Not that long ago, there was a rumor suggesting $25,000 as the Hyundai Santa Cruz's starting price. The small truck with crossover styling and not much in the way of payload and towing capacity would come to blows with the Ford Ranger, which is available from $24,820 before destination charge. According to hearsay, Ford intends to undercut all segment rivals with a sub-$20,000 price tag for the all-new Maverick.

27 photos

Coming courtesy of our friends at Ford Authority, sources familiar with product plans are responsible for the intel mentioned above. There is, however, an issue with it. There’s a $4,120 difference between the mid-size Ranger and full-size F-150 at the time of writing, but EcoSport money for a pickup that is larger than the EcoSport sounds a little fishy. What’s more, a sub-$20,000 Maverick would eat into the sales of the Escape compact crossover.

Although it shares its name with a Western comedy and Top Gun’s long-awaited sequel, the Maverick handle goes a long way back as far as the Blue Oval is concerned. Ford used this badge on a compact car from the 1970s, on the Nissan Patrol, Terrano, and the Euro-spec Escape from 2001 to 2005.

The closest vehicles in the lineup to the Maverick are the European Focus, Escape, Kuga, and Bronco Sport because all of them share the C2 platform. The Evos will adopt this architecture too, but as opposed to the Fusion it replaces, the newcomer is a coupe-like crosswagon instead of a sedan.

To be produced at the Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly Plant in Mexico alongside the Bronco Sport, the Maverick will probably feature a three-cylinder turbo as the standard engine. The 1.5-liter EcoBoost is the most likely candidate, and it should be connected to an eight-speed transmission.

Higher up the spectrum, it’s easy to imagine the 2.0-liter EcoBoost as the only level up from the three-pot motor. In the Bronco Sport, for example, this engine belts out 245 horsepower and 275 pound-feet (373 Nm) of torque.

On page four of the sales report attached at the end of this article, the Ford Motor Company has indirectly confirmed that a brand-new truck has entered production at the Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly Plant in Mexico where the Bronco Sport is made. “C pickup” is how the Blue Oval calls the mysterious workhorse, but we all know that its name is Maverick.

27 photos

Ford built 21 examples of the newcomer last month according to the attached document, most likely production-spec prototypes for EPA certification and the like. Developed for North America on the C2 platform, the Maverick features a unibody instead of a body-on-frame construction. The Ranger is superior in terms of payload and towing capacities, but don’t forget the compact pickup was designed for a different demographic.

Ford is targeting crossover buyers who prefer the macho looks of a pickup without any of the drawbacks: gas mileage, ride quality, and the sheer size of a body-on-frame pickup. The Dearborn-based automaker won’t have it easy with the Maverick, though, because Hyundai and Volkswagen will launch compact trucks of their own in the guise of the Santa Cruz and Tarok.

Expected to arrive in showrooms across the United States by the end of 2021 as a 2022 model, the smaller brother of the Ranger is probably hiding a 1.5-liter turbo under the hood. I know that sounds preposterous, but three cylinders and forced induction are what you get in the Bronco Sport as well.

181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet (258 Nm) enable a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms) in the crossover’s case. The only engine that would be fitting as an option is the Bronco Sport Badlands’ 2.0-liter EcoBoost, which is rated at 245 horsepower, 275 pound-feet (373 Nm), and 2,200 pounds (998 kilograms).

An eight-speed automatic transmission should be standard, and hearsay suggests a starting price of just under $20,000 excluding destination charge for the Maverick. The price point may sound ludicrous in comparison to the Ranger’s $24,820 before freight and options, but on the other hand, it should be doable if the base trim is on the mediocre side of standard equipment.

Ford’s lineup of trucks will grow later this year with the addition of the Maverick. It’s been a poorly kept secret in Dearborn, with numerous leaks revealing a lot of the model. However, our spy photographers continue to catch the truck out testing, and this latest batch of shots gives us our clearest look so far at the new pickup. The tight camouflaged wrap leaves little to the imagination.

