2022 Ford Maverick, All you want to know about a great car

2022 Ford Maverick First Drive: Redefining the (Small) Truck

With a hybrid powertrain and DIY flexibility, Ford aims the Maverick at a new customer.

We’re rolling along a Tennessee road in the all-new 2022 Ford Maverick when we pull up behind a beat-up, ’90s-era Ford Ranger. One quick glance and it’s easy to see how much bigger the Maverick is than the Ranger. Ah, but the Ranger is a body-on-frame design, what some would call a true truck. In the end, it’s all relative. There’s a new-generation Ranger, and it’s more than 10 inches longer than the unibody-architecture Maverick, while the latter can easily do as many truck things as that battle-scarred Ranger ever could.

Plenty Of Power—And It Handles, Too

Our first stint bopping around Nashville and environs, where trucks are as thick as molasses, was in a base 2022 Maverick XL. It had front-wheel drive and the Maverick’s optional 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbo inline-four with 250 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Mash the accelerator pedal to the floor, and it takes a beat or two to get to the powerband, but when it does, the front 17-inch painted steel rims shod with 225/65 tires start chirping, the traction control light flickers, and the engine’s muted chainsaw crescendo reaches toward its coda. Yep, the 2.0-liter makes more than enough power to motivate the roughly 3,600-pound Maverick.

When it gets up to normal cruising speeds, the Maverick, which is based on Ford’s C2 platform that also underpins the Escape and Bronco Sport compact crossovers, is as easy to drive as those models. It tracks straight, and although there’s a slight dead spot in the wheel when you turn in aggressively, this small truck’s electric power-assisted steering feel is otherwise as firm at speed as it is light in tight, low-speed maneuvers.

Over pavement bumps and bruises, the base Maverick’s suspension—which incorporates struts up front and a twist-beam rear axle with integrated stabilizer bar, as well as Ford’s own force vectoring springs—soaks up the easier imperfections without much fuss, though things got noticeably harsher over some of the rougher stuff.

The Maverick Hybrid Is Efficient

At the midway point of the drive, we stopped at a distillery, because when in Rome. There, we had a chance to step into a higher-spec, XLT trim of the 2022 Maverick with its standard hybrid powertrain, a 2.5-liter inline-four with 162 hp and 155 lb-ft and permanent-magnet electric traction motor combo that produces a total system horsepower of 191 horses. It pairs with a continuously variable transmission.

Unless you need all-wheel drive or the ability to tow more than 2,000 pounds in your Maverick (all Mavericks have a max 1,500-pound payload capacity, but the 4,000-pound tow package is only available on 2.0-liter models), save yourself the $1,085 and go with the hybrid.

Power delivery is far more linear than the front-drive turbo truck, with a simple power gauge that gradually surges to show 100 percent power under full throttle and holds there as you keep it matted. Back off at cruising speeds or slowly move away from a stop, and the Maverick can motivate under electric power only depending on its charge state. Although it hasn’t been officially EPA rated yet, Ford is boasting as much as 40 mpg city for the 2022 Maverick hybrid, with a 500-plus mile range.

We saw an indicated 43.8 mpg on the instant readout during part of the drive, and mid- to high 30s when we were driving hard on a picturesque stretch of the gently winding Natchez Trace Parkway (yes, the Maverick can handle pretty well, too). You’re not going to be giving up a whole lot over the turbo-four in the acceleration department, and what you get in return is substantial.

It Does Truck Things

Of course, if you want your Maverick to ride a bit better or do trucky stuff like get busy off-road or tow more poundage, you’re going to need the nonhybrid 2.0-liter’s extra capability. All-wheel-drive Mavericks are fitted with an independent rear suspension, which we found to be more compliant over the rough stuff, especially so with the available Falken Wildpeak tire package. The optional 4,000-pound towing package ($745) beefs up the radiator and cooling fan and adds a receiver with a seven-pin connector, among other enhancements.

We had a chance to take a couple of Mavericks hooked up with trailers out for a quick run, and as expected, there were zero issues hauling with either the hybrid or the beefed-up all-wheel-drive models. Whether braking with a trailer or without, hybrid or turbo, the Maverick also slows down with ease in most situations and with force when necessary.

