Pickup trucks make up a huge part of the lifeblood of the American car industry. They've been around for decades, and they continue to sell in their millions upon millions. However, just about everything in the automotive industry has changed over the past few decades, and that includes pickup trucks. A while ago, pickup trucks only did pretty heavy-duty things, and not much else. Show
If there's one common downfall that all modern pickup trucks share, it's sizing. They are truly massive, especially the heavy-duty ones, and that makes it difficult to use them every day, no matter how luxurious they may be. Ford has a solution to this problem. A car-sized pickup, in the form of the Maverick. Key Features
Specifications
Pros
Cons
2023 Ford Maverick Overview
The new Ford Maverick arrived back in 2021 for the 2022 model year. The Maverick name has appeared on several different Ford models, including at one point, an entry level sporty car that sat below the Mustang in the lineup. Now, the Maverick name goes on the back of Ford's smallest pickup truck. It sits below the Ranger in the lineup, and the intent is to provide people with a pretty good chunk of what they love about pickup trucks, in a much more affordable and compact package, perfect for crowded city streets. Frankly, it's surprising that most other automakers haven't gone through with this idea. The Maverick's design is pretty in line with Ford's other trucks, but it does have its own visual identity. The grille on the front end places the Ford logo right in the center, with a bar that cuts into the headlights and separates them from the running lights and turn signals. The Maverick does offer some pretty cool paint colors as well. There's a very simple side profile, and depending on the trim, there's a sticker on the sides of the bed that denote various trim packages. The rear end mounts the license plate on the side of the rear bumper. For 2023, alongside the XL, XLT, and Lariat trims, Ford is now offering a Tremor off-road package for the Maverick. At the moment, the only true competitor to the Ford Maverick is the Hyundai Santa Cruz, a small pickup that we love. 2023 Maverick Engine Options For EveryoneOne of the aspects about the Maverick that makes it so appealing is the standard hybrid powertrain. Almost every other pickup truck, or car for that matter, offers a hybrid powertrain as an option. In the Maverick, it's standard. The powertrain in question pairs a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, for a total output of 191 hp and 155 lb-ft of torque. It's not a plug-in hybrid, but you do get a tiny electric-only range, and more importantly, class-leading fuel economy. The EPA estimates the hybrid's gas mileage at 37 MPG in combined driving, with up to 42 MPG in the city, which is seriously impressive. The hybrid is FWD only, and it sends power to the wheels through a CVT automatic transmission. However, if you want your Maverick to be a little faster, have AWD, and be able to tow and carry a little more, you'll have to step up to the turbo engine. The 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder eschews the hybrid component, but power jumps to 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Once again, you have to get this engine to get AWD, as well as to be able to equip the FX4 Off-Road package that Ford offers. This one distributes power to the wheels through a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission. If you're able to live with the slightly worse fuel economy, the turbo engine is the one you want for actual pickup truck duties. If your pickup truck duties are lighter and less frequent, and you would like better gas mileage, the hybrid is the one you want. The EcoBoost is also the only way to have the new Tremor off-road package, which adds Trail Control, a 1-inch lift kit, four-wheel drive lock and special off-road-tuned suspension. If you opt for the appearance package, you also get various orange accents on the outside, like the recovery hooks, the wheel spokes and the decal on the rear. A Daily-Driver With High Tech Features
Even though the Maverick's interior is on a slightly lower level compared to some of its competitors, or other models in Ford's lineup, it does have everything you need. There's a full-color display in between the gauges, an 8-inch infotainment system running Ford's latest software, as well as automatic climate control. There's a small chasm next to the infotainment display, where Ford says you can mount accessories, and it also leaves room for a larger screen in future models. One of the main draws of the interior of the Maverick are those accessories, as you can download the models from Ford and 3D print them. In terms of safety, the Maverick is pretty well sorted. Automatic high beams and auto emergency braking are all standard, and you can also option adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and much more. It seats five passengers, whereas the bed boasts 33.3 cubic-feet of cargo volume. The Maverick is only available with a crew cab (SuperCrew in Ford parlance), and a 4.5 ft bed, but an accessory bed extender is available. The maximum payload capacity is 1,500 lbs, whereas the maximum towing capacity is 4,000 lbs if you opt for the Tow Package. 2023 Maverick Pricing And Launch
Production on the 2023 Maverick models will begin in fall of 2022, and they should reach showrooms by the end of the year or early next year. Ford hasn't announced pricing yet, but the 2022 Maverick XL starts at $20,995, the XLT starts at $23,360, and the fully-loaded Lariat at $26,860. For the Tremor package, you have to start with at least an XLT-trimmed Maverick with the turbo four and AWD. The Tremor package in itself will cost $2,995, and the appearance package will cost $1,495. For a small pickup truck with cool styling, good equipment, and a surprising amount of practicality and usability, that's pretty good money. What is the difference between Maverick XL and XLT?XLT Features
The XLT includes the same features as the XL, with the same engine options. This trim starts under $23,000. The additional features in the XLT include an exterior keypad for keyless entry, cruise control, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Does the 2023 Maverick XL have power mirrors?Comfort meets functionality with a Navy Pier interior, 17-inch painted aluminum wheels, cruise control, power mirrors, SecuriCode keyless entry, bed cubby storage and more.
What is the XLT package on a Ford Maverick?The XLT trim will give a lot more luxury features, technology and style; adding ambient interior lighting, power front seats, faux-leather seats, heated steering wheel, heated seats, and dual-zone automatic climate control.
Does Maverick XL have heated seats?While automatic climate control is standard on all Mavericks, heated seats aren't available on the base trim and are bundled in a $3,150 option package on the XLT trim. For that sort of money, you better get some extremely heated seats.
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