Calgarians expectations were exceeded with this "sharp and spunky" pickup truck

Ford’s new Maverick is a little truck that drives like a big truck. After spending a week with the pickup, that’s what Calgarian Louis Stack had to say about a 2022 Maverick Lariat AWD. But initially, he wasn’t expecting much.

“My immediate comment upon first seeing the Maverick was ‘Hey, someone forgot to pump up this truck,’” he explains. “When you walk up to it, it’s little. But when you open the door and get in, it fits, and I’m 6-feet 4-inches tall. But most importantly, everything about it felt like a truck.”

In his past, Stack has spent time driving three-quarter and half-ton trucks and does hold a Class 2 licence — but he’s not a truck owner. Because Stack routinely loads up goods and hauls them to trade shows across Western Canada, he likes the convenience of being able to load and lock an SUV. Right now, he’s driving a 2016 Ford Explorer. “But I do appreciate trucks very much,” he adds.

For years, pickups have been on a seemingly endless growth spurt. Finally, though, Ford has brought the pickup back to a size that just makes sense with its all-new for ’22 compact Maverick. And the buying public must think so, too, as the automaker has apparently sold out of its 2022 production run of the unibody truck with four doors built to carry five passengers in XL, XLT and Lariat trims. Base vehicles are equipped with a hybrid powertrain consisting of a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle inline four-cylinder engine and electric motor driving the front wheels through a CVT – and it’s good for 191 horsepower combined. So equipped, these models have a 907 kg towing capacity. Optional in the XL and XLT, but standard in the Lariat, is Ford’s 2.0L EcoBoost engine paired with an 8-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. The 2.0L powerplant produces 250 h.p. and when equipped with the optional 4K towing package, the Maverick is capable of hauling 1,814 kg. For a quick size comparison, the Maverick is 733mm shorter in length, and 175mm shorter in height than Ford’s F-150. Box length of the Maverick is 4.5-feet, or 1,372mm.

Stack’s truck had a base price of $34,450, but with options including the Alto Blue finish, moonroof, FX4 off-road and 4K towing packages, the vehicle cost $46,050 before taxes but with freight and PDI.

“For many people, getting into a full-size truck can be an issue due to ride height,” Stack says. “This is close to the ground, and it would be easier for someone shorter to access the cab. For me, I put the eight-way power adjustable power driver’s seat all the way back, and then tilted the seat back upright a bit and it fit me fine with plenty of headroom. I could see all the gauges, which are clear and easy to monitor. They’re not complex at all.”

When he went to start the Maverick, he had to search for the start button, which is lower on the dash near the centre console. It also took him some time to become familiar with the four-position P, R, N, D shift knob.

“It’s fine once you get used to it,” he says.

Overall interior fit and finish, trimmed out in Ford’s synthetic seating material in Desert Brown, was impressive, Stack says. While the Maverick is based on the unibody platform underpinning both the Escape and the Bronco Sport, he adds, “Saying this thing is anything like an Escape does not do the Maverick justice,” Stack explains. And the Escape is a vehicle with which he’s familiar, as his wife owns a 2017 model. “I sort of thought the Maverick would be like getting into an Escape with a different body on it, but the whole experience is very different.”

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Getting underway, Stack initially felt the 2.0L EcoBoost engine was a little underwhelming. But, when accelerating from 30 km/h on a ramp to enter a major roadway, he was surprised. “It went from 30 km/h to 100 km/h in a hurry, and it’s very peppy in that range.

“It was also very stable in corners – that little truck did surprise me very much. I’ve driven a lot of cars and trucks, and that Maverick was outstanding in how well it handled.”

The ride was rated as ‘truck-ish,’ meaning firm but not unpleasant. As for utility, over the week he had the Maverick Stack carefully hauled a 400 lb. pallet of aluminum, a large shelf unit, logs, E-bikes, and tools. Equipped with Ford’s Flexbed, the cargo area is almost infinitely customizable using hardware store materials such as 2 x 4s, 2 x 6s, C-channel and a little owner ingenuity. It will carry sheets of plywood across the wheelhouses, which are themselves 42-inches apart. The bed is also factory equipped with eight tie down points, and a 110V outlet is an available option.

Stack did not get the Maverick out for a good highway run, but in the city on residential streets or major thoroughfares, he found the truck was quiet without any intrusive engine or wind noise. He kept the power-operated sliding back window open during much of his driving and appreciated the airflow it provided. The Maverick had great sightlines with no major blindspots, but the backup camera did get used and it worked well.

“I’m pretty sure I sold a couple of these trucks while I had this one,” Stack laughs. “People would stop me all the time to ask about it, and at least two couples were all over it. For them, they said they didn’t need a big truck, this would fit in their garage, it’s not a gas guzzler, and it would meet their needs.”

Stack was sad to give back the key. “I wasn’t expecting much, and I thought this was going to be a silly little truck,” he says, and concludes, “But it was spunky, it was sharp, it drove really well, and it was kind of like I had a new little friend for a week.”

The grille isn’t a bold feature, but the headlights catch my eye. And the hood helps make the truck look a little bigger than it is, I think. Very nice two-tone interior, and clean truck-like dash. At 6-feet 4-inches tall I was concerned about the fit, but I was very comfortable. Driving felt great, solid. When I got to my destination I stepped out and the ground was so close; it was a pleasure getting in and out.

Learned about the downhill brake assist which I was unaware of. Climbed a steep slope and coming down the active brake assist took over. It was a surprise, but it worked great and I let it do its thing. It keeps the truck descending at a very controlled speed regardless of the terrain. Drove to the far northwest for dinner and a tour.

Moved a skid of recycling material and aluminum parts from my shop to JIT Powder Coaters. This one was only 250 pounds, and I used our shop forklift to put it in the back carefully and easily. Lots of room. Seat and steering wheel heaters worked great and the car remembers the setting you left it on last. Moved wood after dinner from a back shed and that was again easy as the lift is not very high. And the step height is also more friendly when it is time to unload.

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Drive north on Crowchild Trail. Great drive as the Maverick is so low centre in weight distribution that it corners very well. I think this thing needs a ‘Sport’ drive setting. Picked up the shop vacuum, tools, and bucket and headed to our condo to fix a water leak. Trucks are handy for a fast move of tools from site to site. At work, a few of the other truck guys were checking the Maverick out with a lot of interest.

Drove with wife and sister-in-law to Chestermere Lake out Glenmore Trail. Sister-in-law said she was comfortable in the back seat with good leg room. The old back roads out Chestermere way are mostly paved now and there are only a few farms left.  The truck made a perfect tour vehicle.

I never thought I’d fall for a Nice Little Truck.

Loaded the back with many boxes and bags of cans and bottles to hit the recycling depot. Plenty of room for that. Was stopped by a couple asking me about the Maverick and how it was to drive?  I told them how impressed I had been, as it can tow and it’s easy to drive in the city. It also seems pretty easy on gas. They said, “This is the truck we’re looking for.”

This was the sad day. Sad because I had to say goodbye to my new truck friend. I never thought I’d fall for a Nice Little Truck. But it was spunky, sparky and sharp as a whip when I needed to get something done. What was best about the Maverick? For me it is pretty easy. It is a gas to drive! Very good cornering ability with no sway. This from a guy with a 302 Boss Mustang. If you do not need a big truck on a daily basis, the Maverick checks all the boxes.

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