If we had a nickel for every time a Ford official at the drive event worked the catchphrase “Built Ford Tough” into a take on the Maverick, we would have probably had enough for a Maverick FX4 ($800 for the package), which is the most trail-capable model. Ford sectioned off a short off-road course for us to rip around in an FX4, which is only available on the XLT or the top-tier, leather-lined, and luxury-themed Lariat trim and comes with most of the same extra gear as the 4,000-pound towing package.

We slid its skidplates over some rocks and bounded down two-tracks with the Wildpeaks clawing away, and we wished we had more trails to attack, as the fun run was far too short. Based on what we did do, the Maverick FX4 seemed plenty tough to us.

What It’s Like Inside

While our early exposure indicates that this compact pickup is built as well as any other Blue Oval truck, it’s also clear Ford is hoping the Maverick will attract new customers to the brand that aren’t your typical truck buyers (read: young, hip, and not exactly rolling in dough). For one, there’s the price. We drove two Mavericks, one hybrid and one with the turbo-four, that both were less than $24,000 all in. Yes, they were base trucks, but we love those painted steelies.

Inside, the cabin of every Maverick holds all manner of water bottles, tablets, phones, change, and more in various cubbies, plus other assorted gear under the rear seats. In other words, the stuff active, on-the-go types use. It’s also been designed with a “plastic with personality” approach that employs varied textures and geometric patterns, and of course, the requisite Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available to display on the 8.0-inch infotainment screen.

However, we weren’t exactly thrilled with the seats. They weren’t the most comfortable, and we wonder how well they’d support occupants over a long trip.

In the back seat, while there’s room for three on the bench, legroom is at a premium, and we would have liked to see USB ports as standard equipment in the rear on all trim levels. On the plus side, there’s the FITS (Ford Integrated Tether System) slots for various accessories, like a trash can. In front, you have plenty of room to spread out thanks in part to the lower placement of the dial gear selector and central tunnel stowage areas.

Doing It Yourself With Flexbed

Then there’s the DIY aspect of what Ford’s doing with Maverick, a novel idea with real creativity we’ve rarely seen from an automaker. Like actually showing people on YouTube how to create a bike rack from 2x4s in the 4.5-foot-long bed, which Ford has dubbed Flexbed. You can hack up light banks or install an air compressor using the built-in electrical connection points.

The bed can haul 4×8 sheets of plywood, has multiple storage areas and as many as 10 tie-down points, and the tailgate can tilt to help keep gear in place or support longer items (or you can get the bed extender). There’s more to come for those looking to do it themselves, such as the ability to 3-D-print FITS accessories, and of course Ford has a load of official gear coming (150 accessories at launch), including a factory bed cap and much more.

Whatever your view is on what makes a truck a “real” truck—small, unibody, or otherwise—Ford’s new Maverick is helping to redefine what a compact pickup is in the modern era. As it has for generations in the mid- and full-size arenas, Ford is determined to lead in the space, and based on this experience behind the wheel of the Maverick, the Blue Oval appears to be off to a solid start.

2022 Ford Maverick’s Force-Vectoring Springs Come From a Sensational Hot Hatch

What Is A “Force Vectoring Spring”?

This special riff on the coil spring uses cold-formed steel that’s directionally wound (the right and left rear springs are not interchangeable) with the pitch and diameter of the coils varying throughout the springs’ length. The critical difference you’ll note in the photo is that the top and bottom coil look angled when the springs are uncompressed. Once installed with body weight on them, they look like normal springs, though the lower spring perches angle slightly up and inward on each side to accommodate the design.

What Does Force Vectoring Do For Handling?

As the 2022 Ford Maverick bends into a turn, compressing the outside rear wheel, those sharp angles allow the spring to directly absorb some of the lateral cornering force. In effect, the springs themselves vector some cornering forces laterally into the frame. This adds a degree of roll control without stiffening the bushings, the springs themselves, or the torsion bar in the trailing twist beam—any of which would have a negative effect on ride quality.

Are There Other Benefits?

