For the 2022 model year, the well-equipped Lariat FX4 turbo AWD was the only Maverick that you could buy in Brazil. Next year is the turn of the Maverick Hybrid, which is the first hybrid pickup in the Brazilian market.
Daniel Justo, the big kahuna at Ford South America, highlights that the “Maverick Hybrid combines the well-known qualities of a pickup with improved emissions and fuel consumption, characteristics that made the Maverick Hybrid a great success in the North American market.”
Originally priced at $19,995 excluding destination charge, the fuel-sipping variant was Ford’s most affordable series-production vehicle in North America for the 2022 model year. Under the hood, Maverick Hybrid rocks a 2.5-liter engine that uses the Atkinson cycle for improved efficiency. Connected to the PowerSplit electronic continuously variable transmission, this lump works in conjunction with a permanent magnet electric motor.
The e-motor is good for 126 horsepower and 173 pound-foot (235 Nm) of torque, whereas the combustion engine cranks out 162 horsepower and 155 pound-foot (210 Nm) at 4,000 revolutions per minute. Under the rear seats, you’ll find a liquid-cooled battery with a capacity of 1.1 kWh. If that seems a bit familiar, that’s because it’s the same battery used in the more expensive Escape Hybrid that shares the C2 platform with the Maverick Hybrid.
Capable of up to 37 miles per gallon (make that nearly 6.4 liters per 100 kilometers) on the combined driving cycle, the fuel-sipping truck is EPA-rated 511 miles (822 kilometers) of total range. Even the XL base trim level is equipped with plenty of standard goodies, of which SYNC 3 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto stand out.
The only downside to going hybrid instead of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder turbo in the Bronco Sport Badlands is that you can’t get all-wheel drive. Also important to note, FWD trucks feature a twist-beam rear suspension with force vectoring springs instead of a multi-link design.
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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