Click the screen below to watch the full web series on the Maverick
WHY DOES THIS CAR MATTER?
The all-new Ford Maverick is the first standard full-hybrid pickup in America and the most fuel-efficient truck on the market with a targeted EPA-estimated rating of 40 mpg in the city. With room for five adults and plenty of storage space, the Ford Maverick is strong on two immediate fronts. It is efficient on fuel and it's the perfect vehicle for drivers who want the utility of an open truck bed without the gargantuan size of a full-size pickup; all for a starting MSRP of $19,995.
I'm leaning against the Maverick (at left) and about to hit the streets for the test drive. Its a handsome, confident truck. It's a smaller complement to the Ranger and every Maverick has the same four-door crew cab body style with a 4.5-foot bed. The Maverick is part of a new class of small pickup trucks. There are three Maverick trims: XL, XLT, and Lariat. The XL is the best choice for keeping the price down as low as possible. This class of smaller pickup trucks are challenging sedans and forcing buyers to reconsider their purchasing options.
THE HISTORY
The Maverick was introduced on April 17, 1969, as a 1970 model at a very competitive price point of $1,995 (or about $15,200 in 2022). It was first developed and marketed to compete against the newer Japanese rivals for North America, like Datsun and Toyota.
The Maverick hit the market with a bash - with buyers looking for it eagerly. it would halt retail orders for the Maverick, an affordable pickup that the automaker rolled out last year, as it did not have the capacity to meet overwhelming demand. Put a hard cover on the little bed, and it's essentially a sedan with a capacious trunk.
THE DRIVE
Its compact size makes it easy to maneuver and park. The durability and capability means 1,500 pounds of payload capacity while the standard hybrid provides 2,000 pounds of towing while the optional 2.0-liter EcoBoost gas engine can tow up to 4,000 pounds, enough to tow a typical 23-foot camper or small boat on a weekend getaway.
The optional turbo four will hit 60 mph in about 6 seconds. The non hybrid Maverick is rated for 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway with front-wheel drive and 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway with all-wheel drive. The Maverick is also equipped with Ford Co-Pilot360 technologies like Automatic Emergency Braking and Automatic High Beam Headlamps. Available lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, Available adaptive cruise control.
CARGO
Ford says the Maverick's 4.5-foot bed can fit up to 18 sheets of 4x8-foot three-quarter-inch plywood without having to load them at an angle. The bed also features a 12-volt power point, with a 110-volt outlet offered as an option. That bed also has several places to store tools and create layers and borders between cargo.
The Maverick FLEX BED™ system provides organization and cargo solutions to fit owners’ lifestyles, with a multi-position tailgate, slots to use lumber to subdivide the bed, 12 available anchor points, two 12-volt 20-amp pre wired sources at the back enabling DIY electrical solutions, plus two available 110-volt outlets for powering a laptop or tailgate party
THE INTERIOR
Maverick offers lots of smart technology, including a standard 8-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto® compatibility, standard FordPass™ Connect with embedded modem and It also comes with an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot. Options include SiriusXM satellite radio, an upgraded B&O Play stereo system, and wireless smartphone charging capability. Notice in the image below the comfortable driver and passenger front seats are laid out efficiently yet stylishly with tech and controls at the center.
Mavericks are crew cabs, which means four full-sized doors and a fairly roomy back seat. Ford has incorporated many storage cubbies and bins throughout the cabin, including some large areas under the rear seat.
Base models are far from plush, but do offer standard niceties such as a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel with audio controls, remote keyless entry, and adjustable lumbar support for the front seats. More features are offered as standard or part of option packages on the XLT and Lariat trims, and include dual-zone automatic climate control, ambient interior lighting, and power front seats.
The 2022 Maverick flips the script on the truck paradigm of the past, that being "bigger, better, stronger." Instead, Ford believes that its deep intelligence on truck buyers gives it the inside track on consumers preferring "efficient, inexpensive, a solid ride and compact."
