Ford Maverick (US) review

It’s the Ford Maverick, the Steve Rodgers to the F-150 Raptor’s Captain America. Still, like its comic book analogue, it’s got heart and doesn’t back down from a challenge.

High praise. What’s so special about it?

Brilliant in its simplicity, the Maverick is pickup truck utility in a compact package. It's perfect for people who live in the city or for folks who want a pickup but don’t have room in their lives - or parking spots - for the full-size behemoths dominating the market.

Make no mistake, the Maverick isn’t going to tackle all the jobs its big sibling can, but it can do most of the ones people are buying pickups for while being more affordable and easier to live with.

Can you share some details?

Sure thing. The Maverick comes in one unibody configuration, a four-door, five-seater supercrew cab with a 54.4-inch truck bed. Under its lil’ hood is either a 2.0-liter I-4 that delivers 250hp and 277 lb ft of torque, or, in its hybrid configuration, a 2.5-liter engine paired with an e-motor and battery to deliver 162hp and 155 lb ft of torque while it stretches the available miles.

The hybrid Maverick is paired with a CVT transmission and is currently only available with front-wheel drive, though Ford has heard the cries of potential customers and will offer AWD with the hybrid setup in 2025.

The 2.0-liter version has available all-wheel drive from the jump and is married to an eight-speed automatic. Mavericks with AWD can be equipped with the FX4 off-road package and Tremor trims provide even more off-road readiness.

How does it compare to the F-150?

That’s a bit of a loaded question, but if you want to put things into context with good old-fashioned stats, let’s rock and roll. At most, the F-150 can haul over 3,000lbs of payload and tow 14,000lbs-worth of stuff, but at minimum, its payload is 1,955lbs and towing maxes out at 8,200.

With this as a benchmark, the Maverick’s max payload is 1,500lbs, so half of what the wimpiest F-150 can manage. But when it comes to towing? 2,000lbs. Here’s the kicker: with an optional towing package, that goes up to 4,400lbs!  So small, but mighty, enough at least to haul a couple of jet skis around, and certainly more than enough for odd jobs like moving furniture or gearing up for a weekend camping trip. All this and it fits in a regular supermarket parking space with room to spare.

So how does it drive?

There are moments where you tend to forget you’re driving a pickup truck, but though it’s car-like, it’s still very much a truck, particularly when it comes to on-road behavior. Though they lack urgency, both powertrains are sufficient enough and suit the nature of the vehicle. Same goes for the handling, as there’s a bit truck-y bounce to the whole affair and a proportionate amount of body roll to go along with it, but it’s all so quaint, it’s not really detracting from the experience.

When it comes to going off-road, there’s enough capability to handle most dirt-driving and hill-climbing needs, and though it would likely give a valiant effort, real heavy-duty terrain is out of its scope. Would be fun to try though if you had a Raptor handy to spot you.

The Ford Maverick is a brilliant utility solution that doesn’t ask for much of a compromise in lifestyle. For the most part, it drives and behaves like an affordable, compact car, it just so happens to have a truck bed. This makes it worth considering for city-dwellers looking for something a little more useful and rugged that won’t take up precious space.

Even if that’s not a concern, the Maverick’s much more approachable than larger trucks in terms of usability and far less intimidating to those put off by the monstrousness of typical pickups.

To that end, the Maverick fills a void that few people know exists… outside of owners of the Honda Ridgeline; the only true competitor to the Ford. Having had the space to itself, the Ridgeline has had the “car-like truck” thing nailed down for a while, and though it’s more powerful than the Maverick, it’s also twice as expensive.

Ultimately, the Ford Maverick is endearing in its usefulness and how unobtrusive it is in the meantime. Add in a few upgrades and it’s also ready for most of the off-road challenges an average weekend adventurer will encounter. It’s cute enough to fall for, but even if you don’t you will be hard pressed to deny how handy it can be.