I MAX OUT The Maverick, Santa Cruz & Ridgeline, But Which One Wins The World's Toughest Towing Test?

Give your vehicle the gift of Horsepower for the Holidays. Fill it with Sinclair
DINOCARE® Top Tier™ Gasoline. Even better, click on the link (www.sinclairoil.com/thefastlane) and enter to win $0.50/gallon off Sinclair gas or diesel (up to 15 gallons). The contest ends on December 24, 2021. #ad #sponsored
( www.genyhitch.com/ ) Check out our new spot to find ALL our content, from news to videos and our podcasts!
The Honda Ridgeline is no longer the only crossover-based pickup on the scene - now we have the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick as well! But which one is best on the Ike Gauntlet, the World's Toughest Towing Test? Let's find out!
( / tflcar ) Visit our Patreon page to support the TFL team!
Watch more videos from TFL Studios:
The Fast Lane Truck ( / tfltruck )
The Fast Lane Car ( / tflcar )
TFLoffroad ( / tfloffroad )
TFLbike ( / @tflbike )
TFLnow ( / tflnow )
TFLclassics ( / tflclassics )
TFLtalk ( / tfltalk )
TFL Podcasts:
TFL Talkin' Cars Podcast ( tflcar.libsyn.com/ )
TFL Talkin' Trucks Podcast ( tfltruck.libsyn.com/ )
#IkeGauntlet
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro
0:39 Honda Ridgeline - Downhill
7:01 Honda Ridgeline - Uphill
10:52 Hyundai Santa Cruz - Downhill
15:52 Hyundai Santa Cruz - Uphill
19:52 Ford Maverick - Downhill
25:03 Ford Maverick - Uphill
28:01 Results & Verdict

[@TFLtruck]

Give your vehicle the gift of Horsepower for the Holidays. Fill it with Sinclair DINOCARE Top Tier Gasoline. Even better, click on the link ( www.sinclairoil.com/thefastlane ) and enter to win $0.50/gallon off Sinclair gas or diesel (up to 15 gallons). Contest ends December 24, 2021. #ad #sponsored

[@Ornelas11B]

When you said Tommy’s gem was worth 4,000 pounds were you talking money?

[@jaredtown8947]

Your intro music is the same as Off the Ranch by Matt Carriker (may have misspelled that)

[@brennalynnn]

I thought u said up to .70?

[@tritchie6272]

@@Ornelas11B I believe they were talking weight.

[@nilsjohansson9739]

Regardless of the vehicle towing it, that's probably the fastest the Citroen has ever gone!

[@Dirtyharry70585]

and longest without a break down.

[@jamesd6801]

At least in the mountains!

[@TheHelado36]

Still a better car than the others ! 😁

[@abee3515]

geneally in a 2cv but they build some others...

[@Peter-cj2ml]

lol

[@C-Henry]

Can we just give these guys a round of applause for the having most unique payload ever for a tow/haul test?

[@miamisasquatch]

I laughed as soon as I saw the 2CV! Took me back to my childhood playing Need for Speed 2.

[@richardhouvener6423]

@@miamisasquatch I drove one in France in the 60s. It was a blast!

[@mistert1097]

@@richardhouvener6423 are you referring to the 60’s

[@jeffreyblanton9877]

I would like to see these same vehicles towing 5 years from now. My money is on the Honda.

[@racinglightning01]

It's a really great comparison. Although the Ridgeline is a little larger than the other two, they're really catered to the same sort of customer. The person that doesn't necessarily want a truck, but wants more utility than a SUV.

[@markspence3750]

EXACTLY!

[@mikenormandy9250]

The Ridgeline is DEF a mid-size truck. Much more than the other two are Trucks....The Ridgeline is probably more truck than MOST truck people need! Just bc it's not a Body On Frame vehicle....It gets so much shit, when most truck people crawl the mall or get groceries.... The Ridgeline can do practically everything a mid-size truck can do.....And I have to say, It is the most comfortable ride in its' class. The Lockable Trunk in the truck bed IS A GAME CHANGER...My Father's 2006 Ridgeline, the first model year ever made, is more comfortable of a ride then my 2020 Toyota Tacoma SR5 V6 4X4.....

[@imnotusingmyrealname4566]

@@mikenormandy9250 The Ridgeline FWD is a class 1 truck together with Tacoma, Ranger etc. and the Ridgeline AWD actually falls into class 2a together with F-150!

