If you bought Maverick again today… Hybrid or EcoBoost

[pigsareus]

Yeah I hope a plug-in version comes out soon. My only concern is that I heard a plug-in system weighs a lot more than the current layout.

it'll take many years to make up for the lower mpg and the additional likely $4k cost for a plug in, and there's not much room left in the body cavity to add the capacity anyways. The current hybrid is the perfect balance as it is.

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[Suzukiridr14]

Yeah I hope a plug-in version comes out soon. My only concern is that I heard a plug-in system weighs a lot more than the current layout.

Why would it bother you that it weighs more? The fact is that it will get much more MPG then a hybrid does, (check what plug ins are getting) 100 mpg is common with local driving. Worth carrying the extra pounds to me. I may never stop at a gas station again!

 

[SuperDad44]

I've only had my 2026 xlt hybrid since Dec. 5th but I've put almost 5000 miles on it.
I love driving this truck! I have a F-150 4x4 that I've only put a few hundred miles on since getting the Maverick. At this point I would definitely buy another hybrid but I'm curious about the new PHEV truck Ford is talking (very little) about. I've read and watched videos of the BYD Chinese truck and like the range, mileage and horsepower it is delivering. I hope Ford comes up with a good looking, dependable version of that system.

 

[Rexus99]

Honestly curious after a few years of ownership now…

If you were buying a Maverick again tomorrow, would you still go Hybrid or would you switch to EcoBoost?

The more I look at it, the more it feels like both drivetrains have their own tradeoffs and neither is the “perfect” answer anymore.

Hybrid:
• Better MPG obviously
• eCVT seems simpler long-term to some people
• A lot of owners reporting 40+ MPG consistently
• AWD + 4K tow now available
• But also had its fair share of recalls/electrical complaints/battery weirdness over the years

EcoBoost:
• Definitely feels quicker and stronger especially at highway speeds
• 250 hp / 277 tq vs 191 combined hp on the Hybrid
• Better for towing and people who actually load the truck often
• Easier to mod/tune
• But turbo + 8 speed long-term reliability debates come up constantly too

What surprised me most is the actual acceleration difference isn’t even THAT massive anymore depending on setup. Some testing had the newer AWD Hybrid around high 6s to 60 while the EcoBoost/Lobo was mid 5s to low 6s.

Then there’s the reliability arguments:
• Hybrid owners say the naturally aspirated 2.5 + eCVT is the safer long-term setup
• EcoBoost owners say the Hybrid has had more recalls/software/electrical issues
• Some people say the 8 speed is the bigger concern
• Others say modern hybrids become nightmares outside warranty

And honestly I still see people arguing both sides nonstop.

So after ACTUALLY owning one:
Would you buy the same drivetrain again or switch?

And why?

(Pic for attention )

 

[Scott Asheville]

I respectfully reject the premise of the question. First I wouldn't buy again today, I'd buy again next year. And I would buy the new Ford electric midsize and put gasoline in the rear view mirror.

But to respect the intent of the question, happy with my 100% reliable 2022 ecoboost and would choose it again. That said, it has not retained resale value the way the hybrids have. So there's that. But I also got to sit back and eat popcorn as seemingly endless hybrid horror stories filled up this site in the early years. So there's that.

I really don't see any reason to stir this hybrid-ecoboost pot for the hundredth time.

• If you bought a hybrid, boy are you the most brilliant person on the planet!
• And if you bought an ecoboost, boy are you the most brilliant person on the planet!

There, that should make everyone happy.

 

[Rexus99]

I bought "22 XLT ecoboost cause of the 4WD. Traded it in last year for 2025 Lariat cause 4WD Hybrid. I can't agree with modern Hybrids being nightmares, or needing Ecobost for hauling or towing. i can drive to and from most popular destination with 50% electric, so don't need plugin either. I am completely satisfied. I was skeptical at first getting a Ford but have slept well eversince.

