2.0 w/ AWD only exists to...

[surfstar]

relieve ordering/production pressure on the hybrids.

A thought experiment.

It wouldn't be hard for Ford to offer an AWD hybrid Maverick. We all know that.
Ford knew that they couldn't produce enough hybrids, even when only optioned as FWD; so in order to relieve some of the demand pressure on constrained hybrid trucks, they only offer AWD in the 2.0 EB version. So anyone that *has* to have AWD, will order a 2.0 EB, even if they really wanted a hybrid.

Hopefully the hybrid AWD and PHEV Maverick will be announced soon. I also want a hybrid Outback, though. Might be hard choice between those at some point...

Friday afternoon musings and its not even happy hour here yet

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[atomguy245]

A 2023 Escape ST-Line AWD hybrid starts at $36,500, and the FWD PHEV starts at $40k. These would be more optioned than a Maverick, so shave off a few thousand. But still. Currently the Escape PHEV is FWD only

 

[Speed2000]

I can't stand the auto engine stop feature so no way would I have considered the hybrid even if it got 100 mpg and AWD. At least I can turn that off on the ecoboost.

 

[IdahoDirtFarmer]

If the hybrid was AWD I would have gone the route. As it is, a 2wd pickup is like buying a blind hunting dog.

 

[surfstar]

I can't stand the auto engine stop feature so no way would I have considered the hybrid even if it got 100 mpg and AWD. At least I can turn that off on the ecoboost.

Have you driven a hybrid? The on/off is seamless. Makes you see how wasteful idling at stops/drivethrus/traffic/etc is. Not to mention regenerative braking.
The eCVT is also simple, reliable and does away with the stupid rubberband-CVT affect that most people hate.

Looking forward to some hybrid AWD/4x4 trucks...!
(have held off on a Taco for years b/c of such horrible mpg for a 'small' truck)

 

[gte105u]

Seems as though they want to go in two directions. One is the hybrid route, the other a versatile set of options to appease different groups. The second is in Ecoboost. Not sure you will see them mix any time soon.

 

[BuddyS]

If the hybrid was AWD I would have gone the route. As it is, a 2wd pickup is like buying a blind hunting dog.

Depends on where you live and your real needs. I had a 4x4 tacoma in Maryland for 9 years and honestly never needed to put it in 4WD. I did a on a few light snowy roads, but to be truthful I didn't have to be out on those days. Now I'm in my 50s, I'm a realist, and I know that a FWD hybrid is all I need. Plus I live in Florida, so there's that...

 

[aitch-2-oh]

My blind huntin’ dog just left a message for me in Braille: a 2-wheel drive (implying Rear Wheel Drive) ain’t the same animal as a Front Wheel Drive, even though both are technically/factually 2-wheel drive (oxymoron alert). Woof! Woof!

Down boy! I’ll get dinner after I’m done with this!

 

[fossil]

on the other hand, if they made a Bronco Sport hybrid there might not be a Maverick hybrid at all.

 

[OleFordGuy]

Not sure why, but I don't think Ford has any desire or plans for an AWD Hybrid Maverick. I'm no engineer but seems like it wouldn't be that major of an undertaking IMO. Farley's got a whole lot of shit to fix and seems to really be blowing up at the engineers and productivity across the board currently. I sure wouldn't want his job.

 

[thevol]

I honestly think they dont want to build the hybrid at what they have priced it at and will make an all electric awd as soon as they can. Probably dont even want to build the 2.0 either lol. I think the all electric fad is going to crash on its face, most likely already would have without the gov subsidizing, but thats another story.

 

[RockHoundTX]

The whole point of the Hybrid is to not have to pay the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) tax. For each Hybrid sold, Ford gets credits that allow them to sell 3-4 Maverick Ecoboosts (or apply the credit to other non-fuel efficient vehicles such as the Bronco). CAFE and the Chicken Tax are two of the primary reasons we don't see other small trucks in the US (even though manufacturers sell them everywhere else in the world). Every time I go to Mexico I see a ton of trucks I would love to have.

Each Maverick Eco is probably about 2-3 MPG short of the CAFE standard (so roughly $500-$750 Federal tax) and the Eco AWD is one MPG less. The standard goes up by about 1 MPG per year so next year Ford either needs to build more Hybrids or come out with a plug-in Hybrid.

From a CAFE perspective, it really does not make sense to have an AWD Hybrid since the lower MPG will result in less CAFE credits. As such, Ford would need to build in another $500 - $1k into the price just relative to CAFE and thus price it out of the market.

Would I want a AWD Hybrid? Absolutely. However, there are other concerns (i.e., CAFE) that I don't think most folks are aware of that impact what vehicles Ford can economically release. Only way that AWD makes sense is if Ford somehow ends up with way more Hybrid engines than they can easily sell.

 

[jewc75]

I wouldnt have purchased a Maverick if awd and ecoboost wasn't available.

 

[Packer Bill]

I had no interest in a hybrid. I wanted the 4k tow package to pull a Scamp trailer.

 

[Maverickman74]

My blind huntin’ dog just left a message for me in Braille: a 2-wheel drive (implying Rear Wheel Drive) ain’t the same animal as a Front Wheel Drive, even though both are technically 2-wheel drive (oxymoron alert). Woof! Woof!

Down boy! I’ll get dinner after I’m done with this!

I would personally take the rwd, but fwd is good for reverse donuts.

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