My Maverick review after 1 month and 2500 miles (coming from small sedan)

[bbeverag]

Like many Maverick owners, I waited a long time between order and delivery. I placed my initial order for a Lariat Lux 2.0 EB on January 17th, 2022, rolled over in September 2022, and took delivery April 5th, 2023. I was worried that I would be underwhelmed after all the waiting, but it turns out I was quite pleased.

I came to the Maverick from a 2013 Dodge Dart Rallye 6MT. The car had a low center of gravity, turbocharged engine, and returned roughly 24mpg in city driving, and 35+ mpg in highway driving. Previous vehicles I have owned are a Mazda CX5, Mazda Miata, Mazda 3, Civic Si, Honda Prelude, Jeep Wrangler (TJ), and a Pontiac Grand Am. I have driven numerous 3/4 ton pickups, full sized vans, and large SUVs for work.

The purchase

If you exclude the wait, my entire acquisition experience was positive. I ordered in-person, and my sales rep was friendly. He was upfront about the anticipated wait, and reached out to me from time to time. The sales manager at the dealership was also accessible via email, especially during and after the September reorder. He had some difficulty with the private offer, but he knew about it, and took the necessary steps to track it down. In fact, they did not have it finalized when I took delivery, and they still gave me the discount off MSRP since he anticipated securing it within a few days. I sold my prior car private party a week before, and was paying cash for the purchase, so I was in and out of the dealership in under an hour, probably closer to 30 minutes.

First imprssions and pulling off the lot

It's a bit of a change from a small sedan, so I gingerly pulled off the lot and up to the first light. I was immediately annoyed by the Auto Start-Stop system shutting the truck off. I went back to work and finished my day, then went home and showed it to my wife. I was impressed with the thought Ford put into the interior. Lots of storage, including the cavernous armrest storage, under dash storage, and under rear seat storage. My dealership gave me the FITS box free, which was nice. I installed the trash can in the back and make good use of that to keep the interior cleaner than it would ordinarily be. I am not sure I need to store 18 water bottles in the doors, but it is nice to have the option.

Since it's a truck, the bed is the star of the show. I did not get the factory spray in bedliner, since I was worried about it being a constraint, and that limited my desire to actually use the bed. I ended up getting a professionally installed Rhinoliner, which is nice, but not the point of this review. My initial impression of the bed is that it is exactly the right size for someone like me, who will occasionally haul kayaks, plywood, mulch, construction lumber, etc.. I will most commonly use the bed for groceries. The bed divider option is really nice for that, it keeps my produce from rolling too far away when it inevitably comes out of the bag. I love that the bed has a 110v outlet, though I wish it also had a 12v accessory outlet. I bought a marine outlet and wired it up to use the hidden connector. I plan to put a hole in the plastic cover so it is permanently installed. Ford should spend the $5 to do this at the factory, lots of people have 12v coolers. I also think Ford should have included a tailgate dampener from the factory. It is a minor cost that really is a nice to have.

First roadtrip

I had to take a drive to the Mayo clinic to visit an ill family member a few days later, so the truck got 800 miles right away. My wife and teenager daughter hopped in with me and we were off! The weather was still a little cold in the midwest, and the heated steering wheel was a nice touch. Traveling approximately 75mph over mostly flat roads I saw a little under 30mpg. Not quite what I would get in my Dodge Dart, but still great. The truck doesn't ride as smooth as my wife's CX5, but it's still a very comfortable highway ride. The B&O stereo sounds good -- not good enough for an audiophile, but great for an ordinary dude in a pickup. On my way back it was convenient to load up on Spotted Cow as we traveled through Wisconsin. Some people on the internet think it's an overrated beer, but everyone I know loves it.

The past month

My ordinary commuting to and from work has been uneventful. I have a bit of a heavy foot and I still get 22mpg in town on 87 octane. Again, it's not as good as with my Dart, but my Dart ran 93 octane, so miles per dollar I am coming out ahead. Once summer hits I will probably run 93 in the Maverick, but for now it runs great on 87. I have plenty of power on tap, especially if I switch to sport mode, but usually I just stay in standard. I hate Auto Start-Stop, it's probably one of my biggest gripes thus far. One other observation, I ordered with a moonroof, but I rarely use it. I have made much more use of the rear window, which is a really great option.

