Yahoo Autos Long-Term 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid Intro: Little Big Truck
Introduction
The Ford Maverick pickup may be small, but it's made a big splash. The compact hauler can be quick or efficient; it instantly won over consumers and us alike, earning back-to-back 10Best awards. Initially the Maverick was nearly impossible to come by. Demand was high, and supply was low. And just as many would-be adopters, we eagerly waited for our truck to arrive after placing our order. Then in early March, our Atlas Blue Metallic Maverick was born in Hermosillo, Mexico. After a train ride north, our mini-truck arrived at headquarters for a 40,000-mile test.
The process of ordering our Maverick caused a few scuffles around the office water cooler. The all-wheel-drive model's 5.9 second rip to 60 mph, courtesy of a 2.0-liter turbo four, was appealing, as was its 4000-pound towing capacity. Still, others advocated for the front-wheel-drive hybrid version—Ford has added an AWD hybrid model for 2025—which sips fuel but can only tug 2000 pounds. When the dust settled, we agreed to go with the powertrain that has proven more popular: the 191-hp hybrid.
When the Maverick launched, the hybrid was the base powertrain. Perhaps in response to its popularity, Ford did a switcheroo. Now, the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four is the base engine, and the hybrid is a $1500 upcharge. The Maverick also has gone up a few thousand dollars in price. Although every Maverick features an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connections, the base XL is otherwise, well, really base. Moving up a rung to the $28,015 XLT (plus the extra $1500) opens the door to more options to coddle us over 40,000 miles. Specifically, the XLT Luxury package ($2275) adds heated seats and mirrors, an eight-way power driver seat, remote start, a trailer hitch with a four-pin connector, a drop-in bedliner, LED cargo-box lighting, a full-size spare, and a 110-volt inverter with cab and bed outlets. We also tacked on Ford's Co-Pilot360 ($650) for its blind-spot detection and lane-keeping assist, then added a tri-fold soft tonneau cover ($590) to keep our gear dry. All in, our Maverick came to $33,030.
Our initial impressions picked up right where we left off. We love this little truck. The steering has just the right amount of effort, and though the ride is on the stiffer side of the spectrum and high-frequency bumps rattle the Maverick's cage, it's generally agreeable in most use cases. While the bed isn't huge, it's great for weekend projects that involve moving dirt or playing in it; a motocross bike, gear, and fuel can fit great with the tailgate down. And the fuel economy merits mention: Over the first few thousand miles we've averaged an impressive 34 mpg.
After some miles to let the Maverick's mechanical bits become friends, we headed for the test track. With what we assumed was a fully charged battery (there's no gauge), the Maverick reached 60 mph in 7.4 seconds and did the quarter-mile in 15.7 seconds at 90 mph, 0.3 and 0.2 second better than our test of a 2022 model. At the skidpad, it held on at 0.78 g and stopped from 70 mph in 181 feet. That's 0.03 g less grip and a lengthy 23-foot-longer stop than our previously tested truck, which has us wondering what type of special sauce that earlier Maverick XLT hybrid was sipping.
Even with all the greatness the Maverick delivers, we managed to sniff out a few dislikes. When new, the off-gassing of the recycled plastic interior bits smells a bit like a burro pasture on a hot summer afternoon. Plus, those plastics scratch too easy. The stinkiness goes away, but we've yet to find a cure for the scratches. Passenger space in the rear is tight, and installing rear-facing child seats forces front-seat riders to slide their chairs far forward. The tri-fold soft bed cover lacks attachment points to crossmembers, so at highway speeds it balloons up in the rearview. And we've noticed an occasional shudder from the powertrain during low-speed braking events, so we'll have the dealer check into that in the weeks to come.
An interesting aspect of Maverick life is the 3-D printing of interior accessories that utilize the Ford Integrated Tether System. Over the course of the next few months, we look forward to diving into the world of dimensional printing. Do you have a favorite printer? Maybe you've printed some Maverick knickknacks. What are the must-haves? Comment below with your favorites. In the meantime, we'll keep piling the miles and the smiles.
Months in Fleet: 1 month Current Mileage: 3772 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 34 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 13.8 gal Observed Fuel Range: 460 miles
Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $0
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