Ford’s mini-truck is not only the most affordable truck available in Canada, but it also resurrected the small pickup segment without having fundamental truck features. There is no body-on-frame or a giant V8 engine, it is not even a truck platform as it uses the Ford Escape’s mechanicals underneath. It may look like a truck, but it definitely does not drive like a truck. It feels, operates and maneuvers like a crossover with a longer wheelbase, and a hybrid drivetrain makes it appealing to the audience looking for great fuel economy figures.
The Looks – Exterior and Interior
The Ford Maverick looks just like any other traditional truck that we have seen for the last 70 years. It comes with a long hood, a front fascia with a boxy profile, and a bed located right behind the rear doors. The Maverick is a unibody vehicle, meaning that the bed is integrated into the chassis, unlike the F-150. The big front grille connects both headlights and makes it look like one big piece, and the Maverick also comes with unpainted plastic trims for extra rugged looks.
As we make our way to the side and rear end, the Maverick has a regular truck silhouette but on a much smaller scale, including the tires. As it has a hybrid powertrain, it comes with 18″ rims and all-season tires like a crossover. The cargo bed is not huge, but due to the low ride height, it is very accessible and easy to use. It can also take larger items like four-by-eight building materials. The Maverick comes with a multi-position tailgate, threaded bed holes, LED lighting, 12-volt power outlet, 110-volt power outlets, pockets for 2-by-4 inch, 2-by-6 inch and tie-downs with D-rings.
Just like the exterior, Ford has done a great job with the interior design. It has a utilitarian and well-laid-out interior with tons of physical buttons. The interior quality is not as great as you expect from a budget-oriented platform, there aren’t many soft-touch materials anywhere in the dashboard. Most parts are a carryover from the other Ford models, but everything feels nice and sturdy.
The only gripe I had is the screen size, it is significantly smaller than what you would find in most other Ford models. There is a very small storage area located right beside the screen, which is not the most usable storage space. I wish Ford offered a bigger screen and eliminated the useless storage cubby. The SYNC 3 is not perfect by any means especially due to the input lag, occasional glitches and not-so-great camera resolution, but it is one of the easiest infotainment systems available which also offers wireless smartphone integration.
In typical Ford fashion, the seats are exceptionally comfortable. There aren’t many adjustment options, but they are softly padded and offer a great amount of interior space due to the boxy profile. Like a crossover, getting in and out is exceptionally easy as you don’t have to climb like you would with the half-ton trucks. The driving position is somewhere between a truck and a crossover. The visibility is excellent, and the Maverick does not feel like a truck behind the steering wheel.
Even though the Maverick is the smallest truck in Ford’s model lineup, it comes with a decent amount of rear legroom and headroom even for taller adults. The boxy profile really helps with the overall headroom even for the rear seat passengers. You will not be able to find storage options like the F-150, but it is still a livable place even for longer trips. The biggest limitation would be only if you have rear rear-facing child seat, that’s when you may need to move the front passenger seat forward for extra space. It also comes with nice creature comforts like USB ports and a 110-volt power outlet.
The Powertrain – Specs & Features
The Ford Maverick comes with two different drivetrain options; both engines are available with all trims. The base drivetrain is the 2.0 EcoBoost turbocharged engine with an all-wheel-drive system. If you want the best fuel economy, you can opt for the 2.5 litre naturally aspirated engine matched with the hybrid powertrain, but available only in front-wheel-drive. The Maverick does not come with the 1.5 litre EcoBoost engine you would find in the Escape, or the Bronco Sport.
Unless you absolutely need the all-wheel-drive system, the hybrid powertrain is what makes the Maverick unique in this segment. Hybrid powertrains in a work truck is not a new trend, Ford has been doing it for the last few years with the F-150. The Maverick uses the hybrid platform also used in the Escape, the naturally aspirated 2.5-litre engine is a great match with the electric motors due to great fuel economy numbers.
Speaking of numbers, the 2.5L Hybrid engine pushes combined 191 horsepower which doesn’t sound much, but with the help of the electric motors, it feels quite peppy and responsive. The hybrid powertrain is matched with continuously variable transmission (eCVT) for optimal fuel economy. In our tests, we were averaging around 6.0L / 100 km, which is something we have never seen in a truck. Well done, Ford!
Aside from not having AWD, the other disadvantage of choosing the hybrid powertrain is the lower maximum towing capacity. It can tow up to 2000 lbs, which is what you would find in most crossovers. The Tow Package’s higher capacity isn’t available for the front-wheel-drive Maverick hybrid. If you choose the 2.0L EcoBoost Maverick with the Tow Package, it can tow up to 4000 lbs.
The Drive – Driving Impressions & Experience
Driving the Maverick feels very similar to the Escape or Bronco Sport, as it shares the same platform with them. If you do not want to deal with bulky half-ton pickup trucks, or simply if you don’t have enough space for a big vehicle, the Maverick can be a great one-car solution to do it all for small families, including outdoor activities. Yes, you get less interior space, but with a huge bed in the back for your bicycles, dirt bikes, camping tools, or any family-oriented activities.
For people looking for a commercial vehicle, unless you need the extra towing capacity, the Maverick can be a game changer as you still get very similar functionality and practicality of a pickup truck, in a much more compact and affordable platform. It is important to remember that not everyone needs a giant truck with 10,000 lbs towing capacity, and the Maverick can handle all light-duty tasks that you throw at it.
The Maverick isn’t meant to be a corner carver by any means. It comes with eco-focused all seasons which do not offer tons of grip to begin with. However, the Maverick just rides like a normal crossover with a longer wheelbase and slightly delayed steering inputs, so you are still connected to the road much better than heavy and bulky half-ton trucks available today. The softly sprung suspension offers a decent amount of road comfort, but it still feels like a budget-oriented platform as it cannot isolate road perfections well enough.
The Hybrid drivetrain offers great fuel economy figures, and that means you get a little over 800 km range per tank, despite having almost 20% smaller gas tank due to the battery location. That also means there is no compromise in terms of functionality or interior space if you choose the hybrid drivetrain. It also offers great handling character due to the lower center of gravity.
The Verdict
Despite repackaging an existing platform, Ford deserves the credit for being a trendsetter in the industry. The brand already has several different trucks in its model lineup, but the Maverick is much more than being a tiny basic work truck built for people who can’t afford an F-150. It is more of a lifestyle truck meant to be driven by small families and small businesses with no compromises as it offers great driving dynamics and very low operational costs.
| Engine | 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4 + 2 AC motors |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | Direct-drive & Front wheel drive |
| Max power (combined) | 191 hp |
| Battery pack | 1.1-kWh lithium-ion |
| 0-100 km/h | 8.0 sec |
| Curb Weight | 3800 lbs – 1723 kg |
| Fuel Economy (Combined) | 39 MPG – 6.0 L/100 km |
| Price (MSRP) | $49,500 CAD |
| Website: | www.ford.ca |
