Ford Maverick and the small overlanding pickup truck

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Remember when every Orkin truck was a Ranger? Well, Ford lost all that market when they dropped the Ranger in the US. I think this will be aimed at the commercial side as well to try and get that share back.
I was thinking that too. WIth 40 MPG fuel economy and a sticker price in the low $20s, a basic "WT" version for some commercial applications has a lot of potential -- for example, NAPA used to use Ford Rangers as parts delivery cars all the time, and there are a dozen of those in every major city at least.

I think this is brilliant, and I think it will be a lot better off-road than people are currently giving it credit for in it's 4x4 mode. It won't be as good as some of the 4x4s available today of course, but because it's so small and light I think this will be very handy in the rough stuff.

There's also a lot of neat features with this thing that I really like. For example, I read elsewhere that this thing has a standardized "accessory slot" that Ford plans to release to allow users to 3D print their own accessories. This is a brilliant move and I hope others in this space follow that example.



I wouldn't buy one for my Overlanding needs personally, but I think one of these will make an excellent platform for some folks. The price point and size are hard to beat in a nimble vehicle. And if anyone thinks that small unibody vehicles are no good for Overland adventuring, I think there's a few hundred participants in this that would disagree.
 

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I was thinking that too. WIth 40 MPG fuel economy and a sticker price in the low $20s, a basic "WT" version for some commercial applications has a lot of potential -- for example, NAPA used to use Ford Rangers as parts delivery cars all the time, and there are a dozen of those in every major city at least.

I think this is brilliant, and I think it will be a lot better off-road than people are currently giving it credit for in it's 4x4 mode. It won't be as good as some of the 4x4s available today of course, but because it's so small and light I think this will be very handy in the rough stuff.

There's also a lot of neat features with this thing that I really like. For example, I read elsewhere that this thing has a standardized "accessory slot" that Ford plans to release to allow users to 3D print their own accessories. This is a brilliant move and I hope others in this space follow that example.



I wouldn't buy one for my Overlanding needs personally, but I think one of these will make an excellent platform for some folks. The price point and size are hard to beat in a nimble vehicle. And if anyone thinks that small unibody vehicles are no good for Overland adventuring, I think there's a few hundred participants in this that would disagree.
Unibody don't matter as long as we're not talking payload capacity or crash safety. It's the dual ifs suspension that tells me it's not worth it.
Yeah Napa, auto zone etc all used to use Ford rangers no worry though they use chevrolet colorados now and I doubt they are going back.
Let's all be real this ain't the first unibody ford has made, ford tucks in the 60s had uni body too, this thing though is more like a ford explorer wildtrack with all ifs it's literally a minivan underneath with the rear reformed to a bed shape.

If folks want to get excited about it fine just don't expect this to actually do truck things and don't expect it to perform off road. ford makes trucks specifically for that as does chevy and dodge now. No reason to buy something lesser and expect more of of a people mover with an open cargo area
 

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I actually have nothing against the vehicle itself. In fact, I think it's great for what it is; a small, inexpensive, fuel efficient, vehicle for those that want the comfort/convenience of a compact car (which Ford no longer sells), but the utility of a small pickup. Commute to downtown and be able to park in tight spaces during the week, then carry bikes, kayaks, backpacking gear, garden stuff, etc on the weekend. Maybe tow a jet-ski to the lake or a teardrop to the local campground. It's all right there on Ford's site (https://www.ford.com/trucks/maverick/2022/)

I just have a beef about using an iconic name for something other than what it was originally associated with. But, the target audience probably won't be old enough to remember the original and think the name is hip & cool. :sunglasses:
 
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I was thinking that too. WIth 40 MPG fuel economy and a sticker price in the low $20s, a basic "WT" version for some commercial applications has a lot of potential -- for example, NAPA used to use Ford Rangers as parts delivery cars all the time, and there are a dozen of those in every major city at least.

I think this is brilliant, and I think it will be a lot better off-road than people are currently giving it credit for in it's 4x4 mode. It won't be as good as some of the 4x4s available today of course, but because it's so small and light I think this will be very handy in the rough stuff.

There's also a lot of neat features with this thing that I really like. For example, I read elsewhere that this thing has a standardized "accessory slot" that Ford plans to release to allow users to 3D print their own accessories. This is a brilliant move and I hope others in this space follow that example.



I wouldn't buy one for my Overlanding needs personally, but I think one of these will make an excellent platform for some folks. The price point and size are hard to beat in a nimble vehicle. And if anyone thinks that small unibody vehicles are no good for Overland adventuring, I think there's a few hundred participants in this that would disagree.
I want to do that Mongol Rally!
 

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I'm not sure about overlanding in it (the AWD isn't as good as the Bronco Sport Badlands version which is pretty impressive for what it is). However, at its price point it may check a lot of boxes off to make it a compelling second vehicle for home owners. I'm even considering it.
 

