You do good business in the United States with pick-ups, so as a car manufacturer you can’t have enough of them in your lineup. Pick-ups that are a size smaller than the already known models seem to be on the rise. Ford is cleverly responding to this with a new smaller and more accessible pick-up brother of the Ranger in several areas. This is the Ford Maverick!
Ford is expanding its American pickup range with the Maverick. The brand already had the immensely successful F-series on its menu and the Ranger is no stranger to the American consumer. The Ford Maverick is the smallest of the bunch, a brand new pick-up with a self-supporting body and many smart solutions.
Ford Maverick
Ford is taking a similar path with the Maverick as Hyundai took with the Santa Cruz. Just like the Santa Cruz, the Maverick is a relatively compact pick-up that mainly has to give the feeling of an SUV with driving characteristics. So no ladder chassis for the Maverick. The Ford Maverick is 5.07 meters long, which makes it a bit shorter than the – depending on the version chosen – 5.11 to 5.40 meters long Ranger. The wheelbase of the Maverick is still a decent 3.08 meters, although that is considerably less than the 3.22 meters that the Ranger has between the front and rear axle. If we park the Hyundai Santa Cruz next to the Ford Maverick, it is noticeable that Ford’s new entry is about ten centimeters longer and also has an 8 centimeters larger wheelbase. Unlike the Ranger, the Maverick is not available in various lengths and with various cabins.
Where the Santa Cruz with its Tuscan-like nose looks quite extravagant, the Maverick has a relatively sober design. With its high, flat nose with large headlights, the car makes a utilitarian, yet somewhat playful impression. The rest of the carriage has been stripped of frivolity. No sharp folds on the sides, no rising windows and ‘just’ a rear as you are used to from most pick-ups.
Standard Hybrid
The Ford Maverick is Ford’s first pickup to come standard with a hybrid powertrain. The entry-level powertrain listens to the name 2.5 Hybrid and is made up of a 164 hp and 210 Nm strong 2.5 four-cylinder petrol engine and a 95 hp and 235 Nm strong electric motor. The small battery is placed under the passenger seat. The system power of this 2.5 Hybrid is 194 hp.
Prefer no hybrid? Don’t worry, Ford will soon supply the Maverick in the United States with a 254 hp and 376 Nm strong 2.0 Ecoboost that is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The payload of the Ford Maverick is 680 kilos. The Hybrid can tow up to 910 kilos. Also the Maverick with 2.0 Ecoboost in the base, but whoever orders the 4K Tow Package, can hang up to 1,814 kilos on his Maverick hook.
Ford Maverick
Interior
The interior of the five-seat Maverick fits neatly into the design of the exterior. The Maverick dashboard is modern and relatively simple in design. Behind the wheel is a digital instrumentation and on the center console is an 8-inch large infotainment screen with a small storage compartment next to it. A decorative panel that merges with the ventilation grilles runs across the entire width of the dashboard.
The Ford Maverick is also quite in his stuff. The absolute basic version, which also has the hybrid powertrain, gets the factory-fitted 8-inch large infotainment screen and things like automatic high beams. LED headlights are also standard.
Ford has come up with various storage options for the Maverick. For example, there are many accessories available that the rear passengers can pin to the rear of the center tunnel and there is extra storage space under the rear seat.
Ford Maverick
Flex bed
The Maverick is larded with lots of cleverness. The 943 liters large and 1.37 meters deep loading platform is an example of this. The cargo box contains 12 mounting points, two 12- and 20-volt contact points, a 120-volt socket and a handy storage compartment. In addition, Ford has made various slots and holes in the box that you as a consumer can use to make dividers and extra attachment points using steel rails and wooden benches from the hardware store.
The Ford Maverick will be manufactured in Mexico and will go on sale in the United States in the fall. The starting price of the Maverick is a very modest $ 19,995, converted about € 16,425. We do not expect the Maverick in the Netherlands.
Known name
In Europe, the model name Maverick is best known for Ford’s version of the Nissan Terrano II, which was sold in our country until the late 1990s. In Australia, Ford used the model name for a rebadged Nissan Patrol, but there were more Mavericks. For example, in 1969 Ford introduced a two- and four-door sedan with that name in the United States, among other places. The Mazda Tribute, which appeared in Europe in 2000, was also known as Maverick in various countries, including the United States.