Times are certainly tough for automakers. It's not that people don't want to buy new vehicles, just the opposite in fact. Supply problems relating to the global microchip shortage and the enduring COVID-19 pandemic are hitting every manufacturer. The latest victim appears to be the Ford Maverick, or rather, the least expensive version anyway.

A report from the forums at Maverick Truck Club surfaced on September 7, claiming that Maverick hybrid orders will not be selected for scheduling until further notice. The source is a scheduling bulletin sent by Ford to dealers. In this instance, selected for scheduling means taking vehicle orders placed either by dealers or customers, and scheduling them for production. Previously, a delay was listed for dealer stock orders but this one appears to cover all Maverick orders. And listing it as until further notice is a bit ominous but not unheard of in the automotive realm. It could be just a few days. Or it could be, well, longer.

We contacted Ford for some clarification on this situation, asking several questions including specific reasons for hybrid orders not being scheduled. We also asked if this refers to customer orders or dealer stock orders, and if EcoBoost orders are affected in any way. A Ford representative gave us the following statement:

The nature of the parts availability with the Maverick hybrid wasn't addressed by Ford, nor was a potential timeframe offered for when hybrid orders might be scheduled for production. Some forum members at Maverick Truck Club with hybrid orders already in the system state their production dates still show as active, with some scheduled for production the first week of October.

It seems that Ford is at least able to produce what's already scheduled, as there's been no word of outright cancelations just yet. With the scheduling halted only on hybrid models, one must assume the delays are due to the hybrid powertrain.

Ford was very keen to tout the Maverick's starting price (before destination charges) of under $20,000 in hybrid trim at its debut, not to mention the compact truck's 40-mpg city mileage rating. With that truck apparently unavailable for at least a little while, we suspect things could get messy with Maverick buyers wanting to cash in on the low-cost hybrid while more expensive EcoBoost models roll out of the factory.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — We’ve been looking forward to driving the 2022 Ford Maverick for a long time now. Back when the compact pickup truck was first revealed, we at Autoblog stated how we each thought we’d configure ours, were we to buy one. I thought I’d pick a base hybrid, and add the Ford Co-Pilot360 driver assistance package (and a console safe). This was before I’d had the chance to even see the truck in person, let alone drive it. Still, my preferred configuration came out to a mercifully low $22,895. Now that I did finally get to see the Maverick in person and spend a good number of miles on- and off-road in multiple versions, I was eager to find out if my initial thoughts would hold true.

We’ve seen plenty of photos of the Maverick, and have even spotted prototypes testing around the Metro Detroit area, but it wasn’t until we stood next to one that we really realized how diminutive this truck is. At a height of just 68.7 inches — 4.6 inches lower than the Ranger, and 6.9 inches shy of the F-150, we could see right over the roof. It is, after all, built on Ford’s C2 modular platform shared with the Escape and Bronco Sport. But for such a little pickup, it’s got a big personality.

The Maverick’s standard powertrain is a hybrid system, with a 2.5-liter engine and electric motor making a total of 191 horsepower 155 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid is only available with front-wheel drive, but it’s the efficiency darling with a targeted fuel economy rating of 40 miles per gallon city and 33 mpg highway. The hybrid is rated for a 1,500-pound payload and 2,000 pounds of towing.



Stepping up into the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine earns you a total of 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. It shares the hybrid’s 1,500-pound payload, but can tow up to 4,000 pounds with the available tow package ($745). It does away with a continuously variable transmission in favor of an eight-speed automatic. Choosing the EcoBoost also means you can opt for all-wheel drive, which also swaps the independent torsion beam rear suspension for a multi-link setup.

Regardless of the powertrain, the Maverick can be had in one of three trim levels: XL, XLT and Lariat. The base XL trim starts at $21,490 (including $1,495 in destination fees) for the hybrid. The EcoBoost adds $1,085 across trim levels, while all-wheel drive adds an additional $3,305. Finally, for those who want to venture further off the beaten path, the all-wheel-drive Maverick XLT and Lariat trims offer the FX4 package ($800) with all-terrain tires, a specially tuned suspension, extra underbody protection, Mud/Rut and Sand drive modes, as well as hill descent control. A fully loaded Lariat with EcoBoost, all-wheel drive, FX4 package, 4K tow package, Ford Co-Pilot360 and the Lariat Luxury package rings in at $35,715.



The interior of the Maverick is an interesting place. Cost-saving measures dictate the inclusion of a lot of hard plastics, but we see and feel interesting shapes and textures. The plastic across the top of the dash has a grain reminiscent of canvas. We see interesting colors from the inclusion of ground carbon fiber byproduct in other hard plastics. The door panels are molded to provide storage for a multitude of water bottles of various shapes and sizes (and I’m thrilled to report that a 32-ounce Nalgene fits snugly in the rear door). The door armrest is cut out, leaving a cantilevered grab point complete with exposed fasteners for a rugged, utilitarian look. There are storage cubbies below the center stack, next to the standard 8-inch touchscreen and on top of the dash behind the screen. The rear is home to more hidden storage in the cavernous bins beneath the second-row bench.

The Maverick’s humble bed is a mere 4.5 feet, but it’s clever as hell and packed full of utility. It’s still big enough to fit a pallet of mulch, with a standard 1,500-pound payload. There are slots where one can fit pieces of lumber to use as dividers. The multi-position tailgate can tether to separate pins to hold it in a middle position, leaving the top of the tailgate level with the wheel arches and allowing it to carry 4x8 sheets of plywood in a flat, level position. Up to 10 bed tie-downs and a cargo management system allow you to secure your load. A pair of tailgate tie-downs double as bottle openers. There are two pre-wired 12-volt outlets for wiring in your own accessories, and an available 120-volt outlet allows you to plug in tools or appliances. Cubbies in the side of the bed allow for further storage, and a false floor in those cubbies can be removed to accommodate something like a two-liter bottle. So, yeah, it’s not the biggest bed around, but it’s one of the smartest.



