Small pickups like Maverick are an emerging trend

2024 Ford Maverick XLT FWD

A timeworn axiom claims you are everyone's friend if you drive a pickup truck. Especially when the time comes to schlep said friend's belongings across town. Remember last year's unveiling of Ford's smallest pickup? Available in three trims — XL, XLT, and Lariat — the Maverick is based on the Ford Escape crossover.

All Mavericks are crew cabs with four full-size doors and a nearly roomy back seat. More good news: Ford lovingly bestowed Maverick with an abundance of storage cubbies and bins throughout the cabin and under the rear seat.

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It should come as no surprise to learn that the XL bare-bones model, boasting the lowest price of the three trim levels, is an undeniably good work truck. Although far from plush, the XL model boasts a tilting and telescoping steering wheel with audio controls, remote keyless entry, an onboard Wi-Fi hot spot, and adjustable lumbar support for front seats. Noteworthy options include a SiriusXM satellite radio, an upgraded B & Play stereo system, and wireless smartphone charging. An 8.0-inch touch screen infotainment system, tied to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, is standard on all Maverick trims.

One step up in trim level, the fancier XLT adds 17-inch aluminum wheels, cruise control, a power lock for the tailgate, and power exterior mirrors with an embedded flashing icon that lights up like a church on Sunday whenever an overtaking vehicle intrudes into your blind spot. Additional features that come standard or as part of the option packages on the XLT and Lariat trims include dual-zone automatic climate control, ambient interior lighting, and power front seats.

Upgrading to a hybrid costs a mere $1,500, positioning Maverick as the least expensive hybrid on the market, offering the fuel economy of a hybrid compact SUV and the handling manners of a tall hatchback.

The standard power package is Ford's turbo 2.0-liter EcoBoost, replete with an 8-speed Automatic Transmission and front-wheel drive. The I-4 engine's zero to 60 mph elapsed time is 5.9 seconds. Outfitted with the optional tow package, a turbocharged, gas-only Maverick workhorse trailers up to 4,000 pounds, or hauls a 1,500-pound payload in its compact cargo bed.

A 2.5-liter Hybrid (FWD only) with Automatic Continuously Variable Transmission is optional on all trims. Estimated mileage is an enviably good 42/33 mpg city/highway. The zero to 60 mph elapsed time clocks in at 7.6 seconds. While the Maverick Hybrid is rated to haul 1,500 pounds in its bed, its diminished tow rating is 2,000 pounds.

Maverick's 4.5-foot long cargo bed accommodates as many as 18 sheets of 4-foot-by-8-foot ¾ -inch plywood without stacking them upright at an angle. The bed features a 12-volt DC power outlet with an optional 110-volt AC outlet.

Admittedly, Maverick's suspension rides stiff. In its defense, it is, after all, a truck. But it smooths out considerably when loaded with several hundred pounds of stuff in the cargo bed, tensioning the shock absorbers and springs. All-wheel drive is optional, albeit only with the gas engine. You will want AWD at a boat ramp for its better traction on slippery surfaces.

The limited warranty coverage runs for three years or 36,000 miles, while powertrain warranty coverage covers five years or 60,000 miles. Finally, an eyebrow raiser, the hybrid component warranty covers eight years or 100,000 miles.

Automotive journalist Tim Banse wrote The Gazette’s Motoring car review column from 1989 to 2013 and has published stories in Popular Mechanics and Yachting magazine. He’s toured carmaker factory floors in the U.S. and Japan and raced cars at Riverside, Watkins Glen, and Michigan International Raceway press events. He’s stood close enough to a crash test to feel the shock wave reverberate off his chest. His first car was a vintage ’56 Chevy Bel Air.