The Ford Maverick is blazing a new trail in the pick-up truck segment, the only problem is--it's not a pick-up. The polarizing truck has many die hard pick-up owners questioning whether the Maverick should even be mentioned in the same breath as an F-150. However, curious new buyers are flocking to their nearest Ford dealer to order the Maverick, with expected delivery times exceeding six months. Call it whatever you want, but Ford's new car with a bed has had a waitlist since it hit production a year ago.
The Maverick has been outselling its big brother, the Ford Ranger all year, and the Ranger with its long-standing history is a "real" pick-up. Perhaps one day, the Maverick will compete in sales with its bigger brother, the best-selling vehicle in America; the F-Series truck.
That may be a stretch, although it may eventually surpass sales of another Ford it shares a lot in common with; remember the Ranchero? So, why is the Maverick so popular if its not being accepted in the pick-up truck community?
The Ford Maverick Has Almost Everything A Pick-up Truck Owner Needs
Pick-up truck owners may utter the sarcastic words of "nice truck" under their breath every time a Maverick passes them. But that's not stopping the interest of new buyers looking at the Maverick as a great entry level vehicle into the pickup truck segment.
In case you were intending on channeling your inner Maverick and looking to feel the need--the need for speed, go with the Eco-boost . The Maverick with the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbo comes with All-Wheel-Drive and produces 250 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. The 2.5 liter Hybrid is Front-Wheel-Drive, rated at 191 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque and averaging close to 40 MPGs.
All that's cool and gravy, but what pick-up truck owners really care about is towing and hauling. Payload capacity for the Maverick with either power train is an impressive 1,500 lbs; that's thirty-seven bags of mulch! Towing is rated at just 2,000 lbs but you can option the 2.0 liter with the "4K tow package" which increases capacity to 4,000 lbs.
The '4.5 ft bed is just a half a foot shorter than the standard bed size in a Ranger. The Maverick can be optioned with a bed extender, so with the tailgate down the bed length increases to 6 feet. So next time a macho pick-up truck owner talks down to your Maverick - just show him your mulch, you'll be sure to gain respect after that.
There's A Ford Maverick For Everyone
The standard hybrid version of the Maverick can exceed 40 MPGs in the city, which is impressive for any crossover. Although the hybrid does not have the option for AWD or the tow package, it does come with a lot of appeal. It's extremely quiet and with 191 horsepower, has enough giddy up in "Sport" mode to accelerate on a freeway ramp without clenching your you know what.
The 2.0 Eco-boost will most likely be the more popular choice due to its power, AWD and tow capacity option. Depending on what's most important to the buyer, there is certainly a Maverick for everyone. More importantly, the Maverick is pioneering a new segment for buyers looking to get more out of their boring compact crossover.
The Ford Maverick Is The Best Bargain Vehicle Available On The Market
With its basic but fun interior design, the Maverick can be offered at an unprecedented low price. Starting right at $20,000 for the Hybrid and $25,000 for the Eco-boost, the Maverick is in a class of its own. It's only competitor, the Hyundai Santa Cruz, starts at around $27,000 for its base model. While a seven grand difference may not sound like a lot, for new car buyers on a budget; every penny counts. The Maverick is indeed cheap, and it feels cheap inside, but at half the price of an average new car today; the Maverick is a bargain.
Add a hybrid power-train into the mix, and you have yourself a budget pick-up that can haul and tow a small fiber-glass boat. The additional practicality and utility that the Maverick offers makes perfect sense for traditional crossover buyers. It may not cause existing pick-up truck owners to downgrade, but it's definitely catching the attention of other consumers in the market for an SUV.
The Ford Maverick Is An Automotive Trailblazer
Youtuber James from the 'Throttle House' channel said it perfectly, while the Santa Cruz is a "Trucky Car", the Maverick is more of a "Cary Truck". Meaning, the Hyundai is a lifestyle vehicle designed to be more form over function. The Maverick on the other hand is a functional truck that drives like a car. Both vehicles are made up of unibody construction and drive comfortably without any of the body roll you may feel on a standard pick-up.
Aesthetically, the Maverick looks like a truck and because of that it is disrupting the automotive industry. Consumers are beginning to lean towards a new kind of automobile that is just familiar enough to pique their interest. Like the Subaru Baja that came before it, the Santa Cruz is too unique looking of a pick-up and because of that buyers are swaying towards the Maverick. While the Baja may be cool among enthusiasts, it never became a volume vehicle for Subaru.
It also helps that Ford has been making dependable pick-up trucks since the dawn of time. So there's no surprise that the Maverick is selling double the amount of units than its Hyundai competitor. Expect the Maverick to gain attention from other automakers who may consider adding a sub-compact, unibody, pickup, crossover to their lineup.