Ford has left a lot of leeway for owners to come up with their own do-it-yourself solutions, whether that’s building a false floor or bike rack in the bed, wiring in lights or other electronics, or even 3D printing holders or dividers to fit in the Ford Integrated Tether System (FITS) dovetail slots behind the center console or in the under-seat storage area. You’ll notice QR codes printed on certain cubbies in the car and the bed. Scanning those will take you to ideas, parts lists and instructions for some of these DIY projects. Of course, Ford is happy to sell you a bike rack or $50 worth of accessories for those FITS slots, but acknowledges that its truck customers historically take these sort of projects into their own hands. Forum dwellers, you know what to do.

As the Maverick’s size would suggest, it’s an easy vehicle to drive, whether navigating the traffic and parking lots of downtown, cruising scenic highways or rural gravel roads. I drove the hybrid first and headed out of town and up the Natchez Trace Parkway. The hybrid’s instantaneous torque make it eager to get underway, and its 191 horsepower is ample to help it carry speed uphill. After about an hour of driving, from the city to the hills outside Nashville, it effortlessly returned about 39 miles per gallon, mostly in the truck’s Normal driving mode. Later, with a half-ton of mulch in the bed and using the Tow/Haul mode, the hybrid-powered Maverick still drove just as easily, though not as efficiently. The one quibble to find with the hybrid was the brake feel — slightly touchy at first, but a little gummy as you dig deeper into the pedal. It was easy to get used to and forget about, though.

Driving the EcoBoost with all-wheel drive provided what most drivers will find to be a more familiar, if slightly noisier, drive experience. It’s definitely quicker to make passing maneuvers and a bit more surefooted in corners and on loose surfaces. Plus, it can be equipped to tow that maximum 4,000 pounds if need be. Its eight-speed automatic transmission will be more palatable to certain buyers, though the hybrid’s CVT behaved admirably. Either way, there’s no option to shift on your own.



We got to spend a little time in the FX4 package on some muddy, rocky farm trails. The FX4’s monotube suspension, we’re told, better dissipates the heat for a more consistent viscosity and a ride that holds up under more activity. The underbody protection did its job, deflecting some of those bigger rocks from the mechanicals underneath the vehicle. The FX4’s Mud/Rut and Sand modes help provide confidence, while hill descent control makes descending those steep grades a lot less fraught. It seemed fine for most of the types of driving one might need to get to a campsite, across a farm or to a hunting blind. We suspect even the base, front-wheel-drive Maverick could do a lot if equipped with the right tires. And at that price, it could possibly make a decent alternative to a side-by-side for those sorts of work duties.

So, after experiencing the Maverick first-hand, it holds up to and even exceeds my expectations. Would I still pick a relatively stripped down hybrid? Probably. But when a fully loaded Mav still rings in well below $40,000, it’s hard to think that any configuration wouldn’t be a sweet buy. I’m willing to wager the car-buying public will agree. The big question now is, can Ford build these things fast enough?

When we were conducting our first drive of the 2022 Ford Maverick compact pickup, Ford told us it was targeting a city fuel economy rating of 40 miles per gallon for the standard Hybrid version. Now, the EPA has provided its rating, and Ford — as well as potential customers — should be pleased. The official fuel economy numbers for the Maverick Hybrid are 42 mpg city, 33 mpg highway and 37 mpg combined. That also means that it can drive an EPA-estimated range of over 500 miles on a single 13.8-gallon tank of gasoline (510 miles in fact, at the combined rating of 37 mpg).

The Maverick Hybrid employs a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine and an electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT) with an integrated traction motor and smaller motor/generator. Regenerative braking helps to charge its lithium-ion battery, which is located beneath the rear passenger seat. That energy can then be used to supplement the power coming from the gas engine.

Indeed, when we drove the Maverick prior to its EPA evaluation, it returned about 39 miles per gallon in a highway-heavy mix of driving. Despite its efficiency, the Maverick Hybrid feels amply powered. Its system output of 191 horsepower 155 pound-feet of torque is enough to make this 3,674-pound truck get up and go, even when we drove it with a half-ton of mulch in its 4.5-foot bed.

In addition to the Hybrid, Ford also offers a more powerful, non-hybrid powertrain. The Maverick EcoBoost features a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four producing 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. Instead of an eCVT, it uses a traditional eight-speed automatic transmission. While the Hybrid is only available with front-wheel drive, the EcoBoost variant can be had with optional all-wheel drive. Of course, it doesn’t return the impressive gas mileage of the Hybrid. The front-drive EcoBoost is rated at 23 mpg city, 30 mpg highway and 26 combined. All-wheel drive only hampers that slightly, with an EPA rating of 22/25/29 mpg. The EcoBoost can also tow up to 4,000 pounds, while the Hybrid maxes out at 2,000 pounds.

We’re still of the opinion that the Hybrid is the Maverick to buy. Actually buying one might be tricky, though. We expected this little truck would be in high demand, and according to Ford, that’s exactly the case. Ford says 2022 Maverick Hybrid reservations will be full by early November, and at that point, orders will closed until next summer. Deliveries are slated to begin in January 2022. Meanwhile, customers will still be able to get their hands on the Maverick EcoBoost, with deliveries already underway.

