The #VOTY2023 Victory Lap
It is a segment-busting vehicle. It re-created a new size class for pickup trucks – small enough for tasks in urban environment, as well as for commutes.
Back in February, Victory & Reseda awarded its 2023 Vehicle of The Year Award to the Ford Maverick. I bet you were surprised…
Actually, we were. Then again, we’re talking one of the hardest to find vehicles here in North America.
We all know the reasons why it is hard to find. It is a segment-busting vehicle. The Maverick re-created a new size class for pickup trucks – small enough for tasks in urban environment, as well as for commutes.
However, the laws of supply and demand have challenged Ford to build more than enough Mavericks to fulfill orders. Let alone, trying to get customers in the doors of their showrooms. Ask anyone working at a given Ford dealer across North America about the Maverick, and you get an answer that has not changed since its debut a few years ago: “good luck.”
I should be lucky V&R is very lucky to welcome its fourth Maverick to our workflow. This is the first since handing off the award at the 2024 Chicago Auto Show.
Since working with the previous three Mavericks, Ford decided to make the formerly optional EcoBoost 2.0-liter turbocharged engine its standard motor for 2024. That move sent the Hybrid driveline to the options list.
Some of you are scratching your heads right now. Wasn’t it the hybrid driveline that was the big draw for the Maverick? Having it as standard equipment with estimated fuel consumption figures in the 40 MPG range?
Not knowing what the “take rates” are for the hybrid compared to the EcoBoost, there had to be some justification for the powertrain availability swap. I know that ticking the EcoBoost on the order sheet also gives you the option of all-wheel drive. The hybrid is strictly front-wheel drive. Maybe that had to do with the drivetrain realignment for 2024.
Other changes for 2024 were driven by simplifying the order sheet. In this XLT tester, the upgraded Luxury package now includes the 400-watt inverter and Remote Start. Both were stand-alone options up until this model year. Everything else should be the same as the previous two model years.
With all of this said, it was time to give this 2024 Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid its “Victory Lap.”
A “Victory Lap” is given after a #VOTY winner was handed off its award. It is more of a re-assessment of a vehicle while celebrating its reign (or former reign) as an award-winner. Don’t think of it as a pageant queen (or a RuPaul Drag Race winner) making an appearance for the sake of doing so.
For this “Victory Lap,” we got the Maverick XLT with the optional Hybrid driveline and the Luxury Package upgrade. If you ask me, this specification would be one of a few “sweet spots” for the Maverick – a middle trim with package upgrades, plus a fuel efficient and sustainable driveline.
There are a few things that continue to tick the right boxes for the Ford Maverick. While controversial for “truck people,” it is built as a unibody pickup truck. You only can get the Maverick in a four-door SuperCrew cab integrated with a 54.4-inch bed.
Visually, the Maverick simply looks like any pickup truck on the road. Albeit smaller, more agile, and equally useful. The hybrid only carries 1,500 pounds in its bed and can tow up to 2,000 pounds. If you opt for the EcoBoost with all-wheel drive, you can upgrade it for a maximum tow rating of 4,000 pounds.
The Hybrid driveline consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, an electric motor, and a continuously variable transmission. This system only drives the front wheels. All told, this system nets 191 horsepower – which is fine for a lot of “light work.” That is, if you consider a payload rating of 1,500 pounds “light work.”
The interior can seat up to five. Front occupants enjoy a spacious area full of muted colors – including the burnt orange pieces of trim. The XLT has breathable cloth seats. Everything else is simple and straight-forward, as you find on a number of Ford vehicles. There is nothing too high tech or complicated to worry about.
That includes the Sync 3 infotainment system controlled through an eight-inch touchscreen. Before you complain that the Maverick should be on the Sync 4 or the newest infotainment platform that is forthcoming on later Ford vehicles, just remember one thing: It still works nicely.
The Maverick is the model of mobility. To test this, we tasked this tester to see how it manages carrying mobility devices. The short answer is “very well.” To accomplish this, it took folding up the rear seat cushion to accommodate a new rollator. A minor adjustment in positioning the wheels, then it was secure enough to not bounce around in the back row.
A lot of talk about the Maverick has been its size in relation with its intended usage. Meaning that this small pickup truck is best used in the city or running around the suburbs. Since its debut – rather, our first “go” in the Maverick – we have seen these small trucks around being utilized for commercial and personal use.
One of my colleagues took delivery of one recently. His wife has been using it for her business. So far, it has been mostly utilized within the county and region they live in. This has been the theme of most owners who had one.
Never had I heard of one being used for long distance journeys. Nor have I heard of anyone buying one for farm use. I’m certain they have, but I would be curious how one does hold up whether as a long-distance driver or a farm hand.
As an urban work truck, it is more than suitable for the job. Granted, it does not have an available bed topper for delivery services. With the small van market disappearing in this country, businesses operating within town should still look at the Maverick as a great work tool. Hopefully, there is a third-party supplier making toppers for the beds of Mavericks.
The one thing I have noticed is how the Maverick are being used as an everyday vehicle for both urban and suburban dwellers. They realize that full-sized pickup trucks are simply too big to have around as a personal transporter. Not to mention the cost of owning one – including fuel costs.
Speaking of which, we did turn in average of 39.2 MPG in our care. Needless to say, we just skipped the fuel pumps.
Pricing for the 2024 Ford Maverick starts from $23,815. With three trim levels available – along with a Tremor package available for all-wheel dirve EcoBoost models – you can only get the Maverick in a SuperCrew with the 54-inch bed. Our upgraded XLT tester came with a sticker price of $32,470.
If this “victory lap” proved anything, it validated the Maverick’s #VOTY2023 status. Even more so. This turn finds us achieving close to the target fuel economy figure. It also showed that it is disabled person friendly. Furthermore, the Maverick is a useful vehicle for everyday use.
When I think about that hand-off of #VOTY2023 back at the 2024 Chicago Auto Show, I was questioning whether you – the voters – picked the right winner. Throughout this “victory lap,” we can confirm that you made the right choice.
DISCLAIMER: Vehicle provided by the Ford Motor Company
All photos by Randy Stern