Mazda BT-50 Boss 2019: off-road review

The five-seater Boss is the new top-shelf BT-50 variant, stepping into the range above the GT. It is available as a dual-cab only and 4WD only. 

As standard, the BT-50 Boss has a drive-away price of $55,990 (plus on-road costs). However, our test vehicle had optional floor mats ($137.85), so its price as tested is $56,127.85.

The five-seater Boss is the new top-shelf BT-50 variant

The 3.2-litre engine and drive-train are carry-overs from the regular BT-50 – so what’s new are the few added extras on the inside and outside of the Boss. 

The Boss gets black accents everywhere – more about that below – as well as central locking for the tailgate and a tub liner. 

Boss buyers get one exterior colour: what Mazda calls “Snowflake White Pearl Mica”.

On the outside, it looks like a BT-50 that Mazda has thrown a lot of black at: the Boss’s front grille, wheel guards, 17-inch, eight-spoke alloy wheels, wing-mirror caps, side steps, sports bar, soft tonneau cover and more are all black.

On the outside the Boss looks like a BT-50 that Mazda has thrown a lot of black at

It even has Boss stickers down the side of the cabin, which are a bit cheap-looking and I copped a few dodgy looks at traffic lights, as if those people thought I’d put the stickers on myself. The stickers aren’t my cup of tea, but they might be yours, so good luck to you.

The Boss stickers down the side of the cabin are a bit cheap-looking

Beyond those minor cosmetic changes, it’s business as usual in the looks department. The front end that put people off years ago has long been designed away so it’s not anywhere near as annoying as it once was. Otherwise, the Boss shares same-same looks with its lower-level stable mates: it's blocky, solid, and ready for action. 

Inside there’s leather trim and gloss-black spots.

A ute should, by rights, spend a chunk of its time off-road – and because the Boss retains the BT-50’s off-road capabilities with plenty of low-down torque and reliable mechanicals – it’s all aimed at being no-frills functional in the rough stuff. 

Low-speed 4WDing is a cinch with that aforementioned torque on tap, as well as decent low-range gearing and engine braking, and good wheel travel – and if you need more ground-grabbing ability, there’s a rear diff lock. It’s easy enough to cycle through high- and low-range 4WD as needed, using the dial. 

The 2161kg Boss has 232mm of ground clearance, that’s an unladen measure, and it has a wading depth of 800mm, so deep mud-holes or wheel ruts never pose a serious challenge. 

It rides on Dunlop Grandtrek AT22s (265/65R17).

The Boss retains the BT-50’s off-road capabilities

For those of you who are interested, approach angle is 28.2°, ramp-over is 25.0°, and departure angle is 26.4°.

With considered driving and some tyres better suited to off-roading, the Boss will get you to your campsite – any campsite – and back without too much fuss.

The tray is covered by a soft tonneau cover and measures 1560 millimetres across and 1549 mills long. Problem is: the tray is 1139 mills between wheel arches – so it’s “Access Denied” for an Aussie pallet. 

The tray is covered by a soft tonneau cover

The easy-open tailgate is, yep, easy to open, but it’s quite heavy to close – no need to go to Crossfit anymore. 

The BT-50 has a 750kg unbraked towing capacity and 3500g braked towing capacity. Payload is listed as 1039kg. 

The Boss has a five-star ANCAP rating but it lags behind its rivals in terms of up-to-date driver-assist tech. Its safety gear includes six airbags, reversing camera, trailer sway control, emergency brake assist, and hill descent control, but its safety suite looks a bit light-on when compared to other dual-cabs which have AEB, rear cross traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring and more.