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By Mazda Company
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Strengths: |
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Roomy, comfortable ride, but rugged enough to work hard; smart pricing; reliable underpinnings. |
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Changes: |
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Mazda's popular B-Series pickup truck sees a few changes for 2008. Most significant is the discontinuation of all trim levels of the 3.0L V6 B3000. The B2300 features upgraded shock absorbers, while the B4000 has lost about half an inch from its ride height, and the B4000 SE gets a standard front suspension skid plate. |
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Value: |
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Mazda's proven B-Series small pickup holds its own against trucks from Chevrolet, Toyota, Nissan, and Ford-on whose truck the B-Series is based. The B2300 and B4000 are reliable, rugged trucks that don't pretend to be anything else, all of which means that they haul cargo and tow loads whenever asked to do so. The 2.3L B2300 sips gas at 21 mpg city/26 mpg highway, while the 4.0L B4000 impresses with a 5,600 pound towing capacity. |
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Overview: |
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Mazda has based its B-Series light-duty pickups on Ford's venerable Ranger for more than a decade, and the Japanese truck is widely recognized for its reliability and toughness.
With the discontinuation of the B3000, the 2008 Mazda truck comes with just two engine options: The B2300, powered by a 2.3L I4, puts out 143 horsepower and 154 lb-ft of torque, while the B4000 is powered by a 207-horsepower 4.0L V6 with 238 lb-ft of torque. These powerplants cover three trim levels, including the standard, regular cab B2300, the extended cab (Cab Plus) B4000, and the Cab Plus B4000 SE. A five-speed manual comes standard on the B2300 and B4000, while a five-speed automatic comes standard on the SE and is optional on the other two trucks. The B2300 is available as 2WD only, while 4WD comes standard on both B4000 models.
The B2300 is a no-frills pickup with standard features including anti-lock brakes, 15-inch steel wheels, halogen headlights, three-passenger 60/40 bench seat, and AM/FM stereo. Air conditioning and 15-inch alloys are stand-alone options, or they come in the available $1,995 SE-5 Package, which also adds a CD stereo, tilt steering, cruise control, carpet, floor mats, chrome bumpers, and a chrome grille.
The B4000 and B4000 SE add two rear-hinged doors to access that extra cab space, active "shift-on-the-fly" 4WD, a heavy-duty suspension, black wheel well moldings, air conditioning, and passive anti-theft system. SE-only standard features include 16-inch alloys, underbody skid plates, fog lights, front tow hooks, a sliding rear window, power windows and locks, remote entry, cruise control, a limited-slip differential, and a trailer hitch. Bucket seats and monochromatic paint are optional on the SE.
All 2008 Mazda B-Series trucks include standard anti-lock brakes and dual front air bags, as well as a tire pressure monitoring system. |
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