“And when Alexander Jim Farley saw the breadth of his domain, he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer.” It’s a quote by Hans Gruber in 1988’s Die Hard, but on this fine day, July 31, 2024, we’re going to borrow it to describe Ford, purveyor of the brilliant outside-the-box conveyance known as the Ford Maverick unibody hybrid pickup truck, which now — for the first time ever — gets all-wheel drive.
Ford has finally done what everyone has been asking since the company rolled out the modern iteration of the Maverick: It is offering the hybrid model with optional AWD and, for good measure, the “4K Tow Package,” which doubles the truck’s max towing capacity to, as the name suggests, 4,000 pounds.
A New Edge To Headlights
On Friday, July 26, I headed down to the Detroit neighborhood of Corktown to get up close and personal with the 2025 Ford Maverick. I’ve been to the Detroit Auto Show a few times and the 2023 LA Auto Show, but it’s still pretty mindblowing to go from infiltrator to contributor, especially for a refresh of a vehicle that has been such a large part of my life over the last few years.
During Ford’s presentation, the covers were pulled off three 2025 Mavericks models: a Desert Sand Tremor (which is now a package above Lariat), an Azure Gray XLT FX4, and an Eruption Green Lariat Hybrid.
The first thing anyone will notice about the 2025 Maverick is its distinctive headlights. If the original Maverick set the tone for what would follow with the Ranger, this refresh is more akin to the F-150 King Ranch or Lightning. Exterior Designer Joshua Blundo told me the new look was aimed at keeping the truck modern, and bringing it more inline aesthetically with the F-Series. He also iterated that customer feedback played a major factor in the refresh.
The negative space is, to an extent, also about saving space. The upper half of the first-generation Maverick’s headlights on the XL and XLT were fake: it was just silver plastic. Check it out:
Only on the Lariat trim did those become additional daytime running lights. High-end trims for the 2025 (shown before the old model directly above) will also come with an LED projector unit. The standard lights are shown below.
Making Distinct Faces
The grille and air dam are also distinctive across the different trims and packages, another trait the Maverick now shares with the F-150. Ford tells me the XL and XLT share the same basic look, with a new grate design on the grille. The Lariat adds reflective accents to the grille (see below), while the Tremor, which is now the top trim instead of a package, has a more open grille and a slanted air dam.
I also noticed little camera “bumps” on the Tremor and Lariat. They’re for the new-to-Maverick 360 camera system, which I found myself wishing for on my ’23 Maverick when dealing with cramped parking situations or narrow campsites. I’m sure I’m not the only Maverick driver who came from a small vehicle and would appreciate the assistance trying to navigate around the notably different sight lines.
Big Screens, Fewer Knobs
Looking inside, the Maverick gets a new 8-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13-inch touchscreen running Sync 4.
Those are now standard on all models, along with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto. Enterprising Maverick owners had already been swapping their clusters with analog needles out with digital ones from the Ford Escape. This upgrade will save 2025 owners the hassle.
The new screen is also a massive leap over the outgoing 8-inch touchscreen and its “cubby buddy” port:
2022-24 Lariat models were equipped with Sync 3, while XL and XLT owners had to make do with the “Connected Touch Radio” infotainment system OS. But on the new truck’s bigger screen, almost all the physical HVAC and audio controls have now been integrated into the touch screen.
I’ll withhold judgment until I hopefully get the chance to take out the 2025 model for a road test, but I will say I really like the physical controls on my 2023 XLT Maverick. There is also a lot of compelling evidence that drivers like buttons for important features, and they’re safer.
Other minor interior changes include the accent color for the XLT interior shifting from orange to Grabber Blue, with orange reserved for the Tremor. That’s kind of a shame because the orange accents nicely complement the Navy Pier plastic throughout the cab. The start button, aka “Intelligent Access with Push-button Start (incl. Approach Detection),” is now standard on the XLT per the 2025 order guide.
One more tech upgrade of note: The 2025 Maverick will have a “5G LTE Modem,” which will support OTA updates ( this would save me a lot of time with all the recalls I have to bring mine in for), real-time traffic data, and hotspot functionality. The communications reps said it’s a three-month free trial, and the OTA update functionality would still work without a data plan.
