’22 Ford Maverick pickup easy to love
The itty-bitty Ford Maverick pickup is the most not fancy vehicle ever. It’s really basic, what you might call just meat and potatoes back in the old days.
But everything about the Maverick feels easy, including its starting price of $20,000.
The hard plastic interior can handle a muddy day or a trip to the beach with no drama when it comes to cleanup. Cupholders and cubbyholes everywhere, from the console and doors to the front dash, made me remember my mommy days with a young child when we searched for places to put snacks and juice boxes and books and toys.
But designers didn’t leave adults behind. They put a cubby on top of the dash, above the radio and below the front windshield, that holds a mobile phone for easy access. That’s a good spot for sunglasses, too.
Storage is everywhere, including under back seats that lift up like sailboat storage on the deck. Even the door armrest has a split design to allow for tall water bottles.
After a week of driving the frontwheel-drive Maverick in Detroit and Flint and Port Huron and Grand Rapids, over highways, along dirt roads and across the state from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan, I was in love. No, it wasn’t because the zippy pickup delivered me to a sunny day in a Saugatuck filled with tiny shops and friendly people.
And it wasn’t because buying gas was an afterthought. Initially, I thought the gas gauge may have been broken. No way could I imagine driving as much as I did and not see the fuel level drop. But the hybrid, with its hidden battery, is magical.
It just felt so simple and pleasant. In
the cold. On icy roads. In the rain.
It’s easy to see why there’s an insatiable demand for this pickup after just being launched in the fall. I understand, too, why Ford had to pause taking new orders until this summer.
Don’t forget, this little gem won 2022 North American Truck of the Year.
The Maverick made me want to carpool again because it’s comfortable and roomy enough to carry four passengers. Note: The back seat is great for people who aren’t super tall. I was perfectly happy sitting back there with front seats pushed back and I’m 5 feet, 5 inches. It’s ideal for viewers of “Sesame Street” or anyone singing the theme song of “Frozen.” Passengers with long legs may require a sense of humor or ability to bend into some sort of yoga position.
My editors asked me to please stop using the term “itty-bitty” for the Maverick, and I don’t know that Ford is
thrilled with that verbiage, either.
True, America loves big. But these days, America is rethinking options as fuel prices climb at the gas station. I mean, what’s so bad about getting an estimated 33 miles per gallon on the highway and 42 mpg in the city?
Those of us who appreciate the strength and power of the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, Ram 1500 and Toyota Tundra also know what it means to have an anxiety attack trying to squeeze into a crowded parking lot or a downtown parking garage or, heaven forbid, an old garage at home. Too tall. Too deep.
Yes, the Maverick is available as a gasoline-powered truck with all-wheel drive but it comes standard, for no extra cost, as a hybrid. Yep, you heard that right. The kind of stress-free experience that allows people to transition to new technology. No plugging into any outlets. The battery actually recharges while you drive and you can coast on the battery.
Don’t ask too many questions, just go with it. And trust me.
Actually, this cool technology is worth knowing.
A hybrid combines an electric motor with a gasoline engine to move the car, and its system recaptures energy through regenerative braking, Car and Driver wrote in a 2019 explanation of hybrid technology. “Sometimes the electric motor does all the work, sometimes it’s the gas engine, and sometimes they work together. The result is less gasoline burned and, therefore, better fuel economy.”
The Maverick has a little button to push on the steering wheel that shows the driver when they’re driving most efficiently. But you can also ignore that if you want.
This experience is meant for nontech people seeking less complication.
No navigation is included but you can plug your phone into the system, and routes pop up on the screen, voila! No need to sign up for any special app or program or promise your firstborn to anyone.
Oh, I forgot to mention the super basics. No electric seat adjustments. Those are manual. And, unlike so many vehicles now, the only memory adjustments that will be made depend on, well, your memory.
Now, sit down for this bombshell: The Maverick comes with a key. An oldfashioned key. Not a key fob. You won’t misplace your key while driving because it’s right there in the ignition.
I was relieved to discover phonecharging options – both regular USB ports for older phone cords and USB-C for newer phone-charging cords.
At the end of the day, the Ford Maverick reminds us why peanut butter and jelly sandwiches leave everyone with a smile. Things used to be so carefree.