[@mikenormandy9250]

@@imnotusingmyrealname4566 Ummm.No the Ridgeline is a mid-size truck...NOT a half ton or Full-size...And How would a FWD Ridgeline compare to a 4X4 Tacoma??? Ridgeline AWD competes with the 4x4 Ranger and Tacoma...You have some things backwards...LOL

[@imnotusingmyrealname4566]

@@mikenormandy9250 It's considered a half-ton as the GVM is 6019 lbs. Half-tons are from 6001-8000 lbs GVM. The Tacoma has a GVM of only 5600 lbs. Weird how low that is. The Hilux has a GVM of 6725 lbs.

[@michaelwalus2154]

Just FYI, on the sound test in the Maverick you guys had the sun roof curtain open. The other trucks were closed That will affect the sound level in a vehicle.

[@zbfng812]

EXACTLY.

[@macgybel7951]

Well, the real winner of the World’s Towing Contest is TFL - your videos are the only ones that manage to pull me out of bed every day… true story! ;-)

[@TFLtruck]

Thank you for watching and your kind words!

[@markspence3750]

WORD!

[@williammiller9813]

I'm not a fan of fan people just gotta go with the info

[@nismomike3182]

"That VTEC kicked in yo!"

[@TFLtruck]

Oh yea!

[@Parker53151]

Towing a 2CV on a trailer is a stroke of genius. Well done, gentlemen.

[@TFLtruck]

Who would have thought that you can tow a car with a compact pickup truck!

[@andrewwhite1305]

I love the wing mirror cams that become visible when the turn signal is activated, on that Santa Cruz

[@christopherhamilton5557]

Hey that really was pretty cool! Nice touch!

[@desertfresh3740]

I've driven cars with this and *despise* them. But to each their own.

[@andrewsbbq]

Sport mode is likely what should be used when towing with the Ridgeline and Santa Cruz. Holds gears, firmer shifts, if it has any active aero it likely disables it.

[@eastonreid]

we have a 2016 pilot and when we tow with it sport mode is what we use and it behaves similarly to a tow/haul mode

[@rightlanehog3151]

Andre, This truly is a world first for TFL. Yes, this is the first time in world history the Ridgeline has been called a 'benchmark'.

[@beartankoperator7950]

Ha that was good

[@JoseVargas-mn1ek]

Honda v6 plus 9 speed is a tried and true drievtrain. Sounds like a benchmark to me.

[@Kristian_Saile]

The Maverick in XLT trim with the 4K package would Gabe performed the same and been done in sub 30k which I feel makes it so much more of a better value. Seems like the lower trim level Mavericks are the sweet spot and where it really excels as a value proposition. A high 30k Maverick kind of defeats the purpose?

[@animetodamaximum]

Yeah I agree, mine was 31 and it is rather loaded from what I can see. XLT FX4 w Lux. I do not see an FX4 badge on that "maxed out" Maverick either so that leads me to believe it has standard all season tires on it.

[@christopherhamilton5557]

I agree, at that price, I would get a Ranger. Maybe? Car market is freakin whack right now.

[@animetodamaximum]

@@christopherhamilton5557 I wanted to get something used but every car was such bad value used. So I ordered one waited and picked it up at MSRP. 31 isn’t bad for a new car let alone a truck/crossover but 37 is in big bronco territory.

[@jakes5530]

Nah fully loaded the Maverick is $37k, to get similar tech and interior features in the Ranger, you’d be looking at $45k. Apples to oranges… the Maverick is still significantly cheaper when similarly equipped.

[@TheRanscat]

I got mine with xl 4k towing awd 2.0 spray in bedliner Ford copilot 360 (includes power side mirrors for the xl) "full size" spare rear window and two USB ports and 120v outlet in the back seat for 27k I could have saved a good 1.5k if I saved on options.

[@BigGroupHug]

It boggles my mind that y'all don't use a OBD data logger to make sure you get the same data regardless of guage cluster style. Also get to see "power demand" according to the ECM among other figures. Put it on a tablet, you can export rhe video from the tablet as an overlay.

[@ocrapo9327]

Tell me your car backfires without telling me.

[@davidkutschke54]

15:16 nice to see a big empty pick up truck doing 70+ mph in a construction zone probably upset that this little Santa Cruz is doing more truck stuff than it.

