It may not have the same payload capacity as the Hyundai Santa Cruz, but nevertheless, the Ford Maverick is a stout little truck. Take, for instance, this XL base trim with the optional 2.0-liter turbocharged four-potter.
Owned by Jeremy Bumpus of The Hot Rod Shop, the compact pickup has no issues hauling close to 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) in the guise of a Dodge Viper’s engine and six-speed manual transmission. Based on the design of the valve covers and intake manifold, we’re dealing with the 8.3-liter powerplant of the ZB I generation that ran from 2002 through 2007.
In the double-bubble coupe, this leviathan of a motor develops 510 horsepower and 535 pound-feet (725 Nm) of torque. By comparison, the Maverick in the video below is rocking 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet (376 Nm), similar figures to the Bronco Sport Badlands trim.
Coincidence or not, both are manufactured by the Blue Oval in Mexico at the Hermosillo assembly plant in the northwestern state of Sonora. What’s most impressive about a Maverick with this engine and a Viper’s V10 in the bed is how much rear-wheel travel remains despite the heavy payload.
It doesn’t have trouble accelerating, it doesn’t slop from one side to the other, and the standard tie-down anchors are more than up to the task of keeping the V10 secure in the cargo area on top of a wood pallet. On the other hand, the detail that makes the XL unattractive to many potential customers is the plastic steering wheel. It’s not a dealbreaker by itself, but having owned a plastic-wheeled car, I wouldn’t like to grip another one ever again.
Rated at 1,500 pounds (580 kilograms) tops, the Maverick XL starts at $19,995 excluding the destination charge. Ford’s most affordable new car for the 2022 model year can be had with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost for $1,085 over the fuel-sipping 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain that comes as standard.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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