Watch The Ford Maverick Prove It' s A Real Truck CarBuzz News Features New Cars Used Cars Sell My Car Shopping Tools Car Reviews Car Finder Compare Cars Best Cars Car Dealerships Used Car Reviews Car Advice Home News Watch The Ford Maverick Prove It' s A Real Truck
Watch The Ford Maverick Prove It' s A Real Truck
Dec. 06, 2021 7:20 AM ET by Gerhard Horn Trucks / 7 Comments Prepare your comments, defenders of the ladder frame chassis. The Ford Maverick is proving to be a big hit in the US, though we could have told you that months ago when we first drove the compact pickup. We named it our People's Car of The Year, prices start at just under $20,000, and the hybrid model offers over 40 mpg in the city. Go for the EcoBoost, and you can tow 4,000 pounds. Still, some dismiss the Maverick because it's not a "real truck." Why? Because it uses a monocoque platform borrowed from the Ford Bronco and not a traditional ladder-frame chassis. Well, we checked both the dictionary and legal definitions of the term, and nowhere does it state a vehicle has to have a ladder frame to count as a truck. Plus, you can't argue with the sales figures and how much people are willing to spend on a Maverick. We expect it to be even more successful thanks to word of mouth and the fact that it can actually work hard, as proven by The Fast Lane Truck on YouTube. The Fast Lane Truck/YouTube The Fast Lane Truck/YouTube The Fast Lane Truck/YouTube To see if the Maverick works as a truck, the channel took a Maverick to a ranch to see if it could be helpful. And to convince the owner of the ranch. Tough mission. Obviously, the first test was to see if it could haul a 4x8 piece of plywood. Spoiler alert, it can. The bed can also haul up to 1,471 lbs (in the hybrid model) of whatever, and to test that, it had to be filled with firewood. Unfortunately, the firewood was at the top of a mountain, and the hybrid Maverick is only available in front-wheel-drive. The standard tires were not suited to the task to make the situation even more complex. As you can imagine, the Maverick kicked up quite a large dust cloud, but the traction control system in Slipper Mode was smart enough to transfer the power where it was needed. Job done. The Fast Lane Truck/YouTube The Fast Lane Truck/YouTube The Fast Lane Truck/YouTube The Fast Lane Truck/YouTube Getting the firewood was essentially hitting two birds with one stone. The Maverick first had to clear the wood from a narrow path and then carry it down the mountain. This is where it hits a bit of a snag. The more weight you put on the back, the less grip it has at the front. It doesn't stop the Maverick, however. Slippery Mode again swoops in and saves the day. The ground clearance was reduced slightly, but the suspension did not bottom out. It did hit a small rock, but that's what skidplates are for. The path had to be cleared a little, to be fair. The guys took the Maverick above its gross legal weight, at which point the handling started getting a bit dodgy. If you work on a ranch, the 4WD FX4 model is a much better option, but that's not the point of the video. Is the Maverick a real truck? Yes, it is. End of discussion. The Fast Lane Truck/YouTube The Fast Lane Truck/YouTube The Fast Lane Truck/YouTube The Fast Lane Truck/YouTube Join The Discussion
Show Comments (7) Gallery
26 Photos Tags: #Ford News #Off-Road #Trucks #Video Related Cars
Ford Maverick Gerhard Horn Senior Editor Gerhard knew from a young age that he wanted to be an automotive journalist. He completely disappointed his parents by completing degrees in communication and English, as well as diplomas in graphic design and film and art appreciation. He later interned at various automotive publications, before landing a permanent position at a newspaper. He became the editor within two years, after which he landed a job as the deputy editor at a national publication, where he spent eight years traveling the world, driving, and writing. In his current role as senior editor, he writes news, reviews, scripts, and opinion pieces. When he’s not supposed to be working, you’ll probably find him working. When he’s forced to take a break, you’ll find him at the movies, or behind the wheel of a ‘92 NA Miata called Kimiko. Contact Gerhard @GrootScreenGerhard LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top