Once upon a time, there was the Ford Maverick. But now, there’s the new Ford Maverick pickup. At that time, it was a compact sedan in the Ford lineup, in the automotive malaise-stricken decade of the ‘70s. So naturally, it was not a stellar car, per se, considering none of the cars of that time were.

But now, the only thing common between the ‘70s Maverick and the new Ford Maverick pickup is the compact size. The Maverick is Ford’s all-new “small” pickup truck, slotted and priced below the mid-sized Ranger. And it does not share its underpinnings with any of Ford’s pickup trucks.

For now, Ford CEO Jim Farley is more than happy with the 100,000 reservations for the new Ford Maverick pickup, as he tweeted the same as a success. Ford is pretty excited about the Maverick pickup truck, and these are the reasons that we share in that excitement.

10 The New Ford Maverick Pickup Is Cheap

2022 Ford-Maverick EcoBoost AWD Lariat Pickup Truck
Ford

The new Ford Maverick pickup starts at $20,000, and even the base model carries a hybrid electric powertrain that is aiming to hit an EPA city fuel economy rating of 40 MPG. The closest competition to the Maverick, currently, is the Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup that comes with a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, making only 21 MPG in the city.

2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid XLT Pickup Truck
Via: Ford

So not only is the Ford Maverick pickup truck affordable, in price, its fuel economy promises to make it easier on the pocket for all future owners. It also makes it the most affordable hybrid in the US market.

9 There’s Free AWD With The Tow Package

2022 Ford Maverick: There’s Free AWD With The Tow Package
Via: Ford

Ford is making sure to sweeten the deal on the Maverick, in any which way possible. The new Ford Maverick pickup is already being made and promised delivery dates do look like they are going to be upheld.

2022 Ford Maverick: There’s Free AWD With The Tow Package
Via: Ford

And now Ford has also announced that all the customers who booked their Maverick pickup with a tow package, will get AWD, at no cost. All FWD units with Tow Package are now going to be fitted with AWD for free, so that’s a cool $2,220 benefit for the customer.

Related: 10 Things We Need To Know About The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Electric Pickup

8 The New Ford Maverick Pickup Is Not That Small

The New 2022 Ford Maverick Pickup Is Not That Small
Via: Ford

Ford is calling the Maverick a small truck, but technically it's not all that small. The new Ford Maverick pickup truck will come as a four-door crew cab, riding on a 121.1-inch wheelbase. It’s 199.7-inch long and only four inches shorter than the compact Rangers of 2011.

The New 2022 Ford Maverick Pickup Is Not That Small
Via: Ford

The Maverick is four inches longer than the Hyundai Santa Cruz and has almost three inches of additional wheelbase. But it is 11 inches shorter than the current mid-size Ranger, and so Ford has labeled Maverick as a compact pickup. It does have a little extra cubic foot of cabin space than the Ranger though.

7 The Ford Maverick Pickup Has A FlexBed

The All-New 2022 Ford Maverick Pickup Has A FlexBed
Via: Ford

While Ford will have plenty of accessory options for the Maverick, there’s something new called the FlexBed that lets the buyer decide between buying an accessory, or making one DIY, to save on costs. So the new Ford Maverick is DIY savvy.

2022 Ford-Maverick EcoBoost Lariat AWD Pickup Truck Bed
Via: Ford

The Maverick comes riding on the Bronco Sports platform, and unlike Ford’s other trucks, is a unibody. Ford has made sure that the steel bed comes bearing plenty of slots and divots to be able to fit in both Ford-made and aftermarket accessories. Since it’s an entry-level truck, Ford is doing good by keeping it all affordable.

Related: 10 Reasons Why The 2021 Ford Bronco Will Be Unbeatable

6 The Ford Maverick Pickup Is Very Efficient

The 2022 Ford Maverick Pickup Is Very Efficient
Via: Ford

The hybrid powertrain in the new Ford Maverick pickup carries a new motor that has been built at Ford’s newly renamed Van Dyke Electric Powertrain center in Detroit. Not only is this motor 20% lighter, but it also costs less to make, which has let Ford price the Maverick this affordable.

