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

[The Real Maverick]

That Towing test left a few unanswered questions for me. What I would of liked to have seen 1) Actual Trailer / cargo weight utilizing a CAT scale 2) What the total GCW was again CAT Scale. The 2025 Hydrid with AWD / 4K tow pgk has a GCVW of 8,315 lbs, How close to this number was the test done. 3) Utilizing after market Gauges (Bully or ScanGauge III) to see real time data such as RPM's, Temperatures etc. 4) Did this test include trailer brakes ? if yes surge or utilizing the built-in Ford Brake Controller and How did they set it up for the braking number of times they talked about.

I have 40 plus years towing experience with various Vehicles. Just some unanswered questions.

Oh, I would like to see the exact same run on a hot summer day to compare to the cold winter day.
My 25 Lariat w/ 4K Pkg isn't going to be my workhorse for heavy towing up mountains, Just info. I like to know.

1) very close to 4000 lbs. aover or under, is not really important.

2) very close to the GCVW, within a percent or two

4) while I wouldn't know for sure if the electric trailer brakes were working, it's a safe bet they were. New trailer. New truck. And TFL follows standard procedures, and wouldn't intentionally do something dangerous or illegal. So until they post a disclaimer saying otherwise, it's safe to assume the trailer brakes were working.

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[Mollydog1976]

I have to say that I’m impressed. The j2807 towing standard is in an elevation setting fully 8000 feet lower than this and on a road described with similar grades (I’ve never driven the Davis dam road or the Ike tunnel but from the descriptions they seem similar enough). The j2807 testing is supposed to be at 100F but also the threshold is staying above only 40mph.

Based on what TFL did the maverick seems to easily exceed the standard by which all trucks are tested. Lots of opinions here but it makes me confident about a 4k load if you take it easy and slow down some

Besides…the mountain passes I’ve towed trailers up are quite beautiful. Some extra time and views is nice.

 

[r100gs91]

I have driven up that stretch a few times going to the Dillon area. My 2008 Toyota 2.7L manual I-4 with 159 hp had real problems with that stretch of uphill. The truck didn't effectively adjust the air fuel ratio going up the hill. Struggled to maintain 35 mph. Pulled over and restarted after a few minutes, it was much better. In this instance I was loaded to the max payload of 1300 lb. of people, luggage and motorcycle. It's a tough pull, I think the new Hybrid AWD did a good job.

 

[Nw_adventure]

That Towing test left a few unanswered questions for me. What I would of liked to have seen 1) Actual Trailer / cargo weight utilizing a CAT scale 2) What the total GCW was again CAT Scale. The 2025 Hydrid with AWD / 4K tow pgk has a GCVW of 8,315 lbs, How close to this number was the test done. 3) Utilizing after market Gauges (Bully or ScanGauge III) to see real time data such as RPM's, Temperatures etc. 4) Did this test include trailer brakes ? if yes surge or utilizing the built-in Ford Brake Controller and How did they set it up for the braking number of times they talked about.

I have 40 plus years towing experience with various Vehicles. Just some unanswered questions.

Oh, I would like to see the exact same run on a hot summer day to compare to the cold winter day.
My 25 Lariat w/ 4K Pkg isn't going to be my workhorse for heavy towing up mountains, Just info. I like to know.

TFI had a nice heavy haul

but the frontal load was quite a bit less than lets say this camper rig -

 

[Block]

For 40k the interior most definitely could use some updating at least on the upper trims. Abundance of hard plastics isn't doing it any favors but I guess as long as you put in a nice colorful screen, it's enough for most.

I said it here before but a gently used 1-2 year old Ridgeline will likely be better value all around of you are looking to spend ~40.

Yes fuel economy is worse, but spending 40k and being worried about fuel economy in my opinion do not belong in same category.

Saw a new Ridgeline advertised for $35,xxx....last remaining 2024.

 

[Phimosis]

One big plus of the Maverick hybrid is the simplicity of the drivetrain. Normally aspirated, tried and true engine with a dead simple transmission. Giving it more power, reducing efficiency, and increasing complexity and cost is outside its mission scope IMO.

If you want to tow large loads up steep grades the Maverick (including Ecoboost) isn't the vehicle to buy.

IMO

You obviously haven’t tried towing with an ecoboost. It will easily tow a 2k motorcycle trailer at 80 mph like it is nothing. High gear, 2,200 rpm under light boost, 16 mpg. That’s a lot of fuel, but it is because it is requiring a lot of power. The hybrid would be spinning over 4,000 rpm to maintain that power output.

