2022 Ford Maverick First Drive Review: All About That Base

Reviewing a brand new automobile that matches nicely into its market section is easy. There’s a straightforward quantitative components to measure the way it stacks up towards the competitors on a numerical foundation — headroom, storage capability, horsepower, and extra. From there, you’ll be able to draw broad conclusions in regards to the automobile.

But typically an automaker takes the daring step of making a completely new section, and that is the place issues get fascinating. After spending time within the new Ford Maverick, it is clear that Ford has created a completely new class of truck that each stands out by itself in addition to a compelling one towards fully completely different lessons of automobiles and vans. Cross-shop manufactures.

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The design of the Maverick – a unibody pickup truck just like the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Honda Ridgeline, with a memory of smaller pickups of the previous, just like the outdated Nissan hardbodies and ’90s Chevrolet S10s – shouldn’t be unprecedented. But what Maverick presents from the bottom of its gear vary it stands alone within the trendy market.

The base XL trim begins at $19,995 (not together with $1,495 within the vacation spot price) and comes normal with a front-wheel-drive hybrid drivetrain, making it the one normal hybrid truck in America. The 1.1-kilowatt-hour battery-electric system works at the side of an Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter inline-four engine to attain gas effectivity of simply over 40 miles per gallon.

What Maverick presents from the bottom of its gear vary is the one one within the trendy market.

It would not come on the expense of utility, both, as the electrical motor and gasoline engine mixed make a rated 191 horsepower that is good for carrying as much as 2,000 kilos or 1,500 kilos in mattress. For a truck that is a few foot shorter and is available in 5 grand lower than its huge brother, the Ford Ranger, that is spectacular.

If the bottom mannequin would not supply sufficient truck on your wants, nevertheless, Ford has one other drivetrain bundle that gives a bit extra oomph. The XLT and Lariat trims can be found with a turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost inline-four that delivers 250 hp and 277 lb-ft, which when mixed with an accessible towing bundle boosts most towing capability to 4,000 kilos. Additionally, all-wheel-drive is obtainable with the EcoBoost drivetrain.

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Other fascinating choices that broaden the Maverick’s potential viewers embody the FX4 off-roading bundle, all-terrain tires and skid plates, in addition to the Ford Co-Pilot 360 Safety Suite, which provides radar cruise management, cross visitors monitoring, and extra. Is. and a number of different driver consciousness options.

In brief, prospects can configure Maverick’s versatile choices sheet like one of the best pickup truck available on the market, just like the F-150. As the worth goes up and the checklist of extras will get longer, the worth turns into on par with many different small vans available on the market in the present day – the place it actually stands out, although, is the fully stripped down base mannequin.

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Even at its most cost-effective value level, with laborious plastic dashes revolving round base-spec 17-inch metal wheels, Ford took care of each design ingredient of the Maverick’s comfy and sensible cabin. The designers added engaging and utilitarian door handles and carved usable cubbies to each sq. inch of actual property with out trying too busy or cluttered. Rubber inserts come normal in each center-console nook, and are an admirable nod to the rugged life that almost all base mannequin pickups reside.

Each trim stage will get a base 4.2-inch touchscreen for controlling them together with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as normal. There’s a pleasantly sparse however well-thought-out collection of bodily radio management buttons, and the local weather management system is readable and straightforward to make use of, even within the base mannequin. In brief, even in a cabin with sturdy cloth seats stripped of its most elementary performance, the Maverick is a nice place to be.

The base mannequin drivetrain is extraordinarily compelling as nicely. Since the hybrid pair four-wheel-disc brakes with pretty sturdy electrical motor regeneration, it may be a bit troublesome to interact the braking easily. Still, I tailored to it rapidly and the effectivity beneficial properties of the hybrid outweigh the educational curve. An electrical constantly variable transmission transmits the facility of the fuel engine and electrical motor to the bottom, as is the case with most hybrids. The ECVT is simply as cosy and nice because the mechanically comparable (however technically completely different) setup discovered within the Escape Hybrid.