[@shitloveaduck]

Thanks Nathan!! “Little Trucks or Little Pickups. Perfect!! Hahaha. I’m a rigid person sometimes, sorry about the crappy comments. They are little of a unique class of course. Little trucks!! I have one now!! A 2.0 AWD XLT with basically every option including the tow package, FX4, Sunroof, Luxury package, even the hard folding tonneau cover. It is quite impressive for a little truck. You would never be able to pull 4,000 lbs at 70+ mph in hilly terrain with the previous little trucks. I have towed just over 3600 lbs in 50 mph winds and hilly terrain (foothills of the mountains here in Alberta) and am impressed! I had a Ridgeline and wanted smaller still for when I go to the city, mostly because I can. I traded the Ridgeline I bought for $53,000 CAD before tax, I received a cheque for $11,000 CAD and a Maverick! Since the Ridgeline was already tax paid,mi didn’t have to pay taxes on the new truck!! Bonus! I loved the comfort of the Ridgeline, but am surprised by the comfort of the Maverick!! The Ridgeline is definitely better in almost every single aspect, of course, but I’m very happy with the Maverick. The Ridgeline’s biggest issue is the very high torque band. It’s definitely a nice truck though. Mine was levelled and riding on slightly larger and much more aggressive Falcons on the truck. It looked pretty nice! I will leave the Maverick stock.

[@shitloveaduck]

Hey Andrey!!!! Very nice having Nathan do all the work with the phone for timing, and testing the audio himself as well. VERY good change!! I really was waiting for this video!!! The results were mostly as expected. The Santa Cruz was definitely a surprise as quiet as it was!!!

[@EGGINFOOLS]

The Santa cruz also had the camera mirrors for the turn signals. I liked that.

[@palebeachbum]

Yeah that Santa Cruz costs more because you're getting more. It's a more premium vehicle than the Maverick. More features, better seats, better ride.

[@dantheman4life]

You guys always come through for us. Thanks for all you do and have a happy holiday guys!

[@TFLtruck]

Thank you for watching and the kind words! Happy Holidays!

[@freedomisntfree_44]

Merry Christmas

[@aaronbehindbars]

The Ridgeline would have held it's speed better down the mountain in S mode. I'd say it went pretty well for having no turbos which puts it at a bigger disadvantage at high elevation.

[@zerog2000]

I tow a 4400 lb travel trailer with a 2020 Ridgeline and it does tow better in S, especially in hilly areas. S mode wants to hold shifts longer which is better for up & down grades.

[@aaronchristianson]

I tow a 28 foot camper that’s at the Ridgeline’s max rating. I turn off eco mode and drive in Sport mode. No issues.

[@christianbenedict5136]

Totally agree

[@zhencaizan6663]

中文翻译

[@georgea6403]

@@zerog2000do you use eco when on level roads?

[@Whalerguy]

I finally got my Maverick in and I have to say so far I'm very happy with it. I haven't had a chance to tow with it yet but having the brake controller built in makes a huge difference IMHO as you don't have something bolted to the dash every day for the times you want to tow. I absolutely love the placement of the receiver as well that is worth a lot to me.

[@joeypts]

Thinking of getting one myself. Can I ask if you still like it and if you’d recommend?

[@Whalerguy]

@@joeypts I do. We have both a gas and hybrid and both are excellent. The hybrid gets crazy good mileage.

[@stephenzerfas5307]

I totally agree on the TBC. Having the hitch from the factory, also great. Less brake applications are going to reduce heat and wear. Saving over $4k is a lot to me. Tow/haul mode. Enjoy your Maverick.

[@saltyspades7493]

this hill is definitely a good test. can't wait to see the winter tests when the snow drops!

[@marks6072]

I like the way you guys are not afraid to stir-fry a few transmissions during your road tests!!!

[@ocrapo9327]

lmao

[@nemavezee]

Ridgeline would toe much better with transmission in sport mode. Would like to see if that helps.

[@MeliorIlle]

tow

[@dean_carries5940]

"V-tech kicked in yo!!" 🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@crimsonzorro]

Thanks for the Great Content! Nathan crushed that Sinclair Ad Read! Nice job dude.

[@TFLtruck]

Oh yea!

[@x_ghost_x6612]

Test drove the Santa Cruz and i fell in love with it. This was an awesome test and I encourage anyone interested in any of these two vehicles to drive the Santa Cruz.

[@W_T.F]

The Santa Cruz is definitely the most comfortable car I've ever driven.

[@DavidPopowich]

Love my 2017 Ridgeline! Great ride, good towing and cargo capacity. Ticks all the boxes for me. And much roomier than the other two.

[@syazwanchawan8779]

That Ridgeline looks so sick!

[@JohnConnor636]

That Ford was getting pretty hot near the end.

[@njhampster]

I like the Maverick but it's obvious the real winner here is the Honda Ridgeline. Larger, more powerful, and comparable in price.

[@smokeyj3983]

The video I've been waiting for. I wanted to see how the Maverick handled ike. Thanks guys.