The new photos make it near impossible to ignore the Maverick’s roots – the Bronco Sport. Along with the Escape, the three share their platform, which means we’ll likely see the powertrains shared, too. The Maverick is expected to offer Ford’s turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder as the base engine, with the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder being optional. It’ll offer all-wheel drive, though it’s unclear if Ford will build a front-wheel-drive version.

The shots reveal a familiar face the looks similar to the Bronco Sport’s. The headlights wrap around the turn signals that are connected across the grille. A camouflaged bridge between the signals is where Ford is likely to include the Maverick script just like it does on the Bronco Sport, or the Blue Oval badge. The truck sports a boxy design with slab sides and square-ish taillights. Cladding along the bottom of the pickup helps toughen up its appearance.

Ford’s bread and butter is the F-150. It’s a venerable best-seller and cash-cow for the automaker. However, it’s difficult to ignore how expensive it has gotten over the years, with well-appointed models costing as much as some luxury vehicles. The Maverick will hopefully add some affordability to the company’s truck lineup. Rumors suggest it could start at under $20,000, well below the Ford Ranger, which it’ll slow under it the lineup. The Maverick is expected to go on sale later this year as a 2022 model, and reports indicate pre-production models are already rolling off the line.

Probably the worst-kept secret of the automotive industry for the 2022 model year alongside the flat-plane crankshaft V8 engine of the all-new Z06, the Maverick has been confirmed rather audaciously by Ford. Based on the unibody platform of the Bronco Sport, the unibody pickup will debut next Tuesday with the help of actress and writer Gabrielle Union.
30 photos

According to the Dearborn-based automaker, she will detail the all-new truck on her Instagram and TikTok channels, Ford’s social channels, and Hulu. The Maverick is the first series-production vehicle that Ford will debut on the company’s TikTok channel, and it doesn’t come as a surprise.

The majority of TikTok users are below 30 years old, and the figure drops to 20 percent in the 30- to 49-year-old group. These people are mad for crossovers, and they’ll probably go even madder for the Maverick if Ford advertises the compact pickup as a, wait for it, sport adventure vehicle.

If you’ve heard that description before, that’s because Hyundai used it for the Santa Cruz. Coincidence or not, the Santa Cruz is the only rival for the Maverick because the larger Honda’s Ridgeline is based on the mid-sized Pilot SUV.

Manufactured in Mexico instead of the United States, the Bronco Sport-twinned pickup is longer than a Mustang GT Fastback based on photographic estimates. Rumored to start from $20,000 or thereabouts, the Maverick will likely be offered in a total of three equipment grades.

Just like the body-on-frame Ranger, hearsay suggests XL for the entry-level specification, XLT, and Lariat for all the bells and whistles. A soft off-road package that may be called Timberline instead of Tremor is also expected.

As far as the oily bits are concerned, the Mexico-based production plant and Bronco Sport offer three clues in the guise of the 1.5-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder turbo, 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder turbo, and eight speeds for the automatic transmission. In other words, look forward to 177 horsepower and 210 pound-feet (285 Nm) or 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet (376 Nm).

Based on the Escape and manufactured at the same facility as the Bronco Sport, the Maverick is a true disruptor in the small pickup segment. The main rival of the Santa Cruz is available to configure from $19,995, excluding $1,495 for the freight charge, and three trims are offered.

57 photos

XL is the name of the base specification, which comes with a 2.5-liter hybrid engine as standard or a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbo four-cylinder mill for $1,085 extra. In addition to fuel-saving technology and forced induction, the two motors further differ in terms of transmission: e-CVT or automatic.

Available in seven colors for the exterior, the XL is tastefully equipped right off the bat with a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, LED headlamps, automatic emergency braking, and the FLEXBED suite for the six-foot (1.83-meter) bed. Ford Co-Pilot360 adds $540 to the tally, a bedliner costs $375, and the most expensive tonneau cover available will set you back $1,160.

The build-your-own tool further lists a manual sliding rear window at $155, a power tilt/slide moonroof at $795, all-weather tray floor liners at $135, a full-size spare at $115, and a hitch receiver with a four-pin connector at $100.