With a 3,500 lb camp trailer, you start to feel the weight, but the ecoboost handles it just fine and plenty of power to take the steepest mountain passes in the Cascades, Sierras and coastal ranges of the western US at the 65 mph speed limit and never going above 3,500 rpm with downshifts on the steepest sections.

The ecoboost can handle 4K load with as much ease as the hybrid handles a 2k load.
That is why it has been controversial for them to give the 4K tow rating to the existing hybrid. The existing hybrid is clearly underpowered for the task. But the ecoboost is not. To conflate the two as being somehow equal is blatantly false.

 

[Cherokee]

It is very impressive. Especially when EB folks on here shitting all over its capabilities.

Um, no,
We are not.
I heard things like, "Maxed out"

The Eco has more HP, by a bunch and more torque right ?
Not a combined 191 hp but 250 right ?
So No I am not shitting all over It's capabilities.

It Is very Impressive for a Hybrid, Yes it Is. But I'm not that Impressed at all nor am I surprised.
The 2.5 Liter is what It Is.
From what I've read the additional 30 HP from the electric system will only last a very short distance on a long climb. Like five or six minutes, or was It less. Then the battery goes flat.
Gonna need some long descents to recharge right ?
Until then It's just the 2.5 without any turbo boost.

If I had to pull loads up a real mountain like that I'd dang sure rather have my Turbo.
I will say that was one hell of a test that IMHO was a bit much for that configuration.
Still, the Little truck did well.
And there Is no shit in my drawers at all, I checked. :'P

PEACE !

 

[23grayXLT84]

Um, no,
We are not.
I heard things like, "Maxed out"

The Eco has more HP, by a bunch and more torque right ?
Not a combined 191 hp but 250 right ?
So No I am not shitting all over It's capabilities.

It Is very Impressive for a Hybrid, Yes it Is. But I'm not that Impressed at all nor am I surprised.
The 2.5 Liter is what It Is.
From what I've read the additional 30 HP from the electric system will only last a very short distance on a long climb. Like five or six minutes, or was It less. Then the battery goes flat.
Gonna need some long descents to recharge right ?
Until then It's just the 2.5 without any turbo boost.

If I had to pull loads up a real mountain like that I'd dang sure rather have my Turbo.
I will say that was one hell of a test that IMHO was a bit much for that configuration.
Still, the Little truck did well.
And there Is no shit in my drawers at all, I checked. :'P

PEACE !

Spot on. I watched a few videos and the
Hybrid with 2k performs as well as the Ecoboost 4k which that right tell tells you a lot which powertrain is more suited for what load.

4k hybrid looks cool on paper and will be ok on occasion (maxed out)

But what do I know ? According to some, nothing.

 

[rgmiller32]

The great thing is you can have your Ecoboost if you want it, or you can have the Hybrid. Both now have the capability of 4k if you want it and AWD if you want it. The Hybrid transmission is a newer model than last years model. Last year was an HF45 and this year it is the HF55. Also I'm trying to confirm it but it looks like with the 4k tow pack and AWD you get a 3.81 ratio vs the 2.81 ratio. Both show in the specs. Which would make sense for the lower fuel economy.

Now for the charging of the hi voltage battery, any time the ICE is running it is putting out high voltage to charge the batteries and run the electric drive motors. It is also supplying power to the inverter to charge the 12 volt battery.

 

[Skrizzi]

I'm not sure why the hate on the 4k hybrid. Ford did you a favor, you can now legally tow 4k lbs with the hybrid and it will do it competently under 95% of conditions. If you want to protect for that 5% use case, get the Ecoboost. Nobody is forcing the hybrid on you, and if Ford designed the hybrid to be equally as capable as the Ecoboost then it would be more expensive and have lower gas mileage.

You gotta be fair, the hybrid wasn't targeted for this use case. TFL is torture testing it cause it brings in views and this is their "standard" test. It's not science, it's just for fun/views.

 

[Nw_adventure]

Did TFL say they were running 88/Octane ? Also remember Ford says towing capacity is reduced by 2 percent for every 1000 foot of elevation -

 

[Cherokee]

What hate ?
It seems to me the hybrid gang feels the need to defend their choice of vehicles.

Some of us have not yet warmed up to the Idea of the Hybrid vehicles.

It seems from my observations in this forum they are far more complex vehicles with a very steep adjustment/learning curve.

