In YOUR opinion, what makes the Maverick so AFFORDABLE?

[Darnon]

Ford is supposedly pretty big on recycling materials where they can. Like the reclaimed carbon in the white marble material of the dash/door panels.

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[FirstFord]

Relax people....I was just joking.....I was just throwin it out there for fun!....

I also work as a Mechanical Engineer, and currently work in the Petrolchemical instrumentation field, and have had to educate myself quickly in the realm of plastics.

And yes, FirstFord is correct: The stronger / Higher Impact Engineering plastics can have all kinds of toxic additives like siloxane to improve cold-weather impact strength and bromine / chlorine as a fire-retardant. I always put people and the environment first, and will only specify RoHS and REACH compliant resins in my designs.

There are newer Environmentally-Friendly, Safer plastics being developed all the time. You just have do a ton of research to find them. The big oil countries like Saudi Arabia control most of the worlds plastics (Search SABIC) and it is heavily marketed. They bought all of GE's rights to their plastic formulas when GE went down the tubes (For pennies on the dollar).

Thank you FirstFord for keeping me honest!!!

Hugs all around

 

[notfast]

I would bet Ford is losing money on XL hybrids even witha few options added. Maybe breaking even on xlts and maybe making a little on lariat models. The high 1495 destination fee is certainly helping them

I agree; those XL hybrids are likely loss-leaders, but I think Ford has plenty of margin from other products to be able to take a loss on low-spec Mavericks. The Maverick will let them both appease CAFE requirements and lure first-timers into the brand/a vehicle that, again, is cheaper than a Civic, gets better gas mileage, and has more utility.

The CAFE requirements are a not-insignificant reason of why subcompact cars and short-wheelbase trucks (regular cab short bed) were mostly eliminated from the US market. Simply put, the larger a vehicle is, the less fuel economy its required to achieve.

And due to the scoring system, a vehicle like the Maverick hybrid, with its longer wheelbase relative to sedans with similar fuel economy, gets an automaker more points/credits (forgot exactly the terminology) than a vehicle like the Civic.

Hell, back in 2013-2014 Woodhouse (the big guns of Blair, NE) were taking $14,000 off of brand new F150s. You could source an even better deal and get darn near pick of what you wanted from their massive lot.

I was in Las Vegas in about '08ish (middle of the recession) and remember seeing advertisements for a Nissan dealer that went along the lines of "Buy a Titan and we will give you a massive discount AND a Versa to commute in for FREE!"

They saw a New Ranger at local Ford dealer. They called and said it was there and available. Fast forward 10 minutes, they arrived to the lot and they told them it was sold and there was nothing else.

That's one thing that irks me about new car buying and that I appreciate about CarMax. I found the car I wanted on a Sunday night. Reserved it online, which immediately de-listed it from the web site. Even if someone showed up on the lot ten minutes after I reserved it, the system would have it marked as not available for sale.

AND we’ll be getting early and cheaper then all of our “Smart” Friends who wanted to wait and see one in person. Cool for them , I hope they enjoy the $1,500 to $2,000. Dealer Markups that they’ll have to pay. We, on the other hand, have “refundable” deposits so if we hate it we get our money back and go in a different direction.

That's me waiting in the background right now. I am not an early-adopter, so I'm at least one year, probably two or three years out from buying a Maverick.

Even if the prices increase, I'd gladly pay extra for the peace-of-mind knowing that either the vehicle is as good as it was marketed as and/or that problems with initial models were resolved.

It'll be a patience test to see if I want to wait until the Maverick's minor model change (mid cycle refresh). I'm guessing at the least that the Maverick will get a center screen that is large enough to fill the gap, along with the typical list of minor improvements that even altogether wouldn't be deal-breakers, but more like icing on the cake.

The cheap plastics, thin-gaged sheet metal and the cheezie Pirelli Scorpion Tires! .......Just sayin'.....

Being an entry-level vehicle, I am also hesitant at the Maverick's overall build quality. That's one reason why I'm lurking in the background; I want to see one first and also read some long-term reviews. I've bought only one brand new entry-level vehicle and I told myself I'd avoid another.

Don't get me wrong; my entry-level vehicle was a great car overall. It never caused me problems, but the fit and finish was lackluster. I dented the hood while leaning on it (and I'm not a big guy), the seats looked great but were a solid 3/10 in the comfort department, the "carpet" was more like fiberboard, the door jambs weren't clear-coated...heck there wasn't even any weather stripping on the sides of the windshield. I'm sure a bean counter decided that the glue alone was sufficient enough to prevent leaks, and deleting the weather stripping would save $3 per vehicle.