Priced from $22,280 before destination charge and options, the XLT is the sweet spot of the range thanks to 17-inch aluminum wheels instead of steel wheels, cruise control, plenty of cubbies, power side mirrors, and cruise control. The Lariat starts at $25,490 and sweetens the deal with LED signature lighting, a 6.5-inch productivity screen, push-button start, intelligent access, dual-zone electronic automatic climate control, ambient lighting, an acoustic windshield, and a power sliding rear window.

And finally, we also need to mention the $1,495 First Edition Package exclusive to the Lariat. This option adds 17- or 18-inch wheels with a unique design and A/T or A/S tires, a black-painted roof, black mirror caps, a soft-folding tonneau cover, as well as package-specific hood and side graphics. Loaded up to the brim with goodies, this variant can go as high as $40k.

The 2022 Ford Maverick is the compact pickup buyers have been clamoring for since the last-generation Ford Ranger was killed off a decade ago. While it is fundamentally different in basically every way, Ford is hoping the Maverick will recapture some of those lost shoppers while drawing in new ones who are attracted to its frugal hybrid powertrain, refined unibody road manners and bargain-level entry price – just $21,490 ($19,995 + $1,495 for destination).








What is it?

Maverick will be a true compact pickup in the vein of the old Ranger – the one Ford discontinued in 2011 – but with an entirely different underlying platform. The Maverick is based on a unibody, front-wheel drive chassis. It’s about almost a foot shorter than a Crew Cab Ranger and nearly three feet (32 inches) shorter than a Super Crew, short-box F-150. Pricing matches up, with the top-trim Lariat starting just under $25,000 before destination — a couple grand cheaper than the Ranger.

The entry-level XL comes standard as a front-wheel drive hybrid with 191 total horsepower. From there, you can upgrade to a 250 hp turbocharged gasoline engine with 277 pound-feet of torque and available all-wheel drive. Ford expects the hybrid model to be rated at 40 mpg city, 33 mpg highway and 37 mpg combined. Yes, those figures are for the base model. Front-wheel-drive models are paired to a semi-independent twist-beam rear suspension, while the AWD turbo gets a fully independent rear setup. The keen-eyed reader will observer that we seem to be skipping at least one critical configuration there; we’ll come back to that.

What can it do?

The Maverick’s towing and payload specs slot in neatly beneath the Ranger’s, too. Base towing is 2,000 pounds, with up to 4,000 available on the gas-engine model with a supplemental towing package. Maximum payload for both models is 1,500 pounds – not too shabby. Absent here are any of Ford's advanced new bed features, such as the Pro Power Onboard or tailgate work surface options offered on the F-150. The Maverick does have pre-wired 12-volt pickups behind grommets in the bed for those who want to add powered aftermarket accessories, and there's an optional 400-watt 110V hookup available in the bed for those who need to power basic tools or tailgating accessories.

The 4.5-foot bed is wide enough to fit a 4x8 sheet of plywood above the wheel wells, and has formed-in supports to accommodate just that. The tailgate can be dropped completely or locked at 45°, at which angle its height aligns with the aforementioned supports to keep your 4x8s flat. In this position, the tailgate can support up to 400 pounds. With the tailgate flat, the load floor of the bed extends to 6’.

Inside, the Maverick is a blend of Escape and Bronco Sport styling cues, with a few unique touches to set it apart. Materials are on the hard-wearing and plasticky side, but the design is interesting and attractive. The standard infotainment system is an 8-inch widescreen unit which is retained in upper trim levels, albeit with more capability (navigation, advanced Sync features) backing it up. The interior is replete with storage bins and cubbies, and there's even a large under-seat storage bin beneath the second row with an easy-to-clean finish for items that are too precious for the bed, but too dirty for the floor.

Wait a minute, where’s the AWD hybrid?

A-ha, the elephant in the room. Ford will not offer the Maverick hybrid with all-wheel drive at launch. If that seems like a huge miss to you, you’re not alone, but if there’s anything we’ve learned from pickup builders as a whole, it’s that they listen to their customers. If you want that configuration, say so. Use the comments here, in fact. Trust us. Ford is reading.

