My Thoughts Exactly: 2022 Ford Maverick

The 2022 Ford Maverick became the hottest commodity in the automotive business today.

If you have followed the news on this new compact pickup truck, you may have heard how it rebooted the segment. Rather, to remix it and modernize it for today. 

Let’s face it, it was necessary to jump start the small pickup truck market. We saw vehicles, such as the Ford Ranger, jump in size to something nearer to a half-ton pickup truck from the 1950s – even the 1970s. Full-size pickup trucks also grew into size once reserved for full one-ton models. 

So, what’s in a name? When I asked why it was called the Maverick, and not the Ranger, it should be noted that the Ranger does exist – albeit a mid-size pickup truck and a global product for Ford. Perhaps, Courier would be more appropriate. That is, if people remember that far back when they imported the Mazda B-Series with the piston engine and slapped on different grilles, badges, and tailgates. Ford went with Maverick instead…

To explain what this small pickup is all about, the Maverick is based on a shared platform with the Escape, Bronco Sport, and Lincoln Corsair – all of which are front-drive biased. Therefore, It is an unibody truck, similar to the Hyundai Santa Cruz (which it directly competes with) and the Honda Ridgeline (a larger pickup).

The Maverick comes only in a four-door SuperCrew with a 54.4-inch-long box. This body is a single unit that is integrated very nicely. There are no gimmicks here. Just a normal box with a normal-opening tailgate. There are some hidden compartments inside and the Maverick offers the FLEXBED system that enables carrying anything in an organized fashion. 

Inside is a cab that seats four-to-five humans in the XLT’s multi-tone gray cloth with orange stitching. You will also find plenty of different colors and textures throughout the cabin. The light gray material on the dashboard and door cards are recycled plastic, contrasting with a blue-gray primary plastic material all around. The orange parts of the center console…talk about being organized!

There is storage underneath the rear seat cushion, including the tire jack kit. 

An eight-inch touch screen powers Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system with a standard set of six speakers. You do get smartphone integration and there is a choice of USB-A and USB-C ports to plug in. 

The main draw for the Ford Maverick is its standard hybrid driveline that is on my tester. It consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor drawing off a small battery. This system sends power down to the front wheels through a PowerSplit Electronic Continuously Variable Transmission. This driveline yields a total power rating of 191 horsepower. 

Consumers know the limitations of this pickup truck, they will realize that they can tow up to 2,000 pounds with this configuration with a payload of 1,500 pounds. If they got the one with the EcoBoost engine with AWD and the towing upgrade, they can tow up to 4,000 pounds. The truck weighs 3,500-3,700 pounds. Consumers need to do the math, but they won't.

As for fuel economy, we averaged 35.7 MPG. Not exactly the 40 MPG Ford advertised it would get, but we'll take it!

Ford did a few things differently in the Maverick apart from their usual pickup truck products. The rear suspension is an independent twist-beam axle with an integrated stabilizer bar, and a set of force vectoring springs. The result is a very stable and smooth ride and solid handling. You can corner the Maverick quite well without feeling any flex in the unibody. There is never a feeling of a lack of stability and rigidity in the Maverick. 

The steering system is just fine. It does exhibit a tighter steering radius than most trucks, but it does seem a bit soft overall. On-center feel is alright. The same could be said about the brakes, as you can feel the hybrid system’s regenerative system whenever you stop the Maverick. Pedal feel is OK, as are normal and panic stops. 

As for pricing, you heard that the 2022 Ford Maverick starts from $19,995. That gets you a Hybrid driveline, front-wheel drive and the XL trim. My tester came with a sticker price of just $25,525 for an XLT with the Hybrid driveline and a few options. 

I was curious as to how one could go crazy with the order sheet on a Maverick. With that said, I did a build for a Lariat model with the EcoBoost engine, all-wheel drive, the maximum tow package, and a few upgrades matched to my desired specification. That build came to $36,895. That’s about $4,000 less than a fully equipped version of its direct rival! 

Because of the price, the size, and its execution in reintroducing us to the small pickup truck, the Ford Maverick is definitely a hot commodity. According to a Ford salesperson that I know here in Minnesota, he remarked that the Maverick sold 19,000-plus units in the first quarter of this year. The order banks for the 2022 model year have closed, but they will reopen them for 2023 in May. Production will restart in July in Mexico, but please expect four-to-five weeks for delivery – at least. 

Is it worth the wait? Rather, should you consider putting in an order when the books re-open? Both answers are “yes.” It is a hot commodity for a reason. Ford did more than just reboot the compact pickup truck segment. They did it right. In essence, they made a small pickup truck that is exactly what it looks, drives, and acts – a pickup truck. 

DISCLAIMER: Vehicle provided by the Ford Motor Company

All photos by Randy Stern