Ford revived the Maverick moniker in 2021 for its latest truck, which sits at the bottom of the hierarchy. The Maverick is a unibody construction, which, in its essence, means that it drives and handles like a car despite the pickup truck body, but can’t be abused like a full-frame truck. Even though unibody trucks aren’t considered real trucks by purists, the Maverick has managed to garner enough attention to become a smash hit. Ford has created a well-rounded product that ticks most of the boxes and doesn’t come with any major deal-breakers. Here’s what the Ford Maverick truck is all about and why it has gone on to become a runaway success.
Three Trims – No Confusion
Sometimes keeping it simple is the best option. A ton of choices tend to confuse a lot. The best example on top of my mind is the Mazda CX-50, which is available in nine trims. A plethora of options generally means there’s something for every passenger, but it can even put the customers in dilemma. Ford offers the Maverick in just three trims – XL, XLT, and Lariat. This makes things clear for customers as there are a lot of differentiating factors between all the trims. Depending on your needs and budget, you can pick either the base, mid, or top trim. Simple.
Unibody Construction – Car-like Handling
As mentioned earlier, many people don’t think of a unibody truck as a ‘real’ truck. Most of the trucks you find today are full-frames. The handful of unibody trucks on sale today include the Honda Ridgeline, the Hyundai Santa Cruz, and the Ford Maverick. This Ford unibody truck is based on the C2 platform which also underpins the Bronco Sport and the Escape. For the uninitiated folks, a unibody design is one where the body of the vehicle serves as the frame as well. The sheet metal floor pan, the roof, etc. are all welded together to carry the load of the vehicle. This helps cut the weight, which, in return, aids fuel efficiency. The center of gravity is lower in unibody vehicles and helps offer better ride quality, fewer chances of a rollover, etc.
It, of course, comes with a fair share of cons as well. You can’t expect it to function as well as a body-on-frame truck. For starters, the towing capacity is significantly less. The Maverick, for instance, offers 2,000 pounds of towing capacity as standard. If you choose the EcoBoost engine, you can opt for the 4K Tow Package which will increase the towing capacity to 4,000 pounds. The maximum payload capacity is rated at 1,500 pounds irrespective of the engine you choose. Also, a body-on-frame truck can handle the twisting forces, off-road terrains, or uneven surfaces much better than a unibody truck.
But, Ford isn’t even marketing the Maverick as a traditional pickup truck. In fact, it wants it to stand out from the Ranger and the F-150, which are body-on-frames. Ford is marketing the Maverick as an adventure vehicle. The automaker has been throwing the ax at the smaller vehicles in its lineup and the Maverick is expected to take up their place. If you aren’t keen on a particular body style, this small, inexpensive vehicle could very well be the one vehicle that you can use for urban commutes, highway trips, a long vacation, and even for a bit of heavy lifting.
Hybrid Engine – Low Fuel Costs
Ford has decided to offer the Maverick with two engine options. The first one is a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that is paired with a 1.1 kWh battery and an electric motor. The engine alone churns out 162 horses and 155 pound-feet of torque. Throw the motor-battery setup into the mix and you now have 191 ponies at your disposal. Power is routed to the front wheels as standard to a smooth but lousy CVT.
Now, a CVT won’t make things any better for the enthusiast in you, but it will save you a few bucks on every trip. The Maverick comes with an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 42 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway, and 37 mpg combined. You can get up to 500 miles of range on a single tank of gas. However, these figures are more than modest, to say the least. The good folks at Carbuzz tested it and the Maverick returned figures of 44.1 mpg. With fuel prices skyrocketing, this pickup truck is a boon.
Neutral Looks – Please All, Offend None
The Ford Maverick is a very cute-looking, adorable truck that will not find any haters. People may find it a little too bland and plain-Jane, but the design’s not going to offend anyone. Since it’s not a full-fledged pickup truck, you don’t get different body styles or bed sizes. The Maverick is available only in the SuperCrew layout with a 4.5-foot bed. The bed is known as the Flexbed and it is “packed with standard features and opportunities to transform the cargo box into a complete makerspace”. It comes with moveable tie-down cleats as well, to make tying down stuff a lot easier.
