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Ford’s new compact pickup is nothing special, but it still feels far more than the sum of its parts.

The look of Maverick won't surprise you, but it's still very handsome.

In 2022, Ford Maverick blows me away like lawn furniture in a hurricane. Including destination fees, this back to basic compact truck starts at less than $22,000, which is great value for money. But the greatness of Maverick lies not only in its low starting price: it is an all-round excellent vehicle and groundbreaking product.

With a simple rectangular grille and plain sides, this boxy pickup has a simple appearance, reminiscent of the F-150 in the early 1990s, but don't be intimidated by its simplicity. Maverick is full of clever features, and its interior is more versatile than you think-and hospitable.

It is far less visually interesting than the modern and stylish Santa Cruz, but Maverick is an honest piece of equipment, and now it no longer offers small cars in the United States, so it can be used as an entry-level product for Ford. Like today's hatchbacks and cars, it is built on a one-piece architecture and comes standard with front-wheel drive. Available in three trim levels, with only a four-door body, five seats, and a 4.5-foot cargo container (half a foot longer than Santa Cruz), this rig is designed for light-duty use and drivers who have never owned a car. Pick up before.

One feature that truck drivers will love for the first time is the innovative Flexbed, which can handle up to 1,500 pounds. But this is not all. Maverick's low ride height combined with the short side walls of the box means it's easy to reach for things. The tailgate is locked in the middle position, which allows you to slide the required 4x8 building materials directly into the top of the wheel well. The bed also has a series of tie-down points and D-rings for easy fixing of cargo. There are threaded holes in the side walls, so you can install accessories, provide storage corners with top cover, and stamped various pockets on the sheet metal to accommodate 2x4 or 2x6, so you can build your own divider or use different Way to support the goods. Like larger Ford trucks, you can even get a 110-volt electrical outlet in your bed.

Maverick's cabin is also innovative. The door panels are designed to hold 1 liter bottles in an upright position so they will not roll around. There are many small rooms and rear seat cushion lifts, exposing additional storage bins or allowing you to carry larger cargo. However, what is missing is the decoration. Don't expect Nappa leather, perforated wooden furniture, or laser-etched speaker grilles. Nevertheless, despite the lack of decoration, Maverick managed to feel richer than its price tag.

No frills, which is good.

Except for the armrests, everything inside is made of hard plastic, but the interesting textures and forms make this cabin feel like an injection-molded cage of sadness. The light gray trim with subtle diamond facets adds some style, although it is also made of grated carbon fiber, which adds strength and provides an attractive speckled pattern. The orange tone makes the interior brighter, and the excellent ergonomic design and easy-to-operate controls help make this a happy place. Even the look or feel of a molded steering wheel is not particularly cheap. Car designer: This is how you make low-cost interiors.

The seat of this mid-range Maverick XLT is covered with a lovely two-tone fabric, which is exquisite in appearance and comfortable in the hand. The front bucket is supportive and comfortable throughout the day, but the rear seats are only enough. Adults fit well, but the backrest is a bit too straight and lacks legroom.

In keeping with its ultra-low price, this truck does not have a button to start, which means you have to insert the old-fashioned key into the steering column and turn it. (How retro!) An 8-inch touch screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is standard equipment. Unfortunately, this display is a bit low-resolution and strangely off-center on the dashboard. The less favorable viewing angle means that things look faded from the driver's seat. At least the Sync 3 infotainment system is intuitive and lively. Embedded navigation is not provided at any price, so please be sure to bring your mobile phone and data cable.

Sync 3 is very basic but easy to use.

Other standard equipment includes automatic high beams and pre-collision emergency braking. This XLT model also has automatic brake retention and blind spot monitoring. The $540 Ford Co-Pilot 360 package includes lane keeping assist and full-size spare tires. Maverick offers some high-end facilities, just don't expect all the latest bells and whistles. The menu has functions such as adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functions, lane centering, reverse induction system, blind spot monitoring, and rear intersection warning.

The hybrid system is the basic mission in Maverick, providing a respectable 191 horsepower and a ridiculous 37 mpg (42 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway). For light use or just hanging out in the city, please take this route, but if you want all-wheel drive, capable of towing up to 4,000 pounds (if equipped properly) or prefer something more powerful, grab the 2.0 available Liter EcoBoost engine. It provides a powerful 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque.

This advanced power unit creates an excellent truck engine that provides powerful performance throughout the entire speed range. Slam it, Maverick jumps off the line and pushes you back into the seat with a strong, continuous thrust until the gearbox grabs the next gear. The EcoBoost engine is also a model of excellence. Start it and you will not feel anything—no tremor and zero vibration. It is also silky and smooth at work, with little noise, and as smooth as raw butter. The start-stop system is also transparent, turning off the engine seamlessly and restarting immediately when waiting for a red light.

The function of this small truck is surprising.

The standard eight-speed automatic transmission helps to achieve Maverick's crisp performance. From every point of view, the device is excellent, can seamlessly connect between gears, and easily reduce the gear ratio when you need to accelerate. My only complaint is that sometimes you feel it is downshifting when the scrolling stops.

Using all-wheel drive and a 2.0-liter engine, the estimated urban driving is 22 mpg and the highway is 29 mpg. Combined, this version of the truck is rated at 25 mpg, but in mixed use, I got more than 27 mpg, which I didn't even try. Choosing front-wheel drive will increase Maverick's EPA rating in all three categories by 1 mile per gallon, although they are still far from what a hybrid car can provide.

In addition to versatility and power system improvements, Maverick is also surprisingly its road manners. This compact pickup is very quiet in speed, and the sturdy ride feels silky smooth, without grit, vibration or dullness. The steering is good and heavy, but also very precise, giving the vehicle a planting feel. With an excellent driving position and good outside visibility, you will have a truck that can drive better than some luxury cars.

This is a very competent small truck.

When it sits down, the truck’s checkout fee is approximately US$29,845, which includes a destination fee of US$1,495 and a modest selection fee of US$4,985. All-wheel drive and EcoBoost engines account for about two-thirds of this, while the Ford Co-Pilot 360, FX4 off-road package, 17-inch wheels, sprayed sheets and all-weather foot pads make the difference. This excellent small pickup truck sells for less than US$30 and has almost become a bargain this century, because remember that the average transaction price of a new car in the United States today is much higher than US$40,000.

I think Maverick is better than any mid-size pickup truck, except for the Honda Ridgeline, which also has a built-in all-in-one architecture. Simple and affordable, but still enjoyable to drive and powerful, this compact rig is more cohesive than the larger Ford Ranger, more thoughtful than the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon twins, and more comfortable than the Toyota Tacoma. Thanks to its extroverted design and higher-end interior, which is also new-and similar in size-Santa Cruz may beat the Mavericks. We can’t be sure before we make a formal comparison, but this is the test I’m looking forward to.