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5 things to know about the 2022 Ford Maverick

Jill Ciminillo June 8, 2021

We’ve been hearing rumors and seeing spy shots for a compact truck from Ford Motor Co. for a while now, and we finally get our first glimpse at the 2022 Maverick production vehicle.

And, well, it’s pretty much what we thought it would be – with one small surprise.

So, here are the five most important things to know about this all-new truck.

Standard powertrain is hybrid

This is the thing that surprised us. While we’re not surprised that there is a hybrid powertrain on the 2022 Maverick, we’re surprised it’s the base powertrain. Equipped with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with a 94 kW electric motor for a total power output of 191 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque. On the plus side: EPA estimates a fuel economy of about 40 MPG and a 500-mile range on a single tank of gas. The potential downers: This is a front-wheel-drive-only powertrain, and yes, it has a continuously variable transmission.

It’s also worth noting, Ford is not calling this powertrain “PowerBoost” like it does on the F-150, and it doesn’t appear that there will be any version of Pro Power Onboard available.

The up-level powertrain will be a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder EcoBoost that delivers 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. It will be available in front- and all-wheel drive, and the transmission is an 8-speed automatic. The tow rating climbs up to 4,000 with the available 4K Tow Package.

Infographic comparing the size of the Maverick to the other trucks in Ford’s lineup. (Image courtesy of Ford Motor Co.)

It’s smaller than a Ranger

I know this is a “duh” statement, but the “huh” part of this is the fact it’s not that much smaller in the relative scope of things. The 2022 Maverick is about 11 inches shorter than Ranger, and it shaves 2.4 inches off the height. Not a massive difference, but enough to ensure this truck will fit in more flexible spaces – like a home garage in the city or a covered multi-level parking facility.

All trucks will have a SuperCrew configuration with four full doors, and the truck bed will be 4.5 feet long with the tailgate up.

It has a unibody design

No, the 2022 Maverick is not a body-on-frame construction. I know some people will say this means it’s not a “real” truck – just like they say the Honda Ridgeline isn’t a real truck. Fine. It’s not meant for you, then.

What this will mean, however, is Maverick will have a more carlike ride and handling, and it should be nimbler than a “real” truck. In fact, Ford has already said it will have a curb-to-curb radius of 40 feet.

The Maverick will sit on the same platform as the Bronco Sport, and the two vehicles will both be built at the Hermosillo Assembly plant in Sonora, Mexico.

The Ford Maverick can tow up to 4,000 pounds with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine and the 4K Tow Package. (Image courtesy of Ford Motor Co.)

Base price less than $20K, kind of

Ford said the base price will be $19,995. But, of course, that’s without destination. Now that the configurator is live, we can see the actual base price with destination is $21,490.

Ford has also confirmed there will be three trims: XL, XLT and Lariat. Though Ford didn’t give us full pricing in the press materials, we logged on to the configurator and see it tops out around $36k for a well-equipped Lariat.

A few notable packages will include that aforementioned 4K Tow Package, the First Edition Package and the FX4 Off-Road Package.

Cool standard & available tech

Let me start by saying, yes, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be standard on the 2022 Maverick. Plus, the 8-inch infotainment screen will also be standard – as will the 4G LTE hot spot (subscription required) and the FordPass app. Plus, in terms of safety, automatic emergency braking and automatic high beams are standard. With the CoPilot 360 Package, you’ll also get adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and lane centering.

Plus there are a couple of low-tech-but-still cool features, including under-seat storage in the back, segmented bed storage, available 110-volt bed outlets, and bottle holders in the doors designed to fit an upright 1-liter bottle.

An 8-inch screen and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility are standard on the Ford Maverick. (Image courtesy of Ford Motor Co.)

The bottom line on the 2022 Maverick

The 2022 Ford Maverick is the latest vehicle in search of young, urban adventurers.

While die-hard truck fans will likely find the unibody construction of the 2022 Ford Maverick hard to swallow, that’s OK. Ford is trying to attract a new kind of customer – someone who probably wouldn’t have considered a truck before because it was too big or bulky or rough riding.

The Maverick is open for pre-orders now and will show up in dealers this fall.

Editor’s note: All images in the photo gallery are courtesy of Ford Motor Co.

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Jill Ciminillo

Jill Ciminillo is a syndicated automotive writer. Jill also manages the “Drive, She Said” blog for ChicagoNow and posts reviews to DriveChicago. She is the president emeritus of the Midwest Automotive Media Association and has the distinction of being the first female president for that organization. She also serves as a judge for the Automotive Heritage Foundation Journalism Awards. Previously, Jill has been the automotive editor for the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the Chicago Sun-Times News Group and Pioneer Press Newspapers.