Pricing for the Maverick Hybrid starts at $21,490 (including a $1,495 destination charge) for the base XL trim. The Maverick EcoBoost begins at $22,575 with front-wheel drive, while all-wheel drive is a $3,305 option.

I don’t think I’ve ever been approached more enthusiastically at a gas pump. No less than three passersby wandered up while I was manning the nozzle stuck into the side of this 2022 Ford Maverick, their wide-eyed questions including, “Is that the new hybrid?” “What kind of mileage do you get?” “Is it all-wheel drive?”

“It is the new hybrid,” I said, but sheepishly had to admit I didn’t yet know the MPG because I was giving the tank a quick top-up so I could reset the trip odometer and record how it’d do over the coming week. I’d have said, “Impressive as hell,” if they had wandered up after I’d completed 311.1 miles of driving. The 7.91 gallons I added at the finish worked out to 39.3 mpg, a figure that destroys the truck’s EPA combined rating of 37 mpg.

It gets better. City driving is where hybrids really shine, and indeed the Maverick’s rating breaks down to 42 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. Any EPA combined rating is a weighted average that assumes 55% of the mileage will be city driving and 45% will be highway, so it’s doubly amazing that I recorded a 39.3 mpg average with a driving mix that included fully 80% highway driving at 70 mph.

What does this have to do with a suspension deep dive? More than you might think. To answer that passerby's all-wheel-drive question, no this Maverick hybrid doesn't have it. In fact, every hybrid is front-wheel drive and that's not all. Ford didn't merely omit the rear drive axles and a differential for the hybrid, it has a completely different rear suspension layout than the all-wheel drive models that come exclusively with the 2.0-liter turbo-four (and vice versa).





My Cyber Orange machine was loaded for perhaps four or five of those miles. I helped a friend tear down a trade show booth and haul about 400 to 450 pounds of stuff back to his shop, where he let me shoot these photos. The truck shouldered this load admirably, with nary a hint of sag. I was impressed with the smooth and quiet way it sucked up Michigan-level frost heaves when it was empty, too. Considering the price point and fuel efficiency of this machine, they’ve tuned this suspension quite well.





There’s nothing groundbreaking going on up front. It’s a common strut setup that looks very similar to what underpins the Ford Bronco Sport we looked at a few months ago. As with the Bronco Sport, the bulk of the transverse-mounted hybrid powertrain (green arrow) is positioned slightly ahead of the front axle.





This joint (green) is one of several places where the suspension subframe bolts to the unibody. The aluminum lower wishbone needs no arrow because it stands out against the background, but the compact nature of the steel steering knuckle (red) is easy to miss because it blends into the background.





The lower control arm employs a reverse L-shape design, so named because while lateral cornering loads (green) feed in directly to the chassis through its stiff forward bushing, the longitudinal component of harsh ride inputs get turned through 90 degrees and push in at the more voluminous rear (red) bushing. You might hear engineers refer to the “ride bushing” in a given suspension, and in a reverse L-arm strut layout like this, it’s the one in the back.





Nearly every transverse front drive setup I know of places the bulk of the engine and transmission assembly ahead of the front axle, and that means the steering rack (green) can only fit behind it and operate behind the steering axis in what is called a “rear steer” orientation.





The stabilizer bar (green) spans the Maverick behind the engine, as well, which is why we see its connecting link bolted to a tab welding on the rear of the strut housing. This kind of strut mounting is called a direct mount, in that the stabilizer bar link moves up and down in lock-step with the wheel amounting to a 1-to-1 motion ratio.





The main driver of hybrid fuel efficiency, especially in the city, comes down to magnetic “regenerative braking” via the electric motor/generator that’s buried in the hybrid transmission housing. The ability to recover braking energy in this way and transform it into electricity for the battery is essentially what makes a hybrid work. This action is still triggered by the brake pedal, but a computer decides whether magnetic regenerative braking or traditional friction braking will be sufficient for your brake input, then acts accordingly.

As such, this single-piston caliper and ventilated rotor are sized as if they’re the sole braking system, but they won’t see regular use unless you’re in the habit of stopping short and hammering the brakes. The best way to up your MPG in a hybrid is to look ahead, anticipate slowdowns and brake gradually so you recover as much of the braking energy as possible. In fact, the Maverick hybrid’s dash has a meter that pops up to give you instant feedback to help you learn where that threshold lies. Pay close attention and you won’t just up your MPG, you might just get 100,000 miles out of these brake pads, too.





This overall view doesn’t reveal much about the Maverick hybrid’s rear suspension beyond the point that it's quite simple.





Now we can identify this as a twist-beam rear suspension, a simple and inexpensive semi-independent suspension type built around a vehicle-spanning beam (red) that stretches under the vehicle to the other side. Why semi-independent? The left and right wheels are both firmly attached to the ends of the same large u-shaped steel structure, but that structure is wide enough that it twists in the middle and allows some independent movement.

The twist-beam structure bolts to the chassis and pivots around a single point (green) on each side, and the only thing keeping the spring from falling out at full droop is the internal end-stop built into the rear shock absorber (white.)

Here’s a better look at the scale of the beam (green) that spans across the truck. Imagine a motorcycle swingarm that’s over 4 feet wide with wheels on the outside of each leg instead of one captured in the middle. Or think of it as a giant stabilizer bar with wheels on the ends – which is basically how it functions.





The twisting stiffness of the twist beam itself is tuned and optimized during development by the fitment of a supplemental stabilizer bar (green) that’s tucked within the beam’s open cross-section.





