At the end of last year, both pickups simultaneously entered our market: the NP300 debuted for the first time, while the BT-50 appeared after an update. Credit must be given to the Mazda folks—they struck a preemptive blow, because after the restyling, their pickup, once a purely workhorse, has noticeably dressed up. The test vehicle turned out especially good: trendy white paint, aggressive front bumper with a highlighted lower air intake, new optics at the front and rear. The picture was completed by chrome elements—a sports bar in the bed and twin protective pipes along the lower perimeter. And what about the chrome mirror housings? Not utilitarian at all!
Nissan in such company can only wonder. It certainly pleased with the cherry color and shiny radiator grille, but upon closer inspection, it showed no trump cards. Modest side steps, unprotected body that can easily be scratched during the first cargo haul... However, if you set aside all the Mazda embellishments, which a true businessman is unlikely to splurge on, then in terms of appearance—it's a rough parity. Just ordinary cargo cubism.
Inside, the advantage of the updated Mazda is noticeably stronger. The car is fresher in itself, and after the restyling. The NP300 is also an updated version that appeared in spring last year, but at its core it is a much older Pickup model. This explains the fatal simplicity of the cabin. You sit in the Nissan—and it's like stepping into the past: smooth lines, hard plastic, simple fabric seats, old-fashioned heater controls, unpretentious instruments.
The BT-50 is prepared more thoroughly. Here you have a modern dashboard, leather seats, and instruments in pods—though the needles don't hang downward. The steering wheel and gear lever of the Mazda are trimmed in leather, climate is controlled by convenient rotary knobs, and the stereo is integrated organically into the cabin. Leather seats... Beautiful, rich, but... What does a pickup have to do with it? If you look under the hood, it becomes clear that in terms of traction, Mazda is also ahead. It has a more responsive engine with common rail system, while the opponent makes do with an engine from the last century with a distributor injection pump. Both in numbers and in feel during acceleration, the advantage is with Mazda. However, the outdated Nissan diesel has an important plus for operation in the hinterland, where diesel fuel quality is not great—it is unpretentious, reliable, and easy to maintain.
As for gearboxes—full parity. Manual five-speed transmissions in both. No particular pros or cons were found in operation. Except that the levers on both cars are positioned behind the transfer case lever, so you have to reach for fifth gear. Nothing to be done—these are originally right-hand drive vehicles. In terms of handling, the Mazda turned out to be more understandable. Its suspension is better assembled, and at high speed the car is controlled more confidently. Without load, both trucks buck quite a bit, and quite unpleasantly. Load the bed—the situation improves. But then be prepared for vertical pitching. In the Nissan, it is felt more strongly. And don't forget to inflate the tires if you plan to use at least half of the payload capacity.
Steering on both is similar: for active maneuvering, you literally have to wind yourself around the wheel—it makes more than four turns from lock to lock. With such settings, you can't dream of clear feedback. It simply isn't there. But Nissan has an obvious trump card—a small turning radius, only six meters!
Both cars are rear-wheel drive by default, but the front axle engagement schemes differ. In the Mazda, the front is engaged rigidly. In the NP300, there are automatic hubs on the front wheels that lock on command from the selector. Once you engage four-wheel drive, you leave the hubs locked. In this case, you can switch between 2WD and 4WD on the move. To unlock the hubs, you have to perform a whole ritual: stop, select rear-wheel drive, engage reverse gear, and drive a few meters. Why such complications if you can drive with locked hubs in rear-wheel drive mode? Because then you'll be accompanied by transmission whine and increased fuel consumption.
You drive off the asphalt onto a dirt road—and all the handling drawbacks of pickups turn into advantages. The long steering wheel doesn't give extra sensitivity, and the soft suspensions magically smooth out bumpy roads. It's immediately clear: here these vehicles are in their native element. They calmly and confidently carry cargo and farmers wherever needed. Moreover, the capabilities of the machines are such that this very farmer behind the wheel will most likely start panicking from the off-road mayhem under the wheels, while the cars will imperturbably keep crawling. Judge for yourself: permanent four-wheel drive, large departure angles, thick and quite "toothy" tires, low-range gear, torquey diesels.
For slippery surfaces, the Mazda also has a self-locking differential in the rear axle, but during diagonal wheel hang, it may not help, as it cannot lock rigidly. However, what diagonal hang can there be if there's cargo in the bed? It would seem all the main characteristics have been tested, but we, crazy journalists, found another fun use for these pickups. First, we modestly drifted along the track around the field, then got a taste for it and drove out onto the snowy virgin land. And off we went!
Rhythmic drifts of varying steepness and speed come surprisingly easily to these machines. And the technique of fast steering with simultaneous throttle work was only honed. The suspensions, by the way, never bottomed out. We respect in advance that crazy farmer, fisherman, or hunter who will repeat our idea. Or maybe it will be a mushroom picker? The car wash workers, having given us two clean pickups, opened their mouths in surprise when we returned an hour and a half later covered in mud up to our ears.
In this state, the Mazda and Nissan are very similar. But once the mud is washed off, the cars are again separated by a set of nuances. The Mazda, which won the test, doesn't look toward a bearded farmer from a distant province. It appeals to an active city dweller who will fill the bed not with wheat, potatoes, or sheep feed, but with an ATV, picnic gear, or a fishing rod. That's when all this "leather-face-chrome" will find its logical place in shaping the image of the updated pickup. Well, the Nissan can console itself with honesty and pronounced utility. If you need a pickup in its pure form, without marketer-imposed options and especially decorations, you know where to find it.