What Troubles Me About the Maverick...

[athertonbt]

My Hybrid XL is in the dealer right now, and I am driving an Ecosport Titanium loaner which costs $7,000 more than my Maverick. The Maverick is a 10x better vehicle than the Ecosport, in fact, I would say that the Ecosport is the worst car ever made in my opinion.

Why? It has a 3 cylinder Turbocharged engine THAT ONLY AVERAGES 23-24mpg with normal driving. You can't use the term "eco" unless the car gets at least 30 combined IMO. It is slow as hell, has a crappy transmission that is extremely laggy and takes almost a whole 2 mississippis to downshift once you floor it. It has a bad turning radius for such a tiny car, the suspension is stiff, but you feel like the car will flip while cornering, leg room is horrible (IN THE FRONT SEATS), back seats are basically unuseable, and the Titanium edition doesn't even have LED Headlights.

If the Mav didn't have all the electrical issues and Ford was able to actually produce them, it would be the #1 car in the USA/Canada probably. The only other options for 20k I would go with would be the Hyundai Sonata SE or a Toyota Corolla LE.

Worst car ever made? It must be making quite an impression! Ha!
Worst car I have ever driven was my wife's 2001 Focus. The loudest, cheapest, least reliable car I've ever seen. Terrible fit and finish, left her on the side of the road constantly, kids toy-grade interior plastic...just an awful vehicle. She may have gotten a dud, or they may have just been crap. A good example of a car that was lauded for it's initial quality and was absolutely coming apart 3-4 years later.

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[gametyme89]

It's nice to see all of you defending the Kia Soul. I've owned 2 - a 2015 ! and a 2017 Turbo - both were fantastic vehicles that I loved way more than cars I've owned costing 3-4x as much. That's not to say they were not flawed. The 2015 with the 2.0L NA engine and 6AT was both slow and did poorly on fuel. The 2017's 1.6T engine was a gem and it was both faster and more efficient than the 2015, but it's dry-clutch DCT was not as sharp by 40k miles as it had been at 20,000 miles.

Both of them had equipment unheard of in the $20k range - from power folding mirrors and heated rear seats to panoramic sunroofs. The value was strong.

I am actually hoping the Maverick hybrid fills the void the Souls left, while improving on efficiency and practicality (with the bed).

Also can't beat that Kia warranty!!

 

[oreomuffin]

I got an Ecosport recently as a service loaner while my Maverick was getting looked at (gas tank, deep sleep alert). It was not a great experience. The engine was SO loud at 65mph compared to the Mav. The seats were uncomfortable. The fit and finish in the cabin was laughable compared to the Mav interior. Cheap feeling plastic throughout. It did have options you can't get on the Mav like navigation. I think they do that to make it seem "nicer" despite its drawbacks. The worst part? The backup camera was noticeably clearer on the Ecosport. Not great...but better. Seemed like a cruel joke.


I also echo the Kia Soul love. That's a good car and a cut above the other breadbox options that have been around over the years.

 

[Dun4791]

Quite literally, time will tell.

But it's also worth noting the Maverick is only a "$20,000" vehicle in the hybrid power train with XL trim and zero options. The truck I ordered, an EB with AWD, FX4 and Lux Package, is just shade under $31,000. Do I expect it to perform like a $50,000 vehicle? No. But do I expect it to perform like a $20,000 vehicle? No!

The EB engine in the Maverick is a proven performer on many other Ford models. Clearly the interior is not opulent, and we've seen complaints about the paint. Other "issues" are regularly reported here on this forum, though this is to be expected of any model in its first year.

Truth be told, I am breaking one of my self-imposed cardinal rules of car buying on this one by ordering a Maverick, as I swear no one should purchase a vehicle in the first year of production. The offsetting factor, of course, is that there is NO OTHER TRUCK I can get with all-wheel drive, off-road package, heated seats and steering wheel, etc., for anywhere close to the price.

So, I guess in the end you are right. The Maverick is either going to prove to be, as so many auto journalists have delcared, "the value of the decade" or "the steal of the century," or we're all going to look back in 5-8 years and say, "Boy, that was an overhyped rust bucket. Glad I didn't get sucked into that trap."

I suppose as someone who has a Maverick on order and is really excited about getting it, I am betting on the former. And since we're here on the Maverick Truck Club, I'm betting I have lots of company!

You might get to keep your “ no one should purchase a vehicle in the first year of production” rule in place. Let’s see if you still get yours this model year first!!

 

[stoptothink]

While I've driven plenty plenty of high-end luxury and exotic sports cars, and money isn't an issue, all I've ever owned are budget vehicles. When we went from my '09 Hyundai accent to our '17 (base model) VW jetta, it was like driving a futuristic rocket ship because it had a little more power, a backup camera, power everything, etc. Something tells me I'm not going to be too disappointed with the luxury and the fit-and-finish of my XLT Maverick. It's all about what your baseline is and hedonic adaptation.

 

[Sykotyk]

Worst car ever made? It must be making quite an impression! Ha!
Worst car I have ever driven was my wife's 2001 Focus. The loudest, cheapest, least reliable car I've ever seen. Terrible fit and finish, left her on the side of the road constantly, kids toy-grade interior plastic...just an awful vehicle. She may have gotten a dud, or they may have just been crap. A good example of a car that was lauded for it's initial quality and was absolutely coming apart 3-4 years later.

