Ford created a surprise smash hit when it introduced the Maverick in 2021. This compact pickup truck, built on a shared With the Escape and Bronco Sport crossover SUVs, Ford offered pickup-size capability in a reasonably sized, fuel-efficient package. Now, Ford has unveiled updates for the 2025 model year that make the Maverick even more appealing.
First and foremost, customers will finally be able to order the Maverick with the fuel-efficient hybrid engine and all-wheel drive. Previously, Ford limited the hybrid powertrain to front-wheel-drive models. This maximized fuel efficiency, allowing it to earn more. Stellar EPA estimates of 42 miles per gallon in the city, 33 on the highway and 37 combined. But this decision limited the model’s appeal: Buyers who wanted all-weather capability or needed to tow more than the hybrid’s 1,500-pound maximum had to upgrade to the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. qualified with 22 mpg city, 29 highway and 25 combined when paired with all-wheel drive.
“Hybrid all-wheel drive was by far the top customer request,” Dawn McKenzie, director of communications for Ford Truck, told WIRED via email. McKenzie explained that at initial launch, the hybrid model was limited to front-wheel drive to maximize affordability; in fact, Ford promised a Base price of $19,995 when the Maverick was introduced for the 2022 model year, though for 2024 the cheaper Maverick starts at $23,920with the hybrid engine currently a $1,500 option. Ford sold More than 94,000 Mavericks in 2023, more than half of which were hybrids.
PHOTOGRAPHY: FORD PRESS
For 2025, the Ford Maverick comes in a kaleidoscope of flavors. The base-model Maverick is a front-drive hybrid, rated at up to 42 mpg. The addition of optional all-wheel drive is expected to reduce fuel economy slightly, to a still-respectable 40 mpg city mileage (official EPA ratings have yet to be released). An optional towing package, now available on hybrid Mavericks, allows for towing up to 4,000 pounds. If the hybrid’s 191 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque aren’t enough, the non-hybrid EcoBoost turbo-four engine rated at 238 horsepower and 275 pound-feet is still available on all models.
Hybrid Pick Up Trucks
Hybrid pickup trucks are in fashion. Ford introduced the F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid in the 2021 model year. Toyota introduced a optional hybrid transmission to the full-size Tundra pickup for 2022, and later this year, Ram will add A plug-in hybrid to its light-duty pickup truck. (General Motors does not currently offer a hybrid version of the Chevy Silverado or GMC Sierra, though Rumors indicate The carmaker is working hard to add a plug-in variant.)
By hybridizing their pickup trucks, automakers appear to be diversifying their bets. Overall, electric vehicle sales are Continues to rise in the USBut once-skyrocketing year-over-year increases are starting to level off. In the pickup truck world, EVs are still a small niche. Ford is happy to point out that the all-electric F-150 Lightning is the The best-selling full-size electric pickup truck in the United States, with 2023 sales up 55 percent compared with 2022. But the Lightning is largely overshadowed by its own internal combustion siblings: Ford sold More than 750,000 F-Series pickups in 2023but only a little over 3 percent of them were fully electric.
There are several factors at play. All-electric full-size pickups are drastically more expensive than their internal combustion counterparts. The 2024 F-150 Lightning starts At nearly $63,000, compared to $37,000 for a gas-burning model, the base model Chevy Silverado EV starts at about $75,000The Rivian R1T starts at $70,000and the $60,000 Cybertruck promised by Tesla has It has just been cancelledwhich means you can’t buy one for much less than $100,000 now.