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Car and Driver road test: Ford Maverick 2.0T AWD


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Tested: 2022 Ford Maverick 2.0T AWD Is Just Enough Truck (caranddriver.com)

 

Two years ago, Ford sent us a redesigned Escape with a buzzy three-cylinder, a lame interior, more ennui than we could handle, and a $30,485 price so far from reality you'd think the marketing department was on shrooms. Now the same folks have spun gold from that Escape's straw. Even if you upgrade to the 250-hp engine, the Maverick still comes in under $25K. Ford hasn't done a 180 like this since the '86 Taurus. I'd buy one.

 

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Surprising rebuke of Escape but I guess that’s the differences that count with some buyers..

 

Maverick is such a natural product, it feels like it should have been there years ago….

Its a shame that Ford cancelled the SUV version, I have a feeling it  would have been popular…

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4 hours ago, jpd80 said:

Surprising rebuke of Escape but I guess that’s the differences that count with some buyers..

 

Maverick is such a natural product, it feels like it should have been there years ago….

Its a shame that Ford cancelled the SUV version, I have a feeling it  would have been popular…


I wonder if it was too close to Bronco Sport.

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14 minutes ago, akirby said:


I wonder if it was too close to Bronco Sport.

That was the thinking at the time and probably not far off the mark, similar chunky utilities tend to look familiar.

 I wonder if the proportions were changed enough, the SUV would look more like a baby Everest / something different.

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Personally I would like BS  with the towing capacity of the Maverick. I know they can’t build every niche vehicle, this is a wish, not a criticism. When it comes time to replace the escape the Maverick will do just fine, if I can find one ( lol). 

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3 hours ago, FordBuyer said:

 

When the Maverick sub brand was mentioned, it was about a subcompact vehicle to replace the Ecosport which leaves N.A. this year. 

As explained to me, Bronco Sport was classified as a subcompact, the Maverick pickup  as a compact,

maybe Ford didn’t see the need for another subcompact utility…..

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2 hours ago, jpd80 said:

As explained to me, Bronco Sport was classified as a subcompact, the Maverick pickup  as a compact,

maybe Ford didn’t see the need for another subcompact utility…..

 

Technically, the BS is a subcompact when it comes to parking, but it is based off a compact platform, is bigger than the Ecosport, and comes with mediocre fuel mileage. A hybrid/plugin only Puma style subcompact would be nice replacement for the Ecosport. And of course Maverick like priced with both FWD and AWD offered. 

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30 minutes ago, FordBuyer said:

 

Technically, the BS is a subcompact when it comes to parking, but it is based off a compact platform, is bigger than the Ecosport, and comes with mediocre fuel mileage. A hybrid/plugin only Puma style subcompact would be nice replacement for the Ecosport. And of course Maverick like priced with both FWD and AWD offered. 

Yes, I’ve had a good crawl over the Puma, nice rig with good build but it’s a lot more expensive/ upmarket than Ecosport so not a direct replacement.The ‘base’ model is trimmed like SEL/Titanium and priced accordingly, a bit confusing to cross shoppers but a delight in the flesh.

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12 minutes ago, jpd80 said:

Yes, I’ve had a good crawl over the Puma, nice rig with good build but it’s a lot more expensive/ upmarket that Ecosport.

The ‘base’ model is trimmed like SEL/Titanium and priced accordingly, a bit confusing to cross shoppers but a delight in the flesh.

 

I kind of get the vexing problem Ford has with the subcompact CUV segment now that Ford has given up on the Ecosport. Maybe they think a BS hybrid will suffice and call it a day. They may be right. However, if they want to create a Maverick sub brand, then a new CUV subcompact makes sense. Another budget friendly multi functional small vehicle that gets 600 miles out of a 14 gallon tank of expensive gas. 

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15 minutes ago, FordBuyer said:

 

I kind of get the vexing problem Ford has with the subcompact CUV segment now that Ford has given up on the Ecosport. Maybe they think a BS hybrid will suffice and call it a day. They may be right. However, if they want to create a Maverick sub brand, then a new CUV subcompact makes sense. Another budget friendly multi functional small vehicle that gets 600 miles out of a 14 gallon tank of expensive gas. 

Maybe the Maverick utility will be reconsidered after the BS has had time to fully flesh out and secure its place.

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4 hours ago, FordBuyer said:

Technically, the BS is a subcompact when it comes to parking, but it is based off a compact platform, is bigger than the Ecosport, and comes with mediocre fuel mileage.....

 

Not sure what you call mediocre fuel mileage, but on a trip across Michigan's UP back in October, we were getting 34 mpg in our Bronco Sport while cruising down M-28 (60 mph). 

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40 minutes ago, mackinaw said:

 

Not sure what you call mediocre fuel mileage, but on a trip across Michigan's UP back in October, we were getting 34 mpg in our Bronco Sport while cruising down M-28 (60 mph). 