[@ianberry5562]

Love this no bs data driven review process!

[@gotchagoing8843]

I love the Nathan and Andre show...always full of good info, and some good humor to boot. My pick is the Maverick-hands down. If I wanted a 'car like' ride, I would have owned a car. But I love trucks, and I am waiting on a build date for MY Maverick Lariat/max tow/FX4. AND, it's the same color as the test vehicle, Red Hot Pepper. Hell yeah...thank you tfl.

[@bechtoea]

I understand your point but what I am curious about is, if the truck like ride and feel is what you are after, are you really the customer for the Maverick, or are you going to go get a Ranger anyway?

[@billchesney8949]

Better ask for an extra radiator to keep it cool

[@boatdesigner12]

I own a Mexican Ford, never again. Remember, you vote with your wallet. So don't blame the politicians because you're the problem like i was. Only American made for me from now on. Hyundai or Honda. Screw Ford.

[@andrewb1064]

@@bechtoea right, I really don't understand the Maverick's appeal but apparently I am in the minority...

[@gotchagoing8843]

@@bechtoea I have a 2019 Lariat/FX4/max tow. For the past year, it has become increasingly difficult to get in and out of it. I have a spine that is held together with titanium rods, bolts/plates etc, and I have Parkinson's. I have driven the Maverick FX4, and found it to be easy for me to get in and out of, it's comfortable for me. So I ordered a Maverick/Lariat/Lariat lux pkg/max tow/FX4 back in October. Waiting on a build date now...

[@brad3139]

16:17 those blinker gauges on the Santa Cruz are really clever!

[@michaelcrouch4248]

Great reviews, and the only place where I enjoy the commercials, specifically the ones the TFL guys do 👍. Companies are missing the boat if they don’t use you guys to do commercials for them.

[@kennithandirsen7184]

You guys rock! Very thorough and informative! Thanks!

[@GIGABACHI]

That Maverick got TOO HOT 🔥 for comfort, IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER. 😳 Had the towing continued for any longer and it would have overheated.💩👎

[@sergiosolis4538]

For years the Ridgeline has been criticized for not being a "real truck" right along with the El Camino and the Ranchero. The question will be if the Santa Cruz and the Maverick will share in the criticism, since they're comparing themselves to the Ridgeline? Keep up the great work guys. 👍

[@marklion315]

@J. Dns Ridgeline was always marketed as mid size, it competes well against Tacoma trim for trim on road ofcourse.

[@plmn93]

The Maverick is what people expect in a unibody truck. Cheap, economical, and still looks like a truck. That's why it's been so successful while the Ridgeline has been a sales dud for nearly 20 years now.

[@jaydoingstuffandthings6635]

I just picked my 2022 Maverick up, XLT with FX4 package and towing package for 27k and I LOVE IT! 32 mpg on the highway as well.

[@jerryroberts7280]

Another great video guys. Thanks for the test.

[@fokuz02]

I'm still here happy I made my 2021 Ridgeline purchase. If I had to choose between these three, I would still choose my regular gas drinking J35 RL.

[@lutomson3496]

That engine will last the longest also

[@jayw900]

The maverick can also use 87

[@rcr-zt4of]

I bought a Ridgeline but the Santa Cruz and Maverick both use 87.

[@miaatch1]

the maverick bumped up one more temp right after you said that. it was only 1 tick away from the red zone. That motor was working HARD!!!

[@fubarmedic4222]

I think you will see more of these compact/midsize unibody trucks. More folks want one of these trucks for the bed for DIY reasons but want the space, fuel economy and ride of an suv. Imagine how much more huge the “truck” market will get if you had a choice between payload and ride vs off road and towing. 5k towing and 1500+ lbs of payload with an suv ride would be enough for 6/10 truck buyers. And the solid axle body on frame 4x4 would satisfy 4/10 needs. Perfect combo.

[@ChadHargis]

The Ridgeline is wired for a brake controller. The wiring harness is included from the factory in the glove compartment. It's a simple hook up to any standard brake controller. Then you simply plug it into the connector found under the dash by the parking brake.

[@markgosser9578]

I want a stock brake controller and Ford has the best when it comes to towing. Honda knows zero when it comes to towing! Correct me if I’m wrong.

[@specialopsdave]

@@markgosser9578 They know enough to tow 4K pounds, at least

[@doubled8247]

@@markgosser9578 Honda actually knows a lot about towing. It can actually tow what it says it can even with passengers. The owners manual is the only one that breaks down what you can tow with how much cargo and people in truck and Honda knows that 5,000 lbs towing at 13% tongue weight is 650lbs so that’s what their hitch is rated at.