That supplemental stabilizer bar (green) is welded in place, and since the wheels are bolted to flanges welded to the beam ends, the roll-stiffness motion ratio can only be 1-to-1. The twist beam is, after all, one big piece.

As for the spring’s motion ratio, the spring pocket looks to be slightly ahead of the axis of the wheel itself, so we’ll call it 0.9-to-1. Meanwhile, the shock is bolted behind the wheel bearing and hub, so it will actually move more than the wheel over a given bump in what looks to be a 1.2-to-1 motion ratio.





The problem with twist beam suspensions is they can produce rear toe-out as the outside rear suspension compresses and gets exposed to lateral loads – a bad thing for the outside rear tire to do in a sweeping bend. The situation is complex because you’d want a stiff bushing to minimize toe changes in such conditions but a soft one to soak up ride harshness. One of the ways to combat this is to skew the pivot bushing pocket (green) outwards toward the front.





Here the inner face of the bushing (green) rests against the outwardly canted bushing pocket, which creates a ramp that gives the mounting point lateral and forward support when subjected to cornering forces. But the opposite side (red) is more open, so that the bushing can pulse back and absorb the harsh rearward component of road impacts. It’s not perfect, but it helps.

Still, this one conflicting trait defines the limitations of twist beam suspensions, which is why you won’t see it on anything much larger and heavier than a Maverick. But they are light, inexpensive, space-efficient and easy to install on the assembly line, which is why it’s been employed here on the low-cost, front-wheel-drive Maverick hybrid.





This view gives you an inside look at all of the various brackets that are welded to the twist beam, and we can see the flange (green) to which the caliper and wheel bearing are bolted.





The upper end of the shock absorber is bolted to the unibody bed structure from within the wheel well, which is why the inner surface of the bed needs no access panels. The rear suspension bump stop resides within the black plastic boot we see here.





The Maverick hybrid is light enough that a solid brake rotor does the job, and its single-piston sliding caliper has an electric parking brake actuator (green) hanging off the back. Meanwhile, that big hunk of metal (red) has no suspension function whatsoever. It’s a towing tie-down point.

The Ford Maverick Hybrid XLT rolls on 225/65R17 Continental ProContact TX tires mounted to 17-by-7 inch aluminum alloy wheels, and the combination weighs in at a tidy 49 pounds.

As for the all-wheel-drive Maverick, which isn’t a hybrid, its rear suspension should be very similar to the multilink we saw underneath the Bronco Sport, at least in concept. As for the Maverick hybrid suspension we just saw, its simplicity is no surprise at all considering its ultra-low base price. What you can’t see here, though, is how nicely tuned it all is. It may indeed be simple, but it just works.

In October, Ford said it expected its planned production run for the 2022 Maverick Hybrid pickup to be sold out in November. Well, what's a month between friends and eager truck buyers? A thread on the Maverick Chat forum said the little truck with the big fuel economy is off the menu to new customers for the next model year. Ford apparently sent a bulletin to dealers letting them know any new orders "will not be selected for scheduling," and changed the dealer ordering system to prevent dealers from making the attempt. A user in the same thread said Ford actually shut down ordering on November 11, but we're only now getting wind of it.

Ford's North American product comms head told CarBuzz, "Due to high demand, we are now fully reserved on Maverick Hybrid. Ordering will reopen next summer." That will be any consumer's next shot at the pickup, which will be a 2023-model-year offering.

We're not surprised this is how things are going. More than a decade ago, when Mahindra planned to bring a small non-street-legal pickup truck here, plenty of comments hinted at the demand for the kind of rugged, compact pickup that quit the market with the former Ford Ranger. Such demand never found an outlet until now. And when we drove the Maverick, the combination of buyer hunger, a quality small truck, and an unbeatable price led us to end our review with, "The big question is, can Ford build these things fast enough?"

For the Maverick Hybrid, "fast enough" isn't as fast as shoppers would like. First deliveries of the 2022 model could happen as soon as this month. Meanwhile, the non-Hybrid Maverick is still available to order. It doesn't get the same fuel economy, obviously, but it does pack more power, offers all-wheel drive, and has a higher tow rating.

The last two years saw Ford debut several new models that lay the groundwork for its future. The Bronco is back, with Ford going all-in on electric vehicles with the F-150 Lightning. Its electrification efforts also corralled the Mustang, expanding the iconic nameplate to include a four-door electric crossover. And it might not be the last Ford model to grow beyond its initial target segment as the Blue Oval hints at plans for the Maverick.

In an interview with Automotive News this week, Ford CEO Jim Farley said that he thinks the compact Maverick pickup “will be a new franchise.” He added that he believes other affordable vehicles could be offered as a “Maverick family.” This isn’t the first time Farley has hinted at expanding the Maverick brand, though he’s been consistently dodgy on specifics. He views this family as a “kind of brand extension.” That leaves a lot open to interpretation, and automakers aren’t fans of sharing their future product plans.

We don’t know if the Maverick will see the same radical transformation as the Mustang Mach-E, though almost anything is possible, right? There are spy shots of a higher-riding Maverick out for development, with a raised suspension and revised styling. There is also some indication that Ford is monitoring interest surrounding a possible ST performance variant. It would be one easy way to offer an affordable performance vehicle and expand the truck’s appeal to an even wider audience.

Ford has also hinted that an all-electric Maverick could be under consideration, too. This seems plausible at some point as Ford pushes more toward electrification, but we haven’t seen anything tangible yet. Expanding the Maverick brand could give Ford a lineup of affordable models as the bite-size pickup starts at $20,000. Farley said last year that he plans to add more affordable offerings to the company’s North American lineup, and we’re eager to see what’s coming next.

