Is Ford Going to Make a Small Truck Again

March 17, 2022 Post a Comment

A few years ago, Ford announced it would be discontinuing most of its cars (save the legendary Mustang coupe and convertible), focusing its efforts on more assisting crossovers, SUVs, and pickups. Many felt that motility was shortsighted – what if there'southward some other recession and consumers stop ownership inefficient trucks and SUVs? Today, the Blue Oval has answered that concern with a best-of-both-worlds solution: the 2022 Ford Maverick meaty pickup.

Primed to do battle with the similarly sized 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, the $nineteen,995 Ford Bohemian is the smallest pickup in the Blue Oval family. At 199.7 inches long and 68.7 inches loftier, it's 11.1 inches shorter and 2.4 inches lower than the Ranger. It will be available in one torso style, a iv-door crew cab with a 54.4-inch cargo box. That makes it 1 of the smallest pickups in the The states market, which might draw some snickers from the traditional truck crowd only will also probable attract crossover and hatchback shoppers into the Maverick fold. Helping matters will be its four-cylinder engine options: an efficient hybrid or a grunty EcoBoost.

Cull Your Own Chance

Built on the aforementioned front-wheel-drive chassis as the Escape and Bronco Sport, the Maverick'due south standard hybrid 2.5-liter inline-iv makes 191 horsepower (142 kilowatts) in full. Combined torque ratings aren't available, only the aforementioned engine in the Escape Hybrid feels plenty stout, thanks to the electric motor. Mated to a continuously variable transmission, the hybrid sends power only to the front end wheels, which is disappointing in light of the Escape'due south optional all-wheel drive. However, consumers will love the estimated 40-mile-per-gallon city rating, and the Bohemian volition be the cheapest hybrid on the marketplace among all cars, trucks, and SUVs.

Power junkies will be more interested in the optional EcoBoost engine, a 2.0-liter unit of measurement that won the Bronco Sport a recent elevate race. Information technology makes 250 hp and 277 pound-feet (186 kW and 376 newton-meters), with an 8-speed automatic manual and standard front-bicycle drive or optional all-bicycle drive. Ford hasn't released fuel economy estimates for either configuration yet, but the Bronco Sport gets 21 urban center, 26 highway, and 24 combined mpg with its standard all-wheel drive. Figure roughly the same for the Maverick AWD, which weighs about the aforementioned as a Bronco Sport Badlands, and a flake ameliorate for the lighter front-bulldoze pickup.

The Bohemian hybrid is far more efficient than the Hyundai Santa Cruz's thriftiest configuration, a naturally aspirated 2.five-liter four with about 190 horsepower that gets 21 mpg city. The EcoBoost should besides be a bit more parsimonious than the 22-mpg-combined Santa Cruz two.5T, though the Southward Korean truck does offer more power: 281 hp and 311 lb-ft (210 kW and 422 Nm).

Styled To Impress

Dissimilar the Santa Cruz, which clearly takes lots of its design from the Hyundai Tucson with which it shares a platform, the Maverick is more upright and traditionally styled. A wide grille bar and standard LED headlights with a C-clamp design are intended to evoke the F-150. Horizontal bed rail and foursquare window openings further the connectedness between the Bohemian and its larger siblings, and although the beltline is flat, there's a little surfacing detail nether the side mirrors that recall the scooped windows of the F-Series. Around back, big taillights and a stamped tailgate look very Ranger-esque.

Overall, the Maverick looks pretty sporty and fun to drive, let downwardly only past oversized and ill-proportioned headlights. A Bronco-manner front grille would conform the truck'due south lighthearted personality better.

Inside, a technical-looking bronze accent livens up the Maverick's wide, flat-faced dashboard, the same stop showing upward on the door panels and console bins Ford livens up the motel's appearance with interesting pattern choices, namely an anodized feel to the gauge cluster and center stack and a slick cross-hatch texture on the dash and door panels. Rap your knuckles on anything and it'll betray the Bohemian's extensive utilise of hard plastic, simply the unique surfaces hide the materials well, keeping costs in check while also giving occupants a pleasant environs to ride in.

Cabin In The Woods

In spite of the base XL model's depression, $xix,995 starting price, the 2022 Ford Bohemian comes pretty well equipped. An 8.0-inch touchscreen is standard, making utilize of the excellent Sync 4 infotainment arrangement with wired Apple tree CarPlay and Android Motorcar. The Maverick also gets standard Ford Co-Pilot360 applied science, bundling automatic emergency braking, post-collision braking, and automated headlights and loftier beams. Forepart and rear 12-volt ability outlets and a 4G LTE WiFi modem likewise come standard on all trims.

