One year old, long mountain trip experience

[Elderchuck]

I promised to provide feedback after we took our 2025 Maverick Lariat Hybrid on the road, here it is. We needed the truck to haul to Washington state our son's "treasured" belongings.  Overall, up and down mountains, the truck overall averaged 33 mpg and was flawless in powertrain performance. Mountain climbing is weird on mpg so at the top of one range we were at 44 mpg and twenty plus minutes later at the bottom we were at 24 mpg (engine braking 'not breaking'). Occasionally lost phone signals so mapping got sketchy and tried to activate the built-in map, but it would not plot any course without a subscription (expired) and I could not activate without wi-fi connection. This was over the 4,000-miles round trip.

That leads to a frustration on this journey, the Ford infotainment system. While overall the Ford Infotainment system seems to be improving, though any amount of distraction to figure out why it is not doing what it was asked it to do, or why it chooses to activate something not asked for (or just goes dark) causes the driver to not focus on the road and in mountain driving, not a comfortable feeling. Yes, we had all the updates and dealer review of the system before we left.

The seats are OK for a short trip around town, but we found ourselves needing more stretch breaks with achy backs. While at our son's house, a delivery driver stopped to admire this truck and complimented the graphics. That happens often and makes us think we made a right decision. As for Ford reliability, I have usually found their vehicles quite reliable, and the Maverick is proving that to be true. It is clear from many posts that not everyone might agree with that statement, but this is our experience. One year out I would have no problem telling anyone of this experience in full detail.

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[Carlitos_92]

The seats are OK for a short trip around town, but we found ourselves needing more stretch breaks with achy backs.

If/when you take another extended trip, you might try running the heated seats (I'm assuming your trim level has them). It's counterintuitive in summer for sure, but I find that it has helped me in multiple vehicles, even when I was already sore before I started driving.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

The infotainment system in the Ford Maverick especially prior to 25 is weak at best. I still rely on a separate Garmin unit for navigation and paper maps.
I agree with you on the seats becoming uncomfortable.
The foam is so thin, anything over an hour drive and I have to use this memory foam pillow to make it tolerable. My wife's 9 y.o. base Escape has *bigger more comfortable seats.

The Escape seats are deeper.
Thats more thigh support.

 

[MavStangVa]

The infotainment system in the Ford Maverick especially prior to 25 is weak at best. I still rely on a separate Garmin unit for navigation and paper maps.
I agree with you on the seats becoming uncomfortable.
The foam is so thin, anything over an hour drive and I have to use this memory foam pillow to make it tolerable. My wife's 9 y.o. base Escape has *bigger more comfortable seats.

The Escape seats are deeper.
Thats more thigh support.

Love the folding rule. I still have the 1 my Dad gave me 50 years ago, no metric on it, that he had used for 30 years.

 

[Dad]

Weak phone signals can be frustrating and even dangerous if you have a habit of mountain driving. Best bet is having a satellite GPS unit and maybe a shortwave radio as backups.

 

[ZABSMAV]

I promised to provide feedback after we took our 2025 Maverick Lariat Hybrid on the road, here it is. We needed the truck to haul to Washington state our son's "treasured" belongings.  Overall, up and down mountains, the truck overall averaged 33 mpg and was flawless in powertrain performance. Mountain climbing is weird on mpg so at the top of one range we were at 44 mpg and twenty plus minutes later at the bottom we were at 24 mpg (engine braking 'not breaking'). Occasionally lost phone signals so mapping got sketchy and tried to activate the built-in map, but it would not plot any course without a subscription (expired) and I could not activate without wi-fi connection. This was over the 4,000-miles round trip.

That leads to a frustration on this journey, the Ford infotainment system. While overall the Ford Infotainment system seems to be improving, though any amount of distraction to figure out why it is not doing what it was asked it to do, or why it chooses to activate something not asked for (or just goes dark) causes the driver to not focus on the road and in mountain driving, not a comfortable feeling. Yes, we had all the updates and dealer review of the system before we left.

The seats are OK for a short trip around town, but we found ourselves needing more stretch breaks with achy backs. While at our son's house, a delivery driver stopped to admire this truck and complimented the graphics. That happens often and makes us think we made a right decision. As for Ford reliability, I have usually found their vehicles quite reliable, and the Maverick is proving that to be true. It is clear from many posts that not everyone might agree with that statement, but this is our experience. One year out I would have no problem telling anyone of this experience in full detail.

When you were going downhill on steeper declines did you set the cruise control to the recommended speed limit for the roadway? Then you should also push the L button in the shift dial.

We have a 2023 Lariat hybrid with the Lux package and drove over the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado this summer on a short trip for our 40th wedding anniversary and it held the speed perfectly coming down from several tall mountain passes including one of over 11,000 feet elevation. Never once had to touch the brakes.

