It’s no secret that Ford has a compact, unibody pickup coming down the product pipeline, what with well-camouflaged prototypes seen by photographers and the admission from the company that a small trucklet is something it feels is worthwhile pursuing.
A small truck based on the same platform underpinning the Escape and Euro-market Focus might well prove a valuable addition to the company’s crowded utility lineup, but we now have a fairly solid piece of evidence that this product will resurrect a bit of the past.
A spy photo published by Motor1 shows a cute little tailgate adorned with the stamped name “Maverick.” A bare oval below the tailgate handle should leave no doubt as to the badge intended for that space.
The name Maverick, which once described a forgettable compact Ford sedan in the 1970s, was always the expected moniker for this upcoming vehicle. Ford kept the name well protected, trademarking it (or renewing the existing mark) at the end of 2016. It also trademarked the Courier name, which is something overseas buyers would recognize; not so much domestic customers. It’s possible this vehicle is bound for different sides of the Atlantic with different names (ones that resonate with local customers), or perhaps Ford was hedging its bets. Maybe the trademark timing is just a coincidence.
Whatever the truth behind that, the pickup sibling of the Bronco Sport is expected to appear in 2021, perhaps in a more rugged form than we initially assumed. Its powertrain and suspension will probably be a carry-over from the Escape’s butch sibling.
Ford’s not talking about future product (quelle surprise!), but the Maverick, if that’s indeed what it plans to go by, will give Ford the only compact pickup among the Detroit Three automakers. Just in time, too, as Hyundai’s U.S.-built Santa Cruz pickup follows pretty much the same recipe — and it’s due to land around the same time.
It’s fun to watch the (re) birth of a segment.
[Image: Ford]
And exactly what blue oval utility/pickup combination/variant will foretell the resurrection of…..
…. THE PINTO???
I mean, afterall, a pinto is a kind of horse, anyway.
Heh. Any future Pinto is most likely to be a sloped tailgate “coupe” version of the Escape if that particular body style keeps sliding downmarket.
I’m not 100% sure, but wasn’t the Maverick based on the Falcon, not the Pinto? Mavericks could be 4 doors with a 302, Pintos 2 doors and V6 at the most.
Men’s ego in the US demands purchase of a big truck.
As proof from everyone who always screams why bother with a mid-sizer when you can get a full-size truck for the same money.
I imagine similar to the Transit this might be targeted as fleet type vehicle. However maybe they will go after the outdoor adventure market who don’t need BOF hauling/towing duty. Since the Bronco Sport is now a thing, making a pickup version with enough off road chops seems reasonable.
Or unless you just have to have a midsized truck for some reason (You live in an urban area, you have to have your truck in a garage or something like that) the automakers devote way more resources to developing their full sized offerings. The midsizers are fine, but they are developed for other markets, get fewer resources devoted to them, and typically aren’t as configurable with respect to options, powertrains and cab configurations. If you aren’t bothered by the additional size, they typically are the better buy unless like I said, you just have to have something smaller. Price equal (or nearly), the full sized trucks are the better buy. The market has spoken pretty clearly on this one.
@Art Vandelay – I find it rather easy to locate full-sized new trucks priced less than comparable small trucks. Economies of scale.
I am currently leaning towards buying a small truck just because the size would make a better “trail” machine.
There is a voice in the back of my head telling me to buy a regular cab f350 with the 7.3 and 4.30 gears and put a winch, lift and tires on it.
And that @Lou that would be a valid reason to go with the smaller rig. The constant “compensating” meme for full sized buyers is idiotic though. They are the best selling vehicles on the planet. Dudes with egos don’t support those numbers.
And yeah, I would like to drive a regular cab 7.3.
Hyundai has the Santa Cruz in late stage development and all indications are it will be a midsize unibody pickup which sounds similar to the Maverick. I’m in the market for such a vehicle so I’ll be waiting and watching.
Escape based trucklet? Unless you can put a 12 inch lift and 22 inch wheels on it, it won’t sell. LOL
They got the Bronco/Sport right, so I look forward to seeing what Ford comes up with here.
Wouldn’t it have been easier to use the BOF Bronco as a basis though?
I mean, you can already remove the roof, after all. Or would that overlap too much with the Ranger?
Isn’t the BOF Bronco already based on the global Ranger?
Yes indeed, they are based on the Ranger.
Just keep the design and the shorter length of the Bronco but with a truck bed.
Make it a “lifestyle” pickup like a Subaru Baja and less for carrying two-by-fours.
Look up the Brazillian Troller. Ford owns them.
The name makes me nostalgic for that time when Ford produced…cars.
“Maverick” would be a great name for a Ford truck.
As for the original, my Dad ordered his V8 74 Maverick just after the 73 oil crisis began – powder blue, 4-door, vinyl seats… yeah. A strong car for the time – not ‘forgettable’ to me.
That’s quite a tailgate… *sigh*
The original Maverick sold for $1995, think this will be more?
OK. I was under the impression that Ford was going to have an Escape based Bronco Sport pick-up (one of the future Bronco sub-brand family members) as well as a smaller entry level Fiesta/Focus based pickup that will start at $19,995. The latter was already announced by Farley. So the Maverick name will apply to one of these two I guess.
Who knows? It’s Ford
Insiders have suggested the Maverick will be styled similar to the Bronco Sport. Ford might not want to give it the Bronco name knowing the bed will limit its off-road capabilities.
My brain thinks that it will be Bronco pickup, even if they call it Maverick. Bronco Maverick vs Jeep Gladiator. How about that?
I’d be somewhat interested if it was a 2 door with a decently long box that could handle runs to the home store, dump etc. But since that would sell all of dozens like that they’ll all be 4 door with a box that makes a Subaru Baja look like a long box. Maybe they’ll see enough of a fleet case and actually make a 2 door but I doubt it.
Now only if it was available in brown, had a manual, BOF, and cost pennies and lasted forever. Even then, I don’t see a lineup forming.
@Inside Looking Out–Ford Authority had an article on this in May and the Maverick will be based on the Bronco Sport. Artistic renderings have the appearance of the Bronco Sport. It will be a unibody crew cab only front wheel drive based with optional AWD with a turbo 1.5 I3 and optional turbo 2.0 I4 and an 8 speed automatic. https://fordauthority.com/2020/05/we-render-the-bronco-sport-like-2022-ford-maverick-compact-pickup/
“Bronco” off-road package is “Sasquatch”.
“Maverick” amphibious package will be “Goose”.