New Glorious Hybrid Guts
Prospective Maverick Hybrid owners now have a chance at the whole enchilada. Horsepower and torque remain unchanged at 191 ponies and 155-foot pounds, respectively, but the options will take you and your gear places. The 4k Tow Package, previously only available on the Ecoboost Maverick, is now an option if buyers also check the box for the new-for-2025 all-wheel drive.
The equipment package is aptly named, as it allows the truck to tow up to 4,000 pounds. Efficiency only takes a slight hit, going from 42 mpg city on FWD hybrids to 40 mpg city on AWD hybrids.
When I asked if any major changes had to be made to accommodate AWD (which was already in the outgoing Maverick, except only on EcoBoost cars), Kirk Leonard, the Maverick Vehicle Integration Supervisor, said that overall, it was the same basic architecture. He says the eCVT transmission (which uses planetary gears and not the much enthusiastically maligned belt-driven CVTs in Hondas, Nissans, etc.) has been “beefed up,” going from the HF45 to the HF55. So far, the only vehicle I’ve found that uses that specific transmission is the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus.
Leonard clarified that “it’s just a power pack, drive shaft to the rear, except that it’s a transverse engine, so not your typical [setup].” As for the change with the tow package, he spotlighted the radiator fan, seven-pin trailer plug, and brake controller. I have not yet been able to confirm if the eCVT gets a transmission cooler or if the final drive ratio is altered on the hybrid 4k Tow Package like it is on the Ecoboost.Â
Making Towing Easier For Newcomers
As what Ford says is a “mid-sized” truck (even if I think it’s a small truck and is worth celebrating as such) is becoming an even more capable vehicle, the Blue Oval is now making more F-150 technology available for the 2025 model year with Pro Trailer Backup Assist and Pro Trailer Hitch Assist.
Our Mercedes Streeter wrote about the tech last year and seemed pretty happy with it.
Once Pro Trailer Hitch Assist knows where everything is, you tell the system that your trailer’s coupler is vertically higher than the ball. Then, push and hold the button and the system will get to work. Ford says that the systems control algorithms will maneuver the truck into position directly under the tongue. It handles everything including steering, braking, and throttle. You don’t have to align the truck; all you do is sit there, hold the button, and monitor the progress from the big screen.
As for the backup system, it moves the control off the steering wheel and to a small knob near the touch screen.
Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist targeted the difficulties some have with backing up a trailer. As you may know, when you reverse with a trailer, your inputs with the steering wheel result in an opposite action. Crank that wheel to the right, the trailer begins going left. Crank it left and it’ll go right. Keeping the trailer straight in reverse requires what’s essentially a combination of that. Well, Pro Trailer Backup Assist gives you a knob. Turn the knob in the direction that you want the consist to go and it’ll go there.
James Gilpin, Maverick Brand Manager, described it as perfect for people who only tow a few times a year and might not have the practice that someone who uses a Super Duty at the job site might have. Considering 80% of Maverick owners are “new to truck,” according to Ford, this could be extremely helpful for first-time truck owners… like me. I truly suck at backing up, especially single-axle trailers that go every which way but the right one.
The Price Is… Right?
All these new features sound great, right? So, what will it cost to get a refreshed 2025 Maverick? Per Ford, the starting MSRP is $26,295, plus $1,595 for destination and delivery. The base option engine is back to being a hybrid, which is the right move and goes back to what made the trucklet so appealing at launch.
When announced in June 2021, the 2022 Ford Maverick started at $19,995. Adjusted for inflation, that comes out to $23,121, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Is the 2025 Maverick worth the extra $3,174 over the inflation-adjusted launch price? It does come with a much nicer touchscreen and redesigned headlights, and it keeps the ever-important hybrid engine. Overall, the platform is more capable than ever before, and it has me thinking about possibly trading in my XLT for an AWD Hybrid in Eruption Green, which, tragically, is a one-year-only color.
I would also really like to get behind the wheel and push a hybrid with 4k towing through its paces to see how it holds up to the “Built Ford Tough” moniker. But as Gilpin argued during the presentation, this is the “lowest starting MSRP for any pickup in America,” and it’s shocking no other rival has sought to move back into the small truck space with a vehicle that perfectly serves as a family hauler and sub-$30K daily driver. And now, one could argue, the “almost perfect truck” is better than ever.