[@csh000]

@@doubled8247 finding tongue weight above 10% the towing rating is getting harder to find. 10%-15% is the recommended tongue weight of travel trailers.

[@zerog2000]

@@doubled8247 not sure where you got 650 Ridgeline has Class 3 hitch, which is 600/6000 Payload is around 1500 depending upon trim level, so unless you are limited by payload because you have loaded the cab and/or bed, 600 is supposed to be your max tongue. I tow a 4400 lb travel trailer with about 12-13 % tongue weight and it handles well, but putting any more on it would push it over limits. Yes it could handle more, but I won’t because I’d be cutting into my safety margins, which isn’t wise. (I have also looked at Both front & rear GAWR, and total GCVWR by pulling the rig over scales, which anyone getting close to max payload and/or tow rating should be doing. Supposedly Andre is CDL so he knows better. A bit surprised TFL team doesn’t actually do this, or capture actual metrics from OBD as others have mentioned. It’s just some light fun testing they are doing. Nothing scientific or objective here.

[@lllateralus]

27:37 that Maverick coolant temp bumped up ANOTHER mark.. and was very close to the red. Cmoooon. That sucks.

[@diegovn]

THAT!

[@drewthompson7457]

And the 4K yow package includes extra engine and transmission cooling...

[@sicilianr1]

Already have a 7.3 so went with the Santa Cruz and so far I love it. Trans takes a bit to get used too, but for day to day driving when I don’t need to haul a skid steer or heavier… great little comfy truck. On the highway with cruise I get around 32-33mpg with it so I can’t complain to much over the 15-16 I get in the 7.3. I do think the limited model should have power folding mirrors, power passenger seat and memory seats too. Aside from that… throw an intake on and whoosh whoosh all the way home. 🤣😂

[@Bob-tn2yz]

No power passenger seat on the limited kinda blows my mind

[@lanceripplinger8352]

Merry Christmas TFL crew!

[@freedomisntfree_44]

Good video once again🤙🏽Merry Christmas

[@mcrn12]

The temp rising like that on the Maverick is concerning.

[@zacharyzoeller5214]

Yeah right before it cut away at 27:37 it's close to Hot, note the outside temperature is 46F. If you are close to max towing on a hot day in the mountains I'd be worried.

[@NWI_Steel]

I did not see that. Good catch!

[@robertsn6584]

Keep in mind it was only 40 degrees. Summer. It would of been real interesting

[@EmotionalTree]

Or it is more honest than the other 2. They didn't have obd readings to confirm. I've had my own car read 225-230f going through Arizona at 110f but the gauge didn't move.

[@chiemekaa]

I'm looking forward to the R1T on the Ike to see if it lives up to the towing hype.

[@03centgt_]

I’d like to see these two get tested in the summer time when it’s hot. It appeared to me like the maverick got really close to getting hot right before the end of the hill. In 45’ weather it makes you wonder if it can really pull 4K pounds up a steep grade like the Ike. Love the videos guys. Keep up the great work!

[@jakes5530]

Good point, I’d be interested to see that too

[@awesomearizona-dino]

Good point Jorge, i think both will run hot towing in summer, AND will make far less power as well. My 2.3 Ranger makes great power in cool weather, in 105 degrees, i have to use 3/4 throttle much of the time.

[@Whalerguy]

I bet both run hot being boosted engines but I know the Mav is at the edge in cooling capacity as the tuners are having to swap out for a bigger intercooler to get any meaningful gains.

[@TWX1138]

I'd also like to see transmission temperature monitoried. It's one thing to tow once, but it's quite another if the transmission's life is significantly shortened or if it requires significantly more regular service. It may be possible to monitor it with a sufficiently advanced CANBUS device, if the codes are known and the device can interpret. Otherwise it might require putting a sensor in place of a plug on the side of the transmission itself and recording the data the old fashioned way.

[@TurboAdam]

Ford recommended de-rating the towing on the F-150 due to the high altitude, did they recommend the same on the Maverick?

[@F4izzle]

I regularly tow my 88 4Runner on a 16ft steel deck trailer with my 2020 Ridgeline and it does great.

[@MrFordguy73]

Been watching your Ike Gauntlet challenges for a while, I think you should time the acceleration from 35 to 60, that way it would be more objective as far as the acceleration goes

[@JohnLee-db9zt]

Santa Cruz wins in my book. It has much more comfortable ride, lower noise, better fuel economy, and higher towing capacity. The Maverick was stressed to the max and nearly overheated in 46 degree weather.