It's been a long time since Americans have been able to buy a new compact pickup truck, but as the 2022 Ford Maverick proves, it's not the size of your truck that matters, but rather how you use it.

At first glance, the Ford Maverick probably wouldn't have the makings of a Truck of the Year finalist. Instead of, ahem, "traditional" body-on-frame construction, a big V-8 engine, and four-wheel drive, the Maverick is a unibody crossover-based pickup. It's built on the platform Ford uses for the Escape and Bronco Sport, and it's powered by a standard 191-hp hybrid and e-CVT drivetrain that motivates the front wheels. An optional drivetrain upgrade exists: a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 making 250 hp, mated to an eight-speed auto, and available in both front- and all-wheel drive. Objectively speaking, all the above are specs we expect from a new Escape, not a pickup.

Yet the Maverick works so, so well.

"I love this truck," digital director Erik Johnson said. "Love. It. So many clever features and well-thought-out surprise elements." Fact is, despite its relatively modest underpinnings, the Maverick is shockingly capable. With a stubby little 4.5-foot bed, it can haul as much as 1,500 pounds, and it features integrated slots to allow owners to DIY their own bed dividers, bike racks, and other accessories. It's rated to tow 2,000 pounds in hybrid form and up to 4,000 pounds with the turbocharged engine. The Maverick Hybrid is a plucky little thing confidently dragging a 1,500-pound trailer up and down steep grades during our trailer test. The turbocharged Maverick equipped with the 4K Tow package had a more difficult time dealing with our 3,000-pound test trailer, getting shunted around a bit by the weight.

Unloaded or lightly loaded, both Mavericks are a treat to drive. Despite their crossover underpinnings, both feel suitably truckish, but they don't punish occupants with rough rides or vague steering. Surprisingly, the base Maverick Hybrid was our favorite of the two available powertrains. "I can't express how much I like this little truck," Mexico editor Miguel Cortina said. "The hybrid engine is torquey and does an excellent job of both recouping energy and delivering power. " Features editor Scott Evans added, "You don't expect a lot at a $20,000 price point ($24,945 as tested), and this truck massively overdelivers."

Although we generally liked the fully loaded $37,480 all-wheel-drive 2.0-liter Maverick Lariat, we don't think it's worth upgrading to unless you need all-wheel drive or the 4,000-pound tow rating. The hybrid feels nearly as quick, is more efficient and affordable, and is the all-around better drive.

No matter which powertrain you choose, the Maverick sports what might be the nicest "cheap" interior we've seen in years. The two trucks, especially the midlevel Maverick Hybrid XLT, punch far above their weight with an interesting mix of contemporary and high-quality colors and textures. More than just being well-styled, the Mavericks' cabins are functional, too. The roomy cockpit is spacious enough for adults, and equally important it features tons of storage. We love the deep bin under the rear bench, the modular FITS slots throughout (allowing you to 3-D print your own accessories), and the clever armrest cutouts that allow you to fit longer items like bicycles sideways. The Maverick isn't an ugly truck, but we wish the exterior were as interesting to look at as the interior.

Ultimately, the spunky little Ford Maverick just wants to convince you it really is a pickup truck. We're sold, but will it convince buyers?

Trademark and patent filings are not the crystal ball we would like. They could hint at future products, but automakers like to trademark and patent all they can, just in case. Rarely do these filings find their way into the real world, though it can happen, and we hope it does with FoMoCo’s latest. Ford has filed a trademark with the Chilean Instituto Nacional de Propiedad industrial for a Maverick Tremor.

It’s a straightforward filing without indicating what the trim could offer. However, the Tremor badge has found its way onto several Ford pickups, and it often includes a host of off-road-oriented upgrades. There’s little doubt a Maverick with the Tremor badge would receive similar upgrades, which have included an upgraded suspension, locking differentials, skid plates, chunkier tires, and more. Ford could decide to throw the whole parts catalog at the Maverick, too.

With the filing sitting in Chile, we’re doubtful a Maverick Tremor is coming to the US anytime soon. However, the consumers shouldn’t feel too left out. Ford did trademark the “Rattler” name earlier this year, and last month our spy photographers captured a camouflaged Maverick out testing that appeared to have a taller ride height and other tweaks. It sits about one inch higher than the Maverick FX4, which the new model is allegedly built on.

Trucks are big right now, and Ford’s bite-sized offering is proving popular. It has an affordable price and a hybrid powertrain that make it a compelling vehicle to many. It only makes sense that Ford offers it with a variety of trims and specs so people can choose the pickup they want and how to use it . A Maverick Tremor might not be as capable as the F-150 Tremor or F-250 Tremor, but the small truck continues to surprise everyone.

As of December 27, the compact Ford Maverick pick has a slightly weightier price to haul around. The Maverick Truck Club forum noticed a bulletin Ford sent to dealers laying out some small adjustments to MSRPs for all but the base trim, as well as increases for a couple of packages and a number of a la carte options. The entry level Maverick XL is unaffected, creeping just five dollars below the $20,000 mark before destination; after the $1,495 destination charge, it costs $21,490. Above that, every XLT trim costs $80 more, while every Lariat trim costs $370 more regardless of engine and drivetrain. The least expensive XLT packs the 2.5-liter with front-wheel-drive for $22,280, the least expensive Lariat with the same setup for $25,490. Not as cheap as before, but still a bargain.

