Although it’s not every year, big-name manufacturers such as Ford releasing an entirely new model is something of a spectacle. This year was one such year as we’ve seen the introduction of the all-new 2022 Maverick. The Maverick is one of those vehicles that, in many ways, wasn’t an entirely possible concept until recently, especially at the price that you can get one for. You can find brand new Maverick models at your local Ford truck dealer, and this is the best way to spend some time with the vehicle before you make a purchase. What you will notice, however, is that the quality of a truck that is priced under $20K has greatly increased over time, and even five years ago, a truck like this would have cost far more. Best of all, the versatility of the Ford Maverick is unlike any other as it’s a fully capable pickup truck that’s also available as a hybrid.
Available Trim Levels
There are three trim levels for the 2022 Maverick, and the base XL trim starts at an MSRP of just $19,995. The base model is available with either a turbocharged engine or a hybrid four-cylinder. Each trim also comes with a feature-packed infotainment center, and 17-inch wheels come standard. The second available trim, the XLT, provides a more adaptable tailgate along with more quality-of-life enhancements such as cruise control. We suspect most buyers will be gravitating towards this trim for its balance of features and affordability.
The third and final available trim for the 2022 Maverick is Lariat, and with this trim, you’ll be towing on the open road in pure comfort with the inclusion of an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat along with dual-zone climate control. Additionally, this trim includes far more features than the base model with an acoustic windshield to make traveling at high speeds a less noisy affair. A productivity center between the gauges is also present, measuring in at 6.5-inches diagonally. You can even customize it to your heart’s content to display the info you care the most about while driving.
A Fully-Capable Hybrid
As I said, the highlight that will jump out the most to you is the standard hybrid powertrain that offers excellent performance and superior fuel efficiency. Those who don’t want a hybrid but still want to experience this new truck while still getting respectable fuel economy ratings are in luck too. This is because there are two powertrain configurations for the 2022 Maverick, one of which features the hybrid combination while the other relies on a turbocharged engine. Let’s start by talking about the turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder that you can get, operating at 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Paired with this engine is an 8-speed automatic transmission, and while we can’t gauge fuel economy just yet as the EPA-estimated ratings have yet to be posted, you should expect a decently efficient engine here for both city and highway travel.
Next, let’s talk about the main entrée, so to speak, and that’s the standard hybrid powertrain for the 2022 Maverick. This combo features a 2.5L four-cylinder engine along with a battery pack to produce a combined 191 hp. This engine comes paired with an automatic CVT, and EPA-estimated ratings haven’t been released just yet, but Ford estimates at least 40 MPG city. For the best towing performance, you’ll want to opt for the non-hybrid option along with a trailering package that will increase the maximum towing capacity of the 2022 Maverick to 4,000 lbs, which is double the amount of the hybrid variant.
The Best Features
There are several features found both inside and out of the Maverick that are worth mentioning. Some of these features help with supplying the worksite with more tools, while others are designed to improve connectivity with your smart devices. The first feature that I want to mention is something that has been appearing in other newer Ford trucks, and that’s an integrated power generator. According to Ford, there will be two locations where you can plug in anything electrical, with one inside of the vehicle and the other in the back. These outlets are rated at 400 watts, which is plenty if you need to plug in a power tool at a worksite, for example. Not only is this useful for work tasks, but you can plug in anything that utilizes electricity, whether it’s to charge a wireless device or just to supply power to something.
The features that I’ve mentioned so far indicate that the 2022 Maverick is a vehicle that’s made in the modern-day, and as one would expect, this translates over to both connectivity and entertainment-oriented features. There rarely seems to be a standard as to how feature-packed an infotainment center is as some much pricier vehicles will include a rather bare-bone system with a small screen. Impressively, the 2022 Maverick comes standard with an infotainment center that includes a large 8-inch screen to navigate the system.
Let’s start with some simpler tasks that can be achieved through your infotainment center, the first of which is media. Normally, the infotainment center is where you’ll access media controls such as the radio, for example. If you connect your smartphone to your infotainment center either through Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, or Android Auto, you can access your favorite music and audiobooks through the infotainment screen. You’ll not need to pick up your cell phone if you want to change a song, as you can either utilize the media controls or simply use your voice with features such as Siri with the iPhone.
Connecting your phone to your infotainment center has far more benefits than just listening to music. Turn-by-turn navigation is available, and by utilizing it here, you’ll have a far better view of the map than if you were using your cellphone screen. Also, if you need to make a phone call or send a text message, you can utilize the aforementioned Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to contact somebody without endangering yourself by using a cellphone while driving. These enhancements completely change the way that we can interact with technology to access more features while operating our vehicles, whether it’s for safety or entertainment.
What Comes Next?
One of the more exciting aspects of researching an entirely new truck model is to then speculate on what can be improved. This idea of a hybrid pickup truck isn’t fully explored yet, but vehicles such as the 2022 Maverick are an interesting view into what’s to come. In the current day, gasoline-powered pickup trucks still reign supreme, and Ford has even announced the fully-electric F-150 Lightning for future release, so where does this leave the Maverick? We believe that there is lots of potential to be found in the Maverick, and what it may not have in ground-breaking performance, it more than certainly makes up for it with a phenomenally thought out standard set of features, all at a relatively low price. One thing that we’d like to see shortly is more options in regards to powertrains, and whether this results in more fuel efficiency or even more towing power, it’ll undoubtedly benefit this new model.