[@CanadianMax]

Agreed.

[@0HOON0]

Add a hot summer day to the mix and the Maverick would have been in limp mode trying to finish the climb.

[@KyleEbright]

It's also about $5,000 more than the maverick, which is important to note.

[@martincadenas5839]

Long term reliability is probably ass

[@JohnLee-db9zt]

@@martincadenas5839 Your grasp of the English language is just 🤌🏻.

[@thekat9593]

The “manscape” (elbow room) in the Ridgeline is a big advantage if you don’t like rubbing with each other bumping along the road of life.🎉🎉😂❤

[@westtrumpet7]

you guys should do an classic compact truck towing test! that would be sweet!! like 80s, 90s, and 00's compact pickups! :)

[@NatesHomeTours]

27:36 That Maverick is almost overheated. That is not good. If you would have had to go any farther I think you would be pulling over to cool off.

[@billchesney8949]

I agree

[@ocrapo9327]

Wow dude I don't know what video you watched or mechanic you listened to. The gauge shows the temp being in the middle or 1 notch over to warm. As long as you're not in the red there is no need to stop. If youre in the white you're in the normal.

[@ocrapo9327]

@@billchesney8949 I don't agree

[@NatesHomeTours]

@@ocrapo9327 Looking at it more closely I missed the bars at the top. I only saw the line at the bottom

[@billchesney8949]

@@ocrapo9327 One more bar and it would be in the red

[@cesarpalmos8235]

Id take the ford (not that trim) because you can get the XLT with Fx4, 4k tow package, Turbo 2.0L Ecoboost with a Sunroof and gets better MPG (unloaded) than the Santa Cruz for $29,279. That's how I optioned mine.

[@jammcguire1276]

Where are u getting them for that price?

[@cesarpalmos8235]

@@jammcguire1276 You can't get that price anymore. The same truck today is 34k. That price was at the launch of the Maverick, when the base model was $19,995. I regret not going through with my order. The dealerships are still marking up these trucks.

[@jpaulparker]

Very useful comparison test. Well done guys.

[@rene7636]

Very good test! Thanks guys.

[@jasonpaiva4793]

Well done 👏, The Honda Ridgeline was my first choice for a new vehicle but it doesn't have a Dedicated 2 speed transfer case. waiting on a 22 Tacoma TRD Off-Road

[@Utubesuperstar]

Buy a ranger it’s better than both

[@Gene1969]

Great review guys! Both pickups are wonderful. It's going to boil down to personality. Which do you prefer? I pick the Maverick because its more truck like.

[@ianberry5562]

I’ve heard the Maverick described as a car like truck and the Santa Cruz as a truck like car couldn’t agree more.

[@WhoThisGuy515]

I wouldn't mind a Maverick but i'd put a lot of highway miles on it so comfort is a big one for me. But I have a 3/4 Ford for truck stuff so I'd have a Cruz over the Maverick, plus i do like the styling of the Cruz more.

[@robertsn6584]

More truck like ??? You know the hyundai can tow 1000 pounds more right ???

[@Gene1969]

@@robertsn6584 I was speaking about their personalities.

[@tri3pleagent]

@@robertsn6584 yet it doesn't come with brake controllers from the factory 🧐

[@waynekorzan2496]

Great video! I am so glad to be able to watch your video's again. The Tommy ones forced me to find other sources for content. Thank you so much for taking him off the channel. Thanks again I love your stuff. I believe i will re subscribe. 😀

[@P51]

Ford

[@williammorgan5032]

My new 2022 Ridgeline tows the best when I put the transmission in "S" mode. It holds great going downhill on the cruise control too.

[@allenstuck2861]

Junk

[@dalefrolander3583]

@@allenstuck2861you think a Ford or Hyundai are more reliable than a Honda....smh.

[@NWI_Steel]

What does your husband drive?

[@eddiepeele9810]

What do you tow with it? Weight?

[@herewegoagain7403]

27:37 wow the Maverick is getting a lot of heat soak. look at the coolant temp skyrocket... and require premium fuel? Santa Cruz def won

[@ShersGarage]

Maverick does not require premium fuel. You can use it for more power.

[@hakkai153]

I'm all for the Maverick but I did notice that it started to heat up at the end there.

[@oogleboogle123456789]

just curious but did the other two even have a gage to look at the temp with?

[@kacyharper8142]

oogleboogle yes they did, both managed to stay below half way.

[@W_T.F]

@@ShersGarage Read the manual for the Maverick. It recommends premium for towing heavy loads. It also warns you to listen for engine knock if using regular, which is just a way of saying it was designed for premium.

