Yahoo Autos 2022 Ford Maverick revealed: 40 mpg hybrid pickup starts at $20,000
The 2022 Ford Maverick is the compact pickup buyers have been clamoring for since the last-generation Ford Ranger was killed off a decade ago. While it is fundamentally different in basically every way, Ford is hoping the Maverick will recapture some of those lost shoppers while drawing in new ones who are attracted to its frugal hybrid powertrain, refined unibody road manners and bargain-level entry price – just $21,490 ($19,995 + $1,495 for destination).
What is it?
Maverick will be a true compact pickup in the vein of the old Ranger – the one Ford discontinued in 2011 – but with an entirely different underlying platform. The Maverick is based on a unibody, front-wheel drive chassis. It’s about almost a foot shorter than a Crew Cab Ranger and nearly three feet (32 inches) shorter than a Super Crew, short-box F-150. Pricing matches up, with the top-trim Lariat starting just under $25,000 before destination — a couple grand cheaper than the Ranger.
The entry-level XL comes standard as a front-wheel drive hybrid with 191 total horsepower. From there, you can upgrade to a 250 hp turbocharged gasoline engine with 277 pound-feet of torque and available all-wheel drive. Ford expects the hybrid model to be rated at 40 mpg city, 33 mpg highway and 37 mpg combined. Yes, those figures are for the base model. Front-wheel-drive models are paired to a semi-independent twist-beam rear suspension, while the AWD turbo gets a fully independent rear setup. The keen-eyed reader will observer that we seem to be skipping at least one critical configuration there; we’ll come back to that.
What can it do?
The Maverick’s towing and payload specs slot in neatly beneath the Ranger’s, too. Base towing is 2,000 pounds, with up to 4,000 available on the gas-engine model with a supplemental towing package. Maximum payload for both models is 1,500 pounds – not too shabby. Absent here are any of Ford's advanced new bed features, such as the Pro Power Onboard or tailgate work surface options offered on the F-150. The Maverick does have pre-wired 12-volt pickups behind grommets in the bed for those who want to add powered aftermarket accessories, and there's an optional 400-watt 110V hookup available in the bed for those who need to power basic tools or tailgating accessories.
The 4.5-foot bed is wide enough to fit a 4x8 sheet of plywood above the wheel wells, and has formed-in supports to accommodate just that. The tailgate can be dropped completely or locked at 45°, at which angle its height aligns with the aforementioned supports to keep your 4x8s flat. In this position, the tailgate can support up to 400 pounds. With the tailgate flat, the load floor of the bed extends to 6’.