My first girlfriend had a brand new Focus in the 2003 range. Horrible. Car. Her dad bought it for her and it constantly had problems. I never dared driving it. She hated it but it was free. She didn't get a choice in what he bought.

Edit, looked it up was definitely the second gen. So 2004 most likely.

 

[pa-outdoorsman]

You might get to keep your “ no one should purchase a vehicle in the first year of production” rule in place. Let’s see if you still get yours this model year first!!

True Dat.

 

[cmlars]

This will be our second vehicle we’ve bought in the last 3 years that is in its first model year. The Kia Telluride was the other. We’ve had zero issues with the Kia so far. Fingers crossed we have similar luck with the Maverick. I will say that I’m considering getting an extended warranty with the Maverick. It’s not something I’ve ever done, but my Malibu Hybrid that I’ll be passing on to my son has had some issues (not battery related) and the cost of labor is much much higher than a traditional vehicle.

 

[NJ Pinelands]

One of my sisters and her husband bought a brand new Mercedes about 10-12 years ago. Started having issues at 40,000. For the next 20-25,000 it was at the Mercedes dealer A LOT. They sold it by 65,000. Said they would never buy another. The worst part was the snotty attitude by the Mercedes dealer. How dare you say anything bad about a Mercedes was their attitude with them.

 

[NJ Pinelands]

I am very confident these will last. Look around the roads next time you are driving. Most of the oldest vehicles are pick up trucks and they include the old small Ford pickups. I know folks are concerned about buying something for $20,000, but I have now been in two Mavericks. I also remember being in vehicles like the Vega and Pinto. The Maverick is not the 2022 version of a Vega or Pinto or early Honda or early Hyundai or early Kia or Yugo, etc.

 

[Rusty Tom]

The Maverick is a link to the Model T in terms of heritage. It wasn't the prettiest, fastest or cushiest, but it enabled many to drive who could not otherwise afford it. It also delivered amazing value for the money, and was adapted to meet people's needs in a mind boggling variety of ways. Model T s were put on skis, powered sawmills, made into tractors and hot rods, and the engine adapted to power boats and airplanes. When they couldn't climb hills at some point, folks figured out to do that in reverse. Ford's parts fueled the imagination.

I agree that it is foolish to a)purchase new vehicles and b)purchase first year products, but I want to help Ford succeed in putting out practical, useful vehicles at a reasonable price. Only time will tell how well they succeed, but they are shaking up an industry that needed it, and they are making a vehicle that many of us want. Especially when we put our heads together in this type of community, we should be able to improve them to suit our needs with a bit of aftermarket help and some good old ingenuity. Challenges will continue, but I believe they can be overcome.

 

[999]

I'll take anecdotal car reliabilty reports for $1000, Alex.

 

[HPR Maverick in CT]

MSRP on my maverick $38,990 so not sure what cheap means. If you were to order the same one today the MSRP is $40,080. Ford is a truck company and that is what I put my trust in. It exceeded my expectations so far even though I only drove it a mile and a half from the dealer to my garage since picking it up 1-27-22. I am waiting for nicer weather but looks wise I love it, the color HPR gorgeous, the interior I love it. I was going to buy the new Frontier but glad I got the Maverick. It was worth the 6 month wait.

 

[teh603]

5 months none of those issues. The unlevel tailgate is not a reliability issue. Why it’s not level I don’t know. Doesn’t bother me.

I could see it mattering in some construction trades, but not enough to break the deal.

One of my sisters and her husband bought a brand new Mercedes about 10-12 years ago. Started having issues at 40,000. For the next 20-25,000 it was at the Mercedes dealer A LOT. They sold it by 65,000. Said they would never buy another. The worst part was the snotty attitude by the Mercedes dealer. How dare you say anything bad about a Mercedes was their attitude with them.

The last guy I knew who had a Mercedes had the same attitude about it. It was an unreliable (diesel?) POS, but he got *so* bent out of shape if you suggested he sell it and get something newer. "But then I wouldn't be driving a Mercedes!"

The Maverick is a link to the Model T in terms of heritage. It wasn't the prettiest, fastest or cushiest, but it enabled many to drive who could not otherwise afford it. It also delivered amazing value for the money, and was adapted to meet people's needs in a mind boggling variety of ways. Model T s were put on skis, powered sawmills, made into tractors and hot rods, and the engine adapted to power boats and airplanes. When they couldn't climb hills at some point, folks figured out to do that in reverse. Ford's parts fueled the imagination.

My grandfather and his family bought nothing but Model T Fords, and there's still the chassis for one somewhere out in the pasture. They said they'd just use them until they were totally worn out and then buy another.

And that's sorta the feel I get from the Maverick, is it's supposed to be some kind of neo- Model T. Buy it, tinker with it, put it to use in ways the engineers couldn't have predicted, and all that.

 

[GreatWhiteNorth]

... I agree that it is foolish to a)purchase new vehicles and b)purchase first year products, ...

We bought a slightly used '20 Corolla - that was 1st year production for the new model, but has the 1.8L carry-over (proven) engine. Zero issues. Similarly, our 2.0 eB Maverick AWD is a new model with a proven engine, that's been out since 2015 in it's current form. And because it's based on the Escape platform, gotta be some drivetrain commonality (proven too?). We've had our Maverick over 4 months, and haven't had any issues (other than stalled on me twice). I'm pretty happy so far. For those that haven't received theirs yet, hang in there, worth the wait IMO.

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