If you’re interested in buying one, the order bank opens up on Thursday, August 1, with deliveries expected in late 2024.
I love the idea of the Maverick. In theory, it’s the perfect little vehicle for me – someone that occasionally needs a small truck bed, but most of the time just requires an efficient commuter to haul the kids to school and myself to the office. But, I have serious reservations about new Fords and their reliability – or lack thereof. That, and I’m stubbornly sticking to my paid off car. Did you know a Mazda6 can still haul bags of landscape rock and mulch even though it’s not a truck? For the rare other times I need an open truck bed, my grandpa lets me borrow his little base model 2014 Tacoma.
love my 24 mav so far, but that’s exactly my concern. Usually with a ladder frame truck, you’re driving with way less load than its engineered for. That often translates into really great reliability. A little worried that car-based Ford will fall to pieces. But… I paid well less than $30k.
Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy
“But on the new truck’s bigger screen, almost all the physical HVAC and audio controls have now been integrated into the touch screen.”
…oh. Nevermind.
I wonder if you could get the old controls and plug them in.
Ford’s are pretty good about that kind of cross-compatibility. I’ve never seen a post of anyone “downgrading” their equipment like that, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it worked.
“Why The 2025 Ford Maverick Is Now Virtually The Perfect Truck”
I dunno, needs more “tactical”. And ” angry”. And a lot more tint.
People need to think I’m an unstable SF/WFC badass on a hair trigger of rage as I’m tailgating them otherwise they won’t meekly get out of my way.
I actually prefer the old lights but it’s not a deal breaker. The increased towing is huge, should add a lot of potential buyers. I would be (and am) interested in these. It’s definitely on my short list.
The old lights were relective. The new projectors should improve greatly.
They are projectors on the Lariat and Tremor. The XL and XLT will still have LED reflectors.
I dont like that body color section flowing up between grill/light. Just looks awkward to me.
Course, prefer knobs/buttons to touchscreen for audio/climate controls. At least still have physical knob for audio volume.
I weep for the lost juice box cubby. I still want one of these.
Wow that front fascia looks so so so much better. I hated the way it looked in both photos and seeing them on the road, a big improvement.
meh Im tired of screens. i liked the old analog dash.
I like this truck. A lot. $26k? I might have to buy one.
But then the AWD Hybrid is $37k. Bummer.
The AWD option is only $2220 on the XL trim. The Lariat is just the only trim with it standard.
AWD Hybrid XLT is supposedly $31,015 inc. destination.
Turns out the Motortrend article I was going off of forgot destination so it’s $32610 for XLT Hybrid AWD.
Well if Toyota would hurry up and sell me a Grand Highlander this year, I could plan on replacing my Prius next year. But it looks like Toyota is not going to cooperate.
So I am bummed Eruption Green is a one-year only color, because it is awesome. I’m going to guess if you don’t order one, you won’t find one on a dealer lot because apparently people want these “cement” colored trucks instead.
I do dislike the removal of physical HVAC controls. Still wish it had a mid-gate or an extended cab + 6′ bed option, but the picture of the plywood with tie down spots is encouraging for securing longer loads. The front end isn’t an improvement to my eyes, but not disqualifying.
I also really dislike that rotary shifter. Who thought this was a good idea? I used one in a rental Edge and it is just stupid. It is not a natural thing to do, spinning this knob around to shift from R to D. If you are going to waste the console space with a “shifter”, then just leave the old stick to push back and forth. Or even better, move it to the steering column.
Should be less ‘cement’ colored trucks since Area 51 died for 24MY (and it’s “replacement” Azure Gray is an upcharge) and Cactus Gray is gone this year as well.
My 2013 FJ is cement grey and it seems after those came out every thing has gone cement gray. I wanted a red one but they only had red ones in the US in 2012 as a special edition
Well they’ve certainly got my attention. Unfortunately I don’t see an XLT hybrid AWD on the price sheet. That’s disappointing. But not as disappointing as the HVAC controls no longer being physical buttons.
The suggestion seems to be that you can make a XLT an AWD Hybrid for an extra $2220. The Lariat just has it “standard”.
