Ford has unveiled the 2022 Ford Maverick, a compact unibody pickup truck that’s going to make all the headlines when it goes on sale later this year. Why? For starters the small pickup comes standard with a hybrid powertrain and second it starts at a very reasonable $21,490.
The Maverick is smaller than the Ranger, but it has a 4,000 pound towing capacity and a 1,500 pound payload. The Maverick is aimed at buyers that don’t need as much truck that you get with an F-150 or Ranger. It will also rival the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz.
Under the hood the standard engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid powertrain that sends the power to the front wheels via a CVT. The hybrid powertrain generates a total 191 horsepower and the good news is that it has an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 40 mpg city, 33 mpg highway and 37 mpg combined. The Maverick hybrid can tow up to 2,000 pounds.
For buyers that want more power, there’s the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that’s shared with the Bronco Sport. It generates 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. There’s also an optional FX4 package for all-wheel drive Maverick models. It adds all-terrain tires, a higher-capacity radiator, a tweaked rear suspension, skidplates, a better cooling fan, off-raod driving modes and hill-descent control.
The Maverick will only be available as a crew cab with a 4.5-foot bed. The bed is 6 inches longer than the Santa Cruz. The tailgate has two open positions. The half-open position is activated by unclipping the tailgate’s support cables and hooking them onto the latch pins. In the half-open position the bed can hold up to 18 sheets of 4×8 three-quarter-inch plywood. When the bed is completely open it has a 6-foot floor, which is long enough to carry an ATV.
The bed also gets a unique FlexBed, which makes it easier to secure cargo and DIY accessories. You can create segmented storage, elevated floors, bike and kayak racks and more by sliding 2x4s or 2x6s into slots stamped into the side of the bed. There are two tie-downs, four D-rings and built-in threaded holes in the sides. There are also two 12-volt pre-wired power sources in the bed and two optional 110-volt 400-watt outlets – one in the bed and the second in the cab.
Inside there’s room for up to five passengers. There’s an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Maverick also comes standard with the Ford Co-Pilot 360 system, which includes features, like automatic emergency braking and automatic high beams. Adaptive cruise control, a blind spot monitor and rear-cross traffic alert are optional.
The 2022 Ford Maverick will start at $21,490 for the base Maverick XL. Ford has not announced the pricing for the XLT, Lariat or First Edition models. The Maverick is slated to arrive this fall.
