The 2009 Mazda B-Series Pickup is pretty much the same as it has been since 2002 - a Ford Ranger with a Mazda nameplate screwed onto it. Domestic competition vehicles are the Chevrolet Colorado, Dodge Dakota, GMC Canyon, Ford Explorer Sport Trac and Hummer H3T. Similar overseas makes include Isuzu Truck, Toyota Tacoma, Mitsubishi Raider and Nissan Frontier. Pretty much any of them are out in front of the B-Series these days.

The B-Series comes in three trims: the B2300, Plus 4 B4000 and Plus 4 B4000 SE. The B2300 is a regular cab rear-wheel drive while both B4000s are extended cabs with four-wheel drive. It's worth noting there are no back seats of any kind in the B4000, so they can only haul cargo in the back of the cab.

The B2300 comes with a 143 horsepower 2.3 liter I4, while the B4000 comes with a 207 horsepower 4.0 liter V6. There is no V8, so the B-Series is chronically underpowered compared to other trucks in its class. The same choice of transmissions is available on the B2300 and the B4000: either the standard five-speed manual or an optional five-speed automatic, both with overdrive. The B4000 SE comes only with the automatic transmission.

Passenger room in the B-Series is restricted, maximum payload is a couple hundred pounds below class at twelve hundred sixty pounds, and the front passenger crash test rating is less than average. In its favor is the fuel economy (for the B2300), price and turning radius. Fuel efficiency for the B2300 is 19 miles per gallon city and 24 miles per gallon highway. However, that drops to 14 miles per gallon city and 17 miles per gallon highway with the B4000.

NHTSA crash ratings are a non-stellar five-star for the front driver and three-star for rollover, with four-star ratings elsewhere. Safety equipment is also less than dazzling. Standard are antilock brakes, tire pressure monitor and driver and passenger airbags. You can get locking tailgate, vehicle anti-theft device and remote keyless entry on one or more models. You cannot get electronic brake assistance, traction control, vehicle stability control or side airbags, period.

A tow-hitch is optional on all models except the SE, where it is standard. There are no really nice standard features. Optional features include tilt wheel and CD player. You cannot get a CD changer, trip computer, power or heated seats or leather anything.

Base price for the B2300 is $16,205, which makes it one of the cheaper, but not the cheapest, pickup trucks in its class. Overall, the 2009 Mazda B-Series Pickup is a truck you should miss. And you should keep missing it until Mazda brings it into the twenty-first century.