Oh thank god! 30k for an AWD XLT hybrid Maverick is pretty good in my eyes. Sure some of the Lariat features are nice but not for the additional price. I’ll take 2! Just have to convince my partner that we need his and hers Mavericks. I already know the answer but I’m still gonna try.
Probably will need to order one though. I’d imagine that will be the sweet spot in the lineup and dealers will try to hold them for ransom.
Oh yea I definitely see them doing that. I wish I was in a position to order one but I just put in my 2 weeks so no Maverick for me until probably 2026. Or more likely 2027 with how many people seem to want them.
Now all Ford needs to do is bring back the Focus hatchback and a 7 passenger Transit Connect with the same pricing and same powertrain options… or at least the same FWD powertrain options.
Or if there is a concern about whether there would be enough demand, then just offer both with only the FWD/hybrid option keeping production simple.
“almost all the physical HVAC and audio controls have now been integrated into the touch screen.”
Automakers, please stop doing this!!!
Agreed. At this point I don’t know whether it’s a cost cutting measure or an ‘amenity’ that the focus groups are pushing manufacturers to do, but in 20 years those screens are going to be either broken or faded and ugly. Have you seen a 2004 Ford dashboard? If well maintained, they look just fine.
Still with the dang dial shifter, is a column shifter so hard? it’d give another cup holder spot to move that stupid dial out of the way.
As I said in my comment, I used one of these not too long ago and it was terrible. Every other driver who used the rental Edge also though it was terrible. Just give us an old school column shifter and free up the space.
Or put buttons on the dash like Lincoln has used. The buttons might not be intuitive either, but its at least out of the way. The dial has to be worst option.
You get used to it pretty quick. It’s also kind of fun to spin the dial all the way to the right to shift into drive. It’s not my favorite shifter, and I have eyed doing the F-150 transplant, but it’s perfectly usable.
That’s awesome that it can be swapped, but that makes it even seem worse that they could’ve gone with something more normal but instead went with the dial.
One Green XLT Hybrid AWD please.
That green looks nice, would be great if they let you order it on the XLT.
Per the order guide, Eruption Green is available XL through Tremor. The only colors not available for the XL are “Azure Gray Metallic Tri-Coat” and “Ruby Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat.”
Want to know what would push this over to actually being the “perfect” truck? A 6 foot bed. I looked at a few of these in the dealer lots while on a trip last year. You can probably fit a few packed bags, maybe 3-4 bags of cement and not much else. Usually when I make comments like these people jump down my neck. But I currently own a 1996 Tacoma- the small one- smaller than this truck- and yet it has a 6 foot bed. In my mind it IS THE perfect truck, which is why I will probably never sell it.
And this is why I find trucks like the Maverick and others like it annoying. They get 90% of it right but then CRUCIALLY leave out the length of the bed as an option. In the US right now there is not one single small truck that is anything close to my truck. Due to CAFE and various safety and emissions requirements no truck like mine will ever be sold in the US ever again. Instead it will be more car-based truck looking things with nubby short beds.
Honestly I will never need 4 doors, if they would make a 2 door extended cab it would let them offer a 6′ bed and keep the same overall length.
Never gonna happen, at least for the Maverick. They’re all the same body/frame form factor. That’s a big way they’re able to cut costs, not having to tool up another assembly line with different cab/bed configurations.
This. My “perfect” truck was a 2004 Tundra extended cab with the suicide doors. Plenty of cab room and a very usable bed. It’s the vehicle I regret selling the most.
I just don’t know if it’s that crucial. The Ranger is right there if you need something a little more substantial, but the Maverick has more than enough space for a lot of people’s needs. This is aimed at a big population of small families who live in and around cities and have a small yard or garden and want something a little more practical to haul a bit of stuff in or out than a sedan or SUV, not for someone regularly hauling more than 3 or 4 bags of cement, y’know? Maybe after another year or two of decent sales they’ll expand the line for different bed or cab sizes, but I think with the Ranger being an obvious small step up from the Maverick there’s not a lot of reason to have the Maverick compete more with the Ranger.
