Maverick is back. No, we are not talking about Mr. Cruise in his sequal/reboot summer blockbuster, which was awesome, by the way! We are talking about the 2022 Ford Maverick. The first standard full-hybrid pickup in the good ole' USA. But wait! Aren't pickup trucks in America supposed to be gas-guzzling, V8 power machines with the ability to tow a house and cubbies for your chewing tobacco?

Sure. But the Maverick is for the other guy. Maybe that guy is you. Ford is aiming for a younger buyer who will appreciate the Maverick's versatility over muscley power stats. Ford says this truck is for "the maker," the person who wants to "hack" their Maverick.

Evidently, it's working. Ford to had close the order book a few months ago because demand was so high! That's why a quick search for the amazingly-priced base model with an MSRP of $20,000 returns results nearly twice that price. Maybe it's inflation, or dealer markup. Or maybe this truck is all it's cracked up to be. We were curious and wanted to see for ourselves if it lived up to the hype. Spoiler: it's great.

Small But Mighty On The Outside

We were very excited to get our hands on our 2022 Ford Maverick Lariat First Edition in Area 51 for the week and check out all the smart features. Of course, one of the first things we noticed about the Maverick, was the size. It's small but mighty. Somewhere between hatchback with a truckbed and a baby Ford Ranger, the Maverick is creating a niche. Sitting on the same underpinnings as the Ford Escape and Bronco Sport, the Maverick is about four inches longer than a Honda Accord and about 10" lower than its famous Ford F-150 sibling. It's small. But the genius of the Maverick is, it's not too small. It's the Goldilocks middle bowl of porridge; not too hot and not too cold. This appeal is part of why people think it's the best compact pick up for 2022.

Along with the size being just right (for most people), the proportions are as well. We loved the no-nonsense styling. The Maverick is a truck so it carries over the boxy shape, vertical nose, and large headlights. But that's about it; no running boards, side steps, tow hooks, etc. When you compare the Maverick to something like the Hyundai Santa Cruz, the Ford Maverick is refreshingly basic. Even upgrading the trim from the base XL up two steps to Lariat and tacking on the First Edition package (our loaner) doesn't alter the exterior too much.

The relatively expensive latter trim (our decked-out Maverick was $35,800) adds unique graphics on the hood and lower doors. It also gets a black and glossy treatment on the unique 17" wheels, roof, and mirror caps. Despite enjoying the extra goodies on our loaner, we felt like there was something very appealing about the base XL with the 17" steelies and nothing-to-write-home-about styling. Taking a no-frills compact pickup and adding too many goodies is like sous viding a steak for your 3-year old--it's unnecessary.

Other than the option for a 40+ mpg vehicle, most will choose the Maverick because the truckbed. Ford did some nifty designing on what is often times a no-brainer box with a tailgate. Ford calls this area the FLEXBED. According to Ford, they observed people at hardware stores, and kids moving into college. They noticed the struggle to load items into their crossover SUVs and worked around that. In terms of organizing the truck bed, they opted to stamp slots into the sides so owners can DIY their storage needs using 2x4s and 2x6s. Standard are two tie-downs, four D-rings, and two 12-volt outlets. In terms of size, the short 4.5-foot truck bed extends to six feet when dropping the tall tailgate down. Ford rates the cargo capacity at 1,500 lbs. If you need to haul a small camper, the Maverick has you covered. It can pull up to 4,000 lbs of with the upgraded tow package. Those specs will fulfill most weekend warriors and DIYers needs.

RELATED: This Is Why You Should Buy A Ford Maverick Instead Of A Toyota Tacoma

Hybrid Or Turbo, You Can't Go Wrong

Ford squarely aims this truck at the weekend warrior, adventure-seeker, or urban dweller who thrives on productivity (i.e. getting sh*t done). To aid this, Ford offers either a hybrid or turbo EcoBoost engine available for each trim: XL, XLT, and Lariat. If you want all-wheel-drive, you have to opt for the 2.0 EcoBoost. Otherwise, the hybrid, on paper makes alot of sense. In this case we didn't get a chance to drive the hybrid, but we know it's a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine outputting 191 total horsepower, thanks to the electric motor which adds 29 horses. Mated to a CVT, it returns 42 mpg city and 33 mpg on the highway.