[@hakkai153]

I like every video with the Maverick, especially the Hybrid.

[@jolenebarrow1450]

Thank you! I bought my 23 Santa Cruz to tow my Jayco and this video proved I made the right decision!

[@Ammondude]

Another great TFL video! I've really enjoyed the Maverick content!

[@AlexLepoutre]

Great video! I love these sorts of comparisons. I do wonder if the Cruz would’ve performed even better, both uphill and downhill, if it was kept in Sport mode instead of Smart mode. I’ve noticed Sport keeps the revs hanging higher and longer, which really help with engine brake and torque when towing my camper. Also, was the squat measurement on the Cruz done before or after the self-leveling suspension had time to do its thing?

[@rusty383]

I Absolutely love the Self adjusting Shocks are Awesome.

[@TheSingleTrucker]

Maverick performed better with less cu. In. And towed better. Santa Cruz was comfortable and did not outperform a .5 ltr engine smaller. Great ep guys!

[@diegovn]

Maverick's engine overheating is a RED flag!

[@kidamere2408]

it didnt overheat

[@jakes5530]

Christmas came early this year - well done gents. Of the 3 I’d pick the Maverick. Like Andre said, it’s way more trucky than the other two, and significantly cheaper when similarly equipped. With the SC, besides being worse at brake applications, Nathan’s thoughts on the dual clutch is another reason I’d be hesitant to choose it over the Maverick.

[@gwpeoples]

Well it's also a Ford. And I've owned Fords. If you want to take out a college loan amount of debt to own one... you can! I just hope you get to use it for the amount of time you can afford to pay back the loan. (Hint: In the 70,000+ miles you might see some high repair bills).

[@Argedis]

@@gwpeoples Yeah when they said the Maverick was $37k that blew my mind. Ford is laughing their way to the bank.

[@lesterparker1594]

@@gwpeoples funny, I’ve owned 2 cheap fords, wife had 1. My 2 made it to 200k with zero issues. Wife’s made it to 150k and I had to replace the throttle body. Cost $40 and 15 minutes. My buddys 2020 trailboss just had the engine rebuilt. Give me Ford over GM any day

[@ocrapo9327]

@@Argedis When they said the maverick was 19.9k that blew my mind. I am thanking ford all the way to my next destination.

[@Argedis]

@@ocrapo9327 Ford is charging a ridiculous $1,500 destination fee so it's not actually $20k. They are laughing at all the suckers calling it $20k because that's exactly what they wanted. Speedkar99 did a in depth mechanical review on the new Escape (which the Maverick is based on) and it's built EXTREMELY cheap... There's a reason why it's cheap

[@Eddie211979]

Awesome video. You guys should do an old vs new ike gauntlet. test older trucks from the early 2000 and late 90's to see how they compare to the new trucks

[@bertito43]

Awesome comparison! Can you guys do the same but with the base models?

[@marky1b]

The Ridgeline is also pre-wired for a trailer brake controller.

[@Austin-iq7ds]

Very interesting the Maverick was pretty close it seems to getting a coolant overtemp warning/derating the power. If it’s 80 degrees, I see it getting to that zone…

[@0HOON0]

Colorado had some scorching hot weather early in the summer last year. The Maverick would have overheated.

[@isaac198428]

Yes the Maverick would definitely overheat in the Summer and having a turbo charger doesn't help. It's funny how they made a towing option yet very limited on what it can actually tow without getting all heated up.

[@j.f.562]

Great videos guys, thank you!

[@willywonka521]

I'd like to see ALOT more testing with base xl & xlt mavericks please

[@bechtoea]

Ford brought out the Maverick with price being the primary objective. What they have found out, especially on the higher capability models and higher trims, is that people will throw Ranger or even F-150 money at a Maverick if it's worthy. I know, for example, I'd pay that $4000 more for Santa Cruz level refinement. So yeah, put the engine cover on it, make the seats more substantial, and charge me more. And I think they will. I do predict the 2 year Maverick refresh will have some more equipment for the XL at an entry price of around $23K, and with each model, the equipment and refinement will increase as will the prices.

[@timshelby2324]

Thanks for doing this , I am 100% getting the Honda Ridgeline now .

[@chuckd7423]

I like the Ridgeline and would consider it if it wasn't a few inches too long to fit into my garage bay without tearing out my full width workbench and storage cabinets in the front of the garage. I'm not interested in tearing out the garage built-ins, and am not going to buy a new vehicle that I have to park out in the driveway while leaving a perfectly good garage bay empty. The Maverick and SC will both fit in the garage, and they'll both do all the things I need a truck for, while coming in at a cheaper price than a comparably equipped Ridgeline.

