3 Reasons the Base 2023 Ford Maverick Is a Great Small Truck
Since its introduction, the Ford Maverick has been winning over current truck owners and newcomers to the segment. It comes with a fairly affordable price tag, a standard hybrid engine, and it’s from a brand known for making pickups. And while opting for the 2023 Ford Maverick XLT or Lariat might seem tempting, there is a lot to like about the base Maverick XL hybrid.
What is the base model of the 2023 Ford Maverick?
The base model of Ford’s small truck is the Maverick XL. And although it is fairly basic, it’s still ready to do some truck stuff. With the hybrid engine, the 2023 Ford Maverick XL can tow 2,000 pounds, and it can handle up to 1,500 lbs of payload. That might be far from the maximum 4,000-lb towing capacity, but it should be enough for most uses.
One of the bigger perks of the Maverick XL is its pricing. It has a starting MSRP of around $23k, putting it closer to an economy car than a compact pickup. But that does make it fairly budget-friendly. These are the three reasons the base 2023 Ford Maverick might be worthy of consideration.
3. Steel Wheels
This might be weird to nerd out about, but the 2023 Maverick can come with steel wheels. In fact, they are standard fare for this small truck. Steel wheel help to give the Maverick XL a more rugged look. Plus, they won’t be as easy to damage as some of the other modern wheels out there.
The 2023 Ford Maverick might come standard with a modern hybrid powertrain, but the base wheel choice makes it