Sam Krahn 
The 2021 Ford Bronco and F-150 are exciting new entries into the truck and SUV space, but they aren’t the only vehicles Ford has planned in the segments. Expected soon, the Ford Maverick will enter an unclaimed space in the U.S. vehicle market: the compact pickup class. Other countries, such as Brazil, already have their own tiny trucks, but Ford is betting an all-new vehicle will be a success. And now, thanks to some photos you can see over at the Maverick Truck Club forum, we have our best look yet at the newest addition to the Ford truck family.
The interior shots are the most revealing, and show a dashboard of the 2022 Ford Maverick truck that’s very reminiscent of the new 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The HVAC controls, audio buttons and screen all look like they may be lifted from the Sport, but it still has a different overall design and layout in comparison. Most interesting is the dashboard trim, which is a cool speckled white and gray material. The test prototype also has Ford’s now familiar rotary transmission selector. Previous rumors indicated the Maverick could get a manual, and while this doesn’t dismiss that, it also doesn’t give us final proof.
The exterior photos show the Maverick testing with the mid-sized Ford Ranger pickup, and it does indeed look significantly smaller. This is most noticeable in the height, where it certainly has less ground clearance than the Ranger. Coupled with underbody photos that don’t have any sort of drivetrain attached to the rear axle, it’s clear this will be a road based truck with little intention for anything more than mild off-roading. It’ll also be unibody, sharing Ford’s C2 architecture with the likes of the Bronco Sport and Escape. Some bits from the Ford Transit Connect van are also expected on the Maverick, such as its suspension system, so that it can handle more payload.
The Ford C2 platform supports all-wheel-drive, so there’s no reason to worry about all-weather usability. The base Maverick is expected to be front wheel drive, while rumors suggest that its base engine will be the 162 hp/144 lb-ft 2.0L four-cylinder found in the Transit Connect. The 181 hp/190 lb-ft 1.5L three cylinder turbo in the Bronco Sport is rumored to be the upgrade, likely paired with AWD.
Ford will likely position base models for fleet sales, similar to the Transit Connect, where its low price and compact size will be perfect for commercial applications. Then, upper trims may be a pickup alternative to the Ford Bronco Sport, for people that want the practicality of a truck bed, but rarely go off-road.
They should have named it Ford Courier… for us old-timers, a Maverick was anything but a pickup truck!