The XLT Luxury Package with features like a power driver's seat, leather steering wheel, spray-in bedliner, and trailer hitch climbs $155 to $2,500. The Lariat Luxury Package with goodies like a larger infotainment screen, Bang & Olufsen audio, adaptive cruise control, and rear parking sensors asks an extra $410, now costing $3,750. On the individual options page, the power moonroof increases by $200 to $995, Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite of driver assistance tech features increases by $110 to $650, and the Roadside Assistance and First Aid Kits each cost $10 more, coming in at $70 and $50, respectively.

Ford has stopped accepting customer orders for the Maverick because demand for the compact pickup now exceeds Ford’s production capacity. The problem is people keep ordering the Ford Maverick, and the carmaker says it refuses to take on more orders than it can build, according to the Wall Street Journal.

To be clear, this is a good problem to have, unlike the problems Ford ran into with recent model debuts. Right now, Ford is struggling to catch up on Maverick orders dating back to the truck’s release, and the carmaker told dealers those orders get first dibs. Some inventory will trickle in to dealers to “replenish stocks,” but Maverick orders are closed until mid-2022, per the WSJ:
The WSJ mentions that nationwide chip-shortages have made it hard for carmakers to sustain their usual rate of production, but that’s not exactly why Ford is struggling to fill the overwhelming amount of Maverick orders

Rather, that has more to do with the Maverick’s price, which starts at about $20,000. Ford dealers claim the majority of Mavericks being sold are in the mid-to-high $20,000s. The Maverick’s price makes it an obviously welcome addition to Ford’s lineup. Especially as the car market keeps inching towards higher and higher average prices, as the WSJ reports

​​​​​​​The number of cars that currently come in at an average price of $20,000 or below is down to five models. A decade ago, there were 19 of these “entry-level” models, according to research cited by the WSJ.

Of course, carmakers abandoned these entry-level models — many of which were small sedans and hatchbacks — in favor of big trucks and SUVs with generous profit margins. Ford isn’t saying what the profit margins of the little Maverick are, but it’s likely that Ford is saving money on its production, which is done in Mexico and uses parts from existing models.

What do you know, carmakers? If you make a practical (ahem, smaller) and affordable truck, people will buy so many that you’ll have to call a time-out.

Here in the United States, bigger is often shorthand for better. We want more space, more cargo capacity, more towing and more ride height. In that spirit, many saw the new Ford Maverick as doomed from the start — its small, fuel-efficient, car-like design is everything Americans don’t like in a truck. After last month’s sales numbers, however, it seems the Maverick is an absolute hit.

Ford published its January 2022 sales numbers last week, which show the Maverick working its way up the sales totem pole. The little truck outsold the Mustang, EcoSport, Bronco Sport, Mustang Mach-E, Expedition, E-Series, Transit, Transit Connect, and even the Ranger. Only the Bronco, Escape, Edge, Explorer, and F-Series outpaced the Maverick’s sales — and some only by the skin of their teeth.

The Ranger isn’t the only “real truck” that the Maverick outsold, either. TFL Truck ran the numbers against Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai, and found the Maverick beat nearly everything else in sales. The Tacoma was the only competing truck to move more units than the little unibody Ford, while the Santa Cruz, which many see as the Maverick’s direct competitor, sold under half as well

Doing Truck Stuff is more popular than ever, but people seem to be realizing that enormous, gas-guzzling, visibility-impaired full-size trucks aren’t always a necessity. For many people, doing light off-roading or carrying hardware store hauls in the bed, the more compact Maverick can do the job just fine. And for the times you aren’t doing Truck Stuff, the fuel economy and compact size make it a much more tempting proposition than any hulking, lumbering half-ton. Think about it this way: Most people may not notice the benefits of a big truck on a fire road, but they’ll absolutely see the detriments in a parking garage

It's a widely known fact that the Ford Maverick is a huge success for the American automaker. First, the hybrid entry-level model sold out. A few short months later, Ford announced it will no longer accept orders for 2022 models; we expect this will start up again for the 2023 model year sometime in August. It's not outright impossible to get a '22 Maverick, but buyers will have to make do with what's already on dealership lots. Custom orders will have to wait. This scenario appears to be perfectly adequate for most.

As part of its February 2022 earnings report, Ford provided some interesting data regarding Maverick sales. For starters, a total of 10,550 units have been sold since the beginning of the year. Those that aren't pre-ordered are sitting on dealer lots for an average of just six days.

What's most interesting is the top competitive conquest make and model. The Honda Civic, again according to Ford, is losing more sales to the Maverick than anything else lately. Ford didn't provide specifics such as trade-in figures, but it's clear that Maverick's appeal is greater than we thought.

Previously, we were told a fairly significant number of crossover shoppers and owners had shifted to the compact Maverick, which shares the same unibody platform as the Escape and Bronco Sport. It speaks volumes that the Maverick's top conquest vehicle also happens to be one of America's best-sellers. While we don't expect the Civic to lose that status, it's still an interesting piece of data.

There's a pretty huge gulf between the fuel mileage of the 2022 Ford Maverick hybrid and that of the EcoBoost, especially the all-wheel-drive version. The EPA rates the former at 37 mpg combined, and the latter at 25, the tradeoff being increased traction, towing capacity, and performance. As it turns out, though, EcoBoost Maverick drivers don't need to sacrifice much mileage, either, as the owner of a tuned Maverick has reported achieving near-hybrid mileage, all with straight-line performance to challenge a 2022 Subaru WRX.

