Is the Ford Maverick Too Small? (Full Podcast Episode)

The Ford Maverick is tiny. But is it too small to be useful? Lets find out.
Videos mentioned in the episode linked here:
Ford Maverick Interior Space Test: • Do Child Car Seats Fit...
Ford Maverick Bed Tools Test: • Will All My Constructi...

[@christopherpardell4418]

The Maverick is perfect. Frankly, when you have a larger bed you just don’t generally USE it, and a 12’ ladder won’t fit in a full sized bed either. If you need to regularly carry long stuff, you buy a bed rack that adjusts higher than the cab, and put one or two rack bars on the cab and you have a ladder rack that will carry long material. The bed of the Maverick is well designed for carrying 4x8 sheet goods with its tailgate offering support in the middle position, and I cut a couple 2X6s to fit in the bed notches to provide additional support between the wheel wells. If you have the eco-boost turbo, it really can carry as much weight as an F-150 and you don’t even feel it. 1500 lbs of plaster fills the bed just about level, so they figured the volume based on the load capacity. And I have regularly carried 5 full grown adults in the Mav and no one is particularly uncomfortable. I got the rear sliding window, which allows me to carry 10 foot lengths of conduit or PVC or lumber with their far end tucked down into the passenger side wheel well, as long as I am not needing too many of them. ( I made a wooden support bracket that fits behind the middle headrest so anything I slide thru the rear window isn;t resting on the actual glass.) And the way Ford got so much interior room is they opted to make it unibody, rather than body on frame construction. When I ordered mine I initially ordered swing out bed storage box, figuring I would need it for stuff I wanted to carry since I was not gonna have a tonneau cover. But it was back ordered when I got my Mav, only to discover that the underseat storage was more than ample for everything i want to carry everyday in the truck. So, no, its not a heavy duty contractor’s truck. But its absolutely as much truck as the vast majority of people need, including most contractors. And, again, mine was HALF the cost of a similarly equipped F-150. The only thing the F-150 offered was higher towing capacity, and higher fuel costs and a harder time parking.

[@brendandrives]

Yeah I wondered if the sliding window would allow for longer material! Glad you’ve proved that use case!

[@erichurst2496]

I've got 900 miles on my 23 Hybrid. 39.5 mpg, was just looking for a cheap truck. I'm 50 with a wife and 2 dogs, the kids are on their own. So far it seems perfect for my needs.

[@brendandrives]

Eric I’m jealous

[@craigcraigster5605]

I traded in my GMC Canyon for a mav hybrid. Mav has more passenger room and the bed in basically 7inches shorter. Maverick is great for most of us. Look when your on the road did you notice how many pickups have nothing in their bed?

[@brendandrives]

True!

[@dennislyon5412]

Totally agree - I’m not a truck person, so driving an F150 - no way. Maverick has a nice size payload plus room for 4 adults inside, and lots of stuff available to make it interesting. Hybrid engine gets over 40 mpg around town, which is more than double what a bigger truck would get. Freeway driving is over 30 mpg with either engine.

[@brendandrives]

Yeah it’s hard not to like! I bet a lot of people could save money on a bigger SUV if they got a Maverick….if there were enough to go around!

[@dennislyon5412]

@@brendandrives - they will add a 3rd shift at the Hermosillo plant this summer, plus more hybrid engines added to the mix too.

[@johnbaber9660]

No just a small bed is all thats needed

[@jasonthamos69]

It is not too small at all

[@brendandrives]

Agreed! Do you have one Jason?

[@scottpetersen8386]

The biggest thing I will ever haul,mower,snowblower, I am retired,it's perfect for me

[@margaretritter5682]

Makes me want to buy one. But I really love a rancharo. Car truck

[@brendandrives]

They still have those types of cars in Australia! Utes!

[@tyyw10]

I’ve been looking at the maverick for a while but it’s just impossible to justify the used prices to me and I don’t want to wait an entire year if I can get into the order banks

[@brendandrives]

True, pay too much or wait too long! The only other option I’ve seen is grabbing someone order once it comes in but you’ve got to find a dealer who doesn’t charge markup

[@it1988a]

Get a Pinto, Maverick, Mustang 2 but brother, get a horse!

[@brendandrives]

If ford brought back the pinto what kind of vehicle would it be in 2024?

[@fernandoformeloza4107]

Ranger has more ground clearance, you lose cabin space that way

[@brendandrives]

Ooh good point!!

[@jasonthamos69]

It is not a work truck

[@brendandrives]

We shall see once I get mine!

[@libgayman]

I disagree. The truck should be the size of the old ranger not larger. Trucks are growing in size every year and not everyone wants the huge size.

[@brendandrives]

You think the Maverick is too small? Understandable if so, it’s not huge

[@johnnyfreeman1018]

Why can't they just make trucks anymore?.....just nice regular trucks......

[@brendandrives]

F150 and Ranger are nice and regular? Seem pretty centered on the demographic to me. Maverick is the weird one

[@jeremyhall4440]

The ranger is smaller inside. I had a 19'. Have a Maverick now. I'm 6'3". What kind of sorcery is this?😂. I have way more room in the maverick

[@brendandrives]

Isn’t that crazy and illogical!?

[@bruceburns1672]

What a dumb question, if it is too small for your needs go and buy a F150, issue solved, another First World problem solved, next please.

[@brendandrives]

Thanks for watching Bruce!

[@Its_YourImagination]

why not get a small flat bed trailer?....use that 3 times a year when need.

[@brendandrives]

Definitely an option! Renting a larger truck is also viable

[@SocialDem86]

Bed space doesn't bother me. Main thing I'll be hauling will be my mountain bike so, no sweat. My issue is the interior space. Will I fit? Sure, but it wont feel spacious. I sat in one and it felt a little cramped.

[@brendandrives]

One man’s cramped is another man’s comfy 😆 Do you have one now? Or still shopping?

[@SocialDem86]

@@brendandrives I have an XLT Hybrid w/Lux and BAP on order.

[@stevenmoney7581]

I don't own a maverick yet at 66 years of age in real good shape sorta getting tired of hopping up to get in my 2016 regular cab sport ram 1500 hunderd with 33 inch tires 20 inch rims super nice pickup but gets old after a day working with exacator in the back country 10 hour shifts fixing the old logging roads looked at a buddy of mine ,has a maveriick hes a professional hand faller in the logging buisness got rid of his junky eco disel canyon got the little maverik ,hasnt looked back loved the gas mileage the ride and said becouse its smaller he can get around pretty good even on our steep and irregular road plowing in the dead of winter said it woked fine with 300lbs of weight in the back

[@brendandrives]

Sounds like it could be a good fit! Especially the AWD version