Have a Maverick on Order, decided to borrow one on Turo to see what I think. It wasn't what I hoped it would be

[DentedFrood]

This ended up being long, so I'm leading with the TLDR:

Rented a Maverick on Turo, experienced 3 issues which might be deal breakers for me:

1. Loud clicking/rattling noise from engine/engine bay
2. Sluggish acceleration, would say the engine seems anemic
3. Bottom seat cushion was uncomfortable, appears to be due to seam placement/type of seam used

So I placed and order for a 2023 MY Maverick in September, having never driven one. Since then, I have driven one around a dealership, but it wasn't a full test drive. I was scheduled for production this week (2/22), now moved to next week (3/1), and I was starting to get concerned that I had not really experienced a Maverick and I didn't want to have to make the decision once the truck is delivered. I decided this past weekend to rent one off of Turo so I could drive it around and get a feel for it

I rented it from a Turo host with good reputation, and this was their second Maverick. According to Turo I was only the 4th person to rent it. XLT EcoBoost, AWD,4Ktow. As close as I could find to my order XLT EcoBoost, AWD, 4Ktow, FX4, w/Lux


The first thing I noticed was how loud the engine is, or more specifically there is a very loud clicking/rattling noise coming from the engine bay. It settles down some after the engine warmed up. First pass at searching for this is people saying this is the direct injection. If that noise is to be expected then that is strike one against the Maverick. I drive a 2016 VW GTI, which also has 2.0L turbocharged direct injected car, the Maverick is nearly louder in the cabin than the GTI it is with the hood up and your head leaned over the engine. I don't think sound insulation can account for that much


The second thing I noticed was how sluggish acceleration felt. People talk about how quick the Maverick feels, and while it could get itself up to speed respectably, it feels like it does so reluctantly, especially from a standing start. Highway acceleration felt better. My comparison's here are the GTI, Chevy Bolt, and Toyota Highlander. The Maverick feels like it accelerates significantly slower than all three of those. This made me wonder if there was something wrong with this Maverick pretty much from the start

I tried Sport mode, but it didn't make the Maverick feel any quicker, it just felt like the computer was delaying ships, especially when slowing the car. It made the Maverick feel considerably worse to drive


The third thing I noticed, was how uncomfortable the seat is. I'm recognize I am not a small person. I'm 6'1", 260lbs and the seat just isn't comfortable. I narrowed down what bothered me about the seat. It's the seam that runs through the center of the lower cushion. It lines up exactly with where my butt puts the most pressure on the seat and I can just really feel the seam and find it quite uncomfortable. If it bothers me driver the truck 15 minutes to the nearby shops, how am I going to feel about it driving it up to 2 hours to see family?

This one surprised me the most, I've ruled out cars for seats before, but it is usually based on seat size and positioning, not seams. I don't even have issue with the Bolt EV seats and there is near universal agreement they are terrible seats (They are small, but I've not had an issue, and we've taken the Bolt on a few 500+ mile trips, and a number of shorter ones)


That said, there were positives, with the exception of the above the truck was very pleasant to drive. Handling felt good, no issues with the suspension, I felt comfortable in the car after very little time. Road noise was hard to judge as it was very windy this past weekend, but it also seemed okay. Android Auto worked with no issues, and the sound system was enough to clearly understand audiobooks without having to crank the volume. I would say it was a delightful little truck


I'm also evaluating now how much I need a truck. The bed in person feels tiny, and rear seats don't really offer up much storage. I might be better served with an SUV and a trailer than I would with a small bed pickup. Part of the desire for the Maverick was I was always sad my dad sold his Ford Ranger (original, not the new midsize), but I wasn't really in a position of needing it at the time.


I'm not trying to rip on the Maverick. I think it's a great looking truck, it fills a niche long left vacant, and I fell in love with the idea of getting one as soon as I found out about it. I also enjoyed aspects of driving it. Maybe my expectations were too high, and admittedly I'm picky about my vehicles feeling just right. I wanted to share my experience, this isn't meant to be a definitive review of the car, or to take away from anyone who loves theirs. This is just for me the issues I found in driving one for 3 days that are making me rethink if I want one.

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[MM Mav]

Given your experience over 3 days, now you'll have time to decide if you move forward with the Maverick purchase or move on to something else.
Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[fossil]

you're obviously not Maverick material. let your dealer take it for some adm and move on

 

[AltoBAP]

It is a bit odd to hear you felt the vehicle was anemic. The 2.0 Ecoboost, even in AWD powertrain, is typically a pretty peppy engine.

How many miles were on the rental?

It is my understanding that Ford restricts power output for the first thousand miles or so. Also, rated horsepower is achieved with premium fuel, which I doubt this guy was running in his Turo rental.

Interesting comments about the seat - I, too, ordered mine without ever driving one (haven't even sat in one!), and your comments about the seat have me concerned enough to check one out in person.

