Ford’s got a winner on its hands in the form of its new Maverick compact pickup truck. In fact, demand is so strong it’s going to stop accepting retail orders Jan. 27.
So, if you want a 2022 model, better get to your nearest deal quick otherwise you’ll need to wait until this summer, the automaker confirmed in an email to TheDetroitBureau.com.
The company wants to “responsible and manage customer expectations on hot demand for 2022 model year Maverick,” a company official told TheDetroitBureau.com. However, customers who didn’t place a retail order can still purchase one today from dealer stock; however, after Thursday, if you want to order a specific version you’ll have to wait and get a 2023 model year pickup.
Very popular pickup
The Maverick received positive feedback from the start, securing tens of thousands of reservations within days of its launch. It passed the 100,000 mark in late August and has kept running from there.
The truck’s popularity combined with an unknown issue — speculation centered on a semiconductor shortage — caused customer deliveries of the hybrid to be delayed until this month. However, when the trucks did hit dealer lots, they came with a better-than-expected fuel economy rating from the Environmental Protection Agency.
According to the EPA, the 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid will get 42 miles per gallon in the city test cycle, with a combined fuel economy rating of 37 mpg — making it the most fuel-efficient pickup on the market. It’s also won its fair share of awards, including the North American Truck of the Year just last week.
The Ford Maverick beat out both the Rivian R1T and the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Both the Ford and Hyundai models are notable for helping revive the compact pickup segment, which had vanished in recent years. Jurors found several features particularly appealing about Maverick, starting with its base price of under $20,000. And that is for the high-mileage hybrid package offered on the truck.
The Maverick also captured Green Truck of the Year from the GreenCarJournal.com last November for its hybrid base model.
More about Maverick
The new truck starts at $19,995 — though buyers will be able to drive that up substantially by opting for features like a more powerful EcoBoost engine, a power moonroof, the FX4 off-road package and premium Lariat trim.
Its platform is shared not only with the familiar Ford Escape but also the new Ford Bronco Sport, although it’s not nearly the off-road the SUV is.
At 199.7 inches in length and 68.7 inches in height, it’s nearly a foot shorter, and about two inches lower than today’s Ranger. And it’s 32 inches shorter, seven inches narrower, than an F-150. The bed, meanwhile, comes in at 4.5 feet, or half a foot shorter than Ranger which is, itself, six inches shorter than the standard F-150 bed.
The base engine pairs a 2.5-liter Atkinson Cycle gas engine with a 94 kilowatt electric motor. Together, they produce 191 horsepower. Fittingly, urban drivers will get an EPA-estimated 40 mpg in the city, with a combined rating of 40 mpg. The engine is paired with a CVT gearbox and is available only in front-wheel-drive.
Maverick offers an upgrade to a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, mated to an 8-speed automatic. This package punches the pony count up to 250, with torque rated at 277 pound-feet. The turbo-4 can be ordered in either front- or all-wheel drive.
Even the hybrid manages to carry up to 1,500 pounds of cargo and tow up to 2,000 pounds. The EcoBoost package bumps that tow rating to 4,000. To put that into perspective, the Ranger can handle anywhere from 3,500 to 7,500 pounds, depending upon options.
