Mazda Pickup Truck for the USA, Mustang GT vs WRX and TFL Home Videos? [Ask Nathan]

This is the current Mazda pickup truck, the BT-50. (Image: Mazda)

In this week’s Ask Nathan:

  • Is the Mazda pickup truck coming to the USA? 
  • Mustang GT vs Subaru WRX daily driver? 
  • What’s going on with TFL at home videos? 

The first question comes from a NathanAdlen@Twitter question, asking about the (overseas) Mazda pickup (BT-50) truck. 

2019 Mazda BT-50 “Boss” pickup truck. (Image: Mazda)

Q: (Via NathanAdlen@Twitter) My brother sent me photos of a Mazda pickup truck when he was in New Zealand. 

It looks like a Mazda inside and out. Why can’t we get one of these in the USA? 

— A Mazda fan 

A: I doubt we’ll see a new Mazda pickup truck in the United States. 

The Mazda BT-50 your brother saw was an older model based on the Ford Ranger, the overseas version. Ford and Mazda had a partnership for decades building pickup trucks. This goes back to the early 1970s when Ford used Mazda B-Series pickup trucks as the basis for the Ford Courier. 

Now, the partnership has changed and we’ll soon see a BT pickup truck based on the new Isuzu D-Max platform. You can read about the Isuzu here. From what we have gathered, just like the Ford partnership, Mazda will style the exterior and interior to line up with their image. 

Does that mean a Kodo-designed pickup truck? Man, I hope so! Still, both Mazda and Isuzu have shown absolutely no interest in reentering the U.S. pickup truck market anytime soon. 

I think it’s a shame. 

N


The next question comes from a former Honda owner who is comparing a Mustang vs WRX. 

2015 ford mustang gt burnout | tfl car
2015 Ford Mustang GT

Q: How’s it going Nathan!? I’m a big TFLcar fan and I look forward to your videos every day!  

I am about to get rid of my 2017 Honda Civic Si and I want something with more punch. This is going to be my daily driver and weekend fun car. I think it’s between the Mustang GT and WRX. The Honda is a lease return and I want to buy my next vehicle so I was looking at used models. 

Which one would you get? 

Duncan, TX

2015 Subaru WRX Premium

A: Hi there!

It’s a bit of a loaded question and there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First of all, if you look at used car pricing, the WRX STI is pretty close to the Mustang GT. The STI is a more powerful, serious driver’s car than the regular WRX. 

If you’re based in Texas, then a Mustang makes a lot of sense. On the other hand, if you regularly travel to snowy or wet climates, having all-wheel drive (AWD) could be helpful. 

Power wise, they are all very different. The WRX makes 268 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The old-school STI makes 310 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque while the Mustang makes 460 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. 

The Mustang and WRX are two completely different cars with completely different driving characteristics. The Subaru will give you real rear-seat space while the Mustang is cramped. The WRX is a little bit more forgiving for drivers who are not used to serious power. All three come with a six-speed manual (the WRX has a CVT option and the Mustang has a 10-speed automatic option). 

It’s hook-up vs burn-outs. 

I think the WRX and STI are great in my neck of the woods, but the Mustang with its beefy V8 fills the senses and is more rewarding for the sheer feel of the car. You need to drive both back-to-back and factor in what you truly need the car to do for you. 

Cheers!

— N


The last question comes from a fan who wants to know what’s going on with our new batch of at home videos. 

Q: Are ya’ll gonna shoot videos exclusively from home during the shutdown? 

Hope ya boys are safe! 

— Mel

A: Hi Mel! 

We are doing lots of different types of videos. Some will be shot from home, but we still have lots of videos of reviews we’ve shot weeks and months back. On top of that, a few crew members will be in the studio running our new podcasts and editing new material. 

We’re not slowing down, but some of our content will be different for a while. 

Hope you’re safe and sane! 

N

Speaking of videos shot from home…Â