FORD’S 2022 MAVERICK – Basic Instinct

FORD’S 2022 MAVERICK

Basic Instinct

You’ve read about this country’s cultural and political divide, in continuous development since at least 1968, but building up since 1861. And while I could spend a few words – or chapters – on its roots and ramifications, I’d rather look at the chasm created by pickups; or more specifically, those that love ‘em (which, in new truck purchases, numbers a few million a year) or simply loathe them. And if you were to assign zip codes to those populations, you’d find more pickups sold in the West, and fewer – of course – in the East. In fact, since moving my own zip code from D/FW to Northern Virginia, I’ll tell you that while the personal pickup is relatively commonplace near DC, you’ll find as many commercial trucks as those bought for personal use, whereas in Dallas the fleet is overwhelmingly personal. That’s anecdotal (from the Latin for ‘pulling it out of my butt’), but I’ll stand behind it.

So, with the pickup serving as one focal point for our societal disconnect, Ford – the builder of America’s most popular (by sales) vehicle, its F-150 – wades into the divide with what purports to be a compact pickup they call the Maverick. (And a personal note: When meeting a gal in a business math class in the fall of 1974, she was driving a Ford Maverick. It wasn’t a pickup. It was a Maverick. And while the Maverick is long gone, the gal – I’m happy to say – stayed.)

Built on a unibody chassis similar to that which underpins Ford’s Escape crossover, the Maverick – at the moment – comes but one way, as a 4-door crew cab sitting on 121 inches of wheelbase and stretching 200 inches in overall length. In the walk-up you’re not thinking a compact pickup as we used to know them; this outstretches Ford’s earlier Ranger (which Ford stopped selling in 2012), but is not up to the midsize spec of today’s Ranger – or its growing competition. In fact, the Maverick is in a field of one, although comparisons to Hyundai’s Santa Cruz – which is essentially a Tucson crossover with an abbreviated bed – are inevitable. 

Unlike the Santa Cruz, the Maverick projects itself as a truck and nothing but a truck, even after you consider its front-wheel drive and, in the standard-spec hybrid, CVT transmission. But the hybrid, delivering 191 combined horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque, is the headline (HEADLINE) here, with an EPA estimate of 42 City/33 Hwy/37 Combined. Not too many years ago those numbers were Prius territory, and while the Prius came as a hatch or – for a moment – a small wagon, it wasn’t a truck. And would never pretend to be a truck.

Despite its efficiency, the Maverick still delivers in a way you’d hope a small truck would deliver. That 54 inches of bed – with tailgate up – can handle 1500 pounds of payload, and if towing the Maverick will pull 2,000 pounds of small boat or trailer. With room for five (maybe…) within the 4-door cabin, it can easily serve as the one car in – well, you know – a one-car household.

From the outside I’m impressed by the traditional pickup profile, competent stance and on our very basic Maverick Hybrid, the 17-inch steelies. This is, in my opinion, good design without any apparent affectation. And in its scale and footprint the new Maverick comes far closer to ‘compact’ than ‘midsize’; if parked next to the new Bronco it’s absolutely dwarfed by the new Bronco. 

Inside, you’ll find cloth covered buckets in front, a rear bench comfortably seating two (but with provision for three), and more hard plastic than Wal-Mart’s dinnerware section. Upscale trims will supply better furnishings, but then, those upscale trims won’t sit on this side of $20,000 (plus, of course, destination and – at this is written – some truly stupid dealer markups). 

Behind the wheel, the look of old-school analog gauges is comforting, while the infotainment screen is fully appropriate to the hard plastic trim. But again, interior appointments aren’t inferior appointments at this particular price point; be damn glad you don’t have to check the fuel level with a stick! 

With the hybrid drivetrain on and the CVT in ‘D’, it’s nice to know the Maverick can go, but realize its 191 total system horsepower feels more like 91 via the CVT. To the hybrid’s credit it goes about its business credibly, but it’s all business; there is no joy in this particular iteration of the Ford pickup. Henry would be fine with the drivetrain, John Dillinger less so – Dillinger was a big fan of Hank’s early V8. But then you’ll remember the Mav’s 40+ miles per gallon in the EPA’s city cycle, and know that your 15,000 miles annually will only consume 375 gallons of gas, and not the 750 the bigger Fords – at 20 miles per gallon – are gonna’ burn. At $4/gallon that’s an annual savings of $1,500. Real coin.

Were it my money, and if buying the Maverick as a second ‘car’ for the short commute or occasional errand, I’d budget roughly $30K and get Ford’s 2.0 liter EcoBoost, a nicer trim level and all-wheel drive. The economy would take a dive, but then, I’d enjoy an uptick in the drive. 

As before and always, it’s your money. And your choice.