REVIEWS AND ROAD TESTS

Double take

Now it’s a well-known fact, the Mazda B-Series is the Japanese double of the popular Ford Ranger. Stylists infused it with a more Japanese personality, a complex task to say the least considering the fact that the chassis, cab and doors had to remain identical to those used on the Ranger! So all that was left to "play with" were the fenders, grille and bed.Perhaps tired of redoubling its efforts on a regular basis, as far as the interior of this model goes, Mazda was content to add its logo and that’s just about all. Still, the regular cab version grew longer by a few millimetres last year, as did the Ranger, the better to accommodate occupants and baggage. In the all-wheel drive version, access to the B- Series is still difficult given the high ground clearance, and the extended cab version isn’t as roomy as you’d think by looking at it. On the other hand, the noise level in the passenger compartment is particularly low (except on all- wheel drive versions, which all have bigger tires), visibility is excellent, instrumentation is easy to read and controls are within easy reach.The weight distribution typical of trucks never results in the king of road stability found on a car, regardless of what changes manufacturers make. Regardless, the B-Series’ acceleration, pick-up and braking compares well to what you find on several automobiles currently on the market. And this is even truer since last year’s move to replace the puny 2.3- liter four-cylinder with a stronger and smoother 2.5-liter that works extremely well with either transmission choice (manual or automatic) - our preference being the automatic. For more exhilarating performance capabilities, there’s always the 4.0-liter V6 (a SOHC). On the comfort scale, the B- Series earns a few extra points thanks to a redesigned and smoother front suspension. In contrast, the rear suspension obviously does not take kindly to bumpy roads.

PROS
Four-door model
Good automatic transmission
Exemplary manufacturing quality

CONS
Uncooperative rear suspension
Obstinate manual transmission
Marginal four-cylinder

CRASH TEST (five stars indicate the best protection)
Driver: no data
Passenger: * * * * *

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