Mazda B-Series Pickups for 2000 Mirror Ford Ranger

By Vince Bodiford
Automotive Editor

It's no secret that Mazda's B4000 pickup and the Ford Ranger pickup share the same platform and are, for the most part, identical pickups. Both offer the same engine, transmission, hauling capacities and basic equipment. So why pick one over the other? There is no reason other than personal taste. Both the Mazda and the Ford are built in the USA at Edison, New Jersey. One is more "Mazda" like and the other is more "Ford" like, and the two models do incorporate unique features into their formidable nameplates.

I've tested both recently and I like the Mazda version better. We tested two Mazda B4000's for this review, one close to a base model in harvest gold, and a prior model in black with the Troy Lee Designs custom leather trim, faux carbon fiber interior, bright red reflective scallops (flames) and trick wheels. Among them all, I preferred the near-base pickup without the Troy Lee gizmo's.

Mazda's all-new B-series model pickup for 2000 stands out because of its near perfect blend of power, interior comfort, hauling capacity and driving stability. The best value among all of the B-series pickups is the extended-cab, four-door, long box version in four-wheel drive with V6 power. The B-series pickups are available in two trims levels - SX and SE - and two cab configurations - regular and Cab Plus. V6 models are also available in two or four-wheel drive. Various models, depending on engine and driveline, are badged B2500, B3000 and B4000.

Base-priced at $22,540, my test vehicle was delivered with a sticker of $24,795 nearly loaded. For the model decked-out in Troy Lee Designs accessories, the price is $25,725. The B4000 packs a lot of pickup into that price. Pricing for the Ford is similar to the Mazda. Among other domestic pickups in this class is the Chevrolet S-10 extended-cab pickup, priced at $21,933 and the Dodge Dakota club cab priced at $22,250 - pricing for both the Chevy and the Dodge are for vehicles similarly equipped to the Mazda .

But the Mazda pickup features an engine that by some measures may be the very best in its class. The German-built 4.0-liter 12-valve fuel-injected overhead cam V6 is the only German engine available in a utility vehicle outside of a Mercedes-Benz. The engine delivers smooth, clean, quiet and reliable power to its French-made automatic transmission. Over 90% of the pickup contain domestic parts. Power feels adequate in two-wheel drive mode, but grinds the dirt under its big tires in four-wheel drive mode off-road. That's because the engine makes 160 horsepower at 4200 rpm, and 225 ft.-lbs. torque at a much lower 3000 rpm. Their owners use Mazda pickups for a variety of purposes. A hard-worker with excellent payload capacities, the B4000 can carry a sheet of plywood in its bed and up to 1,650 pounds of payload. The 4X2 with automatic transmission, V6 and towing package boasts a towing capacity of over 5,900 pounds and maximum GCWR of 9,500 pounds.

Inside, the B-series pickups are roomy and comfortable. It's the interior cabin where the Mazda and Ford differ mostly. Mazda's seats seem slightly larger and wider, and they are mounted lower giving some extra headroom. The rear two opening doors are large enough, but the back folding jump seats are not to be taken seriously. Chevrolet uses only one folding rear seat in its third-door equipped S-10, which allows that passenger to at least stretch their legs. The rear seats of the B4000 are no place for adults.

Mazda and Ford share all electronic components, wiring harnesses, and accessories, so the placement and performance of the air conditioning, stereo system, cruise control and other components are the same among the two models. All of these systems function fine and are well-placed and easy to use. Mazda first started selling pickups in the United States in 1971. Rotary powered pickups we sold from 1974 to 1977. The B2000 were first introduced in 1986. Ford has been manufacturing the Mazda-badged pickups since 1993 in Edison, New Jersey.