Will Mavericks powertrain efficiency forever rule the "new" Compact hybrid truck class?

[atomguy245]

Is there any other automaker even working on a compact pickup right now?

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[Finnster]

The Kia Niro.

I considered a Kia Niro years ago, but didn't even test drive one because it was smaller that the Pontiac Vibe that I was driving at the time. Not exactly an SUV!

 

[Scott Asheville]

Automakers make strategic decisions in years, not months or days. So they'll patiently watch to see if the Maverick and Santa Cruz are a long term success, or a quick flash in the pan. Then they'll decide if they want to chase a very low profit margin segment like this.

Ford is kind of unique. They've mostly jettisoned cars to become a pure truck company (not counting Mustang). So a bottom-feeder product like the Maverick was a no-brainer for them. The Maverick isn't about Ford making money hand over foot. It's about getting young buyers into the showrooms so they buy high-profit F150s later in life. And the Maverick also pays dividends in Ford's fleet CAFE numbers.

Kia is known to be working on a SC-platform Hobbit truck, but there is mass confusion about what size it will be. VW had the Tarok concept a few years ago but couldn't make a solid business case for it - they said in a 2021 interview with Automotive News that they weren't bringing it to the USA.

It would be very, very easy for GM to shove out a BEV Hobbit truck based on their scalable Ultium platform. I think the dark horse here might be GM. They're promising a BEV Equinox for $30,000 - that's an insane price if they don't raise it for inflation. So you would expect an entry-level tiny truck to be in the same ballpark.

 

[JohnCondren1933]

I think at this point only Toyota could really mount a good hybrid truck competition,
past few year automakers in general, besides Toyota, had stopped investing in hybrid drivetrains as everyone rushed like lemmings toward "full ICE or full EV"

Hyundai was licensing a hybrid powertrain from 2017-2020, & as far as licensed tech powertrains go it got them into markets but they generally had worse mpg than Toyota/Honda/Ford

Toyota could probably do a decent enough hybrid FWD with rear wheel electric assist motors & advertise "better mpg than Ford Maverick hauling 1300 lbs or towing 2000 lbs or less"
but for towing above 2000-3000 lbs Toyota has not done a hybrid drivetrain with mechanical RDU & an electric rear driveline for towing any sort of load is gonna get very pricey very quickly just with the cooling system.

Toyota could excel against Maverick with mpg efficiency in 2000 lb towing (Hyundai SC absolutely wouldn't at this point)
but with 2026 Maverick increasing tow ratings to 5,000 lbs Toyota is gonna have to go for people exclusively hauling in the bed, maybe give the RAV4 hybrid a larger bed than Maverick that can haul larger volumes & same weight as Mav, & market it as a premium interior with a bigger truck bed than Maverick.

Hyundai SC needs a full redesign of their entire vehicle with its cubby hole trucklet bed, noone who wants to haul stuff in their bed (99% of actual compact truck buyers) wants an SC

If Toyota wants any chance to compete with Mav they need to come out the gate with "Toyota Maverick truck bed 15% bigger than Ford Maverick" and start advertising on who can haul more volume vs weight.

Toyota is not winning a hybrid towing contest with Mav any time soon, & SC is as clear as possible that towing capacity without hauling capacity = noone wants it.

Does anyone think for a second that if SC magically doubled its tow ratings tomorrow that they would start taking market share from Maverick?

Ford has been acknowledged for the durability and efficiency of it's hybrid powered cars! Now it appears that the Maverick hybrid will continue that trend.
Can any other manufacturer top the Maverick for fuel mileage, load capacity, towing capacity, interior space, and price? Will any other OEM even bother to try?
I think Ford landed a "Moon Shot" with the Maverick and it will take more than several years for it to be equaled!

