2023 FORD MAVERICK

Everyone knows SUVs have replaced sedans as the main form of transport for Americans. And pickups have been the best-selling vehicles on these shores for decades. Therefore, it seems a no-brainer that car companies would create small pickups off of existing, crossover platforms. Honda’s been doing it for years with the midsize Ridgeline, and now both Hyundai and Ford have done it in a compact size.

The Maverick name harkens back a “mini truck” Ford sold decades ago, and in beefed up Tremor trim is a superb all-around rig. One can ID Tremors by their orange accents and front bumper fascia with built in steel skid plate, which allows for a better approach angle. Combined with more ground clearance (9.4in), this Maverick can actually go to many of the wild places implied by typical truck advertising. Aiding in that is a rear differential that will direct torque to the wheel with more traction, multiple off-road electronic settings to grab the most grip available no matter the surface, revised spring and damper rates and relatively tall all-terrain tires.

The benefits on the pavement are a very supple ride—certainly better than trad body-on-frame pickups and a match for many crossovers as well. The Maverick is fast too, with a torquey turbocharged four and savvy transmission that won’t relegate it to the right lane on the way up mountain passes.

The Ford is fairly thrifty as well too, and it was possible to match its EPA ratings without undue restraint. The Maverick isn’t exactly what one would call refined, but it does resist wind and road noise fairly well, and the front seats are supportive. The back bench seat is comparatively small, and interior material quality is not great—a shame, really, as the design itself is really fresh.

The Maverick’s bed is thoughtfully designed and practical; there are also a plethora of Ford-designed hacks to make it even more useful. Ford really knows pickups, and how people are likely to use them. That expertise is on clear display in the Maverick, and the Tremor version sets the standard in this new class.