Spy shot of the 2022 Ford Maverick (Photo by Ford Authority)
It is becoming even more certain a 2022 Ford Maverick compact pickup will make its debut next year as Ford looks to offer yet another new truck model, which is actually a throwback to a bygone era. Yep, a truly compact pickup looks like it will make its return!
Years ago, there were pickups and trucks and no, they weren’t the same thing (stay with me here). Once upon a time, trucks were big farm or commercial trucks meant to haul cargo or bring in the harvest. The little pickup was the farmer’s or workman’s personal truck meant for light hauling work.
These pickups were often the size of a car with a simple configuration — regular cab, short or long bed and one engine choice. The bed sides were really low as well allowing for easy access to tools. Imagine trucks such as the Chevy C10 and Ford F100, which turned into Nissan Hardbody, Ford Courier pickup, Chevy Luv, etc.
Now, even a midsize truck is larger than a 1960s-era Chevy C10 — I know because I own a ’62. This growth, in both size and price, has many people wanting a much smaller, cheaper and easier-to-use version. This has prompted automakers like Ford and the upcoming Hyundai Santa Cruz to fill this gap.
With all of this said, here is what we expect to see in a new 2022 Ford Maverick pickup.
Leaked: 2022 Ford Maverick Truck? Could This Be the Next Ford Ranger or Bronco-Based Pickup? – https://t.co/VKVMCndDxL pic.twitter.com/KAysnQYxO2
— The Fast Lane Truck (@TFLtruck) April 30, 2020
First, recent spy photos seem to confirm the new compact truck will be called Maverick. This is a throwback name to a mid 1970s compact car Ford offered. With Ford already owning the trademark for the name, it seems pretty clear they will just reuse an old name and bring it back like they did with the Bronco.
Second, the size will be similar to their Ford Focus car (not sold in the U.S.), the new Ford Bronco Sport and this new compact truck looks to ride on what Ford calls the C2 platform. This platform is a unibody construction with MacPherson front struts and a multi-link independent rear suspension. It is reserved for cars and crossover models.
This means the new Maverick would basically be a Bronco Sport size with a bed instead of a closed in rear end.
Ford Maverick Pickup Will Be Very Similar To Bronco Sport B-Pillar Forward: Exclusive https://t.co/9d21QZx7iF pic.twitter.com/xsSV6UBQLJ
— FordAuthority (@FordAuthority) August 28, 2020
I also expect it to be offered in an extended cab and a four-door, crew cab setup with a shorter bed for the four-door. All these different models will be the same length.
Powering the Maverick will likely be two engine choices and one transmission, similar to the Bronco Sport. The Bronco’s standard engine is a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder with 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque while an optional 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder produces 245 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.
I can’t see a diesel engine or manual transmission. Sorry.
Third, price should start at under $20k with top-tier models running into the high $20k range to low $30ks. This would make it a few thousand dollars cheaper than the base Ford Ranger.
I’d expect to see the debut of the 2022 Ford Maverick in 2021, with the truck on dealer lots in the third or fourth quarter of the year.
We Render The Bronco Sport-Like 2022 Ford Maverick Compact Pickup https://t.co/hmeluWE1Iw pic.twitter.com/4l1B0SVND3
— FordAuthority (@FordAuthority) May 7, 2020
Building a pickup smaller, cheaper than the Ford Ranger would allow them to offer a true compact truck, a midsize truck then a full-size and a heavy-duty truck. This pickup would look to take over the sales loss of Ford’s small cars and create some additional volume for the truck-heavy automaker.
It would also be a big win for consumers who are looking for other, cheaper options for pickups and who don’t have towing or heavy hauling needs. Plus, it would be a great fleet option for small cities or companies like Orkin, which switched to the Toyota Tacoma instead of the Ford F-150 when the Ranger was killed off a few years ago and going against what Ford executives expected Orkin would do. Those kinds of companies just need the easy-to-access bed and not a full-size truck. Many consumers have the same needs.
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I am very happy that Ford Motor Co. has come to their senses and are building a compact truck much like the size and utility of the original Ranger. The Ranger was sitting on dealer lots until the factory put huge rebates on them. They are too expensive, too tech-ed out and as was aptly mentioned in the article, companies like Orkin wasn’t in the mood to pay upwards of $45,000 for a “small” Ford pickup truck.
If I could advise the parent company one thing when it comes to product……consult a LOT of Ford dealership people. Not just the ones who sell over 500 vehicles per month, either. If ford would have asked lots of dealers back in 2011 if it was a good idea to stop producing the original Ranger, they probably would have gotten feedback that indicated it wasn’t a smart idea. Nor was it smart to come out with a new Ranger that the price can soar to just under $50k. But what do I know? I’ve only been in the biz for 35 years.
Boy, oh, boy; I agree whole-heartedly!
When Ford introduced their overgrown, overblown Raptor a few years ago, I wrote to CAR and DRIVER complaining of just that… Ford was leaving an entire market segment in the lurch. There is a market for small trucks, exactly as the former Ranger fulfilled. I owned 3 different Rangers and was ready to buy another when they were discontinued. I haven’t had a truck in the garage since. My first Ranger was the one I liked most. It was a ’91 Splash; regular cab, short step-side bed, 4.0L V6 with a manual overdrive transmission. The features I really liked? It had manual, windup windows, I could reach over my shoulder and slide open the back window, and it had a comfy bench seat with an armrest that folded down to make, essentially, two “buckets”. Although a regular cab it had enough room behind the seats to accommodate several loaded grocery bags, or a rifle case or two. Mostly, ‘tho, it was attractive… it was my small version of a do-everything vehicle that I was proud of, found really useful, garnered lots of stares and comments… overall, it was something that allowed for NOT having another car but, instead, having a truck for doing the chores when cars wouldn’t do. The size was perfect; at 5’6″ I’m not a giant and neither is my wife. Trucks today are simply too large; I can’t justify the size, the expense or coping with their putting a stranglehold on garage space, if they’d fit in at all. OK, Ford; show me again that you understand my needs. So far, ‘tho, it appears they’re missing the point!