Overview
Small pickups are back in a big way, and at the center of this trend is the 2024 Maverick. This compact truck leans on its thoughtful design and surprising utility to shoulder its way into the Ford pickup truck lineup below the Ranger and the F-150. A turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is standard, as is front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive and a fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain are both available. Maverick towing capacity, when properly equipped, is 4000 pounds, and the truck can haul up to 1500 pounds of payload in its compact bed. Its cabin is well laid out, and most models offer a generous list of equipment that makes the Maverick feel more upscale than its affordable price would suggest. That being said, the base XL trim is quite spartan and best suited for fleets and work-site duty. Overall, the Maverick is a compelling small pickup truck package with practicality baked right in. We may see more compact pickup trucks entering the market in coming years, but right now the Maverick exists in a class of two, competing only against the more expensive Hyundai Santa Cruz.
What’s New for 2024?
The Maverick’s hybrid powertrain is no longer the standard offering. Starting with the 2024 model year, ordering the 191-hp hybrid setup will add $1500 to the truck’s price. The turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder becomes the de facto standard powertrain this year, coupled with front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive remains optional, but only with this engine.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
Ford offers the Maverick in three trims—XL, XLT, and Lariat—with the XL being the best choice for keeping the price as low as possible. It lacks basic creature comforts that most buyers consider necessities but could make for a good work truck. Going with the XLT adds features such as 17-inch aluminum wheels, cruise control, a power lock for the tailgate, and power exterior mirrors, making it the value-oriented model. We’d stick with the standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, but we’d add all-wheel drive. We’d also order the Tow package to unlock the maximum Maverick towing capacity of 4000 pounds.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Rather than start with the Bronco Sport’s turbocharged three-cylinder engine as the standard powertrain, Ford has dropped in a spunky 250-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder and an eight-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive is optional with this powertrain. A hybrid powertrain is optional and consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that’s assisted by an electric motor for a combined 191 horsepower. This setup only comes with front-wheel drive and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). On the road, the Maverick feels downright peppy with the optional turbo four, and at our test track, it reached 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. The hybrid powertrain is less perky and needed 7.7 seconds to reach 60 mph in our testing, but it nonetheless gets the job done. To provide its impressive payload capacity, the Maverick’s suspension is fairly stiff, which leads to a somewhat rough ride over broken pavement.
Ford Maverick Towing Capacity and Payload
Even with the hybrid powertrain, the Maverick offers 1500 pounds of payload capacity and 2000 pounds of towing capacity. With the turbocharged four-cylinder and the optional Towing Package, the Maverick can tow up to 4000 pounds. Looking to tow even more with a small pickup? The Hyundai Santa Cruz is rated to tow up to 5000 pounds.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA estimates that hybrid variants of the Maverick are good for 42 mpg city and 33 mpg highway; the nonhybrid is rated for 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway with front-wheel drive and 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway with all-wheel drive. On our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, our all-wheel-drive XLT FX4 model with the nonhybrid powertrain matched its 29-mpg EPA rating, but the hybrid was off the EPA’s mark with only a 30-mpg result. The Tremor model, with all of its added off-road equipment, managed only 26 mpg in the same test. For more information about the Maverick’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
All Mavericks are crew cabs, which means four full-size doors and a roomy back seat. Ford has incorporated many storage cubbies and bins throughout the cabin, including some large areas under the rear seat. Base models are far from plush but do offer standard niceties such as a tilting and telescoping steering wheel with audio controls, remote keyless entry, and adjustable lumbar support for the front seats. More features come standard or as part of option packages on the XLT and Lariat trims, including dual-zone automatic climate control, ambient interior lighting, and power front seats. Ford says the Maverick’s 4.5-foot bed can fit up to 18 sheets of four-by-eight-foot three-quarter-inch plywood without having to load them at an angle. The bed also features a 12-volt power outlet, with a 110-volt outlet offered as an option.
Infotainment and Connectivity
An 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system is standard on all Maverick trims. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard features, and even the base model comes with an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot. Options include SiriusXM satellite radio, an upgraded B&O Play stereo system, and wireless smartphone charging capability.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
The Maverick offers several driver-assistance features, but many of the most sought-after items will require an option package or springing for a more expensive trim. For more information about the Maverick’s crash test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
- Standard automated emergency braking
- Available lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
- Available adaptive cruise control
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
The Maverick offers the same standard warranty package as other new Fords, which is fairly basic. There’s no complimentary scheduled maintenance program.
- Limited warranty covers 3 years or 36,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers 5 years or 60,000 miles
- Hybrid component warranty covers 8 years or 100,000 miles
- No complimentary scheduled maintenance
Specifications
Specifications
2022 Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid
Vehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $23,885/$26,645
POWERTRAIN
DOHC 16-valve 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4, 162 hp, 155 lb-ft + 2 AC motors, 105 and 126 hp, 48 and 173 lb-ft (combined output: 191 hp; 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack)
Transmission: continuously variable automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/torsion beam
Brakes, F/R: 12.8-in vented disc/11.9-in disc
Tires: Continental ProContact TX
225/65R-17 102H M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 121.1 in
Length: 199.7 in
Width: 72.4 in
Height: 68.7 in
Passenger Volume: 96 ft3
Curb Weight: 3720 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 7.7 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.9 sec @ 90 mph
100 mph: 20.7 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 7.8 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.8 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.7 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 110 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 158 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.81 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 32 mpg
75-mph Highway Driving: 30 mpg
Highway Range: 410 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 37/42/33 mpg
2022 Ford Maverick XLT FX4
Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $27,880/$30,235
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled inline-4, aluminum block and head
Displacement: 122 in3, 1999 cm3
Power: 250 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque: 277 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 12.8-in vented disc/11.9-in disc
Tires: Falken Wildpeak A/T3W
235/65R-17 104H M+S 3PMSF
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 121.1 in
Length: 199.7 in
Width: 72.6 in
Height: 68.7 in
Passenger Volume: 102 ft3
Curb Weight: 3800 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.9 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.5 sec @ 95 mph
100 mph: 16.4 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.7 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.2 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.2 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 110 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 172 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.82 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 21 mpg
75-mph Highway Driving: 29 mpg
Highway Range: 470 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 25/22/29 mpg
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