Description
Ford brought back the Maverick nameplate on the American market in 2022, but unlike the compact sedan from the '70s, this time, it was rather an unusual fuel-efficient pickup.
In the summer of 2021, the American brand introduced the compact pickup Ford Maverick on the U.S. market. It slotted right below the Ranger lineup, and unlike its larger siblings, it had a unibody construction instead of a body-on-frame type. Furthermore, it shared its underpinnings with the Focus, the Bronco, and the Escape. It wasn't the kind of utility vehicle for contractors to haul heavy trailers behind or carry all the tools and ladders needed to build a house. Instead, Ford made it a usable daily vehicle that could carry some stuff in its bed during camping trips. In addition, it could even tow a light or a medium trailer, depending on the engine version. And it was quiet and fuel-efficient, especially with the standard powerhouse.
The 2022 Ford Maverick had a flat front fascia with rectangular headlights visually connected via a double horizontal bar that integrated the turn signal lamps on its outer edges. A broad black grille covered the rest of the car's front fascia and was limited by the wrapped-around plastic bumper on the lower side. The black, unpainted apron below was scratch-resistant, while a rock slider protection was available with the FX4 package.
Ford made the 2022 Maverick based on a unibody construction, much like the Honda Ridgeline or the Hyundai Santa Cruz. The vehicle's profile showed a wedged shape with a flat hood and a horizontal roof. Behind the cabin, the automaker placed a vertical panel that delimitated the passenger area from the bed behind it. Furthermore, the rear quarter panels were almost flat. Ford didn't want to make the vehicle look too rugged but still keep the appearance of a go-anywhere pickup. The automaker offered the 2022 Maverick in three trim levels: XL, XLT, and Lariat. The base model came with 17-inch steel wheels, while the mid-grade was fitted with a set of alloys of the same size. For the Lariat, the car wore standard 18-inch aluminum wheels with an option for 17-inch ones for vehicles fitted with the FX4 (offroad) package and all-terrain tires.
With its roomy cabin fit for five adults, the 2022 Ford Maverick promised a pleasant on-road experience. All versions featured an eight-inch touchscreen placed atop the center stack for the infotainment system. Fronting the driver was a mixed instrument panel with large dials for the speedometer and tachometer, and small gauges were placed between them for the coolant temperature and the fuel level. Above the latter, the automaker installed a 4.3-inch LCD that showed additional data from the car's onboard computer. Those who opted for the Lariat grade received a 6.5-inch digital instrument panel. The bolstered front seats provided average side support and were separated by the center console, where the automaker put the rotary knob that controlled the gearbox, a couple of cup holders, and a few buttons for drive modes. In addition, the Maverick was also available with an induction pad to charge mobile phones. In the back, the bench seat could be lifted to reveal a storage area and was wide enough to accommodate three passengers. The bed behind the cabin was 4.5 feet (1.37 meters) long, which was enough for most camping gear.
Under its skin, the 2022 Ford Maverick was available with a choice of two drivetrains. Base versions came fitted with a 2.5-liter inline-four gasoline engine running in the Atkinson cycle. An electric motor helped produce a total of 190 hp (191 PS) that sent all the oomph to the front wheels only via an eight-speed automatic transmission. The other option was a two-liter EcoBoost engine that provided 250 hp (253 PS). It was mated with an eight-speed automatic gearbox that sent the power in all corners.
Press Release
Ford is delivering a new kind of pickup - compact but mighty, built for makers and doers, stunningly fuel-efficient, and packed with clever technology and features. The all-new 2022 Ford Maverick is the truck for people who never knew they wanted a truck.
Ford Maverick comes as a standard five-passenger, four-door pickup, with a full-hybrid powertrain and a projected EPA-estimated rating of 40 mpg city fuel economy and 500 miles of range on a single tank of gas. Tested and tortured to meet Built Ford Tough standards, Maverick offers ingenious design and storage solutions while enabling customization inside and out. It all comes with a starting MSRP of $19,995.
"The Maverick product proposition is like nothing else out there. It's a great-looking truck featuring four doors with room for five adults, a standard full-hybrid engine with city fuel economy that beats a Honda Civic, plenty of towing and hauling for weekend trips or do-it-yourself projects, and it starts under $20,000," said Todd Eckert, Ford truck group marketing manager. "Maverick challenges the status quo and the stereotypes of what a pickup truck can be. We believe it will be compelling to a lot of people who never before considered a truck."
What is it?
"One thing that's non-negotiable is that Maverick is Built Ford Tough," said Chris Mazur, a third-generation Ford employee who led development of the all-new pickup as chief engineer. "Our engineers were unrelenting, putting it through a battery of vicious on-road, off-road, environmental and simulated customer use testing until we were satisfied. Ford trucks are Ford trucks - through and through."
What's inside?
The interior design is stylish and spacious, with thoughtful features and the versatility for city driving or escaping the urban life. Surprisingly roomy, there's excellent leg and headroom, shoulder and hip width, and a comfortable seating position for both rows.
"This customer wants simple, but not basic, and Maverick is all about thoughtful details executed well," said Barb Whalen, who led the team in choosing materials and colors. "We want this to have a straightforward, durable, honest, well-built feel. The interior was designed with function, purpose and ease of cleaning in mind to help make our customers' lives better. We're using unique textures and materials like reground carbon fiber for strength and visual interest. The dash panel has a stonelike finish, like a super-durable synthetic countertop. We strategically placed pops of color for functionality - creating an energetic space you want to be in."