Overall

I think it was a great buy, even though I "paid $40k for a $20k truck" as some people here would say. The truck rides nice, gets good mileage even in the 2.0 EB, looks good, and is way more versatile than a sedan. I had considered a Ranger but I don't think this truck is really in the same class, or even competes with other trucks. This truck is for the person who wants more utility than a sedan or mid-size SUV, but doesn't want a full-sized truck. I really think the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry are the market segment this truck is competing in, and it is a real winner in my opinion.

Gripes

I have few gripes. The Auto Start-Stop is one. Yeah, it's just one button push to turn it off, but it's annoying to do it every time. They also could have improved the sound. Between the sound of the motor and the terrible exhaust note, the truck doesn't sound very cool. My Dodge Dart was a turbo 4 cylinder and it sounded nice, I think Ford could have done more here and I hope the aftermarket delivers something better than I have heard thus far. I also hate the seatbelt notification screen that comes up every time I start the truck. Not a huge deal, but it is annoying. And finally, why not include wireless car play / android auto from the factory? I bought the Lariat Lux, I think that should have been included.

All in all, I give the truck 5 stars for accomplishing what Ford wanted to accomplish, filling the gap in their lineup for smaller commuter vehicles, and doing it with a ton of utility.

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[A Sturdy Beast]

Like many Maverick owners, I waited a long time between order and delivery. I placed my initial order for a Lariat Lux 2.0 EB on January 17th, 2022, rolled over in September 2022, and took delivery April 5th, 2023. I was worried that I would be underwhelmed after all the waiting, but it turns out I was quite pleased.

I came to the Maverick from a 2013 Dodge Dart Rallye 6MT. The car had a low center of gravity, turbocharged engine, and returned roughly 24mpg in city driving, and 35+ mpg in highway driving. Previous vehicles I have owned are a Mazda CX5, Mazda Miata, Mazda 3, Civic Si, Honda Prelude, Jeep Wrangler (TJ), and a Pontiac Grand Am. I have driven numerous 3/4 ton pickups, full sized vans, and large SUVs for work.

The purchase

If you exclude the wait, my entire acquisition experience was positive. I ordered in-person, and my sales rep was friendly. He was upfront about the anticipated wait, and reached out to me from time to time. The sales manager at the dealership was also accessible via email, especially during and after the September reorder. He had some difficulty with the private offer, but he knew about it, and took the necessary steps to track it down. In fact, they did not have it finalized when I took delivery, and they still gave me the discount off MSRP since he anticipated securing it within a few days. I sold my prior car private party a week before, and was paying cash for the purchase, so I was in and out of the dealership in under an hour, probably closer to 30 minutes.

First imprssions and pulling off the lot

It's a bit of a change from a small sedan, so I gingerly pulled off the lot and up to the first light. I was immediately annoyed by the Auto Start-Stop system shutting the truck off. I went back to work and finished my day, then went home and showed it to my wife. I was impressed with the thought Ford put into the interior. Lots of storage, including the cavernous armrest storage, under dash storage, and under rear seat storage. My dealership gave me the FITS box free, which was nice. I installed the trash can in the back and make good use of that to keep the interior cleaner than it would ordinarily be. I am not sure I need to store 18 water bottles in the doors, but it is nice to have the option.

Since it's a truck, the bed is the star of the show. I did not get the factory spray in bedliner, since I was worried about it being a constraint, and that limited my desire to actually use the bed. I ended up getting a professionally installed Rhinoliner, which is nice, but not the point of this review. My initial impression of the bed is that it is exactly the right size for someone like me, who will occasionally haul kayaks, plywood, mulch, construction lumber, etc.. I will most commonly use the bed for groceries. The bed divider option is really nice for that, it keeps my produce from rolling too far away when it inevitably comes out of the bag. I love that the bed has a 110v outlet, though I wish it also had a 12v accessory outlet. I bought a marine outlet and wired it up to use the hidden connector. I plan to put a hole in the plastic cover so it is permanently installed. Ford should spend the $5 to do this at the factory, lots of people have 12v coolers. I also think Ford should have included a tailgate dampener from the factory. It is a minor cost that really is a nice to have.

