The Internet’s favorite mechanic has finally got up close and personal with the Maverick, a very different Maverick from the rear-wheel-drive compact car he used to drive a few decades ago. As the headline implies, the 68-year-old Scotty Kilmer is most impressed by the pickup’s MSRP.
$19,995 excluding destination charge for the XL trim level with the hybrid powertrain is peanuts compared to a brand-new Escape, which features the very same platform as the Maverick. He also highlights the unibody truck is better value than a Model T, which is correct. The good ol’ Tin Lizzie used to retail at $825 back in 1908, which converts to $25,000 nowadays.
The Model T nosedived to $260 in 1925, and if we adjust for inflation, that’s $4,145 in today’s money. But when all is said and done, one cannot deny the Maverick offers a lot of bang for the buck. Even the XLT turbo AWD in the featured video is pretty good value at $27,805 including destination charge and the acquisition fee, more so when compared to the equivalent Escape.
As a lifelong mechanic, Scotty can’t help but admire the well-laid engine bay that provides enough working room to replace the spark plugs, fuel pump, and so forth. Scotty further makes a case for independent suspension out back, a setup that’s currently exclusive to the AWD-equipped turbo.
When it comes to interior amenities, I’m surprised to see Mr. Kilmer keeping quiet about that awful steering wheel. Just like the XL trim level, the XLT grade features black-grained plastic instead of a leather-wrapped steering rim. You can easily fix the aforementioned shortcoming with a cover, but nevertheless, plastic steering wheels in 2022 are just uncanny.
And finally, Kilmer usually hates everything that’s made in Mexico although the U.S. has a long history of woeful build quality as well. The 2022 Ford Maverick appears to be the sole exception to this rule, but only time will tell what kind of problems will hinder the pickup’s innate appeal.
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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