Form following function can be seen all over the interior of the all-new Maverick - right down to how the space is designed and utilized. Creating clever storage and useful features fell to Daniel George, interior leader, who calls Maverick "the ultimate first vehicle for my kids."
What's key, he said, was understanding how people actually use the stuff they bring in, rather than just expecting them to find places to stash it. Door armrests have a split design to allow a one-liter water bottle to sit upright in a bin rather than rolling around on the seats, while door pockets are huge and have lots of vertical clearance to store a tablet or notebooks. There's a spacious storage bin under the rear seats that fits a fully inflated volleyball, laptop bags, roller blades, tools and other gear.
FITS - Ford Integrated Tether System - is a clever multitasking solution for rear seat passengers. There's a FITS slot at the back of the front console that accommodates different accessories for endless personalization. An available accessory package includes cupholders, a storage or trash bin, cord organizer, double hook for grocery bags and purses, and under-seat storage dividers. More FITS slot creations are in development and Ford is working to publish the slot geometry so people can 3D-print DIY solutions to further fit their lifestyle. Those accessories can be stored in multiple slots under the rear seats, which could also be used for novel applications on their own.
Ford Co-Pilot360™ technology includes standard Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking and Automatic High Beam Headlamps. Available options include Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Centering and Evasive Steering Assist. Five standard drive modes include Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Tow/Haul to enhance performance and confidence over various driving conditions.
What's out back?
Ford Maverick really goes all-out when it comes to functionality with its unique FLEXBED™, which is packed with standard features and opportunities to transform the cargo box into a complete makerspace. FLEXBED gives customers organization and storage solutions to secure cargo, while accommodating Ford accessories and creative DIY solutions. The team developed its features after watching people at home improvement and furniture stores as well as college kids moving into their dorms, observing how they struggled to load things into small crossovers and cars while working around the cargo limitations they faced.
People can create segmented storage, elevated floors, bike and kayak racks and more by sliding 2x4s or 2x6s into slots stamped into the side of the bed. There are two tie-downs, four D-rings and built-in threaded holes in the sides to bolt in new creations.
"The whole bed is a DIY fan's paradise," said Keith Daugherty, an engineering specialist who helped develop the truck box for Maverick. "You can buy the bolt-in Ford cargo management system and we're happy to sell it to you, but if you're a bit more creative, you can also just go to the hardware store and get some C-channel and bolt it to the bed to make your own solutions."
Ford Maverick customers want to live freely. They have passions and hobbies they love and would rather spend money on the mountain bike, not necessarily the bike rack to get it to the mountains. Customers can scan the FLEXBED QR code in the bed for some interesting ideas to get started.
Gaby Grajales is an electrical engineer who helped develop standard built-in 12-volt electrical power prewired to an easily removable cover on either side of the back of the bed to support DIY electrical projects.
"People have forever been hacking into their wiring harness to run things like lighting, air pumps and other useful accessories," said Grajales. "This is a better solution - we're enabling customer needs while protecting the taillamp wiring and creating a fused circuit to avoid compromising the overall electrical system. With this, you have the option to select the factory-available box lighting or install your own home-built lighting setup, or even invent a whole new use for the 12-volt access points."
Beyond DIY electrical, there are two available 110-volt 400-watt outlets - one in the bed and one in the cabin - that can power phones, laptops, small TVs, a cordless tool battery charger, or a small, corded tool like a jigsaw. There's also a storage cubby built into the side of the bed on XLT and two available on Lariat trucks, perfect for keeping a ball hitch or air pump.
The 4.5-foot bed can carry 1,500 pounds of payload, the equivalent of roughly 37 bags of 40-pound mulch, and has a six-foot floor with the tailgate down. Maverick can carry long and wide stuff too, thanks to its multi-position tailgate. It opens normally, but also has a halfway-open position - just unclip the support cables and hook them onto the latch pins so the tailgate lip and wheelhouses can support up to 18 sheets of 4x8-foot three-quarter-inch plywood without needing to angle the panels. It's easy. The tailgate features tie-down clamps that double as bottle openers, and is rated to hold 500 pounds of friends hanging out and taking a seat. The bed floor and sides are low, so almost any size adult can reach over and grab items off the floor.
What's it look like?
It has a look all its own, but Maverick sports iconic Ford pickup truck style with a door design that pays homage to the company's signature drop-down side windows and a front end that stretches edge to edge, connecting the standard LED headlamps and grille for a more prominent, planted appearance.
Form follows function here, too. Maverick is upright and squared off for space efficiency, but it looks youthful and athletic - clean, not overdesigned. There's no gap between cab and tailgate, and the bed rail caps extend from the bed and go vertical, ending at the top of the back window. It's designed this way to offer greater dent and ding protection, knowing people will load and unload the bed from the sides more frequently.
Ford Maverick is offered at three trim levels - XL, XLT and Lariat. An FX4 package available for all-wheel-drive XLT and Lariat trucks adds more off-road capability with rugged all-terrain tires and suspension tuning, additional underbody protection, and off-road-focused drive modes like Mud/Rut and Sand, as well as the addition of Hill Descent Control™.
Available for the first model year only is the Maverick First Edition package. It is built off the Lariat trim level and includes unique graphics on the hood and lower doors, a high-gloss black-painted roof, soft tonneau cover, body-color door handles, high-gloss black skull caps, and gloss black-painted and machined 18-inch wheels for hybrid or unique 17-inch aluminum wheels for the gas model. It comes in Carbonized Gray, Area 51 and Rapid Red, unique to First Edition.
The 2022 Ford Maverick goes on sale Fall 2021.