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Unibody don't matter as long as we're not talking payload capacity or crash safety. It's the dual ifs suspension that tells me it's not worth it.
Yeah Napa, auto zone etc all used to use Ford rangers no worry though they use chevrolet colorados now and I doubt they are going back.
Let's all be real this ain't the first unibody ford has made, ford tucks in the 60s had uni body too, this thing though is more like a ford explorer wildtrack with all ifs it's literally a minivan underneath with the rear reformed to a bed shape.

If folks want to get excited about it fine just don't expect this to actually do truck things and don't expect it to perform off road. ford makes trucks specifically for that as does chevy and dodge now. No reason to buy something lesser and expect more of of a people mover with an open cargo area
Good point about Napa moving to the Colorados -- that shows their taste improved, right? :D -- but they are a bit more expensive and will have higher operating costs (fuel efficiency). I can't say of course what NAPA will do, but the point I was trying to make is that as a fleet vehicle, there are a lot of companies that find mini trucks super useful, and this Maverick shows a lot of promise in that category based on price, efficiency, and capability (1500 lbs payload is as good as the mid-sized and well beyond what a lot of people need for urban business use). So, it won't just be for City-bound consumers who currently buy the Ridgeline - I think it will appeal to some commercial users as well.

I think whether this does "truck things" depends on how you define that. Nobody's going to be chopping the tub and replacing it with a deck and welder setup for a Tradesman, and you won't see these replacing the 1/2 ton truck that is ubiquitous in rural areas. But for both consumers and professionals in cities (which is the majority of human beings since about 2007), this thing checks a ton of boxes and will likely be popular, and that's where the majority of the market for this will be. The Ridgeline is situated similarly, but I think suffers from a terrible failure in marketing and context. The Ridgeline is the best "truck" you can get from Honda, and as trucks go (like you've said) it's not really in the same class as typical "trucks". But with Ford, this thing is coming from the same family as the Superduties and the Lightning and the Raptors, and so even if it has more in common with a minivan than a truck, they will be able to align it in the marketing as a "miniature version of amazing trucks" as opposed to Honda's "best truck we could come up with that is still not really a truck by most people's standards", and I think that will help them outpace the Honda. Not to mention that is nearly half the price of the Honda, which is significant.

As far as off road performance I don't think anyone will be running the Rubicon with one of these off the lot (But for this MSRP, some big YouTuber will probably give it a try!) -- and I agree that I think people need to have reasonable expectations on what kind of vehicle this is. But, performance off road only has a few factors that really make a huge difference, and two of the biggest factors I've found in terms of off-road performance are weight and traction. This thing has 4x4, and so some decent tires should mean reasonably good traction for a lot of conditions, and it's 1,000 lbs lighter than a Ranger which is an advantage almost anywhere. Obviously, it's super limited beyond that in terms of ease of modifications due to IF&IRS, durability of underpinnings, etc. so no - it's not an off-roader, and I wouldn't argue that. But I'd happily take a 4x4 version of this off road for the fun of it, and I think it would exceed expectations in the same way the other poster's story about his Courier and the VW Beetle did. Another great example of this "lighter is better off road" is the "Long Way Round" series; when the cameraman had trouble with his BMW, they replaced it with a cheap, light, tiny, motorbike from the local market. The cameraman was able to drive circles around the Ewan and Charlie's big BMWs which are supposed to be BMW's "off road" touring offering. The smaller lighter bike was just better in the rough stuff, and Claudio was having a lot more fun than the other two. The Maverick isn't designed for off road, and is not the best choice for off road, but I think it will be better than expected and super fun, especially in a few years time when there are used examples on the market.

I think young folks who are short on cash and long on adventurousness will create a lot of memories behind the wheels of their Mavericks. I know 19-year-old me would find this thing perfect as an adventure rig/Daily Driver -- but for me now, I'll stick with my Canyon, because I actually totally agree with you Boost that this is not a "new truck" from Ford in the same way the Ranger was; it's something different and truck-like, and I think it will be uniquely good for a lot of reasons, but it's not in the same category as purpose-built 4x4 trucks.

On the bright side the "mid-size" trucks are now officially "middle" - for years there was nothing smaller so that moniker always seemed strange!
 
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The bed size is the same as my frontier. I started losing interest at unibody and AWD lol
But I think a lot of suburban and urban dwellers would love it.

As far as the the American appreciation of the pickup truck: you can do so much with a pick up. I have both an suv (Xterra) and a pickup (frontier) and they are totally different vehicles with different purposes (and some overlap).

I think the Maverick is perfect for people who don’t want to be seen as a redneck in a truck but secretly deep down want truck… just outside NYC that is a real common thing.
 