 

[oljackfrost]

I guess I look at it from the view of the F250 that I traded 6 months later for a F150. When I opened the hood/s, everything was in place and they both looked neat and proper. Under the dash was neat and tidy. Under the driver seat didn't look anything like under the Maverick's driver seat.

But then I thought because of the size, it would be cheaper. But I thought, the engine and all the drivetrain are basically the same as any other vehicle and would cost the same unless they used inferior parts. So that leaves the interior and sheet metal/aluminum. Other than the amount of material, it couldn't possible be that much cheaper.

So that was why I asked the question. Where is the cost savings?

Thanks for input.

Neat and tidy is easy when you have a lot of space to work in. Small vehicles always look packed under the hood.

 

[SgtLip]

Neat and tidy is easy when you have a lot of space to work in. Small vehicles always look packed under the hood.

Under the hood just looks messy to me. Just doesn't appear organized.I'd hate to have to pull the engine as there appears to be wires and tubes everywhere. Just may be me. When I look under the hood of my Lexus or an F150 it all looks tidy and space is always confined under the hood.

 

[SgtLip]

I agree; those XL hybrids are likely loss-leaders, but I think Ford has plenty of margin from other products to be able to take a loss on low-spec Mavericks. The Maverick will let them both appease CAFE requirements and lure first-timers into the brand/a vehicle that, again, is cheaper than a Civic, gets better gas mileage, and has more utility.

The CAFE requirements are a not-insignificant reason of why subcompact cars and short-wheelbase trucks (regular cab short bed) were mostly eliminated from the US market. Simply put, the larger a vehicle is, the less fuel economy its required to achieve.

And due to the scoring system, a vehicle like the Maverick hybrid, with its longer wheelbase relative to sedans with similar fuel economy, gets an automaker more points/credits (forgot exactly the terminology) than a vehicle like the Civic.



I was in Las Vegas in about '08ish (middle of the recession) and remember seeing advertisements for a Nissan dealer that went along the lines of "Buy a Titan and we will give you a massive discount AND a Versa to commute in for FREE!"



That's one thing that irks me about new car buying and that I appreciate about CarMax. I found the car I wanted on a Sunday night. Reserved it online, which immediately de-listed it from the web site. Even if someone showed up on the lot ten minutes after I reserved it, the system would have it marked as not available for sale.



That's me waiting in the background right now. I am not an early-adopter, so I'm at least one year, probably two or three years out from buying a Maverick.

Even if the prices increase, I'd gladly pay extra for the peace-of-mind knowing that either the vehicle is as good as it was marketed as and/or that problems with initial models were resolved.

It'll be a patience test to see if I want to wait until the Maverick's minor model change (mid cycle refresh). I'm guessing at the least that the Maverick will get a center screen that is large enough to fill the gap, along with the typical list of minor improvements that even altogether wouldn't be deal-breakers, but more like icing on the cake.



Being an entry-level vehicle, I am also hesitant at the Maverick's overall build quality. That's one reason why I'm lurking in the background; I want to see one first and also read some long-term reviews. I've bought only one brand new entry-level vehicle and I told myself I'd avoid another.

Don't get me wrong; my entry-level vehicle was a great car overall. It never caused me problems, but the fit and finish was lackluster. I dented the hood while leaning on it (and I'm not a big guy), the seats looked great but were a solid 3/10 in the comfort department, the "carpet" was more like fiberboard, the door jambs weren't clear-coated...heck there wasn't even any weather stripping on the sides of the windshield. I'm sure a bean counter decided that the glue alone was sufficient enough to prevent leaks, and deleting the weather stripping would save $3 per vehicle.

Man you hit all the high points. Great input, thanks for adding to the discussion.

 

[bgn]

1. Same platform as Escape and BS.
2. Mexican labor.
3. Cutting costs in incredibly stupid areas (hood cover, only front seats get mats, no fullsize spare even on 2 liter turbo without an extra charge).
4. Under the hood, the wiring all looks like shit. Messy. No engine cover.

 

[SeaMav206]

It's a parts bin vehicle. Engine/ecvt out of escape, Bronco sport platform, cheaper harder plastic for interior. Cut down features even for fully loaded model. I don't mind the hard plastic as it will last longer and easier to clean.

My titanium focus has more features than lariat lux Mav if you compare the age of the vehicles 14 vs 22. I am at the point that I will change my XLT Lux to Lariat Lux.

I also believe we are desynthized at this point thinking that all trucks have to be at least $35k out the door for base model.