This accomplishment is claimed by Michael Kildoo, posting on Facebook as Clark Kents, who told a Maverick modification group that he achieved such with bolt-ons and a canned tune. Speaking to The Drive, he outlined said bolt-ons as consisting of a four-inch performance intake, a resonator delete, a dual exhaust, and a 91-octane tune from 5 Star Tuning. Since making these changes, he says his Maverick regularly gets 30 mpg without goosing it—that's 20 percent better than what the EPA estimates.

"All I do is never be in a hurry, even accelerations and stopping. Staying close to the posted speed limits," Kildoo told The Drive. "I usually average over 500 miles per tank unless I'm horsing around."

Like most combustion engines, though, the Maverick's gets its best mileage at highway speeds—think of those you'd sustain on a road trip. In such a scenario, Kildoo reported getting as good as 39 MPG, or two better than the EPA says the hybrid gets. Those kinds of returns sound even better considering what gas costs these days, but they're still not most people's main reasons for tuning cars. That'd be horsepower, and while 5 Star makes no specific power promises on the product pages for its Maverick tunes, the results speak for themselves.

In a video shared as part of Kildoo's original Facebook post, a GPS speedometer records his truck doing zero to 60 in 5.5 seconds, almost as quick as the new Subaru WRX. The same video shows it running 13.87 seconds in the quarter-mile, or a tenth quicker than the WRX as tested by Motortrend. Remember, this is in a pickup with a 1,500-pound payload capacity and 4,000-pound tow rating, neither of which the WRX can claim.

Odds are a 2.3 EcoBoost isn't the toughest retrofit, meaning it may not be long before we see Mavericks making serious power. In other words, Ford had better get a move on with a Maverick ST—or RS, but if I crossed my fingers any more tightly they'd break.

Following the success of the 2022 Maverick, Ford is expanding its compact truck lineup with the new 2023 Maverick Tremor™ Off-Road Package, one of Ford's hottest products becoming available as the company again begins taking new customer orders for its lineup of high-demand vehicles.

Built to tackle tough terrain

The new Ford Maverick Tremor is an entry-level option for buyers seeking greater off-road capability and bold styling in the same compact package that comfortably fits their daily life in the city while also supporting their outdoor passions.

"Ranger, F-150 and Super Duty customers have embraced the unique off-road capability, technology and appearance updates found across our Tremor family of trucks," said Todd Eckert, Ford truck product marketing and brand manager. "Maverick Tremor delivers on this same promise with new functions and features designed for off-roading - all while keeping the truck's signature size, affordability, and Built Ford Tough durability and capability."

Ford Maverick Tremor is available for XLT and Lariat series trucks. It is outfitted with functional and capable features while keeping in line with the signature eye-catching style of the Tremor family of Ford trucks.

Equipped with a 2.0-liter EcoBoost® engine, the compact pickup builds on the FX4 Off-Road Package with an all-wheel-drive system new to Maverick. This advanced system includes a twin-clutch rear-drive unit with a differential lock feature to allow greater off-road capability. It can divert virtually all rear axle torque to either wheel. Five selectable drive modes make it easy for customers to quickly tailor the on-road and off-road capability of Maverick Tremor to pavement, mud, sand or snow, as well as for towing conditions.

Ford Maverick Tremor also comes with exclusive Trail Control™, which operates like cruise control for off-road driving. Customers simply select a set speed, then the truck manages throttle and braking to allow them to focus on steering through challenging conditions like mud or dirt.

Unique front and rear springs and shocks aid in improved off-road capability. These new shocks, together with a 1-inch increase in ride height, also contribute to a more assertive stance for the new Maverick Tremor. Off-road capability is further bolstered by a heavy-duty transmission cooler and upgraded half-shafts.

Maverick Tremor does not sacrifice its Built Ford Tough credential for great capability. The compact truck offers a maximum tow rating of 2,000 pounds and payload rating of 1,200 pounds so customers can hook up a trailer of dirt bikes or load up the bed with camping gear and fishing rods.

Designed to stand out

The rugged Tremor theme can be found throughout. Ford Maverick Tremor comes with a unique grille finish, plus blacked-out Ford logos, headlamps and taillamps. The two front tow hooks get signature Tremor Orange accents. For an even bolder look, customers can select the available Tremor Appearance Package, which includes a Carbonized Gray-painted roof and mirror caps, as well as black side graphics on the hood and lower body.

Unique 17-inch aluminum wheels feature a new Tremor Orange and dark gray anodized finish, while standard all-terrain tires make for improved traction on loose surfaces like sand, gravel and dirt. A new lower front fascia with a more aggressive approach angle and steel skid plates results in improved capability.

The bold design carries into the cabin, with Black Onyx seats featuring stitched Tremor logos and signature Tremor Orange accents. The center console, register vents and door pulls are updated to include the new color scheme as well.

The 2023 Ford Maverick Tremor Off-Road Package costs $2,995 MSRP and Tremor Appearance Package costs $1,495. Both packages are available for ordering in September 2022.

The order bank for the 2023 Ford Maverick has just opened. As expected, orders that were not fulfilled for the 2022 model year will be carried over as long as your dealership completes the conversion process. Of course, the Dearborn-based automaker warns about supply chain constraints.
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According to the Ford Motor Company, constraints affect pickup trucks optioned with the Co-Pilot360 Package, XLT Luxury Package, Lariat Luxury Package, the all-new Tremor Off-Road Package, Tremor Off-Road Package Plus Appearance Package, as well as the Black Appearance Package. The list continues with the hard trifold tonneau cover, spray-in bedliner, cargo management system, as well as molded splash guards.

