Ford Ranger Wildtrak vs. Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain vs. Mazda BT-50 GT – 2021 Ute Double Cab Comparison Review

You might think beginners would walk away with this part of the test. I mean, the D-Max and BT-50 have had years to get the driving part of the equation right.

And while they're not necessarily wrong, the best road manners car on the market, the Ranger, still exceeds expectations. For consistency, we inflated the tires to be the same on all models, and even then the Ranger was simply superb. Find out why in the section below, and if you want to see what it was like off-road, our adventure editor, Markus Kraft, wrote his thoughts on all three of these utes below.

Note: The score at the bottom of this section is a combination of on-road driving and off-road punishment.

On the Road - Senior Editor Matt Campbell

Ford Ranger Wildtrak Bi-turbo

The Ford Ranger Wildtrak was immediately voted the best of the three double cabs for driving (Image credit: Tom White).

It was surprising to say the least that the Ford Ranger Wildtrak was immediately voted the best of the three double cabs for driving. The other two are brand new, with years of refinements that we'd expect would push them forward, if not in line with the Ranger.

They are both very impressive. But this Wildtrak Bi-turbo is something else. This is really the most assembled, comfortable, pleasant and easy to drive pickup truck. Simple.

There is not only one outstanding element here. He is excellent in many ways.

The engine is punchy, offering strong low-end response and a sweeter noise than its higher horsepower diesel rivals. It hits hard for its size, and the power delivery is linear and satisfying.

The Ranger's steering has always been, and continues to be, the benchmark in the segment (Image credit: Tom White).

The transmission allows you to unlock the potential of an engine that admittedly has a narrow peak torque range of just 1750-2000 rpm. But it has more gears, so you can get into that range more readily and enjoy 500Nm at your disposal.

The steering is also pleasant. He has always been the benchmark in this segment and remains so. The strut has a lot of weight, amazing steering feel, and even a bit of driving fun because the response is so predictable. Like others, it has less weight at lower speeds, which helps it feel smaller when driving, and it does. It's a cinch.

And the ride quality is excellent. If you didn't know it had leaf springs in the back, you'd swear it's a coil-spring model, and indeed, it rides and obeys better than many coil-spring SUVs.

The ride quality of the Ranger Wildtrak is excellent (Image credit: Tom White).

There really is no other device in this part of the market that is as comfortable without the weight in the tray. The suspension is supple, providing good comfort for all passengers, as well as great control over bumps and bumps. He does not quarrel with the surface below as much as his contemporaries, and besides, he has excellent balance.

Blimey. What a wonderful thing this is.

Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain

Now you may have just read an excerpt from The Ranger and thought, “What, the rest is nonsense?” And the answer is a big fat “No!” because both are really impressive.

We will start with D-Max, which is much better than the old version, as if it was made by another brand.

Its driving style is great and the steering is light and comfortable at all speeds, and even at lower speeds when you're negotiating parking spaces or roundabouts it's a breeze to pilot. Like the Ranger, it feels rather small to steer despite its size, but with a 12.5-meter turning circle, you might still need to do a five-point turn instead of a three-point (at least the steering is very light - and the same is the case with the Ranger, which has a turning radius of 12.7 m).

The steering in the D-Max is light and comfortable at any speed (Image credit: Tom White).

And while you might think that weight and handlebar feel are more important to car journalists who rave about chassis dynamics, we look at this as a question: “How would you feel if you were working hard on tools all day and driving home for a long time? ". D-Max and BT-50 used to be hard work, but that's no longer the case.

The D-Max's suspension is different in that its rear leaf spring is a three-leaf setup - most vehicles, including the Ranger, have five-leaf suspension. The X-Terrain offers a refined and well-sorted ride in most situations, but there's still a bit of that "roots" feel you get through the back end, especially without the weight on board. It's not too harsh or fussy; slightly firmer than the Ranger.

