People cannot contain their excitement when leaked photos of the highly anticipated Ford Maverick surfaced not long ago. News about its production caused quite a stir in the automotive community, especially for the truck-enthusiasts.
There has been a report made by CNBC that Ford begun the production of the Maverick at the Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly Plant in Mexico. This is the same facility where Bronco Sport is made.
Ford assembled 21 examples of the truck last month. The samples still wrapped camouflage are presumably used as product-spec prototypes for EPA certification, media test drives, and publicity. Spy shots were immediately spread throughout the internet for those who are eager to catch a peek of it.
The Ford Maverick truck is classified as a “C-Pickup”, no clarification was given about its meaning, but the community was quick to suggest labeling it as Compact Pickup. It is positioned below the mid-size Ranger in the hierarchy of Ford’s pickup truck roster. This will also serve as Ford’s smallest pickup truck option.
The Maverick shares the same component with crossover models such as Ford Escape and Bronco Sport. It features a unibody construction rather than a body-on-frame. No more specific details were provided to its general makeup, but the wheelbase likely exceeds both the Ford Escape and Bronco Sport. It is expected to be longer than the existing compact SUVs but will fall short compared to Ford Ranger. Rest assured that it will still look and feel like a proper pickup truck.
Aside from the underpin, it is highly speculated that it shares the same powertrain options of Ford Escape and Bronco Sport as well. Ford may offer the standard entry-level engine of 181hp turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder while the 245hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder might be optional. The Maverick will offer a twist-beam rear suspension for their front-wheel-drive model and independent rear suspension for the anticipated all-wheel-drive system. Both are better suited and paired with the eight-speed automatic transmission.
The overall setup of the Maverick’s interior is currently unknown. Assumptions that it will reflect the exterior based on the leaked photos were made. People look forward to the inclusion of Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment, three-across rear-bench seating, and plenty of under-seat storage.
The Maverick’s truck bed is significantly shorter compared to its mid-size and full-size truck counterpart. The bed length suffices for most pickup truck buyers. It also gives the impression that it will be easier to maneuver and a better daily driver. Although, it would be cool if it has a mid-gate partition to fold down between the truck bed and passenger compartment to get another few foot out of the bed length. This kind of concept is a feature made for Chevy Avalanche.
Regardless of being a small-sized truck, the Maverick is expected to tow and haul a reasonable amount of heavy load. It can handle at least the towing capacity ranging from 1550lbs to 2000lbs.
Some people consider the Maverick to be a great work truck, especially for contractors due to its overall appeal of its structure, and first impression.
The base price point of the Ford Maverick could range from around or below $20,000. The Maverick has the potential to be Ford’s most affordable truck. It is an ideal truck if you want a four-door Ford truck that looks as good and capable as its full-size counterpart.
It has a huge market advantage for those who view the $25000 Ranger as too large or expensive for their preferences and needs. Ford’s long-time best-seller full-size F-150 truck may not even be on certain consumer’s radar. It would be a good move for Ford to accommodate the demand of potential buyers for small-size trucks.
If the production proceeds smoothly, you can expect to see the Maverick go on sale for the 2022 model year.
For those who seek adventure, there has been a report from the Ford Authority that the upcoming Ford Maverick will offer a rugged off-road trim. No official name has been announced but it might end up with the Timberline name like the Ford Explorer and Ford Expedition slated to release in the next couple of years.
The trim level suggests that it will feature an upgraded and differently tuned suspension. It will have a set of Pirelli Scorpion tires and blacked-out wheels with an identical spoke pattern and finish with the Ford vehicles. It is currently unknown if the Maverick Timberline will present a trim-specific fascias to separate itself from the rest of the lineup.
There’s definitely something look forward to the Maverick’s Timberline trim. The potential off-road capability will surely heighten the excitement for those who want to personally setup their small-size off-road truck.
More news and information regarding the base Ford Maverick and its alleged Timberline trim are expected to show up in a couple of months. You still have a year to get to know more about the specs and features of the Ford Maverick.
The introduction of Ford Maverick signals that automakers can no longer ignore the often-overlooked niche market for compact pickup trucks. There is an opportunity to reintroduce compact pickup trucks back to the market. Automakers could capitalize on the increase in demand for a small-size pickup truck that consumers could use as a daily vehicle and as a towing and hauling machine.
4Wheel Online Blog - Automotive News 