Ford recently hosted a media event at Michigan International Speedway to showcase a handful of vehicles, one of which was the 2026 Ford Maverick Lobo SV300T. The purpose of this event at the legendary NASCAR track was to showcase the Ford Custom Garage program, which allows new vehicle buyers to have their truck or car upfitted for drastically greater performance from the factory. Although the Maverick is best known for being a wonderfully functional small pickup, the SV300T package transforms the Lobo model into the compact performance vehicle that the American automotive industry is lacking right now.
Ford Maverick SV300T Goes Autocrossing
When you think about vehicles that are going to be great on an autocross course, pickup trucks usually aren’t high on that list. However, the compact Ford Maverick is unlike most trucks, being smaller, lighter and sitting much lower to the ground than larger trucks like the Ranger or F-150. When you take the Maverick and add the SV300T package, it performs less like a truck and more like a compact car – making an autocross course the perfect layout to showcase its abilities.
The SV300T package is available for multiple trim levels, including the Lariat, XLT and Lobo, and we had a chance to drive the different configurations of the Ford Custom Garage package for the Ford Maverick.
SV300T Adds Mustang Parts for More Power
One key component of the Ford Custom Garage SV300T package is the turbocharger, which has been borrowed from the 2.3-liter engine in the Ford Mustang. A standard Ford Maverick with the 2.0-liter engine offers 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, but with the turbocharger from the 2.3-liter engine, a larger intercooler, a free-flowing exhaust system and a custom engine calibration, the SV300T models deliver 300 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. That larger turbocharger does take a touch longer to spool up at lower RPM, but when the boost hits – the Maverick SV300T packs enough power to spin all four tires and shove you back in the driver’s seat. It also has a great exhaust tune, with a nice amount of grumble for a small engine and a deeper pitch than you would expect from a four-cylinder.
Engineered to Offer Compact Car Performance
In what I feel is a shortsighted move, compact performance cars have more or less vanished from the American landscape, but the Ford Maverick SV300T is engineered to fill the roles previously filled by a “hot hatch”. The SV300T package adds lowering springs, stronger stabilizing bars and better suspension bushings, and in XLT and Lariat models, the shocks from the Lobo models are included in the upgrade package as well. The package also adds 20×8-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot 4S rubber, which improve every aspect of performance. Finally, the SV300T package adds an Air Design lower front spoiler, improving downforce and giving the truck a more aggressive countenance.
While the XLT and Lariat versions of the Ford Maverick SV300T get a few key components from the Lobo suspension setup, one advantage which is not shared between the varying Maverick models is the Lobo’s twin-clutch, torque-vectoring rear differential. The Lobo also has larger front brake rotors and two-piston calipers, but those are optional for the SV300T XLT and Lariat packages.
Sport Compact Car Performance from a Pickup
As you can see in the autocross track map shown above, the course was fairly tight, so it emphasized handling more than speed, but the Ford Maverick SV300T performed beautifully. The curve just after the start prevented us from making a hard, straight-line run at the slalom, but that first curve was gradual enough that we were able to climb into the throttle pretty hard right away. The upgraded turbo of the SV300T package does take a second to get up to peak boost, but we were still making enough power that the tires wanted to spin a bit before we got to the first slalom.
That first slalom showcases the advantage of the Lobo over the other models, with the torque-vectoring differential allowing me to get through the series of cones with much more throttle than in the XLT or Lariat models. From there, the SV300T package allowed the Maverick to carve its way through the next few turns, followed by a short straight that allowed us to feel how quickly this little pickup can get up to speed. That straight was followed by a hard left turn, so we had to stand hard on the brakes, at which point we experienced how much more confidently the larger brakes of the Lobo bring the Maverick nearly to a stop. After cutting through that hard left, we were then able to accelerate through the sweeping right to the finish line while the tires were all trying to spin a bit under peak boost.
Packing 300 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque into a compact pickup with all-wheel-drive and a curb weight under 4,000 pounds makes for a wonderfully enjoyable truck that provides the fun-to-drive factor that we previously reserved for compact cars. If you want the high performance sport compact experience from a vehicle that can also tow and haul – the Ford Maverick with the SV300T package is an incredibly fun option.
The Ford Custom Garage SV300T Package
The SV300T package is part of the Ford Custom Garage program, which allows customers who are buying a new vehicle to add upgrades that essentially create an aftermarket-style build. Prior to this package, any Maverick owners who wanted it to be faster and handle better would have to know what parts to buy and what shops to trust, but when those upgrades are performed, the warranty is in question. With the Ford Custom Garage program, new Maverick buyers can add power and handling performance without lifting a finger, and it is all covered under the vehicle’s warranty.
According to Ford, the lowest-priced Ford Maverick on which someone can build the SV300T is $30,645 for the XLT. The majority of the components in the SV300T package cost $5,000, but that does not include installation or tires. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 245/45/20 tires have a price of roughly $350 each, so factor in another $1,500 for rubber. The cost of installation will vary from one dealership to the next, but for the XLT and Lariat, we are talking about the installation of a new turbocharger, intercooler and exhaust system along with new shocks, springs, stabilizer bars and bushings – along with the wheel/tire package and the exterior upgrades. We will use $10,000 for the cost of labor to install all of that simply because it makes for easy math when figuring out the total cost of the Ford Maverick SV300T. So around $31k for the XLT plus $5,000 for the SV300T parts, $1,500 for the tires and $10,000 for the labor leads to a price of around $47,500 for the base build. The Lariat starts about $6,000 more than the XLT and they share very similar SV300T packages, so the Maverick Lariat SV300T starts around $53,500.
As for the Ford Maverick Lobo SV300T, since that package comes with the suspension components in place, there should be less labor cost to install the package. The Lobo has the same basic starting price as the Lariat, but since it has less items to install, the finished package may be a bit less costly than the Lariat – making the Lobo the best starting point on which to build the Maverick SV300T. Adding that extra power to the Maverick Logo takes that compact performance model to the next level – hearkening back to the spirit of vehicles like the Ford Focus ST and RS – but offering pickup truck functionality.
Ford Custom Garage SV300T Package Content
Standard Package Contents:
- 1. Maverick 20x 8-inch Bronze or Black Wheels
- 2. Matching Wheel Center Caps
- 3. Black Lug Nut Kit
- 4. Maverick Lowering Springs
- 5. 2.0L Sport Borla Exhaust
- 6. Bronze or Matte Black Tailgate Lettering
- 7. Air Design Maverick Front Lower Spoiler
- 8. Maverick SV300T Hood and Bodyside Graphics
- 9. Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensors
- 10. Maverick Lobo Shocks
- 11. Maverick Stabilizer Bar and Bushings
- 12. Upgraded Intercooler
- 13. Turbo Upgrade Kit with Calibration
Optional Contents:
1. Brake Kit — Upgraded front brake kit for XLT and Lariat including rotors and 2 piston calipers (these braking components are standard on Lobo models).