And this here is the kind of answer that annoy the hell out of me- no offense to you personally. No- it is NOT more than enough space to haul much of anything. Our Subaru Crosstrek could haul more stuff in the back than one of these. So what exactly is the point? To look like a truck? Why bother? Sure- they probably aim- as you said- for families living in metro areas. But then again there are no shortage of people like me who uses a small but older truck to not only navigate the large metros we live in but are constantly doing things like picking up or delivering equipment, mowing lawns or using them for a contractor vehicle.
I went to go pick up some scaffolding last week. None of it would have ever fit in the Maverick but fit perfectly in my Tacoma. I kid you not fully half of the dudes working there were asking if my truck was for sale. Again- because its a small truck with a decent sized bed. Easy to get around in traffic with.
First automaker that gets serious about offering an actual small truck that is remotely close to mine would have an even harder time keeping them on the lot.
How long was the scaffolding? While the Maverick does have only a 4.5-foot bed, the tailgate folds down to make it 6 feet of contact surface area. It’s served me well enough, hauling long bookcases and three-seat couches. However, I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable hauling anything much longer than 7 feet.
No offense…. that isn’t exactly the most ingenious thing. That’s like literally ANY truck owner somehow claiming that while their bed might be XX feet long but they can by golly fold down the tail gate. But… kudos to Ford for marketing a truck by telling people they can haul more in their tiny beds if they fold down the tailgate
The point is to have a small truck. Obviously there are older options out there with different specs, but none of them are hybrids or new. This isn’t aimed at people who want the Truckiest Truck, it’s aimed at people who want something comfortable enough to move a few people around and has a bigger and better option for hauling crap than a CUV or sedan. It’s not the biggest bed, sure, but if that’s what you need then you’re looking at the Ranger or F150 sectors or used trucks, not the smallest new truck currently on the market. There is a solid market between wanting to deal with an old truck and justifying buying a bigger and more expensive truck for their needs. The old Tacos are great, you’ll never hear me say otherwise, but they’re not what everyone is looking for. My brother and I use my dad’s old Frontier the same way and that’s been a great utility, but it’s a shit daily driver. A new truck with really good fuel economy and a decent price is a tempting offer for anyone who has more casual truck-ish needs.
I guess it just FRUSTRATES me. For those like me who like small trucks and uses it regularly as a truck there is nothing new out there for us. The mid-sized trucks like the Ranger and Tacoma are more like 90% full sized trucks and cost a fortune. The full sized trucks requires a ladder to get into the cab and look stupid. And the “trucks” being marketed as small trucks are more or less cars with truck looking bodies and what boils down to a trunk without a lid.
I mean I get the frustration, I want more small truck options, but that’s why we gotta make sure manufacturers know that we’re pretty jazzed about smaller options. The tired line about it being a car with an open trunk isn’t something normal people care about either, you’re just pushing people away from your correct point that there should be better options for small trucks. The Maverick is a step in the right direction, it suits a lot of people’s needs, and it has the potential to revitalize the small truck sector. But pretending it’s not a truck just because the bed is a little smaller than you’d like just makes you look hard-headed.
Don’t think of it as a truck. This is a 4-door sedan without a lid on the trunk. If you need a 6′ bed, this is not the vehicle you need. (Note, I am not bashing the Maverick, I want one!)
hard agree. anything smaller than a six foot bed is just not worth it in my opinion. my first truck was an extended cab s10 with a six foot bed and i’ve never needed a larger bed but the amount of times i was barely able to tetris everything to just barely fit was quite high!
Seriously considering getting 3 of them, AWD Hybrid 4K towing of course.
I guess Ford wasn’t ready to address the ST elephant in the room?
Sounds like the embargo on the Lobo doesn’t lift until tomorrow.
Now all I can complain about is the lack of a plug-in hybrid option… well done Ford.
Not that it took a rocket scientist to figure out they should add the awd option to the hybrid, but the big oems seem to consistently NOT do what appears obvious to most of us.
They sold as many as they could build without offering that option.
Now they will get early adopters to trade in and buy another one.
Seems like pretty smart thinking to me.
Yep, three years later or one lease cycle they have the AWD hybrid. Now they’ve sold two to one customer in three years
I did try to ask for any hint about a PHEV option or research into one, but the reps at the event politely declined.