Our 2022 Ford Maverick First Edition had the upgraded 250 horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbo EcoBoost engine with the 8-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive. It was smooth through turns thanks to the lower center of gravity and the lower stance lessened the body roll felt by taller trucks and SUVs. We loved how quickly the 250 horsepower came into play, launching the light Maverick down the road. It was, dare we say, fun to drive. Most trucks and even crossovers lack that characteristic, which adds one more reason the Maverick is here to save us from the boring crossover category.

In terms of the ride-height, getting in felt similar to Ford's ill-fated Flex. The latter found itself stuck between wagon, SUV, and truck, which left buyers confused. Thus, it eventually went away. But the Maverick creates a similar experience with a boxy cabin, long hood, and slightly higher than a sedan driving position.

The Maverick offers five standard drive modes. Simply push a button on the center console to cycle through Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Tow/Haul. If your needs move you off-road more often, you can opt for the FX4 package ($800) which includes features like Hill Decent Control, skid plates, tuned shocks, Mud & Ruts driving mode, and a heavy-duty radiator to handle the extra cooling needs. Ford knows there might be some outliers who not only need a light truck but plan to spend more time at the trailhead than the hardware store.

RELATED: Here's Why The 2022 Ford Maverick Pickup Hybrid Is A Game Changer

More Room And Features Than You Would Expect On The Inside

In the car world, a quick way to save money is go cheap on the interior pieces. Hard plastics and cheap-looking materials is what you often find in that base-level car you rented for a weekend. Thankfully, Ford, didn't go this route. They have managed to avoid the budget dash, door, and console materials feeling cheap. Granted, there isn't an Alcantara headliner or a soft-touch, leather-trimmed pieces. However, the dash has some carbon fiber shavings mixed into the material giving it almost a tightly-woven cloth appearance. Ford added other nice touches like a "Built Ford Tough" stamp between the door and dash for added detail. They also used 3D geometric designs on what would normally be flat, boring pieces of trim. They even rethought the door design. Their solution, cut part of it away allowing for taller coffee mugs or a tall bottle of water. Well done, designers.

One of the biggest appeals to the Maverick on the interior is how spacious the small cabin can feel. Much like a Mini Cooper or the polarizing Kia's Soul, having a boxy design on a smaller vehicle allows for impressive interior room. Plenty of headroom for all passengers and decent legroom for the backseat. Ford has seatbelts for five, but plan to lose a friend if you cram them in the middle of the backseat.

Our 2022 Ford Maverick First Edition had all the upgraded goodies like an impressive eight-speaker Bang & OIufsen sound system, Active-X vinyl (not leather) seating, larger 6.5" instrument cluster (vs the base 4.2"), sunroof, and wireless charging. We, of course, appreciated those extra goodies but even the base level gets some nice standard features. One of these standard features is FordPass. This connected system brings Wi-Fi in the car and allows users to do various tasks from an app such as start their car or remote lock it.

Also standard is their safety suite called Ford Co-Pilot360 as well as an 8" infotainment touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Two 12-volt powerpoints, lots of smart cubbies, and divided storage under the rear seats add to the appeal.

Speaking of rear seats, Ford also has notches for their Ford Integrated Teather System (FITS). Essentially, these are slots in the back seat to accomdate various accessories like a cup holder or additional divider and, here's the cool part, Ford is encouraging people to 3D print their own accessories. Ford has published the dimensions for the slot's geometry. We found this a really great idea considering current tech and more affordable at-home 3D printers.

RELATED: 10 Reasons You Should Buy Ford's Smallest Truck, The Ford Maverick

We Love It, But Can't Get One

O.k. Ford, we're in. We love the size, the utility and versatile approach to a vehicle. We also love the, "I am who I am" confidence; it's not trying to be a GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate. Ford has done well to create a product with a mind-blowingly low (even after you add some extras) price-point that doesn't feel cheap. Creating a vehicle from scratch for 2022 has to include standard pieces like app-connected FordPass, 8" touch screen with Apple CarPlay, safety elements from Co-Pilot360, and the foresight to allow people to 3D print their own accessories.

Arguably, Ford has created an entirely new category with the Maverick. A value-based, small hybrid truck, could be something we start seeing pop up from brands like Honda and Toyota as well. But for now, Ford holds the keys. Unfortunately, given current times, getting those keys will cost you alot more than the $20K MSRP even for the base. Dealer markups continue to be huge. For now, we'll just go back to the builder on Ford's site and wait until one pops up...somewhere. Or just hold out a little longer for the 2023 Ford Maverick Tremor!