The Ford Maverick has won plenty of fans, and that’s no surprise. It’s well-priced, has seating for five, and all the versatility you can poke a stick at—because it’s a truck! You can daily it, haul with it, and road-trip it thanks to its decent fuel economy. And now, we’re learning that it also does pretty okay at the track!
This week, I spoke to Virginia local Antonio Diaz. He’s the proud owner of a 2022 Ford Maverick XL. He didn’t plan to treat the compact truck like a sports car, but once he got it, everything just lined up. The Maverick would soon hit the track.
“I bought it originally as a daily driver truck, but I got some inspiration from other members of the Maverick Truck Club,” he explains. He was originally a Honda guy, but he soon decided his Maverick should join the party too. “Seeing how this truck handled motivated me to take it on the track and have fun with it,” he says. “It really impressed me.”
It might sound odd to take a truck out on track, but it’s not so crazy. What Antonio has is a vehicle with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive. That makes it practically the equivalent of an Evo or Eclipse! It’s a perfectly fitting drivetrain for track use, even if the body is an unconventional choice.
Modifying The Maverick With Purpose
Antonio couldn’t resist the urge to mod his truck for track duty. “I wanted to lower it and make it handle well,” he says. He hasn’t gone crazy with extraneous parts or a wild body kit, though. “Everything has a function on my build.”
His mod list is extensive, and well-chosen. Antonio’s Maverick rocks coilovers and rear custom camber arms he had made by a fellow member of the excellent Maverick Truck Club forum [Ed note: I’m an extreme lurker on the forum in spite of, uh, not owning one – MH]. He’s also thrown in an adjustable rear sway bar, along with EBC brake pads and slotted rotors.
For now, engine mods are light with just a custom-made catback exhaust system and cold air intake. He’s had the car dyno’d at 206 wheel horsepower, but he plans to pursue more power in the future. Antonio is also considering following the path set by another forum member by swapping in the 2.3-liter turbo donk from the Lincoln Corsair, good for 295 horsepower compared to 250 hp from the stock 2.0-liter EcoBoost. We previously featured that modification here.
Perhaps the coolest mod, though, is the paddle shifter setup for the eight-speed auto transmission. He achieved this by swapping in a European-sourced, paddle-equipped Fiesta ST steering wheel, though he notes the paddle wheels from an Escape or Bronco will also work. His instructions on how to perform the mod show it’s not the simplest job in the world, but his guide is a super handy tool for anyone eager to follow in his footsteps.
Antonio also nabbed another important component from other Fords, too. “I changed my seats to Ford Focus ST Recaros so they hug me around whenever I take it to the track,” he explains. Given his Maverick should be pulling more lateral Gs thanks to all his suspension mods, having some sportier seats certainly can’t hurt.
His most recent visit to a circuit was the Track Attack event at Dominion Raceway in Virginia. It was a pace event that didn’t require a helmet, as he was following other drivers. It’s a good starter event for exploring a vehicle on track without the pressure of other drivers roaring up behind at full steam.
Antonio’s Maverick is practical AND cool.
Antonio has already learned a thing or two about the platform’s strengths and weaknesses. “I strongly recommend that people install better brakes and brake fluids if taking it to the track, and better tires too,” he says. “The truck is really heavy, and they will get warm easily.” He also notes that he makes it a priority to change all the vehicle’s fluids before and after a visit to the track—especially those in the rear drive unit and all-wheel-drive system.
He notes that his Maverick handles well for the mods he’s done, but he’s also honest that it could be even better. “I kind of wish it was manual,” he says. “It would be better to drive and have better control of shift points.” Currently, he says it’s a little slow on the straights, but good around corners thanks in part due to the tire upgrade.
The photos are kind of amazing, as there’s a Maverick in a sea of Mustangs, Corvettes, Porsches, and an Elantra N. Those other cars are all better suited for a track, but somehow the simple incongruity of the Maverick on track makes it look faster.
The Maverick ST is a great idea so we highly support the addition of an ST badge. It’s a ‘Sport Truck’ so why shouldn’t it be an ST? Ford needs to do this and, I assume, will likely do it soon.
If you want a capable daily that’s decent on fuel and uber-practical, the Maverick could do you well. Plus, owning one doesn’t mean you have to give up your casual visits to the track. Throw on some simple suspension mods and you can be out there tearing it up, too. Heck, with 250 horsepower on tap, you might even beat some breathless Miatas while you’re at it. Happy hunting!
Image credits: Antonio Diaz, Track shots: Brandon Michael Racing Photography
See this is what we wanted to do with our 2020 Connect. but no track will allow a cargo van on the track due to limited sight in a panel van.. I just want to drive the van around the track solo a few times.
MATT. BUY THE TRUCK ALREADY.
This is awesome. Track everything, MATT, BUY ONE AND TRACK IT, TOO.