Up front, it comes with a horizontal bar on the grille that runs into the headlights to make it look a little more exciting than something a 10-year-old would doodle. There is black plastic cladding all around the body at the bottom. Depending on the trim, it’ll ride on either 17- or 18-inch wheels. They come wrapped in 225/65 section all-season tires as standard. Opt for the 4K tow package and it’ll be equipped with 225/60 section tires. It is offered in 11 exterior shades in total.
We won’t get much into the dimensions, but the truck is capable to be taken over beaten paths as well. In the AWD model, it boasts a ground clearance of 8.6 inches, an approach angle of 21.6 degrees, a breakover angle of 18.1 degrees, and a departure angle of 21.2 degrees. As for its curb weight, it ranges from 3,563- to 3,731 pounds.
Interior – User-Friendly And Decently Equipped
For a truck that costs less than $30,000, the Maverick is a decent package when it comes to the interior. It features cloth seats in the XL trim, plaid cloth seats in the XLT, and leatherette on the top Lariat trim. The Ford Maverick 2022 comes with an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system as standard. It supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Ford has also introduced an integrated tether system here or a variety of removable accessories like cup holders and grocery bag hooks.
Some of the other standard and optional niceties include:
- Keyless entry
- Four USB ports
- Wireless charging
- Two 12-volt pre-wired bed power sources
- 110-volt cab and bed outlets
- Bed lighting
- Flip-up rear seats and under-seat storage
EcoBoost Engine – To Fulfill The Adrenaline Rush
If you’re not concerned about the efficiency and need something a lot peppier, you can opt for the second engine option – a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost engine. This mill churns out 250 ponies and 277 pound-feet of twist. Power is routed to the front wheels as standard via an eight-speed automatic gearbox, but you can also opt for an all-wheel-drive system for some extra moolah.
Plug-In Hybrid With AWD In The Reckoning
If you want the combination of a hybrid engine with an all-wheel-drive system, fret not. A Maverick AWD Plug-in Hybrid seems to be in the works. It will most likely be a 2.1-liter engine with an 11.2 kWh battery pack that could offer an electric-only range of up to 30 miles. It could also be more off-road friendly than the current 2022 Maverick. There’s not a lot of information available on this yet, or even an official confirmation, for that matter, but it will arrive for sure.
Spices Up Ford’s Entry-Level Offerings
The 2022 Ford Maverick, as stated above, is offered in three trims. The Ford Maverick XL starts at $20,995. The mid-level Maverick XLT is priced at $23,360, whereas the tops-of-the-line 2022 Ford Maverick Lariat starts at $26,860 before options. These prices are listed for the hybrid engine. The EcoBoost engine is a $435 option on all the trims.
The Maverick doesn’t sell well as the F-150 obviously, but it has raked in decent numbers so far. Launched in the second half of 2021, Ford sold 13,258 Mavericks in 2021 and has moved 38,753 copies in the first half of 2022. The fact that Ford had to suspend the orders for the truck earlier this year is a testament to what a roaring success the Maverick has been.
FAQ
Q: Why did they stop making the Ford Maverick?
The Ford Maverick received an overwhelming demand that Ford couldn’t keep up with and had to suspend orders. The global semiconductor chip shortage made it even worse.
Q: What will the 2022 Ford Maverick cost?
The 2022 Ford Maverick is priced at $20,995 for the base XL trim, $23,360 for the mid- XL, and $26,860 for the top-spec Maverick Lariat.
Q: Is the Ford Maverick bigger than the Ranger?
No, the Ford Ranger Is longer and heavier than the Maverick.
Q: What is special about the Ford Maverick?
The Maverick is a fantastic package overall. It comes with a hybrid engine as standard. It delivers up to 42 mpg in the city. The pickup truck looks decent on the outside, comes with a nice interior, and is priced reasonably, starting at $23,360 and topping out $26,860.