First roadtrip

I had to take a drive to the Mayo clinic to visit an ill family member a few days later, so the truck got 800 miles right away. My wife and teenager daughter hopped in with me and we were off! The weather was still a little cold in the midwest, and the heated steering wheel was a nice touch. Traveling approximately 75mph over mostly flat roads I saw a little under 30mpg. Not quite what I would get in my Dodge Dart, but still great. The truck doesn't ride as smooth as my wife's CX5, but it's still a very comfortable highway ride. The B&O stereo sounds good -- not good enough for an audiophile, but great for an ordinary dude in a pickup. On my way back it was convenient to load up on Spotted Cow as we traveled through Wisconsin. Some people on the internet think it's an overrated beer, but everyone I know loves it.

The past month

My ordinary commuting to and from work has been uneventful. I have a bit of a heavy foot and I still get 22mpg in town on 87 octane. Again, it's not as good as with my Dart, but my Dart ran 93 octane, so miles per dollar I am coming out ahead. Once summer hits I will probably run 93 in the Maverick, but for now it runs great on 87. I have plenty of power on tap, especially if I switch to sport mode, but usually I just stay in standard. I hate Auto Start-Stop, it's probably one of my biggest gripes thus far. One other observation, I ordered with a moonroof, but I rarely use it. I have made much more use of the rear window, which is a really great option.

Overall

I think it was a great buy, even though I "paid $40k for a $20k truck" as some people here would say. The truck rides nice, gets good mileage even in the 2.0 EB, looks good, and is way more versatile than a sedan. I had considered a Ranger but I don't think this truck is really in the same class, or even competes with other trucks. This truck is for the person who wants more utility than a sedan or mid-size SUV, but doesn't want a full-sized truck. I really think the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry are the market segment this truck is competing in, and it is a real winner in my opinion.

Gripes

I have few gripes. The Auto Start-Stop is one. Yeah, it's just one button push to turn it off, but it's annoying to do it every time. They also could have improved the sound. Between the sound of the motor and the terrible exhaust note, the truck doesn't sound very cool. My Dodge Dart was a turbo 4 cylinder and it sounded nice, I think Ford could have done more here and I hope the aftermarket delivers something better than I have heard thus far. I also hate the seatbelt notification screen that comes up every time I start the truck. Not a huge deal, but it is annoying. And finally, why not include wireless car play / android auto from the factory? I bought the Lariat Lux, I think that should have been included.

All in all, I give the truck 5 stars for accomplishing what Ford wanted to accomplish, filling the gap in their lineup for smaller commuter vehicles, and doing it with a ton of utility.

Nice review. July can’t come soon enough for me, I should have my Maverick by then. I’m tired of driving a rusty 2000’s junker with an AC that busted two summers ago. I expect that the Maverick will be like a spaceship compared to my current ride.

Also, sorry about your sick relative. I hope it isn’t extremely serious.

 

[unclerunkle]

This will also help to disable auto-stop/start:

 

[Tim d]

Like many Maverick owners, I waited a long time between order and delivery. I placed my initial order for a Lariat Lux 2.0 EB on January 17th, 2022, rolled over in September 2022, and took delivery April 5th, 2023. I was worried that I would be underwhelmed after all the waiting, but it turns out I was quite pleased.

I came to the Maverick from a 2013 Dodge Dart Rallye 6MT. The car had a low center of gravity, turbocharged engine, and returned roughly 24mpg in city driving, and 35+ mpg in highway driving. Previous vehicles I have owned are a Mazda CX5, Mazda Miata, Mazda 3, Civic Si, Honda Prelude, Jeep Wrangler (TJ), and a Pontiac Grand Am. I have driven numerous 3/4 ton pickups, full sized vans, and large SUVs for work.

The purchase

If you exclude the wait, my entire acquisition experience was positive. I ordered in-person, and my sales rep was friendly. He was upfront about the anticipated wait, and reached out to me from time to time. The sales manager at the dealership was also accessible via email, especially during and after the September reorder. He had some difficulty with the private offer, but he knew about it, and took the necessary steps to track it down. In fact, they did not have it finalized when I took delivery, and they still gave me the discount off MSRP since he anticipated securing it within a few days. I sold my prior car private party a week before, and was paying cash for the purchase, so I was in and out of the dealership in under an hour, probably closer to 30 minutes.

First imprssions and pulling off the lot

It's a bit of a change from a small sedan, so I gingerly pulled off the lot and up to the first light. I was immediately annoyed by the Auto Start-Stop system shutting the truck off. I went back to work and finished my day, then went home and showed it to my wife. I was impressed with the thought Ford put into the interior. Lots of storage, including the cavernous armrest storage, under dash storage, and under rear seat storage. My dealership gave me the FITS box free, which was nice. I installed the trash can in the back and make good use of that to keep the interior cleaner than it would ordinarily be. I am not sure I need to store 18 water bottles in the doors, but it is nice to have the option.

