Is The Base Ford Maverick Hybrid Still Worth It At $29,840? Let’s Find Out

When a car manufacturer wants journalists to test its latest product, it usually hands over the keys to the most expensive, most gadget-laden trim. This normally makes sense, as that version comes with all the toys, and everyone loves those, but there are two problems with this. Firstly, most actual people don’t buy the most expensive version of their new car available. Secondly, there are cars that have historically traded on price more than gizmos — vehicles like the Ford Maverick. As such, it was refreshing to see Ford offer up the latest base model Maverick, especially since it’s a bit of a risky move.

See, the cheapest Ford Maverick is now $8,350 more expensive than it was when it launched, an increase of nearly 39 percent in just four years (with inflation factored in, it’s more like $4500 more expensive — or just under 20% more). That’s an astronomical jump at this end of the market, so I grabbed the keys to the new base model Maverick to find out if it’s still worth it.

[Full disclosure: Ford Canada let me borrow this Maverick XL Hybrid for a week so long as I kept the shiny side up, returned it with a full tank of fuel, and reviewed it.]

The Basics

Engine: 2.5-liter naturally aspirated twin-cam Atkinson cycle inline-four.

Battery: 1.1 kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion pack.

Transmission: Power-split eCVT with two integral electric motors and planetary gearset.

Drive: Front-wheel-drive, open differential.

Output: 191 combined horsepower.

Fuel Economy: 42 MPG city, 35 MPG highway, 38 MPG combined (5.6 L/100km city, 6.7 L/100km highway, 6.2 L/100km combined).

Body style: Compact unibody crew cab pickup truck.

Base price: $29,840 including freight ($36,995 in Canada).

Price as-tested: $31,060 including freight ($38,845 in Canada).

Why Does It Exist?

When Ford unveiled the Maverick pickup truck in 2021, it broke the system. Here was a $21,490 including freight hybrid pickup truck with the fuel economy of a small car, five seats, and a proper place for messy items. The backlog was tremendous, the hype was spectacular, and guess what? It lived up to those immediate expectation. However, it’s been four years since that moment, and not only has pricing risen dramatically, Ford has given its least expensive pickup truck a round of light updates to keep things fresh for 2025.

How Does It Look?

Mid-cycle updates are often referred to as facelifts and, well, the Maverick’s received just that. I’m still not entirely sure how to feel about the new caret-shaped headlights, but I actually reckon Ford’s new flat design emblem is one of the few in this style that actually works. Here’s the front of the old Maverick, for reference:

The black backing feels like a nod to the Model T, while the satin wordmark feels old-school rather than reductionist. Otherwise, this is basically the same Maverick we’ve loved for the past four years. Same rear bumper, same profile, same taillights, the works. Ford didn’t have to mess with much, and that’s easy to appreciate. Not only does it keep costs low, it should make finding, say, a replacement rear bumper easy in 15 years’ time.

Also, I know the bed of the Maverick has been talked about ad nauseam at this point, but I do want to give a shoutout to how it’s well-packaged. From the two-position tailgate that lets you load sheets of building material flat across the top of the wheel wells with support at the end to carve-outs for homemade dividers and tie-downs made from scrap lumber, this thing’s a DIY-er’s dream.

What About The Interior?

As many industry veterans will tell you, making a good inexpensive car is often excruciatingly hard. Margins are razor-thin, everything is cost-managed, and adding niceness without ballooning the price tag usually involves clever thinking. Sit yourself down in the cheapest Ford Maverick you can buy, and it doesn’t take long to see where Ford has used its imagination to lift the mood. Seemingly every surface is clad in the sort of  durable, hardwearing plastics you’d expect in an entry level truck, but not only has Ford’s CMF team grained them tightly, the majority of interior plastics are an interesting navy blue that looks rich rather than dour. The door cards have space carved out for oversized Nalgene bottles, the storage tray in the console lifts out for easy cleaning, it all adds up to a cabin that feels cheap and cheerful, not cheap and penalizing.

Indeed, it seems like a bulk of the cabin money has been spent on the seats of the Maverick because they are genuinely big car comfortable, a cut above what you typically get in the cheapest hybrids on the market. Soft yet supportive, with just the right amount of squish, most people could easily spend all day in these thrones. The rear seat cushions are similarly comfortable, and rear seat space is similar to what you get in many two-row crossovers. Plus, the rear seat squab lifts up to reveal hidden storage underneath. Nice.