[@txp-tuff4358]

I'm a big Ridgeline fan. Does everything well. Might go with a Santa Cruz in a few years IF 1) It gets a few better MPG or more over the Ridgeline in everyday driving AND 2) there aren't issue with the engine or transmission, which seem to dog Hyundai for decades. Don't mind the small recalls, but when there are recalls for engines packing it in and fires...then I'll stay with the Ridgeline with it's great J-series engine and (now) reliable 9-speed.

[@anthonyzhang4918]

The Maverick is amazing. I still gotta go with a Ranger since I need the 7500lb capacity but still, the maverick doesn’t cease to amaze.

[@cyclesingsleep]

That Citreon is gorgeous!

[@mikefoehr235]

I would like to wish all at TFL A Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 and a Happy New Year 🇨🇦🥂🍻🍺🍾

[@Kevin-hp5fk]

I love the realisation he has when the Mav gets to the top of the hill. "Is that the same as the Santa Cruz?!?". Yes, if you drive an equal distance in two vehicles at the same speed, on the same surface, you'll cover that distance in the same amount of time.

[@spyder000069]

What you are missing is the account for the initial acceleration to the speed limit and whether it maintains that speed the whole time. Either can affect the overall time. In many of these tests the vehicle is sluggish to the speed limit (where more gears may have an advantage) or not enough reserve power and it requires it to be floored the whole time (also dinging the sound measurement test).

[@coltallman854]

So I've never requested anything.. I think something we all would love to see would you to floor it on the steepest part to see what the vehicle has left in it. Since the Honda was all out.. what about the Santa Cruz. And Maverick. I'm just getting to the Maverick part in this video. BUT would LOVE to see a small section of what the vehicle had left in it to give around the steeper part!

[@javilink7]

It seems like the Maverick was about to overheat right at the end of the video. That is not safe at all.

[@jg8263]

You guys know the Honda has a plug under the dash for a normal aftermarket brake controller, and includes a wiring harness and fuse for that in the glove box. Just saying, you took the roundabout solution.

[@fritty9927]

Really enjoyed the video guys.

[@JRs-guitars]

Great video. As much as I dont like Hondas I'm digging the newer Ridgelines. Towing with that in Sport mode probably would've made more sense.

[@chrismatheny4957]

Nice video comparing two of the hottest vehicles on the market right now. I have a question regarding the Santa Cruz. With the self leveling rear shocks, do you all drive around a bit to give the shocks a chance to level out or do you take your measurements for squat as soon as you hook up the trailer? I thought you had to drive a bit to give the self leveling shocks a chance to level out. I'm really looking forward to you getting to test a Santa Cruz model with the naturally aspirated 2.5 engine.

[@douglasmartin5253]

I feel like these cars are like the apple/android battle. It comes down to personal preference. You said best at the end and it’s exactly what I’ve been saying. Do you want something that is more like a car or a truck? Great review.

[@owendodman3037]

One of the best fuel ads I've seen haha, thanks nate

[@stephen1991]

A very good comparison, and I don’t even tow. The S C works best for me.

[@mattgrov9068]

Congrats on the Sinclair sponsorship guys!

[@fabulousoffroaddesigns5080]

I also don't feel it's good practice to take off points based on the fuel mileage stated on the dash without verifying it was accurate.

[@ibuiltmineo1oo]

I like the new Sinclair gas all around us in this area. Even the refinery in Cheyenne now has a huge dinosaur painted on the big tank by the road. Good advertisement!

[@alexsharek6788]

Can you guys do SUV tow tests also, it would be great to know how well some SUVs will perform Like Pilot and GX along with anything that comes with a factory hitch.

[@vtsean5840]

Thank you Andre and Nathan! I have been waiting for this and I think the Ridgeline was exactly the right comparison truck. The Santa Cruz and Maverick are basically giving us a vehicle in the same vein as the G1 Ridgeline Honda introduced in 2006. Except this time, lots of people are interested in this kind of vehicle. I agree with Nathan's call and I think the Hyundai's 1000 lbs. of extra capacity is important. I need 4500 lbs. towing myself so that 5K limit is key. Do you have any observations on how stable each truck felt (with the trailer) in normal driving?

[@ocrapo9327]

I'd get a bigger truck if you're towing the max all the time.

[@vtsean5840]

@@ocrapo9327Towing all the time, I agree and I've had bigger trucks for that. But the 5000 lb. limit is great for bringing the right size boat back and forth to its seasonal mooring.