Photo: Ford
It’s that time of the year when automakers publish first-quarter deliveries with the hope that investors will be happy. In the unibody truck segment, the 2022 Ford Maverick sold better than the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz.
The Ford Motor Company delivered 8,695 examples of the Escape-based truck in March 2022, whereas the first-quarter volume is listed at 19,245 units. By comparison, Hyundai sold 2,950 and 8,400 copies. Although it’s larger in every way, we couldn’t leave the Ridgeline out of the ranking.
The Japanese pickup didn’t sell well. Honda quotes 3,352 and 9,182 units, which is better than the Santa Cruz yet very far behind the Maverick. Why is that? For starters, it’s based on pretty old underpinnings borrowed from the Pilot three-row crossover. The biggest drawback, however, is the hideously expensive MSRP of $37,640 for the base specification.
That’s more than you’d pay for a mid-size truck with body-on-frame construction, let alone a Santa Cruz or a Maverick. There is, however, a reason for this high sticker price, and that is the list of standard equipment. For example, the Sport trim level comes right off the bat with a 280-horsepower V6 connected to a torque-converter automatic that drives all four wheels. A dual-action tailgate and in-bed trunk are also featured.
Over at Hyundai, the Santa Cruz slots right under the Tucson with a starting price of $24,140 for the non-turbo 2.5 with front-wheel drive. The most affordable specification with the turbo 2.5 is the $35,830 SEL Premium, which flaunts 281 ponies, loads of torque, and HTRAC AWD.
As for the Maverick, well, this is the most affordable new truck on sale in the United States at $19,995 for the hybrid in XL flavor. Customers are further offered a 2.0-liter EcoBoost with either front- or all-wheel drive, yet AWD is preferable because it comes with independent rear suspension.
The Japanese pickup didn’t sell well. Honda quotes 3,352 and 9,182 units, which is better than the Santa Cruz yet very far behind the Maverick. Why is that? For starters, it’s based on pretty old underpinnings borrowed from the Pilot three-row crossover. The biggest drawback, however, is the hideously expensive MSRP of $37,640 for the base specification.
That’s more than you’d pay for a mid-size truck with body-on-frame construction, let alone a Santa Cruz or a Maverick. There is, however, a reason for this high sticker price, and that is the list of standard equipment. For example, the Sport trim level comes right off the bat with a 280-horsepower V6 connected to a torque-converter automatic that drives all four wheels. A dual-action tailgate and in-bed trunk are also featured.
Over at Hyundai, the Santa Cruz slots right under the Tucson with a starting price of $24,140 for the non-turbo 2.5 with front-wheel drive. The most affordable specification with the turbo 2.5 is the $35,830 SEL Premium, which flaunts 281 ponies, loads of torque, and HTRAC AWD.
As for the Maverick, well, this is the most affordable new truck on sale in the United States at $19,995 for the hybrid in XL flavor. Customers are further offered a 2.0-liter EcoBoost with either front- or all-wheel drive, yet AWD is preferable because it comes with independent rear suspension.
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