How Does It Drive?

Twisting the key of the 2025 Maverick XL Hybrid (yes, there’s an old-fashioned key) and rotating the gear selector into drive, it doesn’t take long to notice a pleasing mixture of car-like agility and truck-like solidity. Quick, accurate steering with some actual feedback over camber changes in the road pairs with a ride that, while slightly firm around town, smooths out nicely on the freeway or with some load in the back. There really is a sense of nimbleness to the Maverick, which means it’s not a huge adjustment compared to driving a mainstream sedan. Sure, the Atkinson-cycle engine can sound like it’s on its third pack of Benson’s in 24 hours at times, but this small truck never really feels slow, and you do actually have to manage torque off the line.

Ah yes, the compromise of two driven wheels. In addition to occasionally serving up hilarious ’70s TV cop chase noises, it does limit the Maverick to just 2,000 pounds of towing capacity, even though it gets the same stouter HF55 transaxle as the all-wheel-drive hybrid model. However, on the plus side, it’s $2,800 less expensive than the all-wheel-drive hybrid setup, and it does serve up outstanding real-world fuel economy. Over a week of real-world driving, I averaged 44 MPG, blowing the EPA combined figure out of the water. I expect all-wheel-drive hybrid fuel economy to be similar, but for most drivers, front-wheel-drive will do the trick just fine.

Does It Have The Electronic Crap I Want?

Twenty years ago, in this sort of segment, the base-model Maverick would’ve been essentially loaded. We’re talking power windows, power locks, automatic climate control, a digital trip computer, high-performance lighting, the works. With the facelifted model, you even get some features you wouldn’t have found in a base 2022 Maverick like cruise control. The big story here is the new 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system running fresh software, serving up slicker operation and greater stability than the old Sync3 infotainment system, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

As Ford has given, Ford has also taken away, and I’m not just talking about the storage cubby next to the screen on pre-facelift models. Aside from a quick key for windscreen defogging, physical climate controls are gone, moved almost entirely into the touchscreen. This makes quick adjustment on-the-go fiddlier than it needs to be, in the event set-and-forget automatic mode doesn’t prove up to the task. On the plus side, the four-speaker stereo is perfectly listenable, with decent power and reasonable reproduction for this sort of money. The bar is low for cheap car stereos, and the base Maverick handily exceeds it.

Three Things To Know About The 2025 Ford Maverick XL Hybrid:

1. It’s now more expensive than a base Prius.
2. The transmission’s been beefed up for 2025.
3. The new infotainment system features Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Does It Fulfil Its Purpose?

When the Maverick launched at less than $22,000 including freight, it was an outstanding deal. However, at basically $30,000, there’s some real competition if you’re looking for an inexpensive hybrid. The obvious bogey is the 204-horsepower Honda Civic Sport Hybrid Hatchback. Sure, at $31,300, it’s a little bit more than a base Maverick, but you get loads more kit like a moonroof and heated seats, the refinement is through the roof, and cargo volume is serious. Add in an EPA rating of 50 MPG city, 45 MPG highway, and it’s easy to see why Honda holds the new benchmark in the circa-$30,000 hybrid segment.

Then again, if $30,000 is a hard stop for you, a Toyota Prius is certainly worth a look. It isn’t as practical as the Maverick or even the Civic Hatchback thanks to its plunging roofline, but it looks fabulous, is rated for even better fuel economy at 57 MPG city and 56 MPG highway, and starts at $29,545 including freight. Therein lies the rub—if you don’t have your heart set on a small pickup, the Maverick XL Hybrid is no longer the no-brainer it used to be.

But let’s be honest: Many people considering a Ford Maverick aren’t shopping for small cars; they want a cool crossover or truck that gets decent fuel economy and that lets you throw an engine or a bag of mulch or an entire pig in the back. And on that front, there still is nothing else quite like it. On form factor, the closest alternative is the $30,245 Hyundai Santa Cruz SE, and not only does that trucklet have a less usable bed, it also isn’t a hybrid.

What’s The Punctum Of The 2025 Ford Maverick XL Hybrid?

Still a decent deal, but not the screaming bargain it once was.

Top graphic credit: Thomas Hundal

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