The reality is that Ford can do a lot more than what we see here thanks to the platform underpinning the Maverick. It’s the same global compact architecture found in the Escape, Bronco Sport, Kuga and Focus (RIP), and anything bolted to one of those could feasibly make its way into Ford’s new pickup, from the Bronco Sport’s available twin-clutch rear differential to the Escape’s available plug-in hybrid powertrain, it’s all on the table.

But what about right now?

But even as it sits, the Maverick’s list of superlatives is impressive. It will be the cheapest vehicle in Ford’s lineup and the cheapest hybrid in the market, period. It should go without saying that it will also be the cheapest pickup money can buy – at sticker, anyway – which should help Ford attract not just truck buyers, but those who want something inexpensive from a domestic dealership. In that sense, the Maverick not only replaces the old compact Ranger, but the Focus and Fiesta too, and Ford hopes it will recapture some of those buyers who may have followed the company's compact four-doors out the door.

Ford is betting big on going small. Maverick is cheap and a hybrid; that’s noteworthy on spec, but there’s more to it than that. Hybrids have established themselves as frugal vehicles to own, but they’re often more expensive to buy up front, at least compared to their equivalents. Maverick, being in a class of one, has no such contemporaries. The Maverick isn’t alone in this, necessarily, but it’s the sole example with a starting price under $19,995 (before destination) and certainly the only one with a pickup bed.

Hyundai's baby Santa Cruz utility is built on a platform with an existing hybrid too, but its higher price point and CUV appeal may leave some utilitarian buyers wanting, and no electrified variant has thus far been revealed. For now, Ford's baby pickup will anchor the economy end of the pickup market unopposed.

The 2022 Ford Maverick compact pickup is here, and it’s a seriously intriguing piece of kit. One question we had (and we’re sure many of you do too) is how its size compares to the other Ford pickup options.

Ford had only the F Series and its wide array of configurations a few years ago. Then the Ranger came along. Now, the Maverick joins the pair among Ford’s rapidly expanding pickup options. That means there are three sizes of trucks for three different use cases. The powertrains and unibody construction obviously differentiate the Maverick from the others, but it’s tough to judge scale by simply looking at artsy press photos of a pickup.

To solve this, Ford mocked up a handy graphic that shows exactly how much smaller the Maverick is compared to its other pickups. You can scrutinize that at the top of this post. Compared to its closest neighbor, the Ranger, it’s 11.1 inches shorter. That’s nearly a foot, subtracted from both the front and rear. The most affected area is the Maverick’s bed. It’s a 4.5-foot bed, whereas the Ranger in SuperCrew format has a five-foot bed (61 inches to be exact). We’re using the Supercrew for comparison, since it lines up closest with the Maverick’s exclusive full-four-door setup. If you do go for the Ranger Supercab, you’ll be working with a larger six-foot bed.



You’ll notice a slight difference in rear legroom between the Maverick and Ranger, but the Maverick wins this comparison. Where the Ranger maxes out at 34.5 inches, the Maverick offers a 36.9-inch maximum (or 35.9 inches with the Hybrid). That gives you an idea of where the priorities are for these pickups — the Ranger is for work and play, whereas the Maverick is more of a family vehicle with a bed or crossover alternative. The height difference is minimal, but the Ranger is taller by 2.4 inches. Once again, though, the Maverick has more space inside the cabin, beating the Ranger for second-row headroom by 1.3 inches. The Maverick’s slightly reduced width should help make it a little easier to park and maneuver than a Ranger, too. It’s 2.3 inches skinnier (if you include the mirrors), making it easier to live with everyday.

The difference between the Maverick and an F-150 is where things begin to spread out. Your typical F-150 Supercrew with a 5.5-foot bed comes in at 231.7 inches, making it 32 inches longer than a Maverick. That means that if your garage is just a couple feet too short to hold an F-150, the Maverick will very likely fit. The F-150’s extra length pays dividends in interior space. Rear legroom is a massive 43.6 inches, which is 6.7 inches more than the Maverick at its best (non-Hybrid). The F-150 is still the go-to if you want a mountain of space and super airy interior, but the Maverick looks like it’ll be more than enough for kids or smaller adults to be comfy. Plus, you won’t be suspiciously eyeing those maximum height signs when entering tight parking garages. The Maverick’s tighter turning radius will help you once you’re in the garage, too.


