Lucas Bell 
The compact pickup truck segment was once a mainstay in the American market. Over the years however, these smaller offerings fell by the wayside as their popularity shrank, and as automakers began to prioritize the profit-driving full-size segment. Following the return of mid-size offerings like the Ford Ranger and Chevy Colorado earlier this decade, it appears automakers are finally ready to bring back the compact segment. Hyundai was the first to throw their hat in the ring with the upcoming Santa Cruz, but now it is time for the Blue Oval to get involved. Today marks the debut of the 2022 Ford Maverick, which promises to bring a ton of capability in a much smaller package. Here’s what you need to know about how the Ford Maverick sizes up compared to other familiar trucks, and what that means for customers.
2022 Ford Maverick: Downsizing Done Right
Over the last few generations, pickup trucks have continued to grow in size and price. Even the mid-size Ford Ranger is now about the size of a half-ton pickup from two decades ago. As these vehicles grow, their usability for some customers has diminished. This is particularly true for those who live in urban areas, as full-size trucks like the F-150 become harder to justify. The new 2022 Ford Maverick bucks this trend, as the truck tries to reestablish a compact segment for buyers in the United States.
The truck measures just 199.7 inches in length, basically the size of today’s Dodge Charger sedan, while standing only 68.7 inches high, which is shorter than the Ford Bronco Sport, its platform mate. The Ranger seems genuinely large comparatively, measuring in at 210.8 inches long and 71.1 inches high.
Compared to the bygone, last-generation Ford Ranger that was discontinued in 2011, the Ford Maverick is a just four inches shorter than a Ranger SuperCab, but two inches taller. Effectively, this is the true replacement for the last-gen Ranger in the Ford lineup, in terms of size.
To this end, the ever-popular 2021 Ford F-150 is nearly three feet longer than the Maverick, and measures a noticeable 6.9 inches taller. While still larger than the minuscule Ford Ranger of old, this thing is downright compact compared to its stablemates. This smaller size allows for a turning radius of just 40 feet, a full 11 feet shorter than the F-150. That makes a huge difference on city streets, or in the local mall parking lot.
Ready For Truck Tasks
The small size of the Ford Maverick doesn’t come at the expense of usability however. Ford notes that the standard SuperCrew body style easily accommodates five adults. The truck does have a short bed, which measures only 4.5-foot bed in length. That said, it is wide enough to accommodate 4×8-foot sheets of plywood. This makes the truck usable for a ton of different projects or outdoor activities. This alone is a great selling point for the $19,995 truck.
The 2022 Ford Maverick has officially brought the compact truck back on the scene. Sure the Hyundai Santa Cruz was technically first to show itself, but this thing is backed by Ford’s legendary experience in the segment. That is going to prove hard to overcome for the Hyundai, especially when it comes to longtime truck customers. Regardless, we can’t wait to see how this segment plays out.