 

[ripperAZ]

No doubt hybrid. If I wanted ICE I’d go Ranger or F-150 hybrid is what I made the Maverick unique. Santa Cruz was already out there.
600 mile range out west in city driving is my bonus

 

[MaverRick]

Ecoboost all the way! I took both of them out for test drives and the ECB was more fun to drive!!!

 

[MaverRick]

No doubt hybrid. If I wanted ICE I’d go Ranger or F-150 hybrid is what I made the Maverick unique. Santa Cruz was already out there.
600 mile range out west in city driving is my bonus

Do you still have your MachE? I sold mine back to Ford!

 

[ripperAZ]

Do you still have your MachE? I sold mine back to Ford!

Naa I sold that after the second bricking in the desert years ago to a private party. did fine on the sale actually made some cash. Had a 10 year 100k ford plan on it so it was an easy sale. Got an Ionic 6 sedan to replace it. Much better than a Tesla.

 

[onecutmedia]

Honestly curious after a few years of ownership now…

If you were buying a Maverick again tomorrow, would you still go Hybrid or would you switch to EcoBoost?

The more I look at it, the more it feels like both drivetrains have their own tradeoffs and neither is the “perfect” answer anymore.

Hybrid:
• Better MPG obviously
• eCVT seems simpler long-term to some people
• A lot of owners reporting 40+ MPG consistently
• AWD + 4K tow now available
• But also had its fair share of recalls/electrical complaints/battery weirdness over the years

EcoBoost:
• Definitely feels quicker and stronger especially at highway speeds
• 250 hp / 277 tq vs 191 combined hp on the Hybrid
• Better for towing and people who actually load the truck often
• Easier to mod/tune
• But turbo + 8 speed long-term reliability debates come up constantly too

What surprised me most is the actual acceleration difference isn’t even THAT massive anymore depending on setup. Some testing had the newer AWD Hybrid around high 6s to 60 while the EcoBoost/Lobo was mid 5s to low 6s.

Then there’s the reliability arguments:
• Hybrid owners say the naturally aspirated 2.5 + eCVT is the safer long-term setup
• EcoBoost owners say the Hybrid has had more recalls/software/electrical issues
• Some people say the 8 speed is the bigger concern
• Others say modern hybrids become nightmares outside warranty

And honestly I still see people arguing both sides nonstop.

So after ACTUALLY owning one:
Would you buy the same drivetrain again or switch?

And why?

(Pic for attention )

I work at a ford dealer, in the last month we have had three hybrids have the dash removed because of bad wiring, full replacement is happening, plus the damage to vehicle is crazy.

I have a 2025 xlt ecoboost with 13,000 km on it, zero issues so far and gets great gas milage

 

[Dignam]

Having owned both versions, the hybrid would be my choice. Even though mpg isn't really a big deal to me, the smoothness of the hybrid makes it so pleasant to drive.

Now if Ford put something a little more substantial in the Lobo or Tremor (2.3T, etc.), I would definitely consider it for a more fun-oriented vehicle. Not that the 2.0 is a slouch by any means though.

 

[grandpa_disney]

Yeah the hybrid honestly sounds perfect for your use case 42-48 MPG while still being able to do “truck stuff” is exactly why so many people ended up loving these things.

And honestly having the Ram still around for the true heavy-duty stuff is probably the ideal combo. The Maverick handles the daily driving, hardware store runs, road trips, dog hauling, etc. while the Ram handles the dirty work.

I’d actually love to see the ARE cap setup too. I’ve looked at them a few times but never fully dove into all the configurations since I know ARE offers a bunch of different styles/window setups depending on what you want out of it. The dog-hauler setup especially sounds interesting.

Here is my Dog Hauler setup. We have 2 10 year old labs. I was tired of Dog hair in the cab of the Ram. I also got the Maybett dog protection for the rear seat. That worked, but still had a lot of hair to contend with. That and my Yellow lab thinks she should drive!