 

[AMTRV]

Mavericks certainly aren’t for everyone.
After a couple of months I can say that I absolutely love mine.
It‘s very comfortable for my 6’ 205lb frame.
Zero regrets for me.
Someone will definitely buy and enjoy the one you ordered

 

[Traegorn]

I mean, it sounds like you're interested in a performance vehicle, which the Maverick squarely isn't trying to be. You're comparing a pickup truck to a hot hatch. These are different beasts entirely.

Frankly, it sounds like you might like the way the Santa Cruz drives more if you still want something with a bed.

 

[skadizzle]

I agree with you on the seat seam. I have a Lariat on order and I sat in one briefly but never drove one. I also rented one off Turo last year and it was an XLT. I hated those seats and it was specifically that same seam kept digging into me. I'm hoping the Active X don't have that same problem. We shall see when mine comes in a week or so.

 

[JBryant]

To each his own. Don’t buy it if you don’t like it. Love both the EB FX4 and Hybrid as well. Just means someone who really wants one can take it. Good luck.

 

[kuthe64]

I currently have an 07 Honda Ridgeline and I thought the Ecoboost engine was much more responsive and seemed to have better acceleration. I test drove a brand new lariat that someone chose not to buy. I didn't notice the seam in the seat at all.

 

[OneAlienBoi]

The hybrid is probably the better option for you, I know it was for us. Very quiet and refined. I wouldn't be surprised if the instant responsiveness of the electric motors made the hybrid feels punchier at lower speeds as well.

We love our maverick personally. I'm 5'11 and about 240. The seats are very comfortable imo. The handling is excellent, the way you throw the truck into turns and it rotates under throttle is fantastic. The ride is solid, the interior and exterior is great. The ride is pretty smooth, and it can haul more than most people will ever need.

If you go into the maverick expecting it to dust sports cars in a drag race and around a track, you're going to be disappointed. If you go into it comparing it to other new vehicles in the same price range, it'll blow your mind.

 

[DentedFrood]

It is a bit odd to hear you felt the vehicle was anemic. The 2.0 Ecoboost, even in AWD powertrain, is typically a pretty peppy engine.

How many miles were on the rental?

It is my understanding that Ford restricts power output for the first thousand miles or so. Also, rated horsepower is achieved with premium fuel, which I doubt this guy was running in his Turo rental.

Interesting comments about the seat - I, too, ordered mine without ever driving one (haven't even sat in one!), and your comments about the seat have me concerned enough to check one out in person.

It had 4800 miles on it when I returned it, and I didn't put many on it. Used it around town, and short runs on the interstate over 3 days

I also don't run premium in my GTI

 

[DentedFrood]

The hybrid is probably the better option for you, I know it was for us. Very quiet and refined. I wouldn't be surprised if the instant responsiveness of the electric motors made the hybrid feels punchier at lower speeds as well.

We love our maverick personally. I'm 5'11 and about 240. The seats are very comfortable imo. The handling is excellent, the way you throw the truck into turns and it rotates under throttle is fantastic. The ride is solid, the interior and exterior is great. The ride is pretty smooth, and it can haul more than most people will ever need.

If you go into the maverick expecting it to dust sports cars in a drag race and around a track, you're going to be disappointed. If you go into it comparing it to other new vehicles in the same price range, it'll blow your mind.

I'll certainly agree on the handling, it was one of the things I did like when driving the Maverick. I also really like the interior, both the design and the style (just not that one seat seams). I also like the exterior styling from the start, part of what made me interested in it.

I'm not expecting it to be a sports car, or comparable to a hot hatch. I just want it to feel peppy, which it did not. It felt actively sluggish, like it really didn't want to go, which surprised me based on the reviews and what I've seen others say

 

[DentedFrood]

To each his own. Don’t buy it if you don’t like it. Love both the EB FX4 and Hybrid as well. Just means someone who really wants one can take it. Good luck.

That's pretty much where I am right now. Though I may still test drive my order when it arrives to be sure. I am also looking into alternative options, one of which may just be to do nothing

 

[DentedFrood]

I agree with you on the seat seam. I have a Lariat on order and I sat in one briefly but never drove one. I also rented one off Turo last year and it was an XLT. I hated those seats and it was specifically that same seam kept digging into me. I'm hoping the Active X don't have that same problem. We shall see when mine comes in a week or so.

Interesting, that's part of why I posted. I was curious if anyone had noticed the same thing. I didn't find anything when I tried to search it. It's nice to feel like I'm not the only one who noticed it. I hope as well that you don't have the same issues with the ActiveX. I like the Maverick, I wanted to love it, I certainly want other people to enjoy theirs

 

[DentedFrood]

I mean, it sounds like you're interested in a performance vehicle, which the Maverick squarely isn't trying to be. You're comparing a pickup truck to a hot hatch. These are different beasts entirely.

Frankly, it sounds like you might like the way the Santa Cruz drives more if you still want something with a bed.

I'm not expecting it to be the GTI, or even replace the GTI. I just want it to feel peppy, and this one didn't. I'm also curious if it was a one off with this one feeling sluggish. I did not notice that with the previous "not a test drive" test drive. That one seemed like I had to be conservative with the throttle in the dealership parking lot and access road, but that was also a few months ago

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