The Ford Maverick Hybrid Pickup Truck

The 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid Pickup ain’t your Daddy’s Maverick. That one was probably based on a car built between 1970 and 1977. It was available as a fastback or a four-door sedan. Ford’s Mercury division even had their own version known as the Mercury Comet during those same years. Eventually, it died, because of lack of interest.

Fast forward some forty-seven years later, which is a long time to be away. That’s how long it was since the last time this nameplate appeared in a Ford dealership. But as we are constantly seeing these days, everything old is new again. Including the new Maverick. Now that it has reappeared as a compact pickup truck, we thought it was the right time to get back into it to see what’s changed. Napleton News had a chance to take this hybrid Maverick Pickup truck for a spin. How did it feel? Keep reading to find out how it feels to saddle up once more.

What’s the Buzz about the Maverick?

Start with unibody construction. Most of the old generation of pickup trucks were built using body-on-frame construction. In this new world, that means the engine mounts in a cradle along with the front-wheel drive continuously variable transmission (CVT), while the rear axle bolts to a torsion beam suspension.

Power for our Maverick XLT FWD 4×2 comes from a 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder hybrid engine with a 94 kW battery pack. That package produces 191 horsepower combined, and 155 lb-ft of torque. Hybrid power carries a $1,500 upcharge.

For those needing all-wheel drive, it comes with Ford’s 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine making 250 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. This EcoBoost engine is matched to an 8-speed automatic transmission and AWD system. Both front-wheel and all-wheel drive Maverick models have a decidedly SUV feel to them. That’s likely because it uses the same platforms as the Ford Escape and Ford Bronco Sport

Flavors? We’ve got three of them!

The Maverick takes a good, better, best approach to trim levels. That means there are three trims to choose from:

• Maverick XL: Manual seating, 17-inch sparkle silver steel wheels, cruise control, six tie downs, Flexbed storage, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
• Maverick XLT: Includes cubby storage space in passenger-side bed, ten tie-downs, 17-inch carbonized gray-painted aluminum-alloy wheels, LED bed lighting and 400W in bed power.
• Maverick Lariat: The Lariat model includes power 8-way adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar, which we wish never existed. The passenger side gets 6-way manual seating. There’s 18-inch machined-face bright aluminum alloy wheels, High LED headlights and dual-zone climate controls.

How does the Maverick look?

Let’s say it’s somewhat like a baby F150, but not quite. That’s because it’s closer to a Bronco than anything else. Because of its unibody construction there is no gap between the cab and the bed of this pickem-up truck. The result is a more solid ride than that found in its cab and chassis big brothers.  That’s a good thing on one hand, but can hinder other things like maximum towing capabilities and more. The no-frills grille features a single lamella that divides the upper third with Ford’s   blue oval through the middle and festooned with a Blue Oval.

Our tester included a Ford factory spray-in bedliner which is available for $495.

The look inside the Ford Maverick Hybrid Pickup.

In addition to the “Cactus Gray,” exterior of our Maverick tester, the interior features much of the same across the dashboard. Gray fabric-covered seats offer good support for passengers whether the journey takes you across town or cross-country. The interior doesn’t have the normal niceties you would find in a King Ranch F-150 for example, preferring the hard stuff, instead. There are unusual bolt-like fasteners throughout, and the spousal unit even thought they were buttons you would push to lock doors, or other functions.

A touchscreen display made it easy to access Apple CarPlay via the touch of a finger. Other controls throughout were pretty basic, including an ignition key to turn on the vehicle. There’s a built-in modem which is good for connecting up to ten devices.

An added touch that we really appreciated was the rear underseat storage. Without dark window tint, prying eyes could see right inside. With the underseat storage, there is a way to once again hide valuables. Just pull the tab in front and lift the seat.

Behind the wheel of the Ford Maverick.

The engine starts up effortlessly. At least we think it did, because it is virtually silent. The gear selector knob is a console-mounted wheel that feels as though it would continue to revolve if given the chance. We get underway and notice there are 57 channels but with nothing on-literally, because the SiriusXM subscription had expired. It’s annoying to say the least but I pull out my phone to connect Pandora instead. I could hear a tiny ping sound to those outside the vehicle, letting them know of my backing.

We’ve felt this ride before. It’s comparable to the one found on the Ford Escape. Thanks to the unibody construction, the Maverick absorbs many of the shocks and jolts that would be found on a body-on-frame pickup truck. It allows a decent amount of road feel and even helps to smooth out the occasional rough roads of Florida.

Acceleration is decent from Ford’s 2.5-liter inline-4. That’s because of the hybrid motor working with the Atkinson-cycle engine. We tested this CVT before and think it’s perhaps the Maverick’s weakest link. It’s loud when driven in anger, but settles down adequately once the Maverick reaches cruising speed.

Ford Maverick Hybrid Pickup Specifications

2024 Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid Specifications
Engine Type	2.5-liter Hybrid Electric Engine
Horsepower	191 hp @5,600 rpm
Torque	155 lb-ft @4,000 rpm
Transmission	CVT automatic
EPA Fuel Economy (Combined/City/Hwy)	37/42/33 MPG
Suspension F/R	MacPherson Strut / Torsion Beam
Turning Circle	40.0 ft.
Also Available	various trim levels, EcoBoost Turbo.
Specs
Warranty	3 years/36,000 miles
Powertrain Warranty	5 years/60,000 miles
NHTSA Safety Rating	4 Stars
Max Seating Capacity	5 passengers
Wheelbase	121.1 inches
Overall Length	199.7 inches
Width	72.6 inches
Height	68.7 inches
Cargo Bed capacity	1,500 pounds
Headroom, Front	40.03 inches
Headroom, 2nd	39.6 inches
Legroom, 1st	42.8 inches
Legroom, 2nd	35.9 inches
Shoulder room, 1st row	57.3 inches
Shoulder room, 2nd row	55.6 inches