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When Mazda handed me the keys to its latest and greatest dual-cab, the BT-50 Thunder Pro, we went off-road to have some fun on the wild, untamed New South Wales South Coast. behind the busy everyday life.
When I picked up the BT-50, I was excited to see the plump Thunder patiently waiting for the collection, ready for anything we could throw at it.
Our BT-50 was also equipped with the Pro Enhancement Package, which adds additional equipment including an adjustable Old Man Emu suspension, snorkel and two additional Lightforce driving lights to the double-stacked 20-inch light bar. standard.
It looks the same, with a single black round bar, black side sills, fender flares and the extremely useful electric tonneau cover.
The BT-50 boasts a wide selection of paint colors, but the True Black Mica paint on our tester is my choice. With the Thunder Pro Pack's all-black modifications, it looks fantastic.
If you regularly go on adventures like ours, the only aftermarket additions we recommend are an electric winch and a set of quality all-terrain tires, ensuring you can get out out and home even in the most difficult situations.
Why not, with the two-sided capabilities of this dual cab.
We may have driven the range-topping BT-50 Thunder Pro on this occasion, but what's notable is the number of trim levels available in the Mazda BT-50 ute range. It's driven by the XS single-cab chassis 1.9 sedan, priced from $35,520 before on-roads, and the range-topping 3.0L double-cab pick-up on autopilot here, priced from $74,095 before on-roads. road.
As for the current line-up, Mazda offers the BT-50 ute in seven different 4×2 variants and no fewer than 15 4×4 versions, with setups to suit almost any work/life situation. /play.
I'm certainly familiar with the array of cool features and details in the top-of-the-line Thunder Pro seen here. First and foremost is the electric tonneau cover. Better yet, the tray includes an LED light bar that illuminates the entire tray bed with evenly distributed light; something that proved useful during our late night filming in the woods.
And despite being a dual-cab with 4×4 capability, it's packed with luxury amenities inside, making the BT-50 Thunder a very comfortable place to spend hours behind the wheel.
Climbing in and out of the high cabin is no problem, with sturdy steps and perfectly placed grab handles making it easy to maneuver into the well-bolstered, power-adjustable leather seats for the driver. – they proved perfectly comfortable for both city and off-road duty.
More than just the seats, the same brown stitched leather extends to the door panels and other trim throughout the cabin, giving it a premium atmosphere.
Technology abounds with wireless CarPlay and wired Android Auto; We used this to rely on Waze as much as possible (at least on the tarmac) and used a USB-A cable to keep my phone awake throughout the journey.
Even though the tray on the dual-cab was never large, I still managed to pack a dual-suspension MTB with 29-inch wheels as well as an extra-wide six-quad twin-fin surfboard and cover kit including wetsuit, helmet, and a decent Esky – all secured under the lockable electric tonneau cover.
Leaving Sydney in the thick of darkness meant I avoided the traditional rush hour on my way to the spectacular seaside town of Kiama, before teaming up with our group to snap some photos of the BT-50 as it was clean… which we knew wouldn't last long.
From there it's a short drive to the quaint town of Berry. With a country feel and cosmopolitan atmosphere, this is a must-see on any South Coast adventure.
Just south of Wollongong, it offers plenty of adventure within an impressive 10 minutes. Specifically, popular surf spots like Gerroa and Seven Mile Beach, both of which have good waves in varying wind conditions.
It is also home to the Berry Donut Van, now an institution and a popular tourist stop for others in town. We somehow managed to get a parking spot out front and got to enjoy some of their world-class cinnamon treats.
That's also where we introduced the BT-50's remote start feature, just as the mercury was rising. It's a great way to pre-cool the cabin to a more civilized 20 degrees before continuing your journey.
Next on the agenda is another relatively short inland (and off-road) jump to Coondoo MTB Park at Comberton in the Nowra State Forest. There is still no requirement to switch from 2WD to 4H due to dry dirt road conditions.
The trail here is rated Intermediate and it didn't take long before we were primed and ready to pedal fast on the MTB.
Although I regularly ride the trails around Sydney's northern beaches, I also enjoy the jumps – but after negotiating a new drop, it didn't end well after I tried to dive higher. Rookie mistake if ever made, at not nearly enough speed!
Time passed so quickly and we still hadn't stopped for lunch (it was 2:30 pm) and the world famous bakery had already closed at 3:00 pm.
What makes it more difficult in terms of timing is that dirt roads are no longer flat and fast. In fact, it looks like a comprehensive 4×4 trail requiring at least 4H.
Thankfully, dry conditions on the ground made progress faster than initially expected. Switching from 2WD to 4H is also extremely easy, you just turn the dial quickly and voila, the BT-50 instantly becomes much more composed on dirt roads.
Hayden's Pies at Ulladulla is another of the South Coast's iconic destinations, frequented by surfers and punters alike – all looking to enjoy the best pies in NSW .
They are famous for their delicious fillings, soft pastries, and friendly staff. This is still a family business and has been in existence for over 20 years. But be wary, you can't stop at just one.
I've surfed various Ulladullas for over 20 years, from Bommie to Sandmines and Potholes when I get the chance. There's also Bawley Point, where I experienced some crazy waves with only one or two other surfers in the water.
But while conditions were pretty good that day, the idea of missing out on the river crossings and treacherous trails on the BT-50 meant we had to pull away almost immediately after a quick stop at Bawley.
You can drive part of the way down to the point (in a 4×4), but the road is rocky with sharp edges and is best done in 4H. It was also the first time I felt the added cushioning effect of Thunder's Old Man Emu suspension with its twin-tube shock absorbers that can absorb any big hits.
It was almost dark at 5:30 p.m., with gray skies and a light drizzle falling, we were keen to get to the riverbank before dark – never mind the uphill trail climb to check out the still-to-come Lightforce set .
From here on out it was full-time 4H, until we turned off the trail to cross the river at Flat Rock, at which point I switched to 4L, just to be safe. Truth be told, it was a lot lower than previous crossings.
Even though it was pretty easy at the starting point, we still hit a large rock in the water which immediately ripped the front license plate off, causing me to have to wade across to retrieve it… some repair work later. Quick repair on license plate.
Daylight was slipping away quickly and we still had a bit of ground to cover if we were going to follow the trail. This time there was even more dust; This time I covered my eyes properly, the distance between the two cars was closer than 300m which meant I couldn't see anything.
It was now 8:15pm and it was pitch black, but I honestly couldn't have been happier.
While the BT-50 Thunder already has a good LED headlight with automatic high beam, this is on the darker side and the climb is tough over serious ruts and bumps.
The vehicle's trio of Lightforce LED driving lights with the Thunder Pro Pack can effectively illuminate an entire forest or at least up to 1.1km ahead of the vehicle.
It's incredibly reassuring to be tasked with crawling up deep trails, but even more so when it's 10:30pm in the middle of a forest with a 90-minute dirt road just to get back to the roads private.
While there are plenty of aftermarket 4×4 driving lights around, I can't praise the Lightforce spotlight enough on our BT-50 Thunder Pro. Not only does the road ahead light up, but so do the animals you can avoid hitting with a system like this. At least one wallaby and a baby koala walked away unharmed.
As I reflect on this action-packed trip, it occurs to me how good double cabs are these days.
Comfortable heated leather seats with dual-zone climate control and much of the same kit you'd find in a premium SUV, with the benefit of a rear cargo tray and local amenities Proper configurations like the low-range transfer case and locking rear differential, make trips like this not only possible but extremely enjoyable.
No animals were harmed in the making of this film, just a bent license plate!
THAN: Everything Mazda BT-50
