Ford Maverick Beats Hyundai Santa Cruz Yet Again

Aug. 16, 2021 7:49 AM ET by Jay Traugott Leaked / 11 Comments

First, it was with pricing. And now...

The Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz are potential game changers in the truck segment. Automakers previously assumed Americans didn't want anything that wasn't at least midsize. Times change and these two brands decided to take a chance. Based on our recent review of the Santa Cruz, Hyundai's first foray into the truck world will pay off. Media drives of the Maverick have yet to get underway, but we suspect we'll come away highly impressed as well.

We already know one key area where the Maverick has the Santa Cruz beat - pricing. The difference between the two is over $3,500 and that could be the deciding factor for anyone on a budget.

Ford

Ford

Ford

Plus, the Maverick base trim is a hybrid with an estimated 40 mpg. But what about fuel economy figures for the optional 2.0-liter EcoBoost model? A member of the MaverickTruckClub.com forum has just posted window sticker screenshots for this powerplant, showing 22/29 mpg city/highway.

On top of that, these stickers are for trucks equipped with the 4K towing package that includes a final drive ratio of 3.81 instead of 3.64. That means examples lacking the package could surpass the 30 mpg mark. Unfortunately, the stickers don't reveal estimated combined. To compare, the Santa Cruz is powered by the standard 2.5 inline-four and returns 21/27/23 mpg city/highway/combined.

Maverick Truck Club

Ford

CarBuzz

The optional turbocharged 2.5 engine offers similar figures of 19/27/22 mpg. Like pricing, the Maverick appears to be the winner here. We should stress Ford's figures are merely estimates that haven't been certified by the EPA yet. This should be happening fairly soon.

It's also worth pointing out is that automakers are known for making a habit of purposely stating lower emissions figures. That may or may not be the case here as it's simply too early to know for sure. What we do know for certain is that Maverick owners, regardless of engine choice, will be treated to one very fuel-efficient truck.