Anthony's Adventure: 2022 Ford Maverick Lariat FWD 2x2

by  Anthony Fongaro - photos via Ford- 04/19/2022

Over the past few years, Ford has been cranking out some good trucks. The tried-and-true F-150 can accommodate any situation from construction to luxury and power. For a few years, the only truck you could get was the F-150 which has gotten quite big and expensive. That's where the Ford Maverick comes in. This little truck has won the hearts and minds of many people, including myself. Similar to the F-150, this can do basically anything that you want, with a catch.

Ford was quite smart with the Maverick. It comes standard with a hybrid engine and front-wheel drive. I love this because it speaks to some of the average Maverick customer demographics. This particular Maverick was the top-of-the-line Lariat so there was some decent fake leather along with a starter button in a very awkward position. For a $25,000 truck, this truck has almost everything that you would like, minus adaptive-cruise control. I'm glad there are physical buttons for every function, but the buttons for the media are below the infotainment system which you get to used to.

This particular Maverick Lariat was rocking a Desert Brown Trim interior. As you would imagine, the back seats are tiny, but there is a power-operated rear sliding glass window. The cabin isn't as tech-laden as the Hyundai Santa Cruz, but it's simpler to use and looks like a traditional truck. That's what people are looking for: just a simple-looking truck that harkens back to the Ford Rangers of yore. You can drive it in the city, suburbs, and highway with ease. 

Obviously, this hybrid isn't exactly powerful, and powering the front wheels can get some not-fun understeer. Why Ford decided not to give the hybrid engine all-wheel-drive is a little confusing, but adding that weight would affect the gas mileage. My little adventure with the Ford was going to a beautiful temple about 25 miles away from me. While on this journey, I had all the safety features on and just ate up the miles. The seats weren't the most comfortable, and the suspension could have been more compliant. 

There is one main reason to get this Maverick: that hybrid engine. It's a 2.5-liter inline-four with a CVT transmission. The engine makes 191-horsepower and 173 lb-ft. This front-wheel-drive truck gets from 0-60 MPH in 7.7 seconds, but in a lot of vehicles, that number doesn't really matter. Remember that this is a hybrid, so power and handling aren't the point. You drive this because it gets high gas mileage. The Maverick also comes with different driving modes for off-roading along with eco, normal, and sport modes. Eco and normal didn't feel very different, but sport mode did give the Maverick some pep.

I noticed an odd design feature in the cabin. The infotainment system was easy to use along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but there is a space next to it. It's just a space. I've put everything from my phone to a candy wrapper in it, and it just doesn't make sense. What was cool were the orange accent pieces that are removable. I think the best design feature of the Maverick is the door handles. They're small but just look cool. Other than that, the interior feels the same as a Ford Bronco Sport. 

Getting to the temple, the Maverick felt similar to cars I've driven which helps. The ride was a little firm but not back-breaking. Parking it was a breeze with the sensors and rear-view camera. I also got a lot of looks in the Maverick, but I'm guessing that's because there aren't too many Mavericks in the area I visited. Still, it felt like it just blended in with other cars in the parking lot. It may be a hybrid, but only a few badges let you know which I appreciate. 

If you're looking for a Maverick Lariat hybrid, you'll have to shell out at least $25,000, and with a few options like Ford's Co-Pilot 360 option, you're looking at $29,000. That's not bad for what you're getting, including a massive 51 MPG! My average was in the high 40s which is incredible. The Maverick hybrid isn't even that slow and even driving it Chicago-style, I still had 38 MPG. If you can't see, I liked the Maverick. In fact, I would recommend this exact trim. If you need to haul or tow larger items, you'll have to look at bigger vehicles such as the Ford Ranger or F-150. If not, stick with the Maverick in Lariat trim. You won't be disappointed.