That said, feature offering updates include standard cruise control on the XL trim level and voice-activated touchscreen satellite navigation included with SYNC 3. The latter is bundled in the Lariat Luxury Package. The Tremor Off-Road Package is available on the XLT and Lariat. The Tremor Appearance Package can’t be had without the Tremor Off-Road Package.

Ford has made a few changes to the contents of the XLT Luxury Package. For 2023, the drop-in bedliner and bed tie-down rails are free-standing options. Remote start is a free-standing option as well. Lariat Luxury Package content updates mirror those of the XLT Luxury Package. As if that wasn’t greedy enough from FoMoCo, prepare for yet another hit below the belt. The Adaptive Cruise Control, Evasive Steer Assist, and rear parking sensors have been moved to the Co-Pilot360 Assist Package, because ka-ching!

Speaking of money, the XL FWD now carries a retail price of $22,195 excluding the $1,495 destination charge. By comparison, the 2022 Ford Maverick used to cost $19,995, then Ford hiked up the MSRP to $20,995.

The XLT is $24,455, those in the market for the Lariat have to shell out $27,955, and the long-awaited Tremor Off-Road Package retails at $2,995. Together with the Tremor Appearance Package, that would be $4,490. On that note, look forward to the build & price going live in early October.

In recent years, black appearance packages have gained favor among new vehicle shoppers, prompting The Blue Oval to offer them on a number of vehicles including the Ford Edge SE Black Appearance Package and the Ford F-150 Black Appearance Package on a number of trims. Now, the 2023 Ford Maverick is also gaining its own Black Appearance Package, which will be optional on both XLT and Lariat trims.

No further information is available on the 2023 Ford Maverick Black Appearance Package at this time, and the automaker hasn’t provided any photos of it, either. However, judging by the equipment included in similar packages on other Ford models, we can likely expect things like black wheels, badging, bumpers, grilles, mirror caps, bodyside decals, headlamp bezels, tinted taillights, exhaust tips, and various other darkened elements.

Meanwhile, the 2023 Ford Maverick will introduce a few additional changes to the compact pickup in its second year of production. Most notably, that includes the new Tremor Off-Road Package, which builds upon the existing FX4 Off-Road Package by adding a unique all-wheel drive system that utilizes a twin-clutch rear-drive unit with a differential lock feature, specially-tuned springs and shocks, upgraded half shafts, a heavy-duty transmission cooler, steel skid plates, unique dark gray anodized 17-inch aluminum wheels, standard all-terrain tires, and various Tremor Orange accents accents inside and out.

2023 Ford Maverick order banks opened up today following a bit of a delay, which caused the compact pickup to be dropped from FoMoCo’s rate lock incentive plan. Production of the compact pickup was also pushed back several weeks as a result, and is currently scheduled to begin at the Hermosillo Assembly plant in Mexico on November 14th, 2022.

The all-new Ford Maverick Tremor Off-Road Package was revealed back in early August as the most off-road capable version of the compact pickup to date, building upon the existing FX4 Off-Road Package in that regard. A few weeks later, Ford Authority spies captured real-world photos of this new offering, which will also be sold in Mexico in early 2023 as well. Taking a closer look at the FX4 Off-Road Package and the Ford Maverick Tremor reveals some interesting differences between these two packages, however.

As we can see in this chart, both the Maverick Tremor and FX4 Off-Road Package-equipped pickups are powered by the same turbocharged Ford 2.0L I-4 EcoBoost powerplant, which produces 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. In terms of dimensions, the two variants feature the same wheelbase and width, but things vary a bit from there.

The Maverick Tremor is one-inch longer and 0.8 inches taller, with 0.5 inches of additional front overhang and 0.6 inches more rear overhang. The Tremor’s many additional upgrades also improve its off-road prowess with superior approach, breakover, and departure angles compared to the FX4 Off-Road Package, and give it 0.8 inches of additional ground clearance as well.

Compared to the Maverick with the FX4 Off-Road Package, the Maverick Tremor offers a slew of additional upgrades including a unique all-wheel drive system that utilizes a twin-clutch rear-drive unit with a differential lock feature, specially tuned springs and shocks, upgraded half shafts, a heavy-duty transmission cooler, steel skid plates, a unique lower front fascia, dark gray anodized 17-inch aluminum wheels with Tremor Orange accents, and standard all-terrain tires.

The 2023 Ford Maverick Tremor Off-Road Package retails for $2,995, while the Tremor Appearance Package costs an additional $1,495. Both will be available to order along with the regular Maverick when order banks open in September, though production was recently pushed back to November 14th, 2022.

We hardly knew you, 2023 Ford Maverick order books. An official bulletin from Ford, leaked on a Maverick forum page, shows that the books are closing very soon. So, if you want a new Mav you better get going right now… literally.

If you were planning on ordering a 2.5-liter Hybrid model, you best get going right this very minute. Order books are set to close at 10 PM EST tonight (9/20). You have very slightly more time if you wanted to buy the 2.0-liter EcoBoost model though. Ford is closing the books on those guys tomorrow (9/21) at 10 PM EST. So, you better get off your ass right now and head to your local Ford dealer if you still want a Maverick to get to you sometime in Joe Biden’s first four years in office.

After the books officially close tomorrow on the 2023 model year, Ford dealers will have until October 5th to complete the Retail Order Verification Process.

The Maverick may be far and away the hottest commodity in the “regular” car world right now. Ford Authority reports that the books for 2023 Mavericks opened just five days ago on September 15th. That means it only took Ford six days to sell every single 2023 Maverick it was going to build. If that isn’t indicative of high demand, I don’t know what is.
The company last closed Maverick order books in January of this year, so there’s no telling when 2024 model year books will be open again.