The Ford Maverick is probably this year's worst-kept secret - we all knew it was happening and we all knew what its name would be. That didn't stop the Blue Oval from trying to keep the compact pickup under wraps, with Dearborn even threatening legal action against those who leaked images. It didn't work, because the leaks have been so plentiful that we pretty much know exactly what it will look like and can even give you an idea of what a Raptor version would be like. But never mind all that - today's big news is that Ford is finally confirming that its new pickup is the Maverick.

The Maverick will be launched next week Tuesday, June 8with the help of actress Gabrielle Union, who will show off the new compact truck on her Instagram and TikTok channels, as well as on Ford's social channels and Hulu. The Maverick will be Ford's first vehicle to debut on its new TikTok channel, which will be used for more promotional material in the future. Sadly, that's pretty much all that Ford is telling us about the all-new compact pickup, but we've got a pretty good idea of what to expect in terms of performance.

We expect that a 1.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder engine will power the base model while a 2.0-liter four-pot should power the upper trims. Both are expected to deliver good low-end torque and are likely to be joined by a hybrid version. The Maverick is also said to be riding on the same platform as the Escape and Bronco Sport, which should mean great road manners and a car-like feel. Fortunately, we don't have long to wait to find out the truth about the truck and its abilities. If it does well, there could soon be more compact pickups joining the market. Chevrolet Cheyenne, anyone?