Even in its midtier XLT trim, the 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid’s design speaks to the purpose of the truck: simplicity. This no-nonsense aesthetic is devoid of overwrought styling, however it’s nonetheless a standout with my tester’s $495 Cyber Orange Metallic paint job. Gray plastic adorns the mattress, grille, door handles, mirror caps and decrease a part of the physique, giving the truck a little bit of a two-tone vibe. It’s additionally supremely straightforward to scrub, in contrast to most trendy vans, which require a step ladder to succeed in the windshield.The Maverick’s mattress measures 4.5 ft lengthy, which is half a foot greater than its closest competitor, the Hyundai Santa Cruz. The tailgate may be locked right into a halfway-open place, permitting 8-foot-long sheets to suit inside, and the entire mattress is positioned low sufficient that it is dummy straightforward to succeed in inside and shuffle issues round. Two tie-downs and 4 D-rings are normal, however threaded holes and quite a lot of built-in slots make it straightforward to fab up a motorcycle rack or mattress dividers with easy building supplies. Box lighting is obtainable, however if you wish to keep on with the DIY vibe, there are two normal 12-volt prewired connections, so the sky is the restrict for artistic varieties.
2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid Is a Seriously Efficient Truck
See all pictures Overall, the Maverick can deal with 1,500 kilos of payload, which is sufficient for half a cubic yard of dust, sand or gravel, or three dozen luggage of mulch. Hybrid Mavericks are able to towing as much as 2,000 kilos, which covers a flatbed and a using mower, or a few jet-skis, and needs to be greater than most individuals want. It’s potential to double that tow score, letting you tow a small trailer or some ATVs, however it’s a must to improve to the two.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine ($1,085), all-wheel drive ($3,305) and add the 4K Tow Package ($745) to make that occur.While the Maverick’s exterior could pack extra operate than kind, the inside turns up the dial on each. This is without doubt one of the finest low-cost interiors I’ve ever skilled, and it ought to show to each different automaker that plastic can, actually, be implausible. Everything is tough to the contact, however counting on distinctive shapes and colours provides the Maverick’s inside a heapin’ helpin’ of character. I particularly like the sunshine plastic, which zhushes itself up by together with shredded bits of carbon fiber. The XLT trim options normal two-tone material seats that really feel good and are fairly supportive on longer drives. Visibility is superb in all instructions.
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Cloth seats are much less liable to amplifying ambient temperatures, so there’s much less of a have to shell out for heated seats, that are solely out there in a relatively costly improve package deal. Andrew Krok/CNETThe inside is not simply enjoyable and funky, it is also sensible. The door pockets can deal with liter-sized water bottles, whereas the middle armrest hides a compartment deep sufficient for a large purse. There are cubbies nearly all over the place, together with behind and apart the infotainment display screen. My favourite half is the storage tray forward of the shifter, which might maintain 3D-printed dividers to maintain issues of their proper place. The rear seats provide ample headroom, and legroom is ample even when a 6-foot-tall passenger is seated behind a 6-foot-tall driver. A pull twine can elevate the rear seats to uncover much more cupboard space. I want my XLT tester had rear USB ports, however alas, that is locked behind a $2,500 XLT Luxury package deal. Front-row occupants get one USB-A and one USB-C normal, although, which is good.Infotainment tech is basically the one factor I really feel is missing within the 2022 Maverick. XL and XLT trims are caught with a easy AM/FM radio on an 8-inch touchscreen that additionally features a Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Lariat fashions are in a position to improve to the Sync 3 infotainment system with higher voice recognition, lively noise cancellation and satellite tv for pc radio, however it’s a part of a $3,750 Lariat Luxury package deal that provides a number of different fripperies. No matter the telematics system chosen, the display screen dimension stays the identical. Embedded navigation is not out there on any trim, which is a bummer, however your most popular map app might be higher, anyway.