The interior also gets some clever cargo management solutions, chief among them beingness Ford Integrated Tether System (FITS) slots, designed for a variety of removable accessories like cupholders and grocery handbag hooks. Ford likewise plans to brand the slot geometry publicly bachelor, allowing owners to 3D-print their own solutions. One such slot is located on the rear center console, with a few more in the massive binnacle under the rear seat. Speaking of, that infinite is large plenty, Ford says, for a fully inflated volleyball and a pair of inline skates, making us wonder if the automaker'southward engineers dream of moonlighting in Venice Embankment.

Another interesting characteristic is the Bohemian's slotted door armrests, which separate the window switches from the elbow residue. The slot creates vertical space in a higher place the door pocket for a 1-liter bottle holder, just it also allows the rear seat to accommodate a mountain bicycle, the rear tire fitting in the slot to hold the bicycle upright. The cabin also boasts a few little cubbies in the middle console effectually the rotary gear selector, as well every bit a large eye armrest bin and 2 slots near the center touchscreen, perfect for a wallet or garage remote control.

Cloth seats are standard on the XL, with the XLT getting unique plaid textile and the Lariat receiving somewhat rubbery imitation leather. All trims offer Co-Pilot360 Aid as an option, adding bullheaded spot monitoring and lane-go along assistance. Furthermore, the Lariat's commuter-assist upgrade also includes adaptive prowl control, lane centering, and rear parking sensors. A 4.2-inch productivity screen on the gauge cluster is standard on the XL and XLT, while the Lariat gets a 6.5-inch display. Equally with other contempo Ford debuts, there will besides be a fully loaded Start Edition package, limited to the debut model year.

Truck Stuff

Impressively, every Ford Maverick comes with a payload rating of 1,500 pounds – every bit much or more than some midsize pickups. The prospect of a 40-mpg hybrid that can haul an ATV or 37 bags of mulch in the bed may exist tantalizing to many consumers who need good fuel economy about of the time, simply also desire to cross stuff off the dear-do list every Saturday and go play in the forest every Sunday.

The hybrid and EcoBoost can tow 2,000 pounds, which Ford says is enough for a pair of personal watercraft or a minor tent trailer, but an available max-tow package on the turbo engine pumps that number up to 4,000, expert for a pocket-sized speedboat or 23-foot camper. Both the towing and payload ratings seem up to the standards of almost average lifestyle shoppers, who are more likely to load up a gear hauler or fishing dinghy, rather than a sailing yacht or horse trailer.

Nonetheless, the Maverick's absolute towing pales in comparison to the Santa Cruz. The South Korean pickup tin tow a five,000-pound trailer in its highest turbocharged spec, but even the base of operations two.5-liter four can tow iii,500 pounds. Helping the Maverick win back some points volition be an optional FX4 off-road package, which is bachelor on trucks equipped with the EcoBoost engine and all-wheel drive. The FX4 pack brings taller tires, a bit more than ground clearance, some underbody protection, hill descent command, and two added off-route modes for the drive selector.

Also earning Ford brownie points is a multi-function tailgate that can sit in a partially upward position (level with the wheel arches), allowing 4x8 sheets of plywood or drywall to lie flat in the cargo box. Lowering the tailgate exposes a six-foot bed floor, with tie-downs located on the upper rear bed corners, the front bed flooring, and the tailgate itself, too as movable tie-down cleats that slide on a track most the bed rail. Strategically placed slots in the bedliner allow owners to split up cargo up using cut pieces of 2x4 or 2x6 forest – perfect for outdoorsy folks who want to go along their dirty stuff carve up from duffel bags and coolers.

Savings And Sense

Starting at $19,995 plus an unspecified destination accuse, the 2022 Ford Maverick XL looks similar an excellent value given its standard condom, infotainment, and cargo features. The XLT adds cruise control, blend wheels, power outside mirrors, and other niceties in commutation for its $22,280 asking price, while the $25,490 Lariat bundles leatherette trim, ambient lighting, a leather-wrapped wheel, a power sliding rear window, and rear USB ports. Each trim level offers the 2.0-liter EcoBoost for $ane,085, and all-bicycle drive is a $2,220 option on top of that.

An XLT with all-wheel bulldoze will probable be the volume model, enervating $25,585; a similarly spec'd Lariat will exist $28,295. Both the XLT and Lariat will also be available with the FX4 off-road bundle, as well equally a few different optional upgrade packs. Even with destination charges and a few options, a well-equipped XLT FX4 might not even be $30,000, which strikes us as a great deal for an all-weather everyday adventure machine that barely costs more than a two-wheel drive Toyota Tacoma. The 2022 Ford Maverick goes on sale in Fall 2021, and the automaker is taking reservations now.