From Tesla Model S to Maverick XLT Hybrid AWD

[MclovinGarage]

I am new to the Maverick Truck Club and a proud new owner of 2025 Ford Maverick XLT AWD, Space White, 4K Tow, Luxury Package pickup.

I have been a "gasoline forever" kinda guy my entire life and branched out to try a 2013 Tesla Model S about six months ago using the used EV tax credit to get into one very reasonably. While the Tesla was an excellent commuter car for traveling back and forth to work and around town it was very limited in usefulness for much other than that.

My sons and I ride dirtbikes and my wife and boys enjoy kayaking, mountain biking and other outdoor activites. It was clear the Tesla was not going to be the right rig for accomplishing all of those things. Range anxiety is also a real thing and worrying about running out of juice in rural Oregon on a road trip is a possibility.

I ordered a 2025 Eruption Green Maverick XLT in August with the options listed above on the Space White one I ended up purchasing. My order didn't get picked up by Ford and the 2026 order bank opened so I re-ordered a velocity blue 2026 XLT realizing I was going to have to wait until November or December at the earliest to get the one I ordered.

I was cruising through my local Ford dealers lot and noticed the Space White XLT on the lot about a week ago. It did not have a window sticker in the window and looked like it had been through PDI and readied for a buyer. I was able to find the truck on Carfax.com and checked the window sticker which showed all the options I had ordered on the Eruption Green XLT. The Space White looked good in person and I inquired with my salesman the next morning. He told me the truck had been ordered by another person but it took so long to get here that buyer had moved on and the Space White one was available. This might be silly but I was bummed Ford removed the rear seat fold down armrest/cupholder on the 2026 XLT models. I have two sons and wanted them to be comfortable when we traveled places and thought removing that center armrest was a poor decision on Ford's part on the XLT trim.

My dealer gave me a more than fair trade value on my Tesla and I made the purchase on Monday of this week. First Impressions - I did a ton of youtube/forum research and so far I have been nothing but impressed with the Maverick. I am averaging over 40mpg on my 25 mile commute to work. It has 147 miles on it at the moment so it isn't even broken in. Sync 4 with Apple car play on the big screen works well. Tesla does not offer Apple Car play in their vehicles, at least not in 2013 and it is a pleasure to have.

The Hyrbid system works seemlessly and the coach screen is really helpful to maximize effeciency. The other feature I am excited about is the neutral tow option so my family and I can flat tow it behind a class C motorhome. This truck checks a lot of boxes for my family and I. It is functional and useful and mutli-dimensional. Ford did a great job with this little truck all things considered.

It also has the bed tray liner, the console vault, and I will be adding the wireless keypad next week.

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[Scott Asheville]

I so wish Tesla would do something in the small "runabout" truck world. It seems crazy that they're ignoring that market.

 

[Hunters Edge]

Hello and welcome to MTC. Congratulations on your new Maverick. Hope you enjoy it and it's capabilities for many years.

 

[MclovinGarage]

Hello and welcome to MTC. Congratulations on your new Maverick. Hope you enjoy it and it's capabilities for many years.

Thank you!

 

[Cancunbadlands]

Bienvenido Welcome greetings from the #cancunbadlands

 

[Cancunbadlands]

If you really want the Green color, vinyl wrap is the way

 

[MclovinGarage]

If you really want the Green color, vinyl wrap is the way

I'm not super worried about it at this point. I was more concerned with getting the Hybrid AWD and the 4K Tow. The only color I would have said hard no to is black.

 

[Bob The Builder]

Welcome to MTC!! Congrats on your new Mav.

Range anxiety is such a real thing for many people. I would be totally unbearable to be with on a long trip. Even though I have never owned an EV personally, I have friends that do and recently on a 120 mile round trip to the VA I was watching the percentage of charge constantly. I voiced my concern at the start of the trip there was less than 50% but assured it was fine. OK, I thought, you know your car but I am still watching that damn gauge. LOL..

 

[MclovinGarage]

Welcome to MTC!! Congrats on your new Mav.

Range anxiety is such a real thing for many people. I would be totally unbearable to be with on a long trip. Even though I have never owned an EV personally, I have friends that do and recently on a 120 mile round trip to the VA I was watching the percentage of charge constantly. I voiced my concern at the start of the trip there was less than 50% but assured it was fine. OK, I thought, you know your car but I am still watching that damn gauge. LOL..

Haha, you are not wrong. Right now, as my Mav learns my driving style, it appears I am gaining fuel, not using it. My miles to empty keeps climbing as I drive, not decreasing.

The Tesla was a really nice car, no complaints about how it drove, and it was so fast! But it just never felt like it had any soul and the range issue kinda made me feel like I was trapped within a 200 mile radius of my residence. I realize I could stop and charge but it wasn't nearly as fast as a conventional fuel stop.