We got the best miles per gallon on that day as it used absolutely no gas in the downhills as it used engine braking ala a "Jake Brake".

 

[BillHanna]

Love the folding rule. I still have the 1 my Dad gave me 50 years ago, no metric on it, that he had used for 30 years.

My dad used these folding rules, but as a kid I had a habit of them breaking while I used them. Guess I didn't understand how to fold/unfold them.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

To the rulers that I inherited from my dad along with a missing joint on both my thumbs

 

[Tbone289]

Weak phone signals can be frustrating and even dangerous if you have a habit of mountain driving. Best bet is having a satellite GPS unit and maybe a shortwave radio as backups.

In Google maps you can download offline maps for any region you'll be in prior to traveling, and you'll have complete maps available whether you have a phone signal or not. I do this for all regions I typically travel in and it's one click to update them a few time per year once the map areas are defined. I find it much easier to do this than to keep a separate GPS unit up-to-date.

 

[Tbone289]

The infotainment system in the Ford Maverick especially prior to 25 is weak at best. I still rely on a separate Garmin unit for navigation and paper maps.

Success with Connected Touch Radio is highly dependent on the reliability of your phone and what OS version you're on. I'm not saying it's not a possibility (thus my carrying of paper maps for unknown areas for backup), but I've never had an issue with Android Auto navigation using an Android 15 phone and offline maps for areas of poor/no reception.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Ten minutes from my house, no cell service.

If I didn't have internet up here. There wouldn't be any cell service.

Nevada
Population vs. Landmass: While nearly 95% of Nevada's populated communities and broadband areas have coverage, the vast, uninhabited federal lands, remote desert basins, and mountain ranges create massive gaps in continuous highway and wilderness signal.

Utah
The Backcountry & Deserts: Areas like the San Rafael Swell, remote sections of the Henry Mountains, and deep slots in the Grand Staircase-Escalante have zero standard carrier signals.
National Parks: Cell service is generally restricted to visitor centers and immediate park entrances (Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands), dropping out completely along remote stretches like Highway 12 or deep hiking trails.

 

[Timothyd]

I promised to provide feedback after we took our 2025 Maverick Lariat Hybrid on the road, here it is. We needed the truck to haul to Washington state our son's "treasured" belongings.  Overall, up and down mountains, the truck overall averaged 33 mpg and was flawless in powertrain performance. Mountain climbing is weird on mpg so at the top of one range we were at 44 mpg and twenty plus minutes later at the bottom we were at 24 mpg (engine braking 'not breaking'). Occasionally lost phone signals so mapping got sketchy and tried to activate the built-in map, but it would not plot any course without a subscription (expired) and I could not activate without wi-fi connection. This was over the 4,000-miles round trip.

That leads to a frustration on this journey, the Ford infotainment system. While overall the Ford Infotainment system seems to be improving, though any amount of distraction to figure out why it is not doing what it was asked it to do, or why it chooses to activate something not asked for (or just goes dark) causes the driver to not focus on the road and in mountain driving, not a comfortable feeling. Yes, we had all the updates and dealer review of the system before we left.

The seats are OK for a short trip around town, but we found ourselves needing more stretch breaks with achy backs. While at our son's house, a delivery driver stopped to admire this truck and complimented the graphics. That happens often and makes us think we made a right decision. As for Ford reliability, I have usually found their vehicles quite reliable, and the Maverick is proving that to be true. It is clear from many posts that not everyone might agree with that statement, but this is our experience. One year out I would have no problem telling anyone of this experience in full detail.

The hybrid surprised me a couple of times. I went on a rare trip to Chicago, a conference right downtown. On the way home with heavy 'speed up and slow down' traffic I got over 50mpg for the trip. Then, on the up and down roads in the Missouri Ozarks I also got over 50mpg.
My overall average for over 2 years is 46.6 (according to the dash gauge).
I've had better seats for long trips but I don't mind getting out every few hours for a little exercise.

 

[Carlitos_92]

In Google maps you can download offline maps for any region you'll be in prior to traveling, and you'll have complete maps available whether you have a phone signal or not.

PSA: It's the same for Apple Maps as well. I typically keep my local metro area downloaded, and my iPhone will remind me when the offline map is "expired" or about to be otherwise deleted.

 

[Tbone289]

PSA: It's the same for Apple Maps as well. I typically keep my local metro area downloaded, and my iPhone will remind me when the offline map is "expired" or about to be otherwise deleted.

I figured as much, but didn't want to assume.

 

[Tbone289]

Ten minutes from my house, no cell service.


If I didn't have internet up here there wouldn't be any cell service.

Navigation with a phone doesn't require cell service. It requires the GPS unit in your phone and a stored map (offline maps) just as a stand-alone GPS unit does.

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