 

[JASmith]

Things that help reduce Maverick's cost:

• Mass production (high volume vehicle that shares platforms with other high volume vehicles)
• Hecho en Mexico (lower labor costs and taxes)
• Decontenting (I think when we get true hands on we're going to notice a lot of little stuff missing like probably no lights in glove box, no soft open glove box, no liner in glove box, no underhood struts, no lights under hood, no engine cover, no hood insulator)
• Inexpensive interior (hard plastics, no true leather, no memory seats, manual passenger even on highest trims, no digital instrument cluster, no HUD, no ventilated seats, no 60/40 folding seats, etc)
• Basic last generation infotainment with modest size screen
• A la carte ordering process

So the last one is actually huge, and something I really appreciate. Don't make people buy things that are of no value to them. Ford does bundle, but they have a lot of configurability options.

Is turbo AWD with tow package important to you, but not much else? No problem, you can get that on the XL trim and aren't forced to add $10K of other stuff to your order. All of this configurability allows you to only pay for what you need and it really adds up, to the point that if you truly loaded up a Maverick it can be just as expensive as other seemingly pricey competitors.

For example, most agree the Maverick is a much better bargain than the Santa Cruz which is far more expensive, right?

Hyundai Santa Cruz SEL Premium Turbocharged AWD w/ tow hitch = $37,315 MSRP (after destination)

The closest competitor is a Lariat Luxury AWD, 4K Towing, Copilot 360, Tool Box Swing Case (closest similar feature to the built in bed trunk on the Santa Cruz), Hard Rollup Tonneau, Moonroof = $37,150 MSRP (after destination)

So the Maverick is cheaper, but only $165 so practically the same price. The Lariat has things the SEL Premium lacks such as faux-leather vs cloth and its rear window port is powered instead of manual, and it has a built in trailer brake controller, but the SC likewise has a full digital instrument cluster, wireless android auto/carplay, 1K lbs more tow capacity, a more powerful direct+port injected engine that is optimized for 87 vs 91 octane, LED taillights, roof rails, and the like. So there's a give-and-take on features, but overall pretty close.

So the difference is you CAN make the Maverick way less expensive, but loaded up like Hyundai does, they end up not so different at least in AWD turbocharged format.

 

[Delzona]

Things that help reduce Maverick's cost:

• Mass production (high volume vehicle that shares platforms with other high volume vehicles)
• Hecho en Mexico (lower labor costs and taxes)
• Decontenting (I think when we get true hands on we're going to notice a lot of little stuff missing like probably no lights in glove box, no soft open glove box, no liner in glove box, no underhood struts, no lights under hood, no engine cover, no hood insulator)
• Inexpensive interior (hard plastics, no true leather, no memory seats, manual passenger even on highest trims, no digital instrument cluster, no HUD, no ventilated seats, no 60/40 folding seats, etc)
• Basic last generation infotainment with modest size screen
• A la carte ordering process

So the last one is actually huge, and something I really appreciate. Don't make people buy things that are of no value to them. Ford does bundle, but they have a lot of configurability options.

Is turbo AWD with tow package important to you, but not much else? No problem, you can get that on the XL trim and aren't forced to add $10K of other stuff to your order. All of this configurability allows you to only pay for what you need and it really adds up, to the point that if you truly loaded up a Maverick it can be just as expensive as other seemingly pricey competitors.

For example, most agree the Maverick is a much better bargain than the Santa Cruz which is far more expensive, right?

Hyundai Santa Cruz SEL Premium Turbocharged AWD w/ tow hitch = $37,315 MSRP (after destination)

The closest competitor is a Lariat Luxury AWD, 4K Towing, Copilot 360, Tool Box Swing Case (closest similar feature to the built in bed trunk on the Santa Cruz), Hard Rollup Tonneau, Moonroof = $37,150 MSRP (after destination)

So the Maverick is cheaper, but only $165 so practically the same price. The Lariat has things the SEL Premium lacks such as faux-leather vs cloth and its rear window port is powered instead of manual, and it has a built in trailer brake controller, but the SC likewise has a full digital instrument cluster, wireless android auto/carplay, 1K lbs more tow capacity, a more powerful direct+port injected engine that is optimized for 87 vs 91 octane, LED taillights, roof rails, and the like. So there's a give-and-take on features, but overall pretty close.

So the difference is you CAN make the Maverick way less expensive, but loaded up like Hyundai does, they end up not so different at least in AWD turbocharged format.

I look forward to seeing in the future a real a la carte ordering system, where you can pick and chose exactly the options you want instead of a bundle of stuff were you only really want 2 items out of the 7 in the bundle. I hope it's not to far in the distance future.