Looking forward to all the adventures the little Mav takes me and my family on!

 

[yank283]

Welcome to the club! I have the same features. Agreed, these trucks are so useful and utility orientated. No wasted space. Love em!

 

[MclovinGarage]

Welcome to the club! I have the same features. Agreed, these trucks are so useful and utility orientated. No wasted space. Love em!

Beauty! That Eruption Green is such a killer color! Can't believe more company's are not hopping back on the mini truck bandwagon. Maverick sales are crushing it!

 

[dhaskit]

Congratulations on the new Maverick.
You are going to love it.

 

[Phimosis]

Haha, you are not wrong. Right now, as my Mav learns my driving style, it appears I am gaining fuel, not using it. My miles to empty keeps climbing as I drive, not decreasing.

The Tesla was a really nice car, no complaints about how it drove, and it was so fast! But it just never felt like it had any soul and the range issue kinda made me feel like I was trapped within a 200 mile radius of my residence. I realize I could stop and charge but it wasn't nearly as fast as a conventional fuel stop.

Looking forward to all the adventures the little Mav takes me and my family on!

I’ve been in a model S for 4 years and 100k miles. I take it on road trips from LA to my parents in Coos Bay. That’s way more rural than Corvallis, where you’re right on the I-5. I’ve never been stranded. I never have range anxiety. It’s just a learning curve for a new technology. Ever run your car out of gas? Yep, but that was in your 20’s and you’re never done it since, right? There’s a Tesla supercharger every 60 miles or less from san Diego to Bellingham. I’ve never once had a problem of not being able to find a place to recharge. As far of convenience of refueling, I can do LA to Coos Bay in 13 hours in a gas car going non stop, with no breaks longer than what it takes to fill with gas. In my Tesla it takes 15 hours, which means I get leisurely breaks where I get food at a sit down restaurant and can take longer than 30 seconds to pee.

The flip side is that I never have to go to gas stations during the 48 weeks a year that I’m commuting back and forth to work.

Gas car ownership = 16 hours per year at gas stations. (5 minute fuel stop, 10 minutes from freeway exit to freeway onramp, twice a week, 48 weeks a year = 960 minutes)

Tesla ownership = 4 hours a year at charging stations to visit my parents. On my
Other trips, I take my Maverick, but that’s because I’m towing a trailer or taking it off-road to places a 4wd sedan can’t get to.

Again, it’s a Learning curve. If you can wrap your head around the charging infrastructure, it works just fine.

 

[RR - All the way]

Congrats. Prefer the Space White, myself. Traded my 22 for a 25. Had no problems with my 22 EB. So far the Mav strikes me as almost reliable and useful as the Kubotas in the background of your pictures!! Yes, I have a Kubota also!!

 

[MclovinGarage]

I’ve been in a model S for 4 years and 100k miles. I take it on road trips from LA to my parents in Coos Bay. That’s way more rural than Corvallis, where you’re right on the I-5. I’ve never been stranded. I never have range anxiety. It’s just a learning curve for a new technology. Ever run your car out of gas? Yep, but that was in your 20’s and you’re never done it since, right? There’s a Tesla supercharger every 60 miles or less from san Diego to Bellingham. I’ve never once had a problem of not being able to find a place to recharge. As far of convenience of refueling, I can do LA to Coos Bay in 13 hours in a gas car going non stop, with no breaks longer than what it takes to fill with gas. In my Tesla it takes 15 hours, which means I get leisurely breaks where I get food at a sit down restaurant and can take longer than 30 seconds to pee.

The flip side is that I never have to go to gas stations during the 48 weeks a year that I’m commuting back and forth to work.

Gas car ownership = 16 hours per year at gas stations. (5 minute fuel stop, 10 minutes from freeway exit to freeway onramp, twice a week, 48 weeks a year = 960 minutes)

Tesla ownership = 4 hours a year at charging stations to visit my parents. On my
Other trips, I take my Maverick, but that’s because I’m towing a trailer or taking it off-road to places a 4wd sedan can’t get to.

Again, it’s a Learning curve. If you can wrap your head around the charging infrastructure, it works just fine.

I understand what you're saying and I enjoyed the car. Not bashing Tesla or electric cars. It was excellent for commuting and running around locally for me and I charged it at home almost 100% of the time. Super convenient in that regard. You're second to last sentence sums it up though.

I needed a vehicle that could do it all, without having more than one machine to license and insure. When I started researching, the Maverick checked all the boxes with Hybrid technology and all wheel drive in the 2025 model year.

Oregon is also about to make owning an electric car more expensive also with higher fees and a per mile tax with their new ODOT bill. The gap is closing as to whether the electric machine will be worth the investment with tax credits expiring. Bottom line, the Maverick is better suited to my needs and wants.

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