 

I got that with my Crosstrek on the freeway, and mid 20's in city driving. With the Escape Hybrid we sometimes get over 60mpg and average close to 50mpg over 10,000 miles. So 30mpg is rather pedestrian to me and by 2025 will be considered way below s Edge as fuel standards get much tougher.

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15 hours ago, mackinaw said:

 

Not sure what you call mediocre fuel mileage, but on a trip across Michigan's UP back in October, we were getting 34 mpg in our Bronco Sport while cruising down M-28 (60 mph). 

That’s really good, considering the epa estimate is 28mpg.  Maybe Ford has enough cafe credits that they can get conservative with the mpg estimates…under promise and over deliver.  It will be interesting to see if the Maverick can beat epa estimates.  The C&D 75 mph sustained fuel economy numbers looked pretty good and the 26.4mpg on the cluster picture was even better.

 

The F150 powerboost numbers were reduced by a mpg for ‘22.  Not sure why, though.

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46 minutes ago, slemke said:

That’s really good, considering the epa estimate is 28mpg.  Maybe Ford has enough cafe credits that they can get conservative with the mpg estimates…under promise and over deliver.  It will be interesting to see if the Maverick can beat epa estimates.  The C&D 75 mph sustained fuel economy numbers looked pretty good and the 26.4mpg on the cluster picture was even better.

 

The F150 powerboost numbers were reduced by a mpg for ‘22.  Not sure why, though.

 

In comparison to most hybrids, 30 mpg combined is average. Compared to other ICE engines, yes, that number is very good. I was very happy getting 450 miles out of 16.5 gallon Crosstrek fuel tank, and still having 2 gallons left on fill up.

 

But I always wanted Ford's hybrid system in an Escape. Now I get over 600 miles out of my 14 gallon tank easily. I also have heard reports Maverick hybrid owners are getting over 600 miles out of their tanks. Don't know the fuel capacity of Maverick tank. 

 

Also add in up to 70% of most trips are electric only. And on some trips miles to empty goes up, not down as so little fuel is used and far less emissions. And the vehicle is so quiet in electric mode. Oil changes become more infrequent also as electric runs so much. 

 

So I hope the BS gets a hybrid soon and every Ford model by 2024 has a hybrid version like Toyota does. 

 

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1 hour ago, slemke said:

That’s really good, considering the epa estimate is 28mpg.  Maybe Ford has enough cafe credits that they can get conservative with the mpg estimates…under promise and over deliver.  It will be interesting to see if the Maverick can beat epa estimates.  The C&D 75 mph sustained fuel economy numbers looked pretty good and the 26.4mpg on the cluster picture was even better.

 

The F150 powerboost numbers were reduced by a mpg for ‘22.  Not sure why, though.

 

Ford brags that the Powerboost can get 700 miles out of a tank of gas. Don't know the fuel tank capacity.....guessing 30 gallons. On recent Powerboost review, reviewer commented that 30% of all trips were electric only. I bet I could average 25mpg with the Powerboost. And I don't hypermile. Just go about 5 miles over speed limit, back off pedal and go into electric mode and do long braking distance to get battery up to 100%. Late braking will lose you significant fuel mileage. 

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2 hours ago, slemke said:

That’s really good, considering the epa estimate is 28mpg.........

 

The biggest surprise I have with our Bronco Sport is the excellent gas mileage.  I wasn't expecting to pull in the low-to-mid-30's, but maybe it's not surprising considering that, with cylinder deactivation, we're only running on two cylinders when on the highway.  I can now make a 410 mile roundtrip to our family in southern Michigan before filling up, something we could never do in our old Focus.  

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2 hours ago, FordBuyer said:

 

Ford brags that the Powerboost can get 700 miles out of a tank of gas. Don't know the fuel tank capacity.....guessing 30 gallons. On recent Powerboost review, reviewer commented that 30% of all trips were electric only. I bet I could average 25mpg with the Powerboost. And I don't hypermile. Just go about 5 miles over speed limit, back off pedal and go into electric mode and do long braking distance to get battery up to 100%. Late braking will lose you significant fuel mileage. 


I have a 3.5eb F150 2wd with a 36 gallon tank.  I routinely see 700 miles per tank and can easily average 25 mpg at 45-50 mph, sometimes higher.

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1 hour ago, mackinaw said:

 

The biggest surprise I have with our Bronco Sport is the excellent gas mileage.  I wasn't expecting to pull in the low-to-mid-30's, but maybe it's not surprising considering that, with cylinder deactivation, we're only running on two cylinders when on the highway.  I can now make a 410 mile roundtrip to our family in southern Michigan before filling up, something we could never do in our old Focus.  

Thank you for sharing your experience with the 1.5 EB, so glad to hear that FE news with long distance driving ?

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