That’s what I’m still holding out for at this point. A PHEV would finally tip me over the edge to replace my 2009 Impreza wagon that’s still under 100K miles
I like the upgrades – especially the headlights. Thankfully, it appears Ford isn’t limiting the Hybrid AWD to the top trim, which is usually Ford’s approach when offering new features.
Intriguing.
Can we all agree that the Maverick is essentially a truck shaped car with optional AWD? The reason I say is because the article refers to the Maverick as a “smashing success” because it sold 94k units last year. Ford sold over 200k Fusions in 2017 (the last year before they announced they’d not be making cars) and still over 100k in 2020 when it was on its way out. The Fusions (and the rest of the cars) sales were considered untenable. But the Maverick is a “smashing success” with less sales. And let me say, I like the Maverick, it just seems strange.
They could sell a million but if they aren’t profitable (or more accurately, if something more profitable can be built in the same factory) then the decision is easy.
True, but when were talking about essentially the same sort of vehicle,
unibody, four doors, optional AWD and hybrid models, etc., is it just that Ford feels that it can charge more for a Maverick? I dont see why it would cost more to produce a Fusion than a Maverick. So does a “truck” have more perceived value?
It’s true that the CUV built off of the sedan platform costs more, so I assume that there is more profit involved. But people flock to CUVs in droves and not the sedan and then bitch about how expensive cars have gotten. Oh well.
I think it really is this simple.
Part of the problem with Ford back when the Fusion was on sale was too many powertrain options, the PowerShit Transmission and too much model overlap between the Focus/Fiesta and the Fusion/Taurus.
The PowerShit alone did a lot of reputation, sales and warranty cost damage and should either have been completely redesigned OR never offered in the first place OR discontinued when it became clear that it was an unfixable heap of shit.
If they simplified the powertrain options (limiting it to the Hybrid and maybe one Ecoboost ST model option with a regular automatic) and paired it down to just the Focus and the new Fusion-based Taurus, I bet they would have been solidly profitable.
The Fusion never had the PowerShift.
“The Fusion never had the PowerShift.”
That’s true. But do you think someone with a Powershit Focus or Fiesta would want to move up to a Fusion?
Plenty of people still buy used Fiestas or Focuses with the dumpster-fire DCT. I don’t think as many ordinary people know about what transmission is in their vehicle as you think influences overall buying trends.
I’m very sure that the owners or former owners of vehicles with that transmission were FAR LESS LIKELY to buy another Ford… based on the lower resale values compared to other comparable vehicles.
To assume that transmission had no negative impact on the perception of Ford-made vehicles is nothing less than delusional.
The people who continue to buy used Fiestas or Focii with that transmission are those who are uninformed or they might be informed, but they picked one up dirt cheap and will just drive it until it dies.
I agree that your idea would probably be more profitable than the old status quo, but I strongly suspect that just building more Mavericks and Escapes is more profitable yet.
Sedan sales are down everywhere, even at Honda and Toyota, and other manufacturers are discontinuing them, not just Ford.
I would struggle to find the justification to continue building sedans rather than use my factory space on trucks and CUVs.
But how many Fusions went straight to the rental car fleet lot(s)?
Does the buyer matter? I’d imagine fleet sales are some of the most profitable sales.
I have read in the past that sales going almost entirely to fleets dilutes the brand and its image which the execs hate.
I don’t disagree with that statement at all but I think it ignores the benefits. Rental sales introduce consumers to a brand that they wouldn’t typically consider. My wife purchased a Kia precisely because of a good rental experience while an experience with an EcoSport had me in the Maverick doubters column.
Ford’s stock price should be a good indicator that their strategies to devout all resources to trucks and SUVs has not been effective.
It’s the opposite.
Fleets negotiate huge discounts. The sales are steady but they aren’t very profitable. Then when the rental companies ditch the abused former rentals for peanuts it drags down the resale of consumer cars too.
Sales are at a discount but they require significantly less dealer and manufacture support during the sales process and also tend to be up to date on maintenance which is where the long-term money is made.
As for as resale dragging down the resale… This wasn’t the case even before pandemic. Used cars haven’t been a good deal for at least a decade.