+1 for street trucks. I autocross my 2002 Tacoma and it makes the other drivers smile. It’s fun to haul loam on Saturday and autocross on Sunday. If Ford made a manual Maverick ST I’d be buying one.
Awesome! Bring on the Sport Truck!
This picture says to me “If I were a dog I’d be a dachshund”
https://images-stag.jazelc.com/uploads/theautopian-m2en/99318195-IMG_0517-scaled-e1714999380561-2048×1256.jpg
I’ve always wanted to see someone swap the AWD drivetrain/stick from a crashed RS into one of these. Bonus points for that cool ass drift stick too.
Am I the only one who stops reading when I read the word “donk”? It may be an Australian term for engine, but over here it refers to a type of car, actually there’s a ridiculous magazine “Donk box and bubble” Think mid 90’s caprice with a lift on 24s.
FoST seats are the worst. He’s gonna regret that in a few months when he starts getting chronic sciatica pain. Ask me how I know :=(
Hahaha, this was my instant thought when I read about the seat swap as well. I’ve only ridden a few times in an ST my buddy drives, but that was enough to realize the seats are too narrow for nearly any adult human. I’m a small, narrow dude and they felt too narrow across the back for even me.
It took a year for the nerve pain to completely dissipate after selling my ST. Which is such a shame because A: it’s a fantastic car in every other regard and B: IT WOULD BE THE EASIEST THING IN THE WORLD TO FIX
I will never understand why there are still uncomfortable seats. This is a solved problem they seem to intentionally ignore. They’ll load a car up with all kinds of dumb electronic BS, but some well designed cushion that must cost about the same as the uncomfortable seat? Nah. Once they get it right, there’s not even much need to change it between generations. It’s not about side airbags as my complaints about bad seats is almost entirely related to the bottom cushion (though the ’08 Camry I had was horrendous on both counts) except for my GR86, but a blood pressure cuff behind the springs fixed that with adjustable lumbar. Bottom was the real problem, but I cut about 1/2 the bolsters out of them and it’s much better, though it required bolt cutters and a file as the bolsters were supported by steel loops.
I want to swap Volvo’s legendary seats into my VW
This. Every time I dream about a car build in my mind, it always gets Volvo seats. And I’ve never even sat in one of their thrones
That’s exactly it. This is a solved issue!!!!
They’re terrible! After feeling like I was getting blood clots in my legs from the dam thing, I cut about 2/3 of the side bolsters out of the bottom cushion and added 1″ of dense upholstery padding to the seat part to fix the terrible angle of the seat that seemed to be intended for a position on the floor pan where the driver’s thighs would barely touch the end of the seat, like an old sports car rather than being mounted fairly high up as it was. Didn’t make it a world class seat, but it fixed the issues. FTR, I have a 31″ waist, so it’s not like I’m really wide, either. I don’t know who they made that seat for.
Yep, more evidence Ford needs to build a Factory ST, be much more appropriate than the quick but completely off brand Exploder ST.
Adjustable rotors? Has Ford finally brought back Henry’s fabled mechanical brakes?
Lowered trucks always look so good to me.
Anyone know how lowering effects load ratings for hauling?
Most of the load ratings are a combination of suspension spring rate and travel. I assume you are upping one and reducing the other so you’d have to look at it case by case.
With a lowered truck the only thing you should be hauling is ass. Take that how you will.
Part of me has wondered how much weight and fuel savings Ford could make with the Maverick if they made a FWD ICE one with the 1.5L 3 cylinder and a 6 speed manual.
Weight difference is probably minimal between the motors, and I feel like the smaller engine would be a bit stressed dragging around 3500 pounds. (Although, 3500 pounds isn’t that heavy for a vehicle these days so it may be just fine).
Less than 100lbs difference from what I’ve found, however that is with the weight of the crate that the 1.5L 3 cylinder comes in.
That’s kind of a surprise to me but even with the issues the 1.5L 3 cylinder has I’d rather have that little guy and a 6 speed in a Maverick than the 2.0L and an auto.
I imagine the Engine Bay Spaghetti would be less intrusive and the extra room provided by the much smaller 1.5L’s footprint would make basic maintenance and inspections much easier.
Do the roof rails improve performance?
Wondering the same, are they there for reinforcement like a strut tower brace, cause if not they can’t be helping speed on the track.
Yeah, he mentions top end speed as an issue, yet has clip on roof rails. I get that having roof racks—sometimes with empty trunks on top—is considered cool with some weird subset of car enthusiasts (or maybe they’re just rack enthusiasts?), but why leave them up on track? I had a set of rails like my Focuses and they only stayed on when I was transporting kayaks. They take maybe 5 minutes to put up and about 20 seconds to remove. The wind noise alone would have me pulling them when not in use, if not also the hit on mileage and that I don’t want to look like I belong to that roof rack enthusiast sect.
