2022 Ford Maverick

The 2022 Ford Maverick is a compact crew-cab pickup with a useful bed, a comfortable cabin, and a choice between hybrid or turbocharged 4-cylinder engines paired with either front- or all-wheel drive.

This model is new for 2022, and it slots well below Ford’s own Ranger mid-size truck. Three trim levels span a wide range of features and options, stretching from about $21,500 to nearly $36,000. A 191-hp hybrid powertrain is standard, while the optional 250-hp turbo-4 stands ready for drivers looking to tow a bit more.

Fuel economy impresses at 42 mpg city, 33 highway, 37 combined for the base hybrid. Turbocharged models are thirstier. The EPA says to expect 23/30/26 mpg with front-wheel drive and 22/29/25 mpg when power is sent to all four corners.

Standard safety features include automatic emergency braking and automatic high-beam headlights, plus a host of airbags. Active lane control, adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors, and blind-spot monitors are available for an extra cost. IIHS and NHTSA crash testing has not been performed.

Model Lineup

The 2022 Maverick starts at $21,490 including a mandatory destination charge for the base XL model that includes power windows and locks, 17-inch steel wheels, cloth seats, LED headlights, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and automatic emergency braking.

The XLT piles on cruise control, power mirrors, and a power outlet in the bed for $23,855. Optional extras include the $2,345 XLT Luxury package that adds a power-adjustable driver seat with improved lumbar support, heated front seats, LED bed lighting, bed tie-downs and side rails, and spray-in bedliner. Blind-spot monitors and active lane control run another $540.

The range-topping Lariat stickers for an additional $2,500 with its 18-inch wheels, synthetic leather upholstery, and dual-zone automatic climate control.

The optional turbo-4 runs $1,085 and all-wheel drive adds another $2,220 for all three trims. Add everything in Ford’s options list and you’ll still be just under $36,000.

Ford offers numerous factory accessories such as a bedliner, a tonneau cover, a tool box, a bed divider, a bed extender, rubber floor mats, a sunroof, and a dash cam—and those handy with a 3D printer can make their own smaller interior bits.

Exterior

The crew-cab-only Maverick whittles truckiness down to a small package. It’s chunky and tough, without looking contrived. A bluff front end and grille give a bulky appearance despite relatively petite dimensions. Flat sides and square corners link the Maverick to other Ford trucks.

Base XL versions wear purposeful steel wheels, though several choices of alloy wheels are optional. More colors open up with higher price tags, but Ford offers a fun palette on even the base truck.

Bed-wise, the Maverick can’t touch bigger trucks, but what’s there is usefully arranged with up to 10 tie-downs, twin covered bins, and optional bed lights, aluminum rails, and a household-style power outlet. The tailgate can hold 400 pounds on its own, allowing the Maverick to lug 4×8 sheets of plywood with it flopped down.

Interior

Purposeful, spacious, and optionally well-equipped, the Maverick can do duty as a family hauler. An 8.0-inch touchscreen commands much of the dash, with buttons and knobs lined up nicely below. Useful storage bins line the center console and door panels. Ford uses a rotary knob for the transmission, which omits the shift lever, which gives the cabin a more spacious feel.

Cloth is standard, with synthetic leather fitted to the Lariat. That model also has more sound deadening than its cheaper siblings.

The front seats are manually-adjustable in base trucks, with optional power and heating. Rear-seat passengers are treated to nearly 37 inches of leg room, though it’s worth noting that the hybrid’s battery robs an inch. A sliding rear window is available.

Driving Impressions

The standard 2.5-liter inline-4 is actually a hybrid thanks to its electric motor and battery pack that allow it to drive at lower speeds and in low-load situations on electricity alone. With 191 horsepower net, the hybrid delivers moderate acceleration and a refined feel augmented by the smooth continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).

If you want all-wheel drive, you’ll have to first select Ford’s 2.0-liter turbo-4, which puts 250 hp to the wheels through an 8-speed automatic. It’s usefully quicker and can lug as much as 4,000 pounds (double the hybrid). The automatic could have used a little more shift refinement, but overall this is a strong powertrain.

The Maverick has plenty of heft to its steering and a comfortable suspension. Front-drive trucks have a simple setup at the rear, while all-wheel-drive models swap in a more advanced multi-link setup. Either way, this truck rides and handles better than larger, truck-based mid-size pickup trucks.

Off-road, the FX4 package adds a few rugged bits such as skid plates and recovery bits, plus additional drive modes.

Final Word

The Ford Maverick is the kind of vehicle that’s hard not to justify. It’s priced right, even when fully equipped, and its practical personality offers few compromises for drivers on the pickup fence.

–by Andrew Ganz, with driving impressions from The Car Connection