Is the Compact 2022 Ford Maverick the Future of Trucks?

The trend among trucks and SUVs has been to get stronger, bigger, heavier, more capable, and more expensive over the years, but Ford looks to interrupt that with a new release.

There have been rumors swirling for quite some time regarding the compact truck, known as the Ford Maverick, and it’s set to fall in a slot below the mid-size Ranger. Although an official release date hangs in the balance, all signs indicate it’ll arrive sometime later this year and wear a Maverick badge.

Other than its size, what makes it different? The new model will share its unibody with the likes of the Bronco Sport and Ford Escape – we can tell you that it won’t have a body-on-frame construction. The most recent prototypes have boasted four doors, which leads us to believe it will be a crew-cab pick-up similar to a Bronco sport, except with a bed. It could take on a style similar to the Honda Ridgeline.

The Bronco Sport, in its current form, is much smaller than the Honda Pilot, and we believe the Maverick will boast a much smaller footprint than the Ridgeline and other mid-size trucks – this includes the Ranger. For those seeking a truck in a more competitive price range, the Maverick is set to be less than the Ranger, which has a starting point of about $26,000. Ford suggested it’ll start under $20,000, according to an Automotive News report.

Despite the reporting, it’ll be challenging to present a vehicle at a price range similar to the Bronco Sport, which has a sticker price of $28,155 with all it’s expected to offer. With that said, powertrain options will be dependent on how committed the automaker is to a low-cost variant Maverick. For example, the least expensive version of the Escape has a turbocharged 1.5L three-cylinder engine with 181-horsepower – the base Bronco Sport has a similar setup.

We anticipate the interior of the Maverick to share components with both the Escape and Bronco Sport, such as the Bronco Sport’s underseat storage cubbies and Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment system. We’re still unsure of the Maverick’s bed, but if similar to the Ridgeline with 5’4″, it could be in that range. It’s purely speculative at this point.

Despite the leaked photos and internet rumors, Ford has yet to acknowledge the existence of the Maverick, but we feel it’s closer to production and should be released at some point in 2021. There’s a possibility it goes on sale as soon as the end of this year as a 2022 model, but arrival in the dealership next year is a more likely scenario.

With the market trajectory set to develop trucks larger than their predecessor, do you think Ford is making the right move? Is the future more compact? Let us know what you think about the automaker’s move.