Another common way to bolster lateral stiffness is by using a Watt’s linkage. In the case of the Fiesta ST, that solution would have added 22 pounds. Scaling everything up for truck duty, you can rest assured the weight penalty would have been even greater on the Maverick. The trailing twist beam itself features a rear-facing open C-channel section into which a torsion bar gets welded, which allows Ford to easily vary the roll control for different models and packages by simply varying the diameter of that bar.

The low-mounted beam helps enable the low cargo box floor height, even while kicking up to permit the exhaust to run underneath, but it cannot accommodate AWD.

Where Else Are Force Vectoring Springs Used?

Drivers of Ford’s workaday Transit Connect also enjoy the ride/handling benefits of these “Force Vectoring Springs.” From hot hatches to delivery vans, to pickup trucks—that’s a pretty broad portfolio for this clever concept.

2022 Ford Maverick: Cool and Clever Features to Geek Out About

The new 2022 Ford Maverick compact truck is among the smallest pickups to hit the market in recent years, but the Blue Oval went all out to ensure the little truck is still useful for doing real work. The Maverick’s 4.5-foot bed is longer than that of its chief rival, the new 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, and it’s capable of towing up to 4,000 pounds or hauling 1,500 pounds. We spent a couple of hours with a new Ford Maverick Hybrid XLT before its official reveal; here are some of the cool and clever features we found.

Ford Shows You How to Wire Stuff Into Your Maverick

The latest in a series of videos showing you how to build stuff for your Maverick.

So, here’s a video telling you how to cut into the wiring in the bed of your brand-new 2022 Ford Maverick pickup and wire in some under-the-rail LED bed lighting or a 12-volt power plug to power an air compressor. No biggie, we see stuff like this on the Internet all the time. What sets this video apart is that it wasn’t made by some backyard hobbyist, but rather by Ford itself. It’s part of a video series called “Hack Your Maverick”.

This amuses the daylights out of us because we all know how cautious automakers are when it comes to doing anything that might come within a mile of a whiff of the remotest outside possibility of personal injury. These are the companies that can’t even show someone backing out of their driveway without overlaying text that says, “Professional driver on a closed course—do not attempt”. And yet this FoMoCo-produced video contains—brace yourself, mother—a soldering iron.

Truth be told, this isn’t exactly a big-time, void-your-warranty hack. What this video cleverly reveals is that the Maverick comes with a pair of concealed 12-volt wiring connectors in the bed, to which you can connect accessory “pigtails” that are supplied with the truck and available from Ford dealers.

You’re not really cutting into the wiring system (and thereby risking your warranty or inviting bizarre electrical gremlins), but there is a fair amount of DIY here. Left unsaid is that if you can wire up bed lighting or a compressor, you can just as easily wire up any 12-volt accessory, like a coffeemaker or an LED disco ball or a laptop charger so you can sit in the bed and watch more MotorTrend shows.

Also, kudos to Ford for showing proper soldering technique—note that the masked and gloved mystery DIYer is heating the wire and letting the solder flow onto the joint rather than heating the solder. (Still, we would have twisted those wires and maybe used a little flux. We’ve seen prettier solder connections.)

By the way, this is only one of the videos in the “Hack Your Maverick” series—they’ve also got videos showing you how to create homemade side rails (to which you can anchor stuff) and how to build a simple bike rack. All of the videos include a list of materials and an approximate price for the projects, which so far has been in the $45-$60 range. We’re sure we’ll see more of these “Hack Your Maverick” videos, and truth be told, we are genuinely looking forward to them.

The 2022 Ford Maverick Is Shockingly Affordable

The 2022 Ford Maverick might be the Blue Oval’s smallest truck, but it’s still a big deal. It presents a tantalizing alternative to the doldrum of cheap SUVs and giant pickups we see endlessly patrolling our roads without resorting to outlandish styling or garish gimmicks. It’s a small truck for people who don’t need or want a half-ton in their driveway.

It’s priced for the everyman, too. With a starting sum of $21,490, it undercuts the cheapest F-150 by almost $10,000. It is also more than $5,000 cheaper than a base Ranger. It’s also the cheapest new pickup, period. But it’s not like this unibody trucklet is short on capability. Despite its smaller stature, the Maverick can still haul up to 1,500 pounds in the bed and tow up to 4,000 pounds with the $745 4K Tow option selected. Fully loaded—not including the myriad accessories available—the 2022 Ford Maverick tops out just over $35,000.