Not by Ford (or any OEM). You could tell me dealerships love fleet sales, and I’d believe you for this reason, but not OEMs.
As for resale, price a former rental car against a class equivalent vehicle that isn’t typically used for rentals. The overall trend of the market isn’t the point I was making, but comparing entries within segments.
All those maintenance parts come from Ford and Ford OEMs, not the dealership.
I’m not sure that it actually drags down the other side – I don’t think most used buyers would consider a used fleet vehicle. They are different consumers.
napa here went all mavericks with their fleet.
Makes sense, honestly, especially if they’re hybrids. Our local O’Reilly’s uses Frontiers.
The Maverick is based on a cheaper platform than the Fusion (a version of the one that underpinned the Focus), but sells for more like Fusion+ money, yet still they constrained production in spite of high demand in order to devote resources to more profitable models. While the Fusion might have sold more before it died, a lot went to less profitable fleet sales while the Maverick could have sold a lot more than they did if they had built enough to meet demand.
At this point the Maverick is mostly constrained by the fact it has to share the factory with the Bronco Sport. I suspect if the tenuous rumor is true that Ford is going to kill the Escape soon (seems odd after it only recently got a pretty comprehensive refresh) it’d be to move either Bronco Sport or Maverick to the Louisville plant.
That sounds like a smart plan. Older Escapes were everywhere, but the Focus-on-stilts look of the current one never seemed to catch on and the few times I see them, they’re almost always in commercial use. Bronco Sports and Mavericks are everywhere.
It’s finally gone! I hated that orange trim so much!
10K to get AWD. I used to want one of these things. Of course car manufacturers can’t help but do what car manufacturers do. le sigh.
$2220 to get AWD. It’s available on all trims, just standard on Lariat.
Only $625 more for the XLT. Basically Ford really wants you to just get the XLT Hybrid AWD over the XL AWD Hybrid.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Ford kills the XL model in a year or two, much like how they got rid of the base models in the Bronco and Bronco Sport.
They’ve snuck in enough price increases that the XL probably makes enough to stick around for fleets and the cheapest customers. It’s certainly not the $21.5k loss leader it originally was.
I think you’re right. Ford really needs to keep a low-cost efficient fleet option available now that they discontinued the venerable Transit Connect.
And there’s no FWD EcoBoost Maverick anymore for the cheap fleets. Ford also added a steel wheels option for XLT fleet buyers, so they likely expect more will buy there especially with the small XL-XLT AWD delta.
Actually it is $2220 for AWD on the XLT as well; article I was referencing forgot destination there.
thats much better, I was misinterpreting the chart clearly. awd hybrid under 30k isn’t that terrible.
It’s now a money grab, and pricing people out of a small truck. Screw Ford!
How is a $26K base model (up from a ~$25K base model for 2024) a money grab that prices people out of a small truck? The average new car price is about $47K and the average new truck price is over $60K.
It’s base price is up over $6K. And don’t say adjusted for inflation, cause over 60% of the people in the US did not even get pay raise to match inflation.
$26k is a spanking good deal. In what world do you think this much vehicle still costs $19k from any manufacturer? Heck the Kia Forte starts at $20k
Source for this?
Median real wages are higher than in 2019 or 2022, so clearly at least 50% of people are doing better.
Every product a for-profit company sells is a “money grab”. Were you under the impression that Ford was a charity?
If that trim level table is accurate, I am Disappoint. The AWD hybrid should be available at least down to the XLT trim level. Also, while I understand WHY they went to touchscreen controls, I am still not a fan. Also also, this should have had a column shifter to maximize the utility of the center console.
I read it as the AWD is standard on the Lariat trim and a $2,220 option on the lower trims.
Maybe I was misreading the order sheet, then. If so, that’s great.
That is also how I read the pricing table I was sent. I’ll comb back through the order guide to see if the FWD Lariat hybrid is still available.
Update: On the major product changes section, it lists AWD as standard on Lariat and the 2.0L (EcoBoost) FWD as deleted. On the Lariat Equipment Group page, it says SuperCrew AWD is standard, listed as option code W8S. I’m not sure there would be much demand for an FWD Lariat Hybrid anyway, but there are probably a few people out there who would like the option for either a slightly lighter/more efficient high-end trim.