They are a pain in the ass to remove and replace, maybe. Or he brought his paddleboard to the track.
If they’re anything like my Thule, they’re extremely easy to do. As I wrote, maybe 5 minutes to instal and about 20 seconds to remove. Longer to instal because it requires measuring to make sure they’re in the right spots. It came with paper measuring tape, but tailor tape is even better. Move them where they need to be, tighten with the torque allen keys that store in the towers going from one tower to the other a little at a time until reaching the indicated torque, and done. Removal, is allen key to loosen the clips (I would do one with each hand at the same time), go to the other side and loosen those, then reach out to grab the rail and lift the far side away from the bodywork, then up and over the vehicle.
Then I can only conclude that this guy is almost as lazy as I am
I can’t get over how nice this Maverick looks lowered. As Lewin said, Ford would be crazy not to consider making something like this.
I like street trucks! This Maverick is great! There is a decent sized group of pro touring people building and running trucks for autocross and track days. Their stuff is inspring my build of my 85 c10 swb, wrapping up an LS swap, it’s currently lowered but a proper suspension and brakes are in the future plans for it. Race the trucks.
Want to see production street trucks come back, the Lightning (not the electric crap) and the old Chevy trucks were always fun. Most people could actually do something fun in them vs the big off-road things not many actually use for off-roading. Imagine some of the engines they have in those things tuned for the street? Screw a 6inch lift, give me a 4 inch drop.
Remember the Ram 1500 R/T? It was like a super modest sport truck; regular cab, short bed. That was pretty cool too.
Bring em back too! I think Ram could use some more sales from what I am seeing online and the discounts they are offering.
Can I get a Wide Body Scat Pack Ram 1500? Basically an RHO Ram but for the street.
I saw an Xrunner at a used car lot the other day and reminded me how much I love and miss sport trucks.
Fun read. Wouldn’t the coilovers reduce payload capacity and therefore some of its work utility? Probably not a big issue if it’s more of a daily commuter.
That makes me wonder why you would start with a pickup truck in the first place. It’s not going to haul like it could have, with daily practicality compromised for track use where it will always be at a disadvantage because of its weight (which really isn’t a huge difference – only like 300 pounds more than an Elantra N) and especially it’s height.
I know that it’s different and that makes it somewhat cool, but this seems like a long expensive road. I could understand more if this were an older truck that the owner stumbled into and decided to make into a project. If you have the ability to buy a new vehicle, buy one suited to your desired use.
I know I’m applying logic to car nut decisions where logic is rarely a factor, but it’s hard not to when presented with an automatic 200hp track day pickup truck.
I think the point is that this guy bought the truck a cheap, practical vehicle, which it excels at, then realized it had sporting potential and followed up on that. I don’t think he went into this situation looking for a sporty vehicle.
Heyyyyy Dominion is where I do track stuff. They do a really good job. They have a wide array of events for varying experience levels and create an environment that’s pretty welcoming. Speaking of which, I need to register for my HPDE day. Thanks for the reminder!
Anyway, give us a damn Maverick Raptor. Just use the powertrain from the Focus RS…320 horsepower 2.3 liter, trick AWD system, hell give it the manual too. It’s all right there, just drop it in, price it in the 40s, and market it as a hot hatch alternative/rally truck. I personally think the Ranger Raptor is pretty damn cool but don’t want to deal with that big of a vehicle or the wretched fuel economy.
They literally wouldn’t be able to keep a Maverick Raptor on lots. C’mon, Ford. You know you want to.
“the ranger raptor fuel economy can’t be that bad, can it?” *googles* “okay yeah that’s pretty bad, although still not worse than a Tacoma.”
Yeah it’s abominable. At that point I’d rather just have an NA V8. I guess the twin turbo V6 must emit a little less, which makes it more regulation friendly…but in practice its fuel economy is just as poor and it’s going to be less reliable.
That combo would so not be in the 40’s. . . likely not even in the 50’s.
I’m not so sure. The Ranger Raptor is in the 50s and a few years ago they sold the zombie Focus RS powered Mustang (which was cool as hell, don’t @ me) starting in the mid 30s. I believe they still produce the engine in Spain for the European market as well. Maybe they wouldn’t be able to bring the cool all wheel drive/differential stuff over without making it unobtainable and/or would have to use a beefed up version of one of their FWD automatics rather than the stick, but on paper to me it doesn’t seem that hard for them to do and keep priced under 50.
Ford could likely keep it under 50. But could the dealers…..?
Noooooooope
I was super excited when Dominion was first announced… and then they put up all of those concrete walls. Nope nope nope! I don’t do car stuff, but even if I did I wouldn’t go there.
And on top of that, their voting machines are rigged. Worst track ever.