In a surprise move, Ford has introduced a new, smaller, more fuel-efficient truck...and they call it Maverick 

So for the 2022 model year, you can now buy a new Ford Maverick. Oh, except this one is a small pickup truck. And did I mention that it starts at $19,995? It's a four-door pickup truck that can hold 5 passengers and their gear and has an estimated rating of 40 miles per gallon in the city. if you're thinking to yourself that seems awfully high for a pickup truck, well, you're darn right it is. Somehow, for that low base price, Ford was able to stuff a hybrid powertrain into the Maverick and that's how you get such good city mileage.

Anyone who was born before 1980, or has an older sibling, probably remembers the Ford Maverick as a smaller economy car from the early 70s. My experiences with the old Maverick end with the brakes failing and us going through a red light at a busy intersection. The fact that somehow no one was injured was a miracle in itself. This was definitely not a good way to begin a relationship.

The hybrid powertrain includes a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle 4-cylinder that when combined with the electric motor produces 191 horsepower and 155 lb.-ft. of torque. The only transmission offered is a continuously variable one the drives the front wheels. And, since it's a pickup truck, you can haul up to 1500 pounds in the bed of the truck as well as tow up to 2000 pounds. For those who need a little more oomph, there is an available 2.0-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine that delivers 250 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torque with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard front-wheel drive, or available all-wheel drive. That bigger engine allows you to tow up to 4,000 pounds, even though the bed payload capacity is the same 1500 pounds.

Inside the cabin of Maverick, there is a standard 8-inch touch screen that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility as well as different cubbies to store your stuff, with a bi-tone color palate on the seats, dashboard, and doors. There’s also standard FordPass Connect with modem and Wi-Fi for up to 10 devices. According to Barb Whalen, color and materials design manager for Maverick, the interior is made of plastic and plastic is not a dirty word. That's got to be the best euphemism I've heard in press materials for a new vehicle. 

Maverick is the first unibody truck for Ford. Think of this as Ford's version of a Honda Ridgeline. Many people don't consider the Ridgeline to be a true truck but then there are those who own one and count on the Ridgeline reliability end truck-like nature to get the job done. I foreshadow the same being said about Maverick. 

Maverick’s bed, which Ford is calling FLEXBED, offers tie-downs, D-rings, and different slots that can fit 2X4s or 2X6s so that you can arrange the bed in whatever configuration you need to get your job done. There will also be downloadable plans so that a handy person can perhaps build his/her own bike rack or some other plans to customize the bed to fit his/her unique needs.

There's no mistaking Maverick is a Ford product. The front end is blocky like the new Ranger or perhaps a mini F-150. The rear end definitely has a Ranger vibe to it, and overall it just seems like a nice compact package that should be spacious on the inside but is compact on the outside. There’s a faux vent on the rear edge of the front quarter panel that screams F-150 as well as rear lights that look like they shrunk the F-150’s lights for this truck.

Maverick will be available in three trim levels – XL, XLT, and Lariat. As stated before, pricing for the XL starts at just under $20,000, XLT at $22,280, and Lariat at $25,460. There will be an off-road package priced at $800 for XLT and Lariat models which includes such off-road necessities as exposed front tow hooks, hill-descent control, selectable drive modes (sand, mud, ruts), a trailer hitch receiver with a 4-pin connector, and a heavy-duty radiator with heavy-duty cooling fan and the obligatory skid plates. And for those who like a little assistance while driving there is Ford Co-Pilot360 which will be offered on all three trim levels and includes Ford’s BLIS with cross-traffic alert, a full-size spare, and Ford’s Lane-Keeping System.