2022 Mazda BT-50: 50 Days with a BT-50 – Towing

Cruising across the country in a 4x4 has always been a favourite pastime for Aussies, and whether you are chasing sunshine, water or snow, a good tow vehicle is essential.

For this tow test, we hitched a McLay 571 aluminium boat to the rear of our BT-50 Thunder and drove up the coast on a mixture of suburban and highway terrain.

Lloyd was again on-board as part of our ‘50 Days with a BT-50’ series. He has no towing experience, but he’s a keen angler and is very interested in seeing how the car copes with a boat behind it. The load we have chosen is well within the limitations of the car, and the McLay 571 is a popular boat for families.

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For this phase of the drive, Lloyd was content to reside in the passenger seat: “I would be more than happy to sit here for an extended road trip, and the car feels like it is doing this easily,” he told us.

Under the bonnet of the BT-50 is a 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that can produce up to 450Nm. The total towing capacity is 3500kg (braked).

While Lloyd hasn’t towed, he has done his homework and before long asks about Gross Combined Mass (GCM), something most new owners do not realise could be an issue when towing.

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GCM refers to the maximum loaded weight of the towing vehicle and whatever you are towing at the same time. For example, the dual-cab BT-50 we are using has a GCM of 6000kg, and the vehicle we are in weighs around 2350kg. We have a couple of hundred kilograms of gear on board, plus ourselves.

The boat weighs approximately 1700kg on the trailer with our gear and fuel. Combined, that is 4050kg plus our weight, which falls comfortably under the limit for this vehicle.

If we had a heavier boat or caravan closer to, say, 3500kg, the combined weight of the car and trailer without any equipment would be more than 5800kg. This would leave limited room for equipment and seriously jeopardise the vehicle’s ability and insurance.

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Another consideration when towing is towball weight. In this case, the Mazda has a healthy 350kg towball weight, which is well above the trailer we are towing.

Even with a low weight - relative to the maximum capacity of the car - you can still feel the weight on the back, and the Mazda handles this weight easily. The suspension doesn’t sag, and the steering remains firm and responsive. On the freeway, the gears hold well and we don't spend any energy hunting around for the right ratio. It never feels like it is straining going uphill, either.

From a standing start, the BT-50 has plenty of low-down torque which gets the mass moving efficiently without the engine screaming for a reprieve.

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Lloyd added that he likes the large side mirrors and, while you would need extensions when towing something boxy like a caravan, they do a great job with this not-too-wide boat.

The extra weight certainly affects the stopping distance of the Mazda, as Lloyd noted. Even then, the brakes are excellent at bringing the entire set-up to a stop. The BT-50 Thunder is fitted with an optional brake controller on the dash and - if towing a trailer with electric brakes - the dial would allow you to toggle the brake bias to give more or less brake pressure on the trailer.

Fuel usage before towing was approximately 9.7L/100km, but with the trailer on the back that jumped up to 15.5L/100km - that would improve with more highway kilometres, as that figure was noted on suburban streets.

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When it comes to reversing a trailer down a ramp or into position, the turning circle isn’t as tight as some other manufacturers, but its light steering enables you to quickly get from lock to lock. That steering lightness makes reversing a whole lot easier and counteracts the wide turning diameter.

The BT-50’s impressive towing ability combined with its onboard comfort makes it an attractive proposition. The torquey engine isn’t fussed with a load on the back and still manages respectable fuel consumption while towing.

Lloyd was thoroughly impressed, and he’s now ready to hit the Great Barrier Reef.The full series.

The full series