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The 2022 Ford Maverick is Ford’s upcoming compact pickup truck. The Maverick is affordable and comes standard with a hybrid powertrain. The Ford Maverick has potential but there are also plenty of reasons consumers will pass on the new pickup. Here are two reasons to avoid the 2022 Ford Maverick.

Avoid the 2022 Ford Maverick if you want a powerful pickup

A yellow 2022 Ford Maverick driving on a wet road.
2022 Ford Maverick | Ford

The 2022 Ford Maverick has many perks and quirks. One thing the Maverick struggles with is power. The Ford Maverick XL base model is available with two powertrain options. According to Car and Driver, the standard hybrid powertrain makes 191 horsepower. The EcoBoost four-cylinder engine makes 250 horsepower.

The Ford Ranger XL base model makes 270 horsepower. It seems that the Ford Maverick is destined to have the weakest powertrain options of all Ford trucks, at least for the moment. The Maverick weighs less than the ranger but many consumers will write it off as underpowered before taking the time to try the vehicle.

If you want the conventional powerful Ford truck, the Ranger is probably a better buy. The Ford Maverick is a new type of pickup truck. It boasts utility and great fuel economy but power just isn’t one of its selling points.

Avoid the 2022 Ford Maverick because it has a tiny truck bed

A woman standing by the bed of a blue 2022 Ford Maverick compact pickup truck
2022 Ford Maverick | Ford

The 2022 Ford Maverick’s Flexbed is extremely capable but alas, it is tiny compared to other truck beds. The Maverick truck bed is about four and a half feet long and four feet wide. The Ford Ranger’s truck bed is five feet long and about four feet wide.

The Maverick’s truck bed isn’t unusable but some consumers won’t want to take chances when it comes to half a foot of bed length. Many truck buyers shop for trucks to help lug lumber and other items in truck beds. A smaller bed isn’t doing the Maverick any favors. The Flexbed is customizable and offers many unique perks but will those perks be enough to convince buyers to purchase a vehicle with a smaller truck bed than competitors?

The Ford Maverick is a great truck but it simply isn’t large enough for many potential buyers and enthusiasts. Its size either makes or breaks the Maverick depending on the buyer. Some will find the Flexbed surprisingly useful and others will find it annoyingly small.

The Ford Maverick caters to a specific type of consumer

A new red Ford Maverick truck is introduced to the media at the Chicago Auto Show on July 14, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois.
The Ford Maverick | Scott Olson via Getty Images

Ford received over 100,000 pre-orders for the Maverick early on. Most of those pre-orders came from San Francisco and Los Angeles, California. San Francisco and L.A. are both urban, highly-populated busy cities.

The Ford Maverick isn’t being marketed to the average truck buyer. Instead, the 2022 Ford Maverick is creating a subclass of its own for compact pickup trucks. Its hybrid powertrain is estimated to get 40 miles per gallon in the city. This truck is ideal for drivers who live in the city.

The Flexbed is designed to do the most with the least space, yet another perk for drivers who live in the city. Ultimately, the Ford Maverick just isn’t for everyone. It is designed to convince a new demographic to buy Ford pickup trucks.

If you’re a purist and can’t give up the traditional Ford pickup truck then avoid the 2022 Ford Maverick. If you’re ready to see what the truck of the future has to offer, give the Maverick a shot. For better or worse, the Maverick is a huge change for Ford and the truck vehicle class.

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