The Mazda B-Series pickups were Ford Rangers with Mazda badges. As such, they competed not only with all of the imported compact pickups, but with Ford, Chevy and GMC as well. They also provided an alternative for potential Ranger buyers who liked that truck but were unhappy with the pricing or service at the local Ford dealership. This arrangement gave Mazda a wider model and price spread than it could manage on its own.
Year-to-year changes
1994
Built in the United States, the Mazdas were wider and slightly longer than most of the imported competition, giving them an advantage in legroom and elbowroom. The B-series trucks were available in two cab configurations (regular and extended), two bed lengths (short and long), three trim levels (base, SE and LE), with rear-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive and with a choice of three engines. Altogether, there's a total of 11 different models.
The B2300 was the entry-level model, equipped with Ford's familiar 98-horsepower, 2.3-liter sohc 4-cylinder engine. The B3000 had a 140-horsepower version of the 3.0-liter pushrod engine. And the B4000, with its 160-hp 4.0-liter pushrod V6, was the most powerful compact pickup sold by an import dealer. It had 225 ft-lb of stump-pulling torque on tap. A 5-speed manual transmission was standard, and a 4-speed automatic is optional.
The B4000 was also available with 4-wheel drive, and incorporated Ford's electric "Touch Drive" transfer case for pushbutton, shift-on-the-fly operation.
1995
The 1995 models did not go on sale until early 1995.
Retail prices
As of April 1, 1994:
- $9,460 (1994 Mazda B2300 4x2 Regular Cab)
- $11,385 (1994 Mazda B2300 SE 4x2 Regular Cab)
- $12,195 (1994 Mazda B2300 4x2 Cab Plus)
- $11,855 (1994 Mazda B3000 SE 4x2 Regular Cab)
- $13,345 (1994 Mazda B3000 SE 4x2 Cab Plus)
- $14,610 (1994 Mazda B3000 4x4 Regular Cab)
- $15,670 (1994 Mazda B3000 4x4 Cab Plus)
- $12,675 (1994 Mazda B4000 SE 4x2 Regular Cab)
- $15,530 (1994 Mazda B4000 LE 4x2 Cab Plus)
- $16,600 (1994 Mazda B4000 SE 4x4 Regular Cab)
- $17,470 (1994 Mazda B4000 SE 4x4 Cab Plus)
- $19,675 (1994 Mazda B4000 LE 4x4 Cab Plus)
As of June 30, 1995:
- $10,270 (1995 Mazda B2300 4x2 Regular Cab)
- $12,170 (1995 Mazda B2300 SE 4x2 Regular Cab)
- $13,170 (1995 Mazda B2300 4x2 Cab Plus)
- $13,515 (1995 Mazda B2300 SE 4x2 Cab Plus)
- $15,495 (1995 Mazda B2300 4x4 Regular Cab)
- $17,405 (1995 Mazda B3000 4x4 Cab Plus)
- $16,210 (1995 Mazda B4000 LE 4x2 Cab Plus)
- $18,050 (1995 Mazda B4000 SE 4x4 Regular Cab)
- $18,990 (1995 Mazda B4000 SE 4x4 Cab Plus)
- $20,260 (1995 Mazda B4000 LE 4x4 Cab Plus)
As of October 2, 1995:
- $9,925 (1996 Mazda B2300 4x2 Short Bed Regular Cab)
- $10,310 (1996 Mazda B2300 4x2 Long Bed Regular Cab)
- $11,925 (1996 Mazda B2300 SE 4x2 Regular Cab)
- $13,225 (1996 Mazda B2300 4x2 Cab Plus)
- $13,820 (1996 Mazda B2300 SE 4x2 Cab Plus)
- $15,295 (1996 Mazda B2300 4x4 Regular Cab)
- $14,990 (1996 Mazda B3000 SE 4x2 Cab Plus)
- $17,675 (1996 Mazda B3000 4x4 Cab Plus)
- $16,910 (1996 Mazda B4000 LE 4x2 Cab Plus)
- $18,190 (1996 Mazda B4000 SE 4x4 Regular Cab)
- $19,460 (1996 Mazda B4000 SE 4x4 Cab Plus)
- $20,715 (1996 Mazda B4000 LE 4x4 Cab Plus)
Shipping prices
- $470 (1994 models)
- $495 (1995 models)
Gallery