Since it's a truck, the bed is the star of the show. I did not get the factory spray in bedliner, since I was worried about it being a constraint, and that limited my desire to actually use the bed. I ended up getting a professionally installed Rhinoliner, which is nice, but not the point of this review. My initial impression of the bed is that it is exactly the right size for someone like me, who will occasionally haul kayaks, plywood, mulch, construction lumber, etc.. I will most commonly use the bed for groceries. The bed divider option is really nice for that, it keeps my produce from rolling too far away when it inevitably comes out of the bag. I love that the bed has a 110v outlet, though I wish it also had a 12v accessory outlet. I bought a marine outlet and wired it up to use the hidden connector. I plan to put a hole in the plastic cover so it is permanently installed. Ford should spend the $5 to do this at the factory, lots of people have 12v coolers. I also think Ford should have included a tailgate dampener from the factory. It is a minor cost that really is a nice to have.

First roadtrip

I had to take a drive to the Mayo clinic to visit an ill family member a few days later, so the truck got 800 miles right away. My wife and teenager daughter hopped in with me and we were off! The weather was still a little cold in the midwest, and the heated steering wheel was a nice touch. Traveling approximately 75mph over mostly flat roads I saw a little under 30mpg. Not quite what I would get in my Dodge Dart, but still great. The truck doesn't ride as smooth as my wife's CX5, but it's still a very comfortable highway ride. The B&O stereo sounds good -- not good enough for an audiophile, but great for an ordinary dude in a pickup. On my way back it was convenient to load up on Spotted Cow as we traveled through Wisconsin. Some people on the internet think it's an overrated beer, but everyone I know loves it.

The past month

My ordinary commuting to and from work has been uneventful. I have a bit of a heavy foot and I still get 22mpg in town on 87 octane. Again, it's not as good as with my Dart, but my Dart ran 93 octane, so miles per dollar I am coming out ahead. Once summer hits I will probably run 93 in the Maverick, but for now it runs great on 87. I have plenty of power on tap, especially if I switch to sport mode, but usually I just stay in standard. I hate Auto Start-Stop, it's probably one of my biggest gripes thus far. One other observation, I ordered with a moonroof, but I rarely use it. I have made much more use of the rear window, which is a really great option.

Overall

I think it was a great buy, even though I "paid $40k for a $20k truck" as some people here would say. The truck rides nice, gets good mileage even in the 2.0 EB, looks good, and is way more versatile than a sedan. I had considered a Ranger but I don't think this truck is really in the same class, or even competes with other trucks. This truck is for the person who wants more utility than a sedan or mid-size SUV, but doesn't want a full-sized truck. I really think the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry are the market segment this truck is competing in, and it is a real winner in my opinion.

Gripes

I have few gripes. The Auto Start-Stop is one. Yeah, it's just one button push to turn it off, but it's annoying to do it every time. They also could have improved the sound. Between the sound of the motor and the terrible exhaust note, the truck doesn't sound very cool. My Dodge Dart was a turbo 4 cylinder and it sounded nice, I think Ford could have done more here and I hope the aftermarket delivers something better than I have heard thus far. I also hate the seatbelt notification screen that comes up every time I start the truck. Not a huge deal, but it is annoying. And finally, why not include wireless car play / android auto from the factory? I bought the Lariat Lux, I think that should have been included.

All in all, I give the truck 5 stars for accomplishing what Ford wanted to accomplish, filling the gap in their lineup for smaller commuter vehicles, and doing it with a ton of utility.

Apple car play and Android auto is standard on all mavericks, unless all my sources are wrong.

 

[bbeverag]

Apple car play and Android auto is standard on all mavericks, unless all my sources are wrong.

It is, I was looking for wireless apple car play and android auto.

 

[Tim d]

It is, I was looking for wireless apple car play and android auto.

Ah,so you have to use a cord between your phone and the radio? Haven't received my maverick yet....

 

[bbeverag]

Ah,so you have to use a cord between your phone and the radio? Haven't received my maverick yet....

Either that or you can purchase a wireless dongle, that will enable wireless car play or android auto, but the truck needs something plugged in either way. Bluetooth works fine if you want a wireless experience, it's just not as slick of an interface and you have to use the ford maps app for GPS in that instance.

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