Towing was additionally pretty easy: I hauled a virtually 1,600-pound trailer with a using mower round Nashville’s backcountry, and the hybrid system had loads of grunt in reserve, in order that it will by no means merge or climb a steep hill. Be. Neuropathy. If you solely want 2,000 kilos of towing, the bottom mannequin is fairly torquey for that.

The solely a part of the bottom mannequin I discovered disappointing was that cruise management and energy mirrors weren’t accessible; You’ll need to spring for the following trim stage, the XLT, to get them, which appears like a punitive little bit of cost-cutting in a automobile that will in any other case make base consumers really feel they have been lacking out on very important performance.

Ride high quality throughout all trim ranges is what you’d anticipate from a pickup constructed on Ford’s modular front-drive structure (which additionally underpins the Bronco Sport, Escape and Euro-market focus): comfy and nearly car-like, with out Somebody’s The steering dullness, or physique roll, of a traditional body-on-frame truck. The seating place and visibility are just like a ’90s Ranger or Hilux, however not like the smaller vans of the previous, this can be a snug place to eat within the Miles.

The most necessary a part of any pickup is the mattress, and the Maverick’s rear half is sort of purposeful.

Thanks to the well-designed inside, Maverick parking and maneuvering by way of tight areas is a breeze, which house owners will recognize on tight workplaces or, extra doubtless, compact city parking garages. The small design additionally favors the maw for entry and exit; Dropping gadgets in mattress with out popping the tailgate is a breeze and the trip top is comfy for individuals considerably smaller than me.

The most necessary a part of any pickup is the mattress, and the Maverick’s rear half is sort of purposeful. It solely measures 4 and a half toes tall, however Ford crams in as a lot performance as doable. In addition to the aforementioned 1,500-pound payload capability, the tailgate is multi-located to permit simpler hauling of bigger gadgets that will not fairly match. Ford stamped the mattress with quite a lot of mounting factors, tie downs, recesses, and bolt holes, which have been particularly designed to encourage DIY hauling options and additional improve the Maverick’s utility to prospects.

This is a small truck that’s nonetheless able to getting used and abused like one.

Twelve-volt electrical plugs – accessible by way of pass-through – and an optionally available bed-mounted 110V three-prong plug are considerate additions for these hoping to go tenting or to workplaces with their Maverick. Ford already has mattress caps, covers and different add-ons that work particularly for climate safety. In brief, this can be a small truck that’s nonetheless greater than able to getting used and abused like one.

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And that is what makes the Maverick a lot extra compelling to me as an total automobile than the face worth of a small truck. It’s an accessible route into truck possession with nearly no damaging tradeoff bedding calls for.

The Hybrid Maverick presents the consolation, ease of possession, and gas advantages of any comparably priced small automobile or SUV available on the market, all whereas seating 4 adults comfortably and dealing with pickup obligation with ease. And when you maintain out all-wheel-drive and FX4 gear, the Maverick can be utilized as an “adventure lifestyle” automobile towards typical trail-running opponents just like the Subaru Crosstrek and even Ford’s personal Bronco Sport. makes a compelling argument.

In its base XL trim, with its total spaciousness and utility providing slightly below $20,000, the Maverick is a powerful competitor to varied base-range compact crossovers just like the Kia Soul or the Honda HR-V. And the unprecedented gas mileage I used to be capable of obtain in my testing makes the gas-electric Maverick a contender within the hybrid market with the likes of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid or Honda CR-V Hybrid, whereas beginning at hundreds much less.

I got here to the Maverick impressed by how a truck targeted on its core goal – being a helpful pickup – can enchantment to so many potential consumers in so many various market segments. Ford understands that the Maverick has the potential to vary how Americans take into consideration pickups by erasing their conventional trade-offs, whereas bringing the corporate’s F-Series experience from a long time of truck gross sales to its smallest providing. The Maverick is uniquely compelling, and I anticipate it to make a beautiful proposition for buyers who’ve by no means imagined a Ford pickup of their storage earlier than.

Photo Credit: Victoria Scott / Ford