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2024 Ford Maverick Lariat: What does the Maverick Lariat Package Include? – The car-like foundations of the Ford Focus hatchback and the Ford Escape SUV are expanded and used in the construction of the 2023 Ford Maverick pickup truck.
Despite its appearance, the Ford Maverick is only around 30 centimeters shorter than a Ford Ranger. It also has a ute tub that is about the same size as a Ranger’s, although the room in the rear seats is rather limited in comparison.
Hardcore off-roaders might scoff at the idea, but we think a vehicle like this would fit in just fine locally, given our increasing appetite for utes thanks to a level of flexibility and practicality that is not available in SUVs. This is because utes have the ability to carry more cargo than SUVs do.
A one-ton payload, 3.5-tonne towing capacity, and nasty off-road prowess are just some of the features that a double-cab ute offers, but not all purchasers put all of these capabilities to use.
Imagine a double-cab ute that had the gas mileage, performance, and handling of a car. This would be a dream vehicle. Because the Ford Maverick is an example of this kind of vehicle.
Since Ford allowed a group of foreign reporters, including Drive, to sample several of its American vehicles before this year’s Detroit auto show, we were able to put the Ford Maverick through its paces in preparation for the event.
Will Ford be bringing the Maverick to Australia at any point? We certainly do. Yet, we have also been cautioned not to get our hopes up too high.
Design
The Ford Maverick has an interior that is a marvel of industrial design, with daring new treatments, stylistic elements, and patterning throughout.
In addition to that, it is quite practical. The interior of the Maverick is just a little smaller than that of the Ford Ranger, but it is far more refined in many respects.
The front seat passengers have almost the same amount of space shoulder-to-shoulder, and the console and oddment storage is also comparable to what you’d find in a Ford Ranger. Both the front and the back door pockets provide space for accommodating big drink bottles.
When compared to the Ranger, the Maverick has somewhat less available knee space in the rear seats of the vehicle. In contrast to the Ranger, which provides rear-seat passengers with a few finger widths’ worths of knee space, the Maverick came dangerously close to pressing my knees into the back of the front seats.
A recess has been cut into the roof liner in order to increase back headroom (the test car had a factory-fitted sunroof).
The gear selector is a rotator dial as opposed to a lever, which allows for more storage space to be created between the front seats. However, this makes the gear selector difficult to use when attempting to make a three-point turn because it defaults to the “park” position rather than the reverse position when switching between forward and backward gears in rapid succession.
If you don’t want to use the wireless charging pad or have more than one item in the truck that requires power, there is an upright plank near the phone chargers that you may place your device face-down on without crimping the cable. This is a really nice detail.
The space behind the rear seat is another ingenious addition to the Maverick’s interior. The storage compartments beneath the lower cushion of the Maverick are far more spacious than those of the Ranger. This is due to the fact that the Maverick is built on car-like underpinnings rather than a heavy-duty chassis, as is the case with the Ranger. Backpacks, huge laptop bags, purses, and other valuables may be stashed away in these secret compartments of the Maverick, which are spacious enough to accommodate their storage needs.
You may hear directions from behind the rear of the car via the horizontally slidable back glass, which is useful in situations when you need to reverse the vehicle.
Interior
The horizontal infotainment screen is only 8.0 inches in size, which is on the smaller end when compared to other new cars on the market today. But, it looks like Ford has allowed the opportunity for expansion in further software upgrades.
There is a little storage pocket to the right of the screen, where you may put money, parking tickets, or other such items. If Ford chooses to install a bigger screen at some point in the future, this practical feature may be removed.
In the United States, standard features include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and AM/FM radio, however, there is no mention of digital radio. There does not seem to be any embedded navigation included in the bundle either. Instead, users have to depend on the maps that are accessible through their linked devices.
The Ford Maverick has not yet been evaluated by independent crash-test authorities despite the fact that it satisfies or surpasses the requirements for certification in North American countries.
On the other hand, both the hatchback version of the Focus and the SUV version of the Escape receives five-star ratings.
In addition to a suite of technologies designed to help drivers avoid collisions, such as autonomous emergency braking, radar cruise control, blind-zone warning, and rear cross-traffic alert, the Ford Maverick also comes equipped with tire pressure monitors, a 360-degree camera, and front and rear parking sensors.
The passenger compartment has four doors and five seats, as well as seven airbags, one of which is positioned to protect the driver’s knee.
Given the recent emphasis on head-strike protection between front-seat occupants in a side impact, as well as the increasing use of center airbags in vehicles of this size in order to achieve a five-star score, it is unclear how the Ford Maverick would fare if it were tested in accordance with the stringent standards of the European or Australasian NCAP.
Engine
The hybrid version of the Ford Maverick has a fuel consumption average of 6.4 liters per 100 kilometers, which is thirstier than the hybrid version of the Toyota Camry. But, the pick-up is also larger, heavier, and more competent than the Camry.
According to the manufacturer, the tested turbo petrol version has a stated fuel consumption average of 9.4 liters per 100 kilometers, which we consider to be excessive. This is probably due to the more realistic testing standards used in the United States.
The majority of our test drive was completed on freeways, and the fuel consumption reading was between 8.0 and 8.5 liters per hundred kilometers. For good measure, we also included a couple of 0–100 km/h VBox timings in our data.
You can turn your truck into a hauling champion by equipping it with an EcoBoost engine, and if you check the box for the 4K Tow Package and choose AWD, it will have a towing capacity of up to 4,000 pounds. The 2024 Ford Maverick Lariat is the most luxurious of the available trim levels, and it comes in as the top-tier option. While this may result in a decrease in your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, it is a reasonable tradeoff to make in exchange for increased practicability and carrying capacity. Because of its increased ground clearance as well as its enhanced approach, ramp, and departure angles, the Maverick with all-wheel drive is also able to handle somewhat rougher terrain, which is an additional plus.
Price
In the United States, you may choose from three different model grades: the workhorse XL (which costs US$20,995 or $AU31,500), the mid-level XLT (which costs US$23,360 or $AU35,040), and the luxury Lariat (which costs US$26,860 or $AU40,290).
There are two different engine options available: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive, and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo with a conventional torque converter transmission and all-wheel drive. Both of these engines are front-wheel drive.
The hybrid system is complimentary, but the turbocharged engine comes at an additional cost of $435 (AU$ 652) for each trim level.
As tested (with options such as a sunroof, spray-in bed-liner, sliding rear window, factory-fitted protective film on the front portion of the bonnet and fenders, a removable cargo basket, and more), the top-of-the-line Lariat powered by the 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo gasoline engine had a price tag of approximately $US37,000 ($AU55,500).
The prices shown do not include taxes and fees. The Australian pricing estimates are derived from simple currency translations, and they do not take into account any prospective expenses associated with right-hand-drive remanufacturing.