 

[JohnCondren1933]

IMO Honda Ridgeline lost alot of potential sales with the early models looking non truck like (like a Honda Sport-trak)

Ridgeline minor redesign to truck form factor exterior has helped alot, its a heavier vehicle which wont do much for its mpg ratings in a hybrid version IMO, it was engineered for options to match F-150 tow ratings in case Ford offered higher tow capacity versions.

Honda can definitely make a competitive Hybrid Ridgeline but its gonna come out the gate with significantly worse MPG which for better or worse is the # hybrid buyers love to look at.

Then Hyundai decided to copy Honda Ridgeline mistakes with its 1st generation Ridgeline, at this point I dont think Hyundai brand management has any clue about the North American truck buyer, offering it with a DCT was already relegating it to niche buyers who want a Porsche with a mini truck bed, but then the DCT starts overheating all over the place ie when going 20mph down a rural driveway - the # of bad brand mgmt decisions to get there is insane,

Hyundai never got the memo that the reason BMW, Mustang, Camaro, & a bunch of Audis use fluid-clutch transmissions over DCT is the ZF transmissions shift within milliseconds of DCTs for less weight & cost.

Toyota Camry foray into DCT didnt bring the throngs of Porsche 911 GT3 buyers clamoring for a Camry, that should've been a big massive clue to Hyundai management.

What's next for Hyundai performance, a high performance "NASCAR racing-track" carberator?

I would agree completely if Honda could match efficiency and price for content, but I don't see that happening. Ridgeline's a great vehicle though.
Note: I edited my original post to include "price" in my criteria list, don't know how I forgot that!

 

[710-oil-614]

I think at this point only Toyota could really mount a good hybrid truck competition,
past few year automakers in general, besides Toyota, had stopped investing in hybrid drivetrains as everyone rushed like lemmings toward "full ICE or full EV"

Hyundai was licensing a hybrid powertrain from 2017-2020, & as far as licensed tech powertrains go it got them into markets but they generally had worse mpg than Toyota/Honda/Ford

Toyota could probably do a decent enough hybrid FWD with rear wheel electric assist motors & advertise "better mpg than Ford Maverick hauling 1300 lbs or towing 2000 lbs or less"
but for towing above 2000-3000 lbs Toyota has not done a hybrid drivetrain with mechanical RDU & an electric rear driveline for towing any sort of load is gonna get very pricey very quickly just with the cooling system.

Toyota could excel against Maverick with mpg efficiency in 2000 lb towing (Hyundai SC absolutely wouldn't at this point)
but with 2026 Maverick increasing tow ratings to 5,000 lbs Toyota is gonna have to go for people exclusively hauling in the bed, maybe give the RAV4 hybrid a larger bed than Maverick that can haul larger volumes & same weight as Mav, & market it as a premium interior with a bigger truck bed than Maverick.

Hyundai SC needs a full redesign of their entire vehicle with its cubby hole trucklet bed, noone who wants to haul stuff in their bed (99% of actual compact truck buyers) wants an SC

If Toyota wants any chance to compete with Mav they need to come out the gate with "Toyota Maverick truck bed 15% bigger than Ford Maverick" and start advertising on who can haul more volume vs weight.

Toyota is not winning a hybrid towing contest with Mav any time soon, & SC is as clear as possible that towing capacity without hauling capacity = noone wants it.

Does anyone think for a second that if SC magically doubled its tow ratings tomorrow that they would start taking market share from Maverick?

Honda is currently "electrifying" their line up by offering hybrids at every stop.

The 2026 Ridgeline will have a hybrid variant. Whether that is a hybrid variant that offers economy or hybrid variant that offers a lot of power remains to seen.

If Honda offers a $45k Ridgeline with a hybrid drivetrain getting in the 30s they will eat Ford's lunch, and dinner.

 

[Finnster]

Nice to see this old thread get a second life!
I'm still waiting for a Toyota hybrid competitor to the Maverick, but the current Maverick (Hybrid or Ecoboost) is going to be very hard for any competition to beat!

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