2022 Ford Maverick

Pickup trucks are many things: practical, durable, sometimes comfortable, but we'd rarely call them exciting to drive. The Maverick is… dare we say… fun? Because it's based on a unibody design that's shared with the Escape and Bronco Sport, the Maverick drives more like an SUV than a pickup truck. Traditional truck buyers will bemoan the unibody construction and say the Maverick isn't a "real truck" (whatever that means), but buyers who don't plan to tow a massive boat or carry tons of sheetrock will enjoy the Maverick's car-like driving manners. The steering feels sharp, the suspension isn't too bouncy, and the road noise doesn't overwhelm the cabin, even on the base model.

You can chuck the Maverick into a corner without fear it may tip over or lose control. With some better tires and brakes, we might even call it sporty. Hey Ford, feeling up to building us an ST model? Like most vehicles, the Maverick has selectable drive modes, but we didn't notice a massive difference between them aside from the throttle mapping and engine response. Eco mode dials back the throttle to achieve better fuel economy, while Sport mode tunes the throttle to deliver more immediate response. Ford also include Tow Haul and Slippery modes, while models equipped with the FX4 package gain additional Sand and Mud & Ruts modes for off-roading. We sampled an FX4-equipped Maverick on a light dirt trail, and found it to be competent enough for the rare occasion an owner might want to stay off the beaten path.

The 2022 Ford Maverick is unlike any new truck we've seen since Subaru discontinued the Baja. It's genuinely small, surprisingly usable, and it achieves fuel efficiency bigger trucks can only dream about. Whether or not the Maverick is right for you really comes down to your lifestyle. Need to tow a boat or or take on the Rubicon trail? There are better options. But if most of your driving is around town and you rarely find yourself with more than 1,500 lbs in the bed or 4,000 lbs on a trailer, the Maverick could be the right choice.

Breaking onto the scene with its first pickup truck is Hyundai, with its all-new 2022 Santa Cruz. The Hyundai doesn't offer a hybrid variant, so it can't match the Maverick's fuel economy. But much to our surprise, the Santa Cruz offers more power from its 2.5-liter turbocharged engine, and it can tow 1,000 more than the Maverick. We think the Santa Cruz is the bolder, more expressive-looking truck, but Ford's proven track record, lower starting price, and more usable bed could sway buyers in the Maverick's direction. One thing is for sure; now is a great time to buy a small, fuel-efficient pickup.

If you wanted a unibody truck with more car-like driving characteristics in the US, the Ridgeline was the default choice. Now the Maverick has come along and promises the same. That being said, the Maverick is a smaller and cheaper truck. The Ford starts at under $20,000 but the Ridgeline begins at $36,890. For your extra money, you get a much more powerful 280-hp V6 engine in the Ridgeline that allows it to tow up to 5,000 lbs. That being said, the Ridgeline's bed cargo capacity and payload numbers aren't all that much more than the Maverick's. And, if you go for the turbocharged Maverick, you'll get better economy and reasonable power at a lower price. The Ridgeline is a more refined truck and remains nicer to drive but it doesn't have any massive advantage over the more affordable Ford.

The comparisons between these two won't end anytime soon. For now, they're the only compact pickups available in the US market. The flashy Santa Cruz feels more like an SUV which happens to have a bed at the back, whereas the Maverick comes across as the more rugged truck. The Ford starts at $4,000 cheaper which immediately gives it an advantage, but the Maverick misses out on some of the safety features that are standard on every Santa Cruz. While the Maverick hybrid leads the way for efficiency, it's the Santa Cruz that has a much better towing capacity of up to 5,000 lbs. The latter may be more important to some buyers. Both trucks have a lot to offer and we appreciate that each automaker has given us a unique spin on what they believe a small truck should offer. Because of the Maverick's attractive starting price, Ford's legacy of high-selling trucks, and its exceptional gas mileage, we'll give the edge to the Blue Oval.