will introduce the 2024 Mazda BT-50 to the US market. But there is no doubt that Mazda is preparing a truck for American customers. This will be a huge step for a Japanese automaker, but they are already pretty experienced with the CX lineup of SUVs.
So we can just guess the release date, which will probably be the start of 2024 or even earlier.
For the USA market, the Mazda BT-50 should start around $42.000 and go up to $78.000 depending on additional equipment and powertrain options.