The 4K tow package was a great idea.
The next Idea I’d like to see implemented is the ‘Option’ of a 250 hp turbo 4 cylinder with 277 ft lbs of torque WITH a hybrid system.

I am serious.

I am of the opinion that ‘IF’ they built a Maverick with only the 2.5 L normally aspirated engine it would be a slow underpowered pickup truck.

I think that’s a part of the reason some of us die hard Internal combustion engine lovers view a hybrid pickup truck as an expensive oddity.
Just like the small portion of the V-8 crowd that thinks mini trucks are not trucks.

They just pulled a 4,000 lb trailer and load up a real friggin mountain with a mini truck !
That is a real accomplishment.

And no, I don’t care one bit about what other car/crossover can do that.
I’m a Ford owner that wanted a little truck ever since the Ranger went away.
Once they supersized the new Rangers I no longer wanted one.
I’ve waited for a Maverick size truck for a long time.

 

[colinl]

The next Idea I’d like to see implemented is the ‘Option’ of a 250 hp turbo 4 cylinder with 277 ft lbs of torque WITH a hybrid system.

Ford already does this very thing you just have to pay for a Lincoln to get it. So, it's not a question of if they could. it's much more about do they think they can put that in a Maverick and sell it for a profitable and competitive price.

 

[710-oil-614]

What hate ?
It seems to me the hybrid gang feels the need to defend their choice of vehicles.

Some of us have not yet warmed up to the Idea of the Hybrid vehicles.

It seems from my observations in this forum they are far more complex vehicles with a very steep adjustment/learning curve.

The 4K tow package was a great idea.
The next Idea I’d like to see implemented is the ‘Option’ of a 250 hp turbo 4 cylinder with 277 ft lbs of torque WITH a hybrid system.

I am serious.

I am of the opinion that ‘IF’ they built a Maverick with only the 2.5 L normally aspirated engine it would be a slow underpowered pickup truck.

I think that’s a part of the reason some of us die hard Internal combustion engine lovers view a hybrid pickup truck as an expensive oddity.
Just like the small portion of the V-8 crowd that thinks mini trucks are not trucks.

They just pulled a 4,000 lb trailer and load up a real friggin mountain with a mini truck !
That is a real accomplishment.

And no, I don’t care one bit about what other car/crossover can do that.
I’m a Ford owner that wanted a little truck ever since the Ranger went away.
Once they supersized the new Rangers I no longer wanted one.
I’ve waited for a Maverick size truck for a long time.

LOL it seems from my observations in these forums is that you are intentionally obtuse about hybrids and refuse to accept any information that would alter your position. You only wish to consume information that confirms it.

It has been explained to you numerous times that the hybrid drivetrain is a more simple and less complex design than the ecoboost and 8F35.

Us Hybrid folks are passionate about defending “our choice” against deliberately obtuse and ignorant comments that continue to push falsities about the vehicle and drivetrain.

It is the standard drivetrain. It is not more expensive and it is less complex than the ecoboost drivetrain. There is no steep learning curve or adjustment. You put it in drive and press the throttle like any other vehicle.

It’s these kind of ridiculous posts that warrant a “passionate” response from hybrid owners.

You won’t buy a hybrid because it’s expensive and complex (it is neither) but you have a great (and unoriginal) idea to pair an ecoboost (complex and expensive motor) with a hybrid motor (hint - Ford calls this powerboost) because pairing a complex and more expensive turbo engine with a simple electric hybrid system will somehow solve your concerns about complexity and imaginary additional expense of the hybrid drivetrain….

Just wow.

 

[Cherokee]

Whoa, I’d didn’t mean to sound like you claim. I respect your opinion very much but I stand firm in what I believe, again not dissing the hybrid.

The hybrid system is NOT simpler. It appears to me by reading in this forum that it has many times more problems than the LESS complex gas only system.
Like I said before, when gas gets too expensive I’ll probably look at the hybrid system and consider it as an option for my next vehicle.
I sure do get a lot of guys agreeing with me on my views.
and you seem to be the only one trying to corner me, call me out. Show how wrong I am.

I listen to you but I don’t have to agree with you and I’ve never felt the need to shoot down other people opinions with such distain.

I still say the Eco is better suited for towing, and the hybrid is better for city or urban needs.

I do think you keep me thinking, digging deeper, learning more as I go.
Stay on me, you make me smarter in ways I doubt you understand.
Thank you ‘Sensei’

FWIW your shitting themselves comment was really funny,
I got a good laugh out of that one
Read post #98
And post #106

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