It’s hardly worth the comparison, but Ford included an F-250 Super Duty configured as a Crew Cab with a short box for additional perspective. The Maverick is 20% smaller and nearly a foot shorter in height. That says more about how gargantuan the biggest pickups are today than how small the Maverick is, but it’s still a helpful comparator to understand how big the Maverick is.

You’ll be able to see this little pickup in person on dealer lots in the fall and do your own comparing and contrasting to see if it’s the right size to fit into your life.

With Ford’s F-150 and Chevrolet’s Silverado sitting atop the sales charts for decades, it’s clear U.S. customers still love their pickup trucks. In fact, according to Ford, passenger-car market share has dropped 56 percent since 2009 while trucks and SUV market share has increased 73 percent (no wonder Ford stopped building sedans for the U.S. market three years ago). So why not come up with as many pickup truck variants as possible? Indeed, after a week or so of teasers Ford released its latest pickup, the Maverick.

Ford calls the 2022 model year Maverick the truck for people who didn’t know they needed a truck. The Maverick is a compact pickup, measuring 199.7 inches long and 68.7 inches high. It slots into the Ford truck lineup below the Ranger, which is 11.1 inches longer. The five-passenger, four-door Maverick shares a platform with the Bronco Sport, and there will be a hybrid version from the start. In fact, the hybrid is standard—an industry first, Ford says. The curious thing is you will not be able to get the hybrid system with all-wheel drive.

Why not? Because, Ford told us, it wanted the truck to start at less than $20,000. That makes the Maverick the least-expensive hybrid you can get regardless of body style.

“The Maverick product proposition is like nothing else out there,” said Ford truck marketing manager Todd Eckert. “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. We believe it will be compelling to a lot of people who never before considered a truck.”

Ford’s hybrid powertrain supervisor Manny Barberena said the 2.5-liter Atkinson-based hybrid powertrain for the first time uses an electric motor designed, developed, and built in house. The hybrid system produces 191 hp and 155 lb-ft. It uses a CVT, has regenerative braking, and has a 40 mpg EPA estimated rating in the city. The front-drive hybrid can tow 2000 pounds, Barberena said. Though all-wheel drive is not available on the hybrid, the company said if demand is there, nothing on the truck prevents Ford from adding such a combo to the lineup.

Barberena said a 2.0-liter, 250 hp (277 lb-ft) EcoBoost four is optional, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The EcoBoost is available with front- or all-wheel drive, and it can tow 4000 pounds. Max payload is 1500 pounds. The drivetrain/platform has five modes: normal, tow, slippery, eco, and sport.
Abdul Hajiabdi, eDrive system and applications supervisor said this is not the last time Ford will use electric motors designed and built in house. “This motor is paving the way for all applicable platforms going forward,” he said.

One of the Maverick’s features is the Flexbed, measuring 4.5-feet long and a bit more than 4 feet wide. Jay Kistler, Maverick’s vehicle engineering specialist, said Flexbed is easy to accessorize, making it perfect for the DIYer. “We started out making a Maverick bed out of posterboard,” Kistler said, “and through a series of workshops with our engineers and prospective customers we worked with that prototype, positioning things where they’d want them, until we had a comprehensive design direction.”

Kistler said the benefits are organization and storage solutions, the many accessories that Ford designed the bed to accommodate, and enabling DIY. There are 10 available tie downs and 8-inch by 8-inch cubby holes on both sides of the bed for storage (the rear seat lifts as well and has storage underneath). An extruded aluminum rail with adjustable cleats is optional, as is a 110-volt outlet and bed lighting. Ford said it will be posting online DIY instructions down the road.
Ford said customers can create “segmented storage, elevated floors, bike and kayak racks, and more by sliding 2x4s or 2x6s into slots stamped into the side of the bed.”

Additionally, the bed’s tailgate can open flat or be adjusted to an intermediate position. “That gives you bed-extender flexibility,” Kistler said, “without having to buy a bed extender.”
Ford said the interior offers options for both “built-in and brought-in technology.

