2025 Maverick AWD Hybrid vs Ike (The world's toughest towing test) by TFL

[710-oil-614]

8 1/2 minutes or torture at 5,500 rpm. That is exactly what I expected. The hybrid can tow in a pinch, but if you’re a weekend warrior and tow a camp trail many weekends a year, the ecoboost would be a better choice.

See I think it just showed it can easily tow 4K for anyone not driving 7% inclines at 11k feet elevation in freezing temps.

I’m planning on towing a combined weight of just at or over 3,000lbs and only to elevations as high as 4700 feet (although some 12% grades) and this video gave me great confidence I made the right choice

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[FreedomPenguin]

Why would someone buy ecoboost to tow a camper a few times a year? Thats the idea of this is that it can few times a year.

now if you did it all year every weekend then sure. To me I would never buy eb variant unless it was towing stuff for work 24/7

 

[dalola]

I don't think anyone is claiming the 4K hybrid is a superior tow vehicle over the 4K EB, but rather it's a viable choice for certain customers, which it certainly proved to be.

Personally, it's not worth the overall FE improvement of the hybrid to me, but for others it may be, and it will still do just fine.

 

[surfstar]

8 1/2 minutes or torture at 5,500 rpm. That is exactly what I expected. The hybrid can tow in a pinch, but if you’re a weekend warrior and tow a camp trail many weekends a year, the ecoboost would be a better choice.

Or a more capable tow vehicle.

 

[RogueCheddar]

You have never noticed worse mpg when you drive in very cold temperatures? This is pretty much universal with any vehicle.

other than longer idle times to warm up, frankly, no.

 

[The Real Maverick]

8 1/2 minutes or torture at 5,500 rpm. That is exactly what I expected. The hybrid can tow in a pinch, but if you’re a weekend warrior and tow a camp trail many weekends a year, the ecoboost would be a better choice.

Not really, no.

And in the wild you can tow (a mile or so) in silence at slow speeds. Around wildlife for example and maybe not scare them away. Or enter or leave a campsite in near silence if come in late or leave extra early.

You CAN tow in EV only for short distances at low speeds. Just keep it off Tow mode.

How often do you tow "on a trail" at 60 MPH?

FWIW, I've towed a 3200 lb 9 foot tall trailer with 250 lbs additionin the bed with two adults up front up (and down) 11% and 12% back county roads in the 50 mph zone and it did fine.

2022 FWD hybrid with brake controller and full 7 pin connector added to mine.

FWIW I would NOT run it flat out for as long as TFL did. Things WILL get hot.
Flat out for on ramps and passing is fine. But 1-2 minutes only sustained.

They had the advantage of it being single digits Fahrenheit outside. Their dash said 10° at the bottom. Was colder at the top. I used to live there.

 

[The Real Maverick]

I said it before and I'll say it again.

With brake controller, there's no good reason the 2022-2024 FWD hybrids can't tow close to 4k. 3k is piece of cake. 4k is ok if you can keep it at 55 MPH maximum. Traction is the weakest link if you get off dry pavement.

With a tall / wide tailer acting as a parachute, mountain downhill grades at highway speeds are a non-issue.

You need trailer brake on steep roads with SLOW speeds because you won't have air drag.

 

[Whitty1]

Here it is. I checked to see if I were duplicating this video. If I have, delete it.

I watched that video this morning. Sounds like they were really straining that little motor up that incline.

 

[Tim d]

I mean it does what it was supposed to do. Right ?

For towing I don't think Ford would under achieve on that spec esp with 4k.

People happy because it did what it was supposed to

The bigger question is...how many times can it do what it's supposed to do before something goes wrong!

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

I watched that video this morning. Sounds like they were really straining that little motor up that incline.

Approved break-in procedure at Fast Lane Trucks. This is their long-term truck test.
Time will tell, if this stressed something. We will see I guess.
Take care.
GB

 

[Whitty1]

The bigger question is...how many times can it do what it's supposed to do before something goes wrong!

I would say if you are towing a load like this on a regular basis get a bigger truck. I would say maxing it out like this is okay every now and then but I wouldn't do it every weekend.

 

[FreedomPenguin]

Should have protect gimp mode if it feels it’s too much before damage sets in technically

 

[23grayXLT84]

The bigger question is...how many times can it do what it's supposed to do before something goes wrong!

It was pedal to the metal uphill. Yes not typical usage, but it was running out of steam.
After the battery depletes, you are 100% ICE with less HP and Torque compared to ECO right ? So from that aspect makes sense but they could have done a power bump on the hybrid.

My opinion is if you will be towing between 3-4k on regular basis ECO is better choice.

 

[710-oil-614]

The bigger question is...how many times can it do what it's supposed to do before something goes wrong!

I wonder the exact same thing about the Ecoboost and 8F35!

 

[TooManyVehicles]

Interesting video, thanks for posting.

Some observations:
1) I wouldn't want to do this to my Hybrid Maverick very often, not unless I didn't want to keep it for long. But in a pinch, it is good to know it can do it.
2) A long time ago (2015), the TFL test of the F150 3.5 Ecoboost was a driving factor in my buying one to pull a 20' utility trailer plus L series Kubota with which my old 2003 Chevy struggled mightily. It (the 3.5L Ecoboost) pulls it like the trailer/tractor are a toy (7k pounds).
3) I have the same hitch as they show in the video - "Weigh Safe Aluminum Adjustable Trailer Hitch" with built-in gauge. IT IS AWESOME (but expensive).

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