Where did all these Ford game changers come from all of a sudden? The 2022 F-150 Lightning electric pickup offers up to 563 hp, 300 miles of range, and 10,000 pounds of towing capacity, and it affordably ($41,669 to start!) electrifies the best-selling truck in the world. And now this truck, the new 2022 Ford Maverick compact pickup, looks like it will shake up the smaller end of the spectrum.

If its 1,500-pound payload, 4,000-pound max towing capacity, and DIY-ready 4.5-foot bed don’t catch your eye, its standard hybrid powertrain with up to 40 mpg or starting price of just $21,490 ought to make you think twice. Indeed, with the new Maverick, Ford hopes to sell small pickups to a whole swath of people who have never considered one before.

Why Should I Care About The Maverick?

For years, American automakers generally thought the public was uninterested in any truck smaller than a half ton—that’s F-150, Silverado, and Ram 1500 territory—leaving the midsize segment largely to Nissan’s Frontier and Toyota’s Tacoma. The thinking was that such trucks were too small, too expensive to build and buy, and not capable enough. The introduction of the Chevrolet Colorado midsize pickup in 2015 changed that, and it won our Truck of the Year award.

Within five years, the segment was revitalized with more than half a dozen entries, as it turned out plenty of folks don’t need (let alone want) a full-size truck. With the new Maverick, Ford is betting that for some, even a midsizer is too much truck.

Cool. So, What Are The New Maverick’s Specs?

Like the rival 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz compact pickup, the Maverick is a unibody truck built on a crossover platform. This makes it less capable than a traditional body-on-frame pickup, but it’s also cheaper to build and buy, and more efficient, too. In the Maverick’s case, it rides on Ford’s C2 platform and shares much under the skin with the Bronco Sport and Escape with which it will share a production line in the Blue Oval’s Hermosillo, Mexico, plant.

The Maverick’s powertrains come courtesy of both the Escape and Bronco Sport lines. The base powertrain is a 2.5-liter I-4/electric-motor combo that drives the front wheels through a CVT. Related to the Escape Hybrid’s powertrain (but with a new in-house developed motor), this powerplant produces 191 total horsepower in the Maverick. Ford says the front-wheel-drive-only Maverick Hybrid will have EPA-estimated fuel economy of 40/33/37 mpg city/highway/combined and can travel up to 500 miles on a single tank.

For those who’d like a little more power or all-wheel drive, the Bronco Sport Badlands’ EcoBoost 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 is optional on the Maverick. As it does in the Bronco Sport, this engine produces 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque, and it’s paired with an eight-speed auto.

Fuel economy estimates will be revealed at a later date, but our best guess is somewhere in the mid 20s. An off-road-oriented FX4 package is optional on EcoBoost all-wheel-drive Mavericks. The Maverick FX4 has all-terrain tires, a revised rear suspension, a higher-capacity radiator and upgraded cooling fan, skidplates, exposed front tow hooks, a hitch with a four-pin connector, off-road drive modes, and hill-descent control.

Front-wheel-drive Mavericks have 8.3 inches of ground clearance, and all-wheel-drive versions have 8.6. The approach, breakover, and departure angles for the Maverick are 20.6, 16.6, and 21.9 degrees for front-drive versions; AWD Mavericks come in at 21.6, 18.1, and 21.2 degrees.

2022 Ford Maverick | Review & Road Test

The 2022 Ford Maverick Is An Electrifyingly Efficient New Small Truck

After a 40+ year hiatus, the #FordMaverick is back but it’s not the 2-door muscle car you remembered from the 70’s. #Ford has instead decided to bring the #Maverick back as a small city truck built on the same unibody C2 platform as the Bronco Sport and Escape. The new truck also comes standard as the #MaverickHybrid, the first truck ever to have an electrified powertrain as standard. With up to 40 MPG and a base price of under $20,000. Ford is going to sell a ton of these pint-sized trucks.

2022 Ford Maverick First Drive Review

2022 Ford Maverick On Picture

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