Test bench | Ford Maverick 2022: moderate your transport

For anyone who uses little or no tipper resources or who has never – or on rare occasions – taken advantage of towing capacity, the Ford Maverick represents a proposition worth considering. If only for the good of the planet.

Eric LeFrançois
Special collaboration

To drive the Ford Maverick, there is no need for running boards to climb aboard, as it is of a “human” dimension.

Sharing many of its components – including a monocoque chassis – with the current Escape and Bronco Sport, the Maverick targets a rather large clientele. Independent entrepreneurs, artisans, businesses, not to mention individuals. Everyone will be interested (or should be interested) in the Maverick for its lower cost and for its lighter ecological footprint.

With its angular bodywork which ensures a perfect balance of volumes between the cabin and the bed, the Maverick is a van that does not take itself very seriously.

At first glance, that doesn’t seem very reasonable on the part of a brand that has built a reputation, with the F series, that is the envy of the entire auto industry.

Multiple uses

The Maverick was designed on the principle of split personality. Its sturdy appearance strengthens the line while its “trendy” side is highlighted by its palette of bright colors.

The 4.5ft long rear tray can carry almost 800kg of load, but on the surface it seems like it can’t hold a lot of things. To show off the Maverick’s versatility and stimulate consumer creativity, Ford is promoting ideas on its YouTube channel for making a bike rack or integrating a generator.

The options catalog currently has 150 accessories to customize the Maverick. Be careful, the bill climbs rather quickly.

Patience

Among the main attractions of the Maverick is the presence of a hybrid engine. And good news, this one animates the entry-level model (from $ 25,900). Unfortunately, this configuration is currently the victim of its own success. The 2022 production has already found a buyer. So unless they get on the waiting list, consumers interested in this pickup will have to fall back on the (more expensive) versions equipped with the turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder. Powerful (250 hp) and rather lively, this engine is associated with a four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The hybrid version, for its part, only drives its front wheels (traction) through a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Also, still compared to the Mavericks equipped with the 2.0L engine, the hybrid version has a different rear suspension and displays a reduced towing capacity. In return, and according to the first official data, the average consumption will be less than 6 L / 100 km. A more than appreciable saving. By comparison, with the 2L tested here, our best performance was only 10.1 L / 100 km. Beautiful promises that it was impossible for us to verify. In fact, for the time being, only version 2 L is available to Canadian media.

That said, anyone who wants the best attributes (with the notable exception of fuel mileage) of the Maverick will look to the 2L. The latter, thanks to the magic of turbocharging, easily snatches the Maverick out of position. static.

Its size makes it rather pleasant in an urban environment, but its excessively large turning circle penalizes it heavily in certain maneuvers.

Powerful if not lively (at low revs), this 2 L turbo is efficient and well suited to the nature of this vehicle. And once fitted with the towing package (optional), it effortlessly manages to tow the 3,700lb load that we put on its back. Heading is surprisingly precise (for a pickup truck, of course) thanks to perfectly assisted steering, but a little “floating” at its midpoint.

Even with the FX4 Off-Road Package, the Maverick under test successfully smoothed out pavements without bouncing like a tennis ball at the slightest imperfection. Quite fun to drive, the Maverick can swallow miles of asphalt. Driving between Montreal and Toronto makes about as much sense as using public transportation to get around town. Like the Escape from which it derives, the Maverick displays an astonishing dynamism. It takes little body roll in the corners, displays reassuring stability and brakes quite well.

An effort of stylists

On board, the driving position, very high, is pleasant, but, as soon as you get out of city traffic, things take a turn for the worse. The seats are rather short and lack support. At the rear, occupants will also complain about poor support and a backrest that is a little too vertical. That said, let’s salute the creativity of the layout with a host of storage, including under the cushion of the bench.

Let us also underline the effort to mix textures and vary the shapes of certain fittings, as evidenced by the design of the storm doors, for example.

In short, faced with the surge of SUVs, the Maverick may not be as fashionable as you might imagine. Fortunately, we have already seen original ideas flourish against the mainstream.

For small jobs

With the Maverick, Ford now has a full arsenal in the pickup truck industry. This new model, which takes over several components of the Ford Escape and Bronco Sport, is however not configured as finely as the other models of the brand. Indeed, the prospective buyer cannot change the length of the body or opt for a different axle ratio. Despite these constraints, the Maverick is aimed at customers looking for a pickup truck that is economical in use and intended for lighter work.

” I remember “

The Maverick talks about a time that doesn’t mean much to those under 40. Their elders, on the other hand, remember that this designation was affixed to a compact automobile which was produced from 1969 to 1977. It was then based on a rear-wheel drive architecture and was animated by a six-cylinder in-line engine. A V8 engine was also offered as early as 1971. The suggested retail price for the Maverick was $ 1995. Its equivalent at Mercury (a brand that no longer exists) was called Comet.

Share your experience

Press will soon publish the test of the following vehicles: Acura RDX, Infiniti QX60, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Honda Civic Si and Subaru Forester. If you own one of these vehicles or are expecting delivery, we would love to hear from you.