If you’re considering buying a 2022 Ford Maverick, we have good news and bad news.
The good news is that the hybrid version of Ford’s new compact pickup is even more fuel-efficient than the company had predicted. The EPA has certified the little truck for 33 mpg in highway driving and 42 mpg in the city. That’s good for a combined rating of 37 mpg – by a considerable distance, the most fuel-efficient truck on the market.
The bad news is that the Maverick Hybrid is nearly sold out.
Order Books Will Close Until Summer
“Due to high demand,” Ford says, “all Maverick Hybrid production for the 2022 model year is expected to be fully reserved by early November.” At that point, Ford will close the order books. Customers who reserved a new Maverick before the deadline will begin receiving their trucks in January. Later buyers will have to wait for the order books to reopen. It’s not expected to happen until next summer.
Non-Hybrid Option Still Available
The Maverick, with its starting price of just $19,995 (plus a $1,495 destination charge) is the least expensive truck on the market. All-new for 2022, it’s a true compact pickup – something automakers haven’t offered on the American market in nearly a decade.
The Maverick comes in 191-horsepower hybrid form, or with a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine making 250 horsepower. The more powerful model received an EPA rating of 23 mpg in city driving and 30 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined. Ford hasn’t commented on its order status, so buyers don’t seem to be in danger of losing their opportunity to reserve one.
Our test driver found the Maverick a pleasant drive, explaining, “In a normal truck, you might feel a jarring bump in the road, but the Maverick absorbs much of that. As a result, this compact truck is a smooth operator and will make for a good road trip vehicle.”
One True Rival
The Maverick isn’t the only small pickup on the market. Hyundai released its own, the 2022 Santa Cruz, earlier this year. The Santa Cruz has a higher starting price — $23,990 – and Hyundai is marketing it as an alternative to crossovers rather than pickups. But it has an exposed bed like a traditional truck. Our test driver found the combination just as advertised, noting “It’s comfortable and compliant. There is no truck-like jingle-jangle underneath you. On the road, you don’t even remember there’s a truck bed back there.”
Class of 2022: All the New and Redesigned Cars, Trucks, and SUVs
