Mav is easy for my wife to enter and exit but the ground clearance is minimal. The first time I drove over high weeds on the farm I heard all this loud sliding noise from underneath. Apparently caused by the grass rubbing against all the plastic under the motor.
Jeep Compass Trailhawk has 8.5" clearance. Bronco Sport Badlands is 8.8". Both are well respects in off road world. Current Maverick is 8.6", and if the Tremor is truly an inch higher its mid 9s. That's nothing to sneeze at, it's on par with a FJ Cruiser. Granted that isn't discussing break over and approach but trucks always suffer there. Maverick is way ahead of the typical crossover come offroader, and 2" more than a Ridgeline (in Tremor). Some people (not necessarily you) are a little over critical of what a Maverick can do, and not comparing it to reasonable competition. Even a Wrangler is going to hear the weeds under the chasis in tall grass. That's why everyone (who has any competence off roading) knows to be careful parking in a field you could catch the grass on fire.
Wow I was under the assumption that the XLT and above models came with Sync 3 but I guess that's not the case? My wife's edge has sync 4 which she loves. So how is the base system on the XLT in comparison to Sync 3?
Only the Lariat with the Lux package comes with Sync3. The rest of the trucks have very basic systems. In the XL, for the first two weeks the clock wouldn't even keep time. Then I guess an OTA update fixed that. It had a lot of issues with dropping BT connections and freezing up. That's well documented on this forum.
So it looks like there are (2) USB ports in the Maverick. Do you know if you can play music via a USB stick through those ports? My wife does that with her Edge now. I assume it would work the same unless it has something to do with Sync?
I did the opposite from Ridgeline haters. Owned a Maverick XLT hybrid for six months. Towed twice for DEAD BATTERY issue and now it’s a fire hazard to be parked outside until they drill holes to drip fluid out.
Ford is able to deliver a vehicle!?
jkAgree with all of this. Ive always disliked the ridgeline look. Ive never understood why manufaturers take an suv body style and just slap a truck bed on the back lol seems like lazy designing. Anywho, as per the fuel econ, i’m at about 4000 miles now and just had my first big bump in fuel economy. I’m averaging 30mpg now. Probably 85% highway driving.Current Ride: 2022 Honda Ridgeline RTL (13k miles)
On Order: XLT 2.0 Lux, Tow, 360, AWD.
Hope this helps someone considering both vehicles:
Bottom Line Up Front:
I'll take the cheaper Mav with upgraded safety tech, lower price, and better fuel economy. Plus it looks better too.
Ordered the Mav early Nov 2022. Goal was to downsize to a smaller footprint from my 2018 F150 4x4 to save fuel and still pull my ~2500 lb boat/trailer weekly. After ordering the Mav space became a concern when I found my first kid was on the way, so I bought a Ridgeline as a compromise.
Now that the Mav is about to be built, here is what has me trading in the Ridgeline:
1. This forum:
Seeing multiple pics and testimony of infant car seats working just fine. Wife also bought a 2022 Santa Fe Limited, so we will have a nice dedicated family ride.
2. Ridgeline tech vs Mav tech.
Infotainment in Ridgeline is so laggy and behind I actually miss the sync in my 2018 F-150. Backup camera on Ridgeline is blurry low res and really shows it's fault when backing my boat trailer.
Ridgeline adaptive cruise control is so overly cautious it's almost unusable unless traffic is non existent. Lane keeping assist, blind spot and other nanny controls are over sensitive. From all comparisons I've read, Ford's 360 system should feel like an upgrade. Many Ridgeline owners complain these systems are behind when compared to what's in other Hondas and other brands. There is a constant theme of the Ridgeline is a relic containing outdated parts and tech.
3. Fuel economy and power.
The V6 in the Ridgeline provides smooth power, but you really need to rev the engine to access usable power and there is a considerable delay in throttle response when doing so. Mav with 4k tow will still more than handle my boat needs.
My best highway MPG is 24-25 at 70-75 mph. Average mpg is around 19-20 on most tanks, only a marginal upgrade from my f 150. I'm hoping for 23-25 Combined in the maverick and looking forward to high 20's on highway.
4. Interior and storage.
I'll miss the trunk and the fold up seats. Solution: I will just use the bed more in the Mav and get a cover. The interior quality in the Ridgeline is nice and seems high quality. However, it looks like an outdated minivan and just not aesthetically pleasing to me. I'd rather take the innovated utilitarian offerings in the Mav, especially with the cost savings involved.
There is a lot to like about the Ridgeline: more interior space, Solid AWD system (took me through deep beach sand ruts with ease), high quality interior, amazing bed trunk, and the thing drives smooth/handles well.
Summary:
I want to downsize further for practical fuel savings and overall vehicle cost savings. However, the final overall issue that really eats at me is the premium cost of this vehicle at 43k for mid level trim. My wife's new Santa Fe is light-years ahead in tech, interior quality, and aesthetics, all for a cheaper price. Honda is saving money with no interior upgrades/modernization, parts bin level infotainment, and outdated safety tech. At the same time they are charging a premium for the vehicle making it hard to swallow. I'll take the cheaper Mav with upgraded safety tech, lower price, and better fuel economy. Well, and the Mav is better looking
