Ford’s Maverick: A Winning Combination of Size & Price
I admit to being a bit apprehensive when I learned I would be getting a 2022 Ford Maverick pickup truck to test drive. After all, most manufacturers discontinued the smaller trucks in recent years. Perhaps partially due to lagging sales, but, in my opinion, the sales were lackluster because the pricing was very similar to that of their larger cousins and the fuel economy was not that much better either. I tended to think that maybe the main reason for purchasing one was it fitting into a garage easier than a full size model.
Ford took care of all my worries in this Maverick Lariat edition. I found it easy to drive, had no problems with the fuel economy even though it was so new my test truck had not yet even been rated by the EPA. I know that through a lot of driving the fuel gauge did not appear to take a dive downward even with what some have referred to as my “lead foot.”
In fact the marketing manager was spot on when he said, “The Maverick product proposition is like nothing else out there. It’s a great-looking truck featuring four doors with room for five adults, a standard full-hybrid engine with city fuel economy that beats a Honda Civic***, plenty of towing and hauling for weekend trips or do-it-yourself projects, and it starts under $20,000,” said Todd Eckert, Ford truck group marketing manager.
“Maverick challenges the status quo and the stereotypes of what a pickup truck can be. We believe it will be compelling to a lot of people who never before considered a truck.”
Powerful, Efficient & Equipped
My test model sported a 2.0 liter Ecoboost engine mated to an eight speed automatic transmission. It’s 2.0-liter EcoBoost® gas engine delivering 250 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torque with an 8-speed automatic transmission
I found moving from gear to gear effortless and smooth with no jerkiness even on hills. I didn’t see anything on the Monroney about it being equipped with the transmission holding in place when on hills so I wouldn’t drift back into vehicles behind me, but it must have been equipped with this feature because I had no such problem.
The aforementioned problem with a lot of compact trucks in the past was that the pricing was very close to that of full sized models. The total MSRP of this Maverick was only $30,035 complete with a lot of bells and whistles and that price even included the rather steep destination charge of $1,495. Other add-ons included a special equipment group (500A), which ran $1085. The 500A group included the Ecoboost engine and 8 speed, a power tilt and slide moonroof, the Ford Co-Pilot 360, a spray in bedliner and floor liners.
Co-Pilot360 includes BLISS which is blind spot protection (very important in my point of view). BLISS systems have saved my bacon in a number of instances when I glance at my mirrors, see nothing in other lanes and then – ZAP! – someone shoots past me on one or the other side of the vehicle. The second leg of the Co-Pilot system is lane keep assistance. I don’t find this as important as BLISS, but nonetheless, I’m sure it is important to others who might drift off toward dreamland a little more frequently than I.
The third leg is a real spare tire – by that I mean it is full size and not just a donut which will only get you a couple of miles as you search for a replacement tire. Looking at the value supplied for the Co-Pilot 360 I believe it is significant and worth the investment.
The capless fuel fill system is a feature that comes standard on the Maverick. I love this feature because there are far too many instances where I would take off the fuel cap and forget to replace it due to some distraction. Special under-seat storage in the second row is another feature I consider important in this day and age. There are just too many instances where people will break into vehicles to steal things they see laying about the cabin.
New Mavericks are flying off dealer lots so it may not be the easiest vehicle to find in these trying times, but for those who prefer to save the additional $20,000 or more it would cost for a typical full size model and would appreciate the extra space in their garage this new Maverick could easily be worth the search and possible wait.