Final solution. ARE CAP, Rubber Bed Mat, and a ramp. I have a drop in bed liner so I had to cut the mat back a bit.

Things I wish I knew about the ARE cap. I did not get a headliner. The inside is really rough. I did not get the swing out rear window. I did not know that crap will collect between the rear windows. Being a unibody, there is no place for stuff to go that gets between the truck and the cap.

All in all I am really happy with the results.

BTW I use the rear seat dog covers when we road trip. It has a hard seat extension that goes almost all the way to the front seat. Our ice chest does not slide around and it does not markup the seats. The extension also creates great hidden storage in the foot well. People cannot just peak in and see your stuff.

Anyway Here are some pics.

 

[Edge Haley]

The natural tendency is most people will defend what they bought. Where I live you can’t drive a quick vehicle fast in dense traffic or you‘ll get in a wreck with the crazies or a ticket. As mentioned above, after having both the EcoBoost and Hybrid for a year, I was a bit unimpressed with the 0-60 of the EcoBoost (part of that is what you are used to)…Sport mode in the Hybrid is very peppy….it appears that in Sport Mode both the ICE and hybrid battery are both on….

For me, my only justification for a Maverick at all was for towing my trailer with a 700 motorcycle but my Hybrid can haul a 2,000 lb trailer with ease…..My only justification for an EcoBoost would have been towing a big boat or RV trailer, which is not going to happen…had an RV for years never again...so after seeing the gas savings for months, the EcoBoost had to go. Hybrid is a company truck so we know it saves us at least $150 a month. Gas savings is always 1/2 of the EcoBoost’s costs, and cheaper gas.

Next Maverick will be an AWD Hybrid….with 4,000 towing only due to resale value.

As a foot note one of my riding buddies is the Service Manager for a very large Ford Dealership (dealer has 5 locations in 3 states)…and is more than a fan of the Maverick. Hybrid service history….that the Atkinson engine has a history of 300,000+ miles and feels brakes & engine will normally last the life of the truck due to hybrid assistance creating less engine use and hybrid braking. This riding buddy can get any Ford Vehicle at employee discount, and can sell them for more than he paid for them every year, but chooses to drive a Hybrid…..and feels people changing oil at 5,000 miles on Hybrids are throwing their money away. I usually listen to people who know what they're talking about, especially a Mechanical Engineer from Georgia Tech.

Footnotes: My buddy, Service Manager at Ford dealership - Noted that ALL squeaky noises and wiring issues in the dash have been traced down to one employee in the Mexico assembly line...that reportedly is no longer employed by FORD.

This question sort of PISSED off my Service Manager friend: With profanity - "anyone using the "L' button on the transmission is an 'Idiot". It does nothing but stress the Atkinson Engine...it's purpose is for "very temporary" braking. If you need to stop, press the F'g brake pedal which uses the engine compression to recharge the battery with compression braking...or put it in cruise control at a lower speed and the eCVT will automatically downshift for you."

 

[pigsareus]

I respectfully reject the premise of the question. First I wouldn't buy again today, I'd buy again next year. And I would buy the new Ford electric midsize and put gasoline in the rear view mirror.

But to respect the intent of the question, happy with my 100% reliable 2022 ecoboost and would choose it again. That said, it has not retained resale value the way the hybrids have. So there's that. But I also got to sit back and eat popcorn as seemingly endless hybrid horror stories filled up this site in the early years. So there's that.

I really don't see any reason to stir this hybrid-ecoboost pot for the hundredth time.

• If you bought a hybrid, boy are you the most brilliant person on the planet!
• And if you bought an ecoboost, boy are you the most brilliant person on the planet!

There, that should make everyone happy.

endless hybrid horror stories? There's nothing intrinsic to the hybrids that ever shows up as any real fault - the only thing you find is that SOME people have probs with their 12 volt battery not being charged. I can attest having a '22 hybrid that I've had nothing hybrid related that has ever failed and besides it getting 45 mpg I don't even think about what I am driving.

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