The upcoming Maverick has captured the imagination of pickup and Ford enthusiasts all over the world. Set to make its debut this year, it is so far only going to be made available in North America, but if things go well that approach might change.
It is not surprising that it has made such a stir, for the best part of a decade every pickup has been growing bigger and heavier. So the gamble made by Ford to buck that trend and develop something like this is obviously a calculated one, applying the theory that many crossover buyers and midsize pickup buyers are already cross-shopping, so why not give them something that meets all their needs. What they have achieved is actually more than the best of both worlds, it is something entirely different, and we love it.
10 Hybrid Drivetrain
With pure gas or diesel vehicles set to be phased out all over the developed world over the next decade or so, producing an all-new version of any vehicle wouldn’t make much financial sense unless it has some sort of hybrid/electric option.
The base model Maverick will come with a hybrid drivetrain, making it by far the cheapest hybrid on the market. The combined power figure of the 94-kW electric motor and 2.5-liter naturally aspirated gas engine is 191 horsepower, not spectacular, but more than enough for a small pickup.
9 Attractive Base Price
Even with the hybrid it still comes in seriously affordable, at just a shade under (or a little over if you include the destination charge) $20,000 it offers incredible value.
At this price, you would normally expect to do without most of the features, but this isn’t true for the new Ford, the XL trim has a utilitarian feel but nothing inside or out feels cheap (say for maybe the steel rims, but utilitarian).
8 Less Is More
Compared to other modern offerings, the Maverick, at least in XL trim, is a fairly spartan offering but pulls it off quite well thanks to Ford actually spending money where it counts.
Everything you touch feels like it was made well, all the materials used inside the vehicle were also well-thought-out. It looks like it will hold up after years of abuse.
7 Quality Fit And Finish
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Other vehicles in this price bracket will usually need to save money in some, or several, areas. This, unfortunately, leads to a lot of components being made by the lowest bidder.
Ford clearly did their homework with this little pickup, knowing all too well where other vehicles that they themselves have produced over the years have fallen short. It is clear they knew where to cut corners and where to spend money with the Maverick.
6 Unibody Design
The main advantage of producing the Maverick on a unibody platform is the fact that this will keep the cost right down.
It will share a platform with the Escape and Bronco Sport, meaning they were able to split the development costs in three rather than one dedicated new platform.
5 Surprisingly Spacious
Another advantage of the unibody design is that they are able to maximize the interior space, with more leg and headroom than any of its direct rivals.
Granted, its current rivals are all midsize pickups in their most basic form so naturally lack a bit of comfort and with the nature of a ladder frame vehicle, also lack a bit of interior space.
4 Car-like Handling
A big feature of the Maverick that will attract cross-shoppers is the fact that it feels like a car to drive, which might also upset some more hardcore pickup fans.
It is another added benefit of the unibody design, but the execution is still something well and truly worth noting. If you are after something more sporty you can opt for the EcoBoost version, but it will then lose some of its practical appeal.
3 Unmatchable Value
Admittedly, if you choose the 2.0 liter EcoBoost and a bunch of other options, it will lose all of that value. That much is true for any new vehicle, though.
If you are looking at the more spartan entry-level version, you will not be disappointed, there is literally nothing else on the market quite like it.
2 Big Personality
Being practical is something many vehicles, most especially crossovers, are very good at. Unfortunately, the more practical, the less appealing a vehicle often becomes, to the extent that it becomes so boring nobody really wants it.
That is not the case of the Maverick, like the name suggests, it is something just a little different with an appealing design and enough performance to do everything you could possibly want it to do.
1 Incredible Allrounder
At the end of the day, this is a small front-drive pickup, it isn’t perfect, but it is a huge step in the right direction.
Other manufacturers will also be forced to answer the call to make more versatile offerings, but for now, nothing quite compares to this little allrounder that doesn’t seem at all compromised.