This week we are looking at the highly popular 2022 Ford Maverick compact pickup. This small truck had over 100,000 orders before production even began.
My review truck is the XLT package with all-wheel drive. Under the hood is the 250-horse 2-liter EcoBoost engine mated to an 8-speed automatic.
There is also a hybrid front-wheel drive version that I will review next week.
This small pickup is an interesting mix to say the least. It has some features that you’d expect on more expensive trucks, and other things missing that were a surprise, such as SiriusXM, HD radio, pushbutton start, and navigation system.
The exterior appearance is good and it looks like a shrunken Ford Ranger in many ways, although it is a foot shorter. It has a 4 and a half foot bed, and has 4 full doors.
The interior is well done. Nothing fancy, but very functional. The seats are comfortable and attractive with two shades of gray cloth with orange stitching. In fact, orange abounds throughout the cabin, and dominates the center console.
The gauge cluster is configurable for driver info controlled from the steering wheel.
High on the dash is an 8” touchscreen that is simple but works well. You operate all audio, Bluetooth, apps, Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The center console houses a round gearshift knob and buttons for the drive modes, the start/stop disable, traction control, and all-wheel drive settings.
If you are a fan of cubby holes, they are EVERYWHERE in this vehicle and the center console has a nifty place to put your phone where you can actually see it when driving.
I have to mention the funky door panels, too. They are composite material and look great in this truck. There are cubby's there too, and nifty water bottle holders for each door.
Back seat room was better than expected in a small truck. Back seat passengers get USB ports and a power outlet, but no air vents. The back seat folds up and has storage underneath for valuables.
The pickup bed has plastic all around the edges on top so when you put cargo in, you won’t scratch the paint, and the tailgate even has a built-in bottle opener. There is a small storage box in the bed with an underneath hidden compartment. There is lighting and a power outlet as well.
The XLT comes standard with power windows, a power driver seat, power locks, remote start, a keyless entry pad, rearview camera, pre-collision assist, blind spot monitoring, tilt wheel, and cruise control.
Notable options are the 17” wheels, the luxury package, and trailer tow package which gives you 4000 pounds of towing.
The Maverick drives great, was surprisingly quiet inside, and overall quite enjoyable to drive. It is small, but doesn’t feel small and would make a great truck for in-town driving and trips to the hardware store.
Fuel economy is 22 city and 29 highway. The hybrid I’ll have next week is rated at 40 in town, we’ll know soon if it will actually do that. Total MSRP on this XLT is $31,910 loaded, but the base price is around $22,000 with transportation, making it a great value.
I thought the Hyundai Santa Cruz would be a big competitor, but the truth is, these two trucks are very different. Although both are great, if you are on a budget, the Ford Maverick is an exceptional value.
A great truck for light towing and hauling, a joy to drive, and a great price point for a new pickup.
Ford Maverick Compared to the Ford F-150.