Good advice. Keep in mind, the Maverick was never intended to be on the same level off-road as a 4WD. The AWD is designed to get you to your adventure, not become the off-roading adventure. I'm sure Ford has plans for a hybrid AWD Maverick ... they already have the technology and have been producing that powertrain in other models for some years.As someone who has off roaded in a 2005 civic slow pick your line and when rocks start sticking up back off. I would say 80 percent of the forest roads is fine as long as it's packed. Loose stuff even awd gets stuck on loose gravel on a 16 degree hill. 4 wheel drive with low does it no problem mavrick just sank down and started digging. Most of the time I was front wheel drive while doing gravel road hills. Hybrid is capable just has some limits same with awd. As long as you stick with packed roads you should be fine. Rutted out badly low clearance will stop you more then anything.
I've found were I want to go it's ground clearance not awd or 4x4. Now I've tested the awd and it's very good and capable and I would've got stuck if it was fwd only but I went down a grass hill that was 18 degrees then backed out I even backed down it and drove forward to see how the drive modes preformed. Slippery had zero slippage or spinning. Mud ruts spun a bit sand was way more normal did ok was a delayed awd response. Fwd would've been unable to get out but I wouldn't drive down that as i knew it was soft muddy grass on a steep slope
If your driving rough roads to a hike you should be fine in a hybrid add steep hills you should be ok with awd. If you do side logging roads were it's just loose gravel you want a 4x4 with a proper low range it's like night and day no wheel spin just crawls up it.
You might want to consider a ranger or f150 a tacoma or a wrangler if you want better off road. They all chug more gas by a fair amount. Now a 2013 tacoma has around the same tank size and it goes 450km on that tank awd mavrick 620km. So you get 120km further for the same amount of gas. The newer tacoma gets worse mpg. Don't forget the awd has a bigger gas tank then the hybrid. That's because it chugs more gas.
The mavrick really needs a lift if it had that it would be way better. Also don't forget you lose payload with thr fx4 package awd moon roof ect. So it's really 1320lbs for the xlt with every option.
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