Mazda had been producing compact pickup trucks overseas for many years before they made their way over to the United States. In 1972, the Mazda B Series pickup truck was introduced to the American public. Although never a big player in the pickup truck category, the little Mazda B1600 with its fuel efficient 1.6 liter engine sparked intrigue and appealed to those who did not want or need the utility of a full size pickup truck or much passenger room, but did occasionally have a need for lightweight towing and hauling.

The most significant changes to the B Series lineup throughout the 1992 model year consisted of power and performance enhancements including the addition of a four wheel drive option. The 1989 B2600 was equipped with a 2.6 liter engine that delivered 121 horsepower and quickly pushed the less powerful compact pickup truck line introduced by Mitsubishi out of the marketplace.

Although sales overseas were still going strong throughout the 1993 model year, sales in the United States began to decline. An agreement was reached between Mazda and Ford Motor Company to join together to design and manufacturer a new line of B Series pickups for the American marketplace while Mazda would continue to develop and manufacturer their own vehicles overseas. The 1994 B Series shared the engine and design as the Ford Ranger and was available throughout 1997 as the B2300, B3000, and B4000. The B4000 was the most powerful of the lineup with a 4.0 liter V6 engine putting out 160 horsepower. The joint efforts of Ford and Mazda proved successful in the United States and the B Series continued to receive updates to their existing models throughout the 2001 model year that included a 5 speed automatic transmission; a larger 2.5 liter engine in the low end model which replaced the previous 2.3 liter and the introduction of the five passenger two door extended and four door extended cab styles in addition to the regular 3 passenger cab.

In 2004, the optional four wheel drive configuration and 4.0 liter engines were reserved for the extended cab models, while the base model was offered at the B2300 with the 2.3 liter 4 cylinder engine and the B3000 with 3.0 liter V6 and available in rear wheel drive only The truck remained true to its target market of drivers seeking relatively minor trucking capabilities, fuel efficiency and a truck without a lot of fluff and stuff. In 2005, the B3000 became available as a Dual Sport model and two extended cab models had an SE trim added to the lineup. However, there has been little to no change throughout the 2007 model year and many other manufacturers offer compact pickup trucks that outshine the Mazda and Ford Ranger offerings.

The affordability of a compact pickup truck, both at the time of purchase and at the gas pumps, continues to draw interest- though over the years those who are interested tend to be an older crowd looking for a fuel efficient and inexpensive little pickup. Unfortunately, the Mazda B Series appears to have gotten lost in a sea of compact pickup trucks that are available for the same price, are more powerful, include crew cab models and include amenities that most drivers find convenient and comforting.