“Its standard 8-inch center touch screen features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility so customers can have the experience they’re used to with their phones,” the automaker said. “Maverick has standard FordPass Connect with embedded modem and WiFi for up to 10 devices, while standard FordPass makes it easy to find the truck, check fuel level, lock and unlock the doors, and start or turn off the vehicle—all from your phone.”

Ford also calls the interior “simple, but not basic.”

What’s that mean?

“We want this to have a straightforward, durable, honest, well-built feel,” said Barb Whalen, who led the team in choosing materials and colors. “The interior was designed with function, purpose, and ease of cleaning in mind to help make our customers’ lives better. We’re using unique textures and materials like reground carbon fiber for strength and visual interest. The dash panel has a stonelike finish, like a super-durable synthetic countertop. We strategically placed pops of color for functionality—creating an energetic space you want to be in.”



FORD Maverick marketing manager Trevor Scott assured us that Maverick is built Ford tough, as the saying goes.

“Maverick was put through 19 million miles of testing in both real world and simulated testing.” Scott said.

He said engineers took it off road, bashed it through snow and sand, ran it through the salt water bath…you get the idea.

Jim Baumbick, Ford’s global product planning VP, said the development team started with a three word mantra: “How might we.”
He said that rather than run around all over the Ford campus to get people engaged in the program, everyone involved was brought into a single space. “It knocked almost two years off the product development cycle,” he said, “allowing us to bring a product to market faster than we ever had. We’re actively trying to replicate this environment in all of our future product programs.”

Ford is offering a First Edition package for the first model year only. It is built off the Lariat trim level and the company said it includes unique hood and door graphics, a high-gloss black roof, soft tonneau cover, body-color door handles, high-gloss black skull caps, and gloss black-painted and machined 18-inch wheels for the hybrid or 17-inch aluminum wheels for the gas model. It comes in Carbonized Gray, Area 51, and Rapid Red, unique to First Edition.

Ford's $21,490 2022 Maverick is a good deal for a small pickup truck, even if it's light on equipment as a base model. An estimated 37 mpg combined doesn't hurt either, but as it turns out, there's a catch if you're looking for a cheap Maverick with the standard hybrid drivetrain; Ford isn't making an effort to have them on dealer lots.

As reported on the Maverick Truck Club forums, the Blue Oval is not only making the production of the more expensive 2.0-liter Mavericks a priority, the Dearborn automaker will also—for the time being—only send hybrid-powered models to dealerships if a customer orders them. That means if you want a cheapo 191-horsepower Maverick, well, you're gonna have to ask for it.

Ford was quick to tout the Maverick's low $19,995 (before destination) base price when it was revealed, but the lowest-cost version of the vehicle doesn't come without strings attached. A $1,495 destination charge is mandatory as part of the final pricing—Chevy charges just $1,195 destination for its larger Colorado—and whether anybody besides a fleet operator would actually want a base Maverick is another question. Cruise control isn't even an option.

The model Ford is expecting most people to actually buy—this new information reinforces this—is the more expensive 2.0-liter version. The 250-hp Maverick starts at $22,575 for the FWD model and $24,795 if the customer wants AWD. That's before the addition of any options besides the new drivetrain, to be clear. Production of this model is reportedly going to take up 65 percent of production capacity during the months of August, September, and October. That leaves just 35 percent for the hybrid.

Hybrid production is expected to ramp up to 40 percent of capacity through 2021, but the fact these vehicles are effectively order-only for the time being is somewhat telling. Ford is only really stocking more expensive Mavericks on lots; that's where the money is going to be made.

So sure, a $20,000 base price makes for a good headline, but you likely won't be seeing a number within $2,000 of that at dealerships. More likely than not, you'll be paying $25,000-$30,000 for the truck you really want. Not necessarily a bad thing, especially in the face of ever-growing truck prices, but certainly something to account for.

Updated at 2:41 p.m. ET on 08/2/2021:Following the publication of this article, a Ford spokesperson responded to our request for comment: "The demand for the standard hybrid powertrain is very strong. As we ramp up production, we are doing everything we can to make sure we allocate vehicles to customers who placed retail orders but plan to have stock inventory to view at local Ford dealerships, as well."