Here's some news that's bound to upset everyone who has a 2022 or 2023 Ford Maverick on order. You can now hire a Maverick from U-Haul for just $19.95 per day, excluding fuel, mileage, and insurance. The Maverick Truck Club foundone of U-Haul's cars and snapped a photo.
It's an excellent way to get a test drive since dealers don't have any stock. The Maverick has been a smash hit, despite initial criticism that it's not a real truck.
But back to Maverick hopefuls that will be upset by this news. Getting hold of a Maverick is about as challenging as delivering a ring to Mordor.
In July, Ford announced that 2022 model year orders would be pushed to 2023.
When Ford made that announcement, the production of 2023 Mavericks was supposed to start in late October. That date was pushed back to mid-November due to production issues.
The online configurator for the 2023 model is already live, and the Maverick remains a bargain. The hybrid engine is once again up for grabs, which seems to be the preferred model. Ford's Maverick currently has a 67% market share in its segment, with the remaining 33% going to Hyundai's more expensive Santa Cruz.
So we know there's demand but a lack of supply. So how did U-Haul manage to swing a deal with Ford?
No official explanation is available, but it's not hard to figure out. Ford makes mega bucks on the commercial side, and a company like U-Haul doesn't place an order for just one unit. It was likely a lucrative deal, and Ford would have been dumb not to take it in these trying times.
Looking at the model in the image, it's likely not the trim most customers would be interested in anyway. Thanks to the steelies, bumper, and side mirrors, we know it's a base XL. U-Haul likely wanted the most efficient powertrain, so the front-wheel-drive hybrid is the most likely candidate.
What more do you need from a hire car than manual air-conditioning, Bluetooth connection, and Apple CarPlay?
On the forum, we can already see several people upset with Ford for delivering Mavericks to U-Haul before customers, but this is not the trim most people appear to be interested in anyway.