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The base AM/FM setup is not going to win any awards, however Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are normal throughout the lineup, which is nice. Andrew Krok/CNETOn the security entrance, each Maverick comes normal with computerized emergency braking and computerized headlights. A $650 Co-Pilot 360 package deal provides blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping help and lane-departure warning. The solely strategy to get something beefier is to once more return to the $3,750 Lariat Luxury package deal, which provides rear parking sensors, lane centering and full-speed adaptive cruise management.All-wheel drive is barely out there with the Maverick’s non-compulsory 2.0-liter turbo I4, which produces a good 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. My tester, nevertheless, sticks with the bottom gas-electric hybrid powertrain, which makes use of a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle I4 and sends its 191 web hp to the entrance wheels via a constantly variable transmission.I do know what you are considering — a tiny hybrid pickup truck with front-wheel drive? — however hear me out, as a result of the Maverick’s base powertrain is totally spectacular. It’s silky clean always, with the gasoline engine barely making a peep over the radio when it kicks in. An influence gauge within the cluster helps me hold my footwork gentle, though I want it displayed the purpose the place it crosses over to hybrid operation from electrical energy alone. I’ve to dig into the throttle to cross 50% energy, however it by no means leaves me wanting for extra driving force. The regenerative brakes are additionally clean, with no discernible crossover between regen and friction. The EPA charges the Maverick Hybrid at 42 mpg metropolis, 33 freeway and 37 mixed, figures I’m able to trounce with ease. I’m getting 40 mpg mixed on this factor, and I’m not even attempting. It’s a marvel.
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Even and not using a bunch of costly (and heavy) sound-deadening materials, the Maverick Hybrid’s gasoline engine does not actually make itself too obvious in each day use. Andrew Krok/CNETMost unladen vans experience like rubbish, with a physique jiggling like Jell-O atop a ladder body. But the Maverick’s unibody building provides it an entire bunch of on-road confidence. It does not really feel like rather more than a midsize sedan. Body roll is saved to a minimal, with a good quantity of isolation from highway and tire noise. Some sharp bumps and humps will create a little bit of motion, however by and huge, the experience is comfy and composed.The largest disadvantage of the Maverick Hybrid is its complement of choices. Hybrids are caught with front-wheel drive and the two,000-pound towing most, though that mixture ought to nonetheless be greater than sufficient for many first-time truck patrons. The $800 FX4 Off-Road Package, which provides beefier tires, entrance tow hooks, hill descent management, skid plates, a hitch receiver and heavy-duty cooling elements, can be restricted to EcoBoost fashions. Hell, even a few of the wheel designs on Ford’s shopper website are restricted to the costlier powertrain. That’s a bit of foolish, particularly when hybrids provide simpler future-proofing within the face of unsure gasoline costs. Thankfully, not one of the creature-comfort upgrades are locked on this method.
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If you are planning on shifting absolutely anything within the Maverick’s mattress, the spray-in bedliner is a no brainer improve, and it is not very costly. Andrew Krok/CNETEven although it looks as if Ford minimize only a few (or no) corners with the 2022 Maverick, its price ticket feels virtually nonsensically low. A base Maverick Hybrid XL will set you again $21,490, together with $1,495 in vacation spot costs. My XLT tester packs a spray-in bedliner, Co-Pilot 360, some cool paint and flooring liners, and that rings in at an reasonably priced $25,630. A completely loaded Hybrid Lariat rings in at $31,755, which remains to be a screamin’ deal when the typical new-car transaction value is pushing $50,000.The Maverick’s chief competitor, the Hyundai Santa Cruz, is one other value-laden unibody pickup, however there are just a few key variations. The Ford leans a bit of tougher on worth, whereas the Hyundai feels a bit of extra upmarket. The Santa Cruz also can haul and tow a bit extra, and its non-compulsory engine improve is a bit of peppier. However, it is also costlier, and it provides no electrification. Thus, if you happen to actually need to prioritize value and effectivity, it is exhausting to disclaim simply how good the 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid is.