The 2022 Ford Maverick Pickup Is Very Efficient
Via: Ford

The hairpin windings have more copper for better performance, and the permanent magnets now come molded into place instead of glue, for more efficiency. With a four-cylinder engine, you get 191 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque, and also get 1,500 pounds of payload along with 2,000-pounds towing capacity.

5 The Maverick Has A Near Plush Cabin

The 2022 Ford Maverick Has A Near Plush Cabin
Ford

The new Ford Maverick pickup is small, enough to be a good daily driver for many, so Ford has paid special attention to the cabin. While not luxurious, it has plenty of creature comforts like an 8-inch touchscreen supporting SYNC 3 with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 2022 Ford Maverick Has A Near Plush Cabin
Via: Ford

Seats are comfortable and cantilevered doors can be grasped in many ways. There’s a slot at the rear edge of the console called the Ford Integrated Tether System or FITS. It fits a lot, and Ford will also publish the geometry for users to be able to 3-D print whatever they need. Safety systems are basic but can be upgraded as per need.

4 The Ford Maverick Makes For A Perfect Daily Driver

The 2022 Ford Maverick Makes For A Perfect Daily Driver
Via: Ford

There are plenty of families who want the ease of having a pickup truck at hand but mostly end up using it as a daily driver in the urban space. The Ford F-150 is too much of a drain for such a requirement, and the Ranger too can prove to be bulky. The new Ford Maverick pickup is then a perfect solution to this need.

The 2022 Ford Maverick Makes For A Perfect Daily Driver
Via: Ford

Not only is it cheap and affordable but its smaller size can fit an urbanscape far better than bigger and bulkier trucks. At the same time, it offers plenty of cabin space to be a practical choice.

Related: 8 Future Cars That Are Truly Worth Waiting For

3 Great Fuel Economy Numbers Even From The ICEV

The 2022 Ford Maverick Has Great Fuel Economy Numbers Even From The ICEV
Via: Ford

The new Ford Maverick pickup also comes solely as an ICEV, and even as a petrol engine, boasts some impressive fuel economy numbers. The AWD model that comes with a 4000-pound towing capacity offers 22 MPG in the city and 29 MPG highway.

The New 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid XLT Instrument Cluster
Via: Ford

The base FWD model with half the towing capacity comes with 23 MPG city fuel economy window stickers, and a 20 MPG on the highway. Compared to the upcoming Hyundai Santa Fe, these are better numbers. So the Maverick is ahead of the competition already. The 2.0-liter Ecoboost takes the specs to 250 horsepower, 277 lb-ft of torque, with 4,000 pounds towing capacity.

2 How Does The Ford Maverick Fare Against The Competition?

Gabrielle Union With The All-New 2022 Ford Maverick Pickup
Via: Ford

The new Ford Maverick pickup is a unibody, and irrespective of size bashes heads against the Hyundai Santa Cruz and the Honda Ridgeline. Neither of the latter can carry a 4X8 plyboard with the tailgate up so that's a score for the Maverick.

New 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid Pickup
Via: Ford

But it has significantly less towing and payload ratings, so that’s a negative for the Maverick. What may work in its favor it’s that it’s a Ford pickup, and also comes a lot more affordable, in price and fuel economy than the competition.

Related: Here’s How The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Compares With Its Rivals

1 Pickup Truck Convenience, Car-Like Ride

The 2022 Ford Maverick: Pickup Truck Convenience, Car-Like Ride
Via: Ford

The one thing that works both in favor of and against unibody trucks is the way they handle and ride. If you want a pickup that can handle it all, the unibody Ford Maverick is not the right choice. But if you want a smooth family car cum daily driver that has some of the many conveniences of a pickup, the all-new Ford Maverick pickup is what you need.

All-New 2022 Ford Maverick With Pickup Truck Convenience, Car-Like Ride
Via: Ford

Ford has filled it with features, be it in the cabin and the bed, so if your needs from a pickup are simple and more family-oriented, the new Ford Maverick pickup may just be the truck for you. Else, look at the Ranger or the F-series.

Sources: Forbes, autoevolution