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Idk for me it goes in the shouldn't exist category
Along with the chevy avalanche, Honda Ridgeline, Ford explorer wildtrack, chevy ssr/here, pt cruiser, Plymouth prowler, and the tweeker favorite the pontiac Aztec which weirdly enough isn't popular with the overlanding crowd even though it came with a built in tent in the back.
 
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Idk for me it goes in the shouldn't exist category
Along with the chevy avalanche, Honda Ridgeline, Ford explorer wildtrack, chevy ssr/here, pt cruiser, Plymouth prowler, and the tweeker favorite the pontiac Aztec which weirdly enough isn't popular with the overlanding crowd even though it came with a built in tent in the back.
This statement makes no sense to me. Why should these not exist? Customers buy them. That's reason enough to make them.

I traded a 4WD Silverado in on a Ridgeline. And I hate to break it to you, the Ridgeline is a better vehicle for my use in every metric. Better driving experience, better ride quality, better seating position, better fuel economy, better maintenance requirements, cheaper to operate, and to put the icing on the cake, the Ridgeline has a better 4WD system. With the Silverado, I had to carry my tools and parts in the bed. That required a cover and boxes, which made the bed useless. The Ridgeline has a trunk for the tools leaving the bed empty. So the Ridgeline is even more useable as a truck than the Silverado was.

The only thing the Silverado would do that the Ridgeline won't, is tow 10k pounds. Which I never did. My heaviest trailer is my 20' boat, at 4000 pounds. It is well within the capabilities of the Ridgeline.

Vehicles are tools. The biggest, baddest, off-road machine is frequently not the correct tool for the job. That's why I work out of a Ridgeline instead of my Cherokee.
 

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The common feeling here that this is meant for "city folk" feels like an oversight. With the mileage rating and utility, commuting is the name of the game. I expect to see these pop up heavily in rural and suburban areas where there's little choice about the distance to your job.

As well, I work on plenty of Priuses that may as well double for work trucks. People drive around with more stuff packed into the back of those things than you would believe. I know a handful of contractors who base out of them. Is it ideal? Doubt a single one would say so. But is it cheap? Damn straight. Even squatted down to the bumps they are more than doubling their mpg over a work truck.

Back when I lived in VT, I commuted between 30 and 75 minutes (each way) depending on which job I had in that time. I had a little ranger and averaged about 22mpg. I didn't tow. But I did cart around all sorts of stuff on a regular basis. Brick, mulch, firewood, tools, pellets, etc, etc. If I ended up in that position again, I'd pick up one of these in a heartbeat. I don't think I'm alone in that sentiment.
 

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This statement makes no sense to me. Why should these not exist? Customers buy them. That's reason enough to make them.

I traded a 4WD Silverado in on a Ridgeline. And I hate to break it to you, the Ridgeline is a better vehicle for my use in every metric. Better driving experience, better ride quality, better seating position, better fuel economy, better maintenance requirements, cheaper to operate, and to put the icing on the cake, the Ridgeline has a better 4WD system. With the Silverado, I had to carry my tools and parts in the bed. That required a cover and boxes, which made the bed useless. The Ridgeline has a trunk for the tools leaving the bed empty. So the Ridgeline is even more useable as a truck than the Silverado was.

The only thing the Silverado would do that the Ridgeline won't, is tow 10k pounds. Which I never did. My heaviest trailer is my 20' boat, at 4000 pounds. It is well within the capabilities of the Ridgeline.

Vehicles are tools. The biggest, baddest, off-road machine is frequently not the correct tool for the job. That's why I work out of a Ridgeline instead of my Cherokee.
Other than the Honda Ridgeline which of those vehicles are still being sold? They shouldn't exist because they can't do any one thing we'll enough to have a purpose or they are straight up shit vehicles.

As for the other post about contractors using a prius. I wouldnt hire any contractor that rolls up in a car of any kind, ok maybe a painter but that's about it. But how does contracting in VT relate to overlanding? Because they over pack their vehicle?

Maybe you'd find a chart helpful btw Honda is falling behind in reliability.
download.jpeg-67.jpg
 
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Other than the Honda Ridgeline which of those vehicles are still being sold? They shouldn't exist because they can't do any one thing we'll enough to have a purpose or they are straight up shit vehicles.

As for the other post about contractors using a prius. I wouldnt hire any contractor that rolls up in a car of any kind, ok maybe a painter but that's about it. But how does contracting in VT relate to overlanding? Because they over pack their vehicle?

Maybe you'd find a chart helpful btw Honda is falling behind in reliability.
Discussions with closed minds are a waste of time so I'll just move along.

Have a great day.
 

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As well, I work on plenty of Priuses that may as well double for work trucks. People drive around with more stuff packed into the back of those things than you would believe. I know a handful of contractors who base out of them. Is it ideal? Doubt a single one would say so. But is it cheap? Damn straight. Even squatted down to the bumps they are more than doubling their mpg over a work truck.
A surprising number of folks use used minivans like that around here. They buy used vans that were used as kid haulers then rip out the seats and fill them with work tools and stuff and drive them till they just wont go anymore.
 

