The 2022 Ford Maverick is an innovative small pickup truck. Since the new truck is such a novelty, it faces challenges unique to the model. The Maverick comes with plenty of small truck advantages, but some of its downsides can be downright nightmarish to consumers.

The Ford Maverick’s small truck bed could keep you up at night

Picture this: you settle into bed after a long day and slowly drift into a slumber so deep that it could be measured in miles. Suddenly, you quickly lift your head off the pillow and awaken in a cold sweat. You gasp for air as you realize that you purchased the Ford truck with the tiniest truck bed. Sure, it was affordable, but what can you actually fit anything in that thing?

Trying to squeeze large objects into the Maverick’s small bed can be nightmarish for some folks. The Maverick’s Flexbed is marketed as practical, but size really does matter when it comes to truck beds. According to MotorTrend, the Ford Maverick Flexbed is 54.4 inches long. It’s about 53.3 inches wide. The Maverick has 33.3 cubic feet of cargo volume. The Flexbed has a max payload capacity of 2,000 pounds.

While the small pickup’s truck bed is sufficient for smaller items, its size is much smaller than other truck beds. Ford’s media gallery features a Maverick with a bike in its bed. The bike’s front wheel is disconnected in the image so the bed could close. The average bike is about 68 inches long, so it’s tough to imagine being able to just toss a bike in the Maverick’s bed and drive off.

The Maverick’s truck bed makes the Ford Ranger truck bed look enormous. The Flexbed is fully customizable, but that may not be enough to make it convenient for many consumers.

The Maverick’s towing capacity could scare some drivers

The Maverick has many strengths, but it isn’t exactly a whizz at typical “truck stuff”. The small truck is not the vehicle you buy when you need a work truck. Its mightiest configuration requires the gas engine option and sacrifices the standard hybrid tiny truck’s stellar gas mileage.

The Maverick’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine produces 250 horses. Ford offers a 4K towing package. That isn’t enough towing capacity for average dump trailers and large travel trailers. Buying a Maverick without looking into its towing capacity could create some nightmare towing scenarios.

Ford Maverick quality issues could be nightmarish

The Maverick is the most affordable truck on the market, for better or worse. The small truck is proving to have some minor quality issues, and can you really blame it at under $20K? If you expected a quality new vehicle after buying a Maverick, you could be in for a surprise.

Some reported Maverick issues include paint chipping, potential fuel tank damage, and a rear seat buckle that isn’t attached properly. Ultimately, the Maverick is a great affordable small pickup if you’re looking for an unconventional truck, but it’s far from perfect.