 

[Delzona]

Being an entry-level vehicle, I am also hesitant at the Maverick's overall build quality. That's one reason why I'm lurking in the background; I want to see one first and also read some long-term reviews. I've bought only one brand new entry-level vehicle and I told myself I'd avoid another.

From the Alto Blue Lariat I sat in , touched, and walked around I have to say the build quality was there. I didn't see or feel anything that screamed "cheap" or "money savings" choice. All the textures felt nice nothing like a budget vehicle. Now this was a Lariat so I can't say if the XL and XLT seats will give the same impression, but the rest of the interior was very good. As far as hard wearing only time will tell, but I'd to think that Ford has a good idea of what materials will give the customer a good return on their investment into the Maverick.

 

[mamboman777]

I have a few ideas:

• Less configurations. Easier to produce and assemble.
• Less expensive materials. Very little soft touch materials inside. That new modern look, which I like btw, is cheaper to produce. Compared to the Hyundai offering where most surfaces are that squishy soft touch stuff.
• Materials that assemble faster. I noticed those on my current Ford focus: it looks like many parts take very little effort to assemble. Example: the dash is one giant snap in part.
• Build to order. They only make enough and don't waste money on lots of trucks sitting on lots.
• Less electronics options. Want a bigger screen, too bad.
• Bed. I imagine truck beds are easier and less expensive than trunks.
• It's a car/crossover with a bed built on an already developed platform.
• Ford ranger. If Mavericks costed much more people may as well buy rangers.
• Data sales. I think Ford makes money selling the telemetrics from the connected system.

 

[Davis]

Poking around the Bronco Sport forum will put a sour taste in your mouth. A lot of mechanical and fit/finish issues being reported.

 

[SgtLip]

Poking around the Bronco Sport forum will put a sour taste in your mouth. A lot of mechanical and fit/finish issues being reported.

Now that's not a good thing to hear. But thanks for sharing that. It's nice to know up front, you know, set expectations.

 

[SgtLip]

Things that help reduce Maverick's cost:

• Mass production (high volume vehicle that shares platforms with other high volume vehicles)
• Hecho en Mexico (lower labor costs and taxes)
• Decontenting (I think when we get true hands on we're going to notice a lot of little stuff missing like probably no lights in glove box, no soft open glove box, no liner in glove box, no underhood struts, no lights under hood, no engine cover, no hood insulator)
• Inexpensive interior (hard plastics, no true leather, no memory seats, manual passenger even on highest trims, no digital instrument cluster, no HUD, no ventilated seats, no 60/40 folding seats, etc)
• Basic last generation infotainment with modest size screen
• A la carte ordering process

So the last one is actually huge, and something I really appreciate. Don't make people buy things that are of no value to them. Ford does bundle, but they have a lot of configurability options.

Is turbo AWD with tow package important to you, but not much else? No problem, you can get that on the XL trim and aren't forced to add $10K of other stuff to your order. All of this configurability allows you to only pay for what you need and it really adds up, to the point that if you truly loaded up a Maverick it can be just as expensive as other seemingly pricey competitors.

For example, most agree the Maverick is a much better bargain than the Santa Cruz which is far more expensive, right?

Hyundai Santa Cruz SEL Premium Turbocharged AWD w/ tow hitch = $37,315 MSRP (after destination)

The closest competitor is a Lariat Luxury AWD, 4K Towing, Copilot 360, Tool Box Swing Case (closest similar feature to the built in bed trunk on the Santa Cruz), Hard Rollup Tonneau, Moonroof = $37,150 MSRP (after destination)

So the Maverick is cheaper, but only $165 so practically the same price. The Lariat has things the SEL Premium lacks such as faux-leather vs cloth and its rear window port is powered instead of manual, and it has a built in trailer brake controller, but the SC likewise has a full digital instrument cluster, wireless android auto/carplay, 1K lbs more tow capacity, a more powerful direct+port injected engine that is optimized for 87 vs 91 octane, LED taillights, roof rails, and the like. So there's a give-and-take on features, but overall pretty close.

So the difference is you CAN make the Maverick way less expensive, but loaded up like Hyundai does, they end up not so different at least in AWD turbocharged format.

Excellent post. THANKS for sharing your ideas. I think you hit a home run with most of your observations. I haven't done any comparisons with Hyundai, because honestly, I have absolutely no desire to own a Hyundai. I owned a windshield repair franchise for 2+ years. One of my biggest customers ws the local Hyundai dealer. Did a lot of repairs on their cheap windshields but got to see a lot of their vehicles up close. No desire at all to own one.

But thanks again for the input.

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