Its engine isn't as bouncy in its response, and it actually feels pretty relaxed in normal driving. It responds well when you put your foot down, though it's comparatively a little noisy and just not as pushy as the Ranger.

The six-speed D-Max automatic transmission offers smart and quick shifts (Image credit: Tom White).

The D-Max six-speed automatic offers sensible and quick shifting, although it can be loaded at higher speeds as it aims to keep the engine in its optimal torque range (1600 to 2600 rpm). You may notice that on the slopes it will tend to drop from sixth to fifth and fourth, and if you're not used to that, it can take you by surprise. It's probably because the gearing on the D-Max and BT-50 is more palpable than on the Ranger, but to be honest, you get used to it.

And while the safety features are awesome to have, they can be intrusive in everyday driving. The lane keeping system in the D-Max (and BT-50) is more intermittent than in the Ranger, and it also seemed eager to warn you of unsafe traffic gaps as you zigzag between lanes.

Mazda BT-50 GT

Ride quality on the BT-50 was not as good as on the D-Max (Image credit: Tom White).

I could copy and paste the above because the results are almost identical between BT-50 and D-Max. I mean, it's a very good car to drive, but not as good as the Ranger.

The same results were noted for steering precision and ease, and if you drove the previous generation BT-50, this might be what stands out the most when driving the new one.

The BT-50 had the same steering precision and lightness as the D-Max (Image credit: Tom White).

But also the engine, which is a step backwards for those who experienced the squeaky five-cylinder Ford engine in the old BT-50. It was a noisy, rattling old thing, but it had a bit more punch than the 3.0-liter unit that's identical between Mazda and its Isuzu mate.

One thing we noticed was that ride quality was not as well resolved in the BT-50 as it was in the D-Max. Our theory was that since the D-Max's curb weight is about 100kg more, including the glider/sport handlebar, roller rack and trunk liner (and optional tow bar package), it was weight related.

Ride quality on the BT-50 was not as good as on the D-Max (Image credit: Tom White).

Again, the suspension is a step up from the last BT-50, and yet better than many rivals in the class, with a level of reliability and everyday driving comfort that many can't match.

As with the D-Max, the safety systems were a bit basic at times, and it even had a seemingly much louder lane-keeping horn. Luckily, you can disable it, but we don't recommend disabling the safety suite while on the road.

Off-road is another matter...

SUV — Adventure editor, Markus Kraft.

Let's face it - comparing today's XNUMXxXNUMXs with established off-road adventure qualities is always going to be quite an intense competition. Especially when you pit the top options against each other, the cream of the crop in their current formulations.

These cars are the same in every way (Image credit: Tom White).

These vehicles are equally matched throughout: their driver-assistance technologies and 4WD systems are approaching each other's capabilities (especially now the twins, the D-Max and BT-50); and their actual physical dimensions (length, wheelbase length and width, etc.) and off-road angles are very similar - although the Wildtrak's corners are the flattest here (more on that later). Essentially, to cut it all down to the core, these three have basic all-around suitability for traversing difficult terrain.

Matt has done such an exemplary job of covering the specs and technical details of all three vehicles in-depth, that I won't bore you with simply repeating this information, however important it may be; rather, I will focus on off-road driving.

So, how did these models fare off-road? Read more.

Ford Ranger Wildtrak Bi-turbo

The Wildtrak did well on the slightly rippled dirt road on its way to our standard hill climb. The night's rain had washed out sections of the loose gravel path, not so badly, but enough to put any unsuspecting pee out of the game, but not this poop.

The Wildtrak remained manageable and collected on a route that was a bit kinky in places, soaking up most of the bumps and bumps. It is definitely the most stable of the trio, at speed, on such surfaces.

Then it was time for the serious (read: fun) stuff: low-speed, short-range XNUMXxXNUMXs.

With low range XNUMXWD on and the rear diff locked, we took on one of our favorite hill climbs at one of our unofficial XNUMXWD testing and testing grounds at unknown locations in New South Wales. Intrigued yet?