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What is it with americans and pickup trucks?

I'll never understand that.
Most of America is rural and the distances between locations are quite far compared to Europe, even within urban centers. (For example, the entire United Kingdom is slightly smaller in landmass than the US state of Oregon. Or, the US is more than twice the size of the whole European Union) Also, outside of major cities, public transportation is pretty much non-existent. My wife, who's British, never understood this until she moved here and saw that you can't just hop on a bus/tram/train and go anywhere you want all within a day. (you can drive for 12+ hours in a straight line in Texas and never leave the state) Another difference is, unlike a lot of people in Europe, most Americans do not shop daily for things like food. The time/distance issue just makes it too inconvenient, time consuming, and costly in gas. Thus, a significant part of the population buys groceries on a weekly, bi-weekly, or (like us) a monthly basis. This translates to the need for a vehicle that can carry a lot of items at any given time, even if that time is few and far between. There's also the difference between house/property size. On average, US homes are quite a bit larger and homeowners have more land than their European counterparts. This means people are able to do more things like landscaping, home improvements, etc. All of which would require the transporting of large, bulky items. Now, can you carry lumber in a Prius? Yes, and I've seen it done. However, anyone who wants to haul items on any kind of regular basis is going to spend their money on a vehicle that's more capable. That doesn't mean they give up comfort, either. US trucks are pretty damn upscale, even at the lower trim levels. Even in the Maverick we are discussing, you can see what comes standard for a price under $20k. America is a country founded by explorers who value their independence and self reliance (we'll not get into those who currently don't :wink: ) and that spirit transcends over to our choice of vehicles. Trucks represent the open road and the ability to go where we want, when we want.
 

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What is it with americans and pickup trucks?

I'll never understand that.
We do stuff.

Weekend 1: Camping. Two kayaks, cooler, four backpacks, four tents, portable grill.
Weekend 2: Diving. Eight HP100 air tanks. Four scuba rigs. Cooler. 4 duffle bags.
Weekend 3: Medium power model rocket launch. Two launch pads, table, chairs, Ez-up canopy, four 6 foot long padded boxes filled.
Weekend 4: Bodies. Shovel, lime, large Pelican case with night vision goggles.
Weekend 5: Trackday. Two motorcycles, tools, fluids, and two umbrella girls.

I'm always startled how other peoples just kind of sit around and drink martini's. Like that's all there is in life, to enjoy.

Then there's towing. hauling, and 4wd. SUV's and vans suck sometimes. It's nice being able to strap down a motorcycle without ducking.
 

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roots66

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We do stuff.

Weekend 1: Camping. Two kayaks, cooler, four backpacks, four tents, portable grill.
Weekend 2: Diving. Eight HP100 air tanks. Four scuba rigs. Cooler. 4 duffle bags.
Weekend 3: Medium power model rocket launch. Two launch pads, table, chairs, Ez-up canopy, four 6 foot long padded boxes filled.
Weekend 4: Bodies. Shovel, lime, large Pelican case with night vision goggles.
Weekend 5: Trackday. Two motorcycles, tools, fluids, and two umbrella girls.

I'm always startled how other peoples just kind of sit around and drink martini's. Like that's all there is in life, to enjoy.

Then there's towing. hauling, and 4wd. SUV's and vans suck sometimes. It's nice being able to strap down a motorcycle without ducking.
Weekend 4 - :sunglasses:
 

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Unibody don't matter as long as we're not talking payload capacity or crash safety. It's the dual ifs suspension that tells me it's not worth it.
Yeah Napa, auto zone etc all used to use Ford rangers no worry though they use chevrolet colorados now and I doubt they are going back.
Let's all be real this ain't the first unibody ford has made, ford tucks in the 60s had uni body too, this thing though is more like a ford explorer wildtrack with all ifs it's literally a minivan underneath with the rear reformed to a bed shape.

If folks want to get excited about it fine just don't expect this to actually do truck things and don't expect it to perform off road. ford makes trucks specifically for that as does chevy and dodge now. No reason to buy something lesser and expect more of of a people mover with an open cargo area
Napa et al went to Colorados because they stopped making Rangers in 2011 or whenever. The fleet aged and it was time to buy more. Toyotas are expensive. What were they left with? Chevy Colorado was the obvious choice. They may go back to Rangers, but I could definitely see them selecting Mavericks. Cheaper to buy. Better fuel economy. Still has a bed, and they rarely put 300 pounds at a time in the back anyway, never mind approaching its capacity. This is for that kind of customer.

Look for Domino's Pizza to add heaters and drawers in the bed, so multiple orders can be organized and warm when delivered
 
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