It was easy for the Wildtrak to begin with, but it's a proven off-road champion so we weren't surprised.

Whatever the concerns about the low-powered engine's ability to produce enough power and torque to propel a two-ton vehicle over any off-road terrain—in this case, a fairly steep, slippery hill—should be dismissed outright: this 2.0-liter engine with the twin turbo is more than up to the task. This is a choppy little unit with lots of power.

With low-rpm XNUMXWD engaged and the rear diff locked, we managed one of our favorite uphill climbs (image credit: Tom White).

The wheel ruts along the uphill track were so eroded by the night's rain that we immediately lifted the wheels off the mud as we dived in and out of those deep holes in the ground. Any lesser 4WD would have been left to struggle in vain for traction, but this Ford ute just had to think about driving to keep it on the right line and go up the hill.

While the Wildtrak may seem a bit unwieldy to maneuver on a narrow bush path, the opposite is actually true. The steering is light and precise, it even feels a little too smooth at times, especially on open dirt roads, but while it feels big in terms of size, it doesn't feel big in terms of handling, especially when you're 4WDing at very low speeds. .

More throttle was needed at times to push the Wildtrak forward - I did have to push it through two fat, narrow and twisty ripped sections - but mostly steady, controlled momentum was all it took to get through even the toughest problems. Note: All three utes had the same story.

In this trio, the Wildtrak has the tightest off-road angles (see charts above) and the lowest ground clearance (240mm), but with careful driving you're generally fine. However, the D-Max and BT-50 are more likely to touch the ground with part of the chassis than the D-Max and BT-XNUMX when you pass obstacles with sharper angles (such as rocks and exposed tree roots) and through deeper pits (blurred wheel). gauges). It's not a tracked all-terrain vehicle after all, but take your time and pick your line and those shallower off-road angles and lower ground clearance won't be a problem.

The Ford's engine braking is pretty good, but hill descent control is another strong piece of Wildtrak's off-road toolkit. This kept us at a constant speed of about 2-3 km/h on the descent down the same steep slope we had climbed. We could hear how it works gently, but it's actually quite unobtrusive, but still very effective.

The Wildtrak is a good all-rounder in terms of 4WD capabilities (Image credit: Tom White).

We did slip and slide up and down a bit on this slippery climb, but that could be because it's mostly road tyres, stock tyres, more than anything else. This tire actually performed well under the circumstances, but if you're thinking about turning the Wildtrak into an even more advanced off-road vehicle, you'd swap out these tires for more aggressive all-terrain tires.

The Wildtrak is a good all-rounder in terms of 4WD capabilities: the off-road traction control system is quite effective; there's plenty of torque available from its 500Nm combat box; and the 10-speed automatic transmission is pretty smart, constantly finding the right place at the right time.

It remains a comfortable 4WD. And that's what sets it apart from just about every other ute around. While many others - well, almost all known modern models - are capable, the Wildtrak tends to gobble up hardcore terrain without any fuss.

Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain

We've already tried the new off-road variant of the D-Max, the LS-U, and were impressed, so this time we didn't expect any surprises from the X-Terrain's top performance.

The D-Max handled the gravel and dirt route well on its way to the set uphill pace, soaking up most of the trail's imperfections along the way, but not as well as the Wildtrak. It tended to skip sections of the track a bit that didn't even register with Wildtrak.

The Isuzu isn't the most perfect car - it makes a bit of noise when pushed hard - but it handles dirt roads quite reasonably.

Again, from the start, the D-Max was in its element on our steep, blurry uphill climb.

The Isuzu ute has always had a reliable all-wheel drive system, but this has been hindered in the past by a less-than-ideal off-road traction control system. That, as we've documented, has been recalibrated and sorted in this new D-Max lineup, now applying real impartial delivery of driver-assistance tech into the dirt to ensure safe, controlled progress, in this case. , up a steep and difficult uphill climb.

The Isuzu ute has always had a solid 4WD setup (Image credit: Tom White).

The surface—a greasy mixture of scrub sand, gravel, rocks, and exposed tree roots—was very slippery. There wasn't much traction and I had to put down a hammer here and there to get through, but the D-Max quickly proved its worth.

It was stress-free for most of the uphill climb, could use ample low-rpm torque along the way, and always needed a heavier right boot to help it get out of the deeper, jagged wheel ruts.

The D-Max has all-wheel drive at high and low revs - as do the other two models in this test - and for the first time it has a locking rear differential as standard. The differential lock can be engaged at speeds up to 4 km/h and only in the reduced range all-wheel drive (8 l) mode. It turns off when you pick up a speed of 4 km / h or more. Note: When you engage the differential lock, the off-road traction control system is disabled.

It makes a real difference, but differential lock is not a panacea - some people think it is, although it certainly helps - and the fact that you have the option to use it if you think you need it is a big one. a step in the right direction. direction to Isuzu.

The D-Max has decent wheel travel - neither the best nor the worst of a dual-cab 4WD ute mob - but if you can flex a bit and stretch the tire to the dirt, the D-Max's really useful extra torque - more than the previous generation - has a noticeable difference.

Hill descent control is impressive; on the way back down the predetermined hill, the system kept us at a steady speed of 3-4 km/h, and that's a controlled pace that gives the driver enough time to evaluate the route and make better decisions.

Hill descent control in the D-Max is impressive (Image credit: Tom White).

One small change, and it's the same for all three models: the stock showroom tires should be replaced with a set of newer, more aggressive all-terrain vehicles. Easy to fix.

However, be that as it may, the D-Max X-terrain is a very impressive all-around package, and since the BT 50 and D-Max have so much in common, using the same platform, driving either of them is just the same. what to drive. the same ute and both utes are very efficient. Or are they? Is BT-50 good? Did I mess up the next piece of dough? Maybe. Well.

Mazda BT-50 GT

As we have repeatedly mentioned, the new D-Max and BT-50 are, in fact, the same machine. The metal, the design elements are just different, but it doesn't matter when you're cruising at low speeds. What matters is what's underneath: the guts of the car. You want to know that the mechanics, the 4WD setup, the off-road traction control are all up to the task.

And good news? The BT 50 is very comfortable off-road - as we expected, because we have already tested two variants of the D-Max on hard XNUMXWD trails, and they performed well. We went to X-Terrain, remember? Just take a look at the page.

You could do a lot worse than choosing the BT-50 as your next XNUMXxXNUMX tourer (Image credit: Tom White).

So, if all the performance parts of the BT-50/D-Max are the same, is it possible that Mazda has off-road strengths or weaknesses that the D-Max doesn't?

Well, the new BT-50 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine puts out less power and torque than the previous BT-50 five-cylinder engine - it's 7kW and 20Nm less - but that's less in practice, although certainly not ideal. , negligible.

The BT-50's sumo-style "kodo design" front end - more flared and pronounced at the bottom and sides than the X-Terrain's more motion-oriented, hidden front end - proved a little more vulnerable to bumps. and scratches than the X-Terrain body when the terrain got even rougher.

The BT-50's sumo-style "kodo design" front end proved vulnerable to bumps and scratches (Image credit: Tom White).

And, of course, road tires need to be replaced.

Otherwise, in general, the BT-50 is a pretty impressive package for a standard machine. It has a compliant engine, good low gearing and off-road traction control, a reliably effective descent control system, and with these and many other elements in action, Mazda has shown it can handle rough terrain and do it all. comfortable enough.

You can do a lot worse than choosing the BT-50 as your next XNUMXxXNUMX tourer.

Ford Ranger Wildtrak Bi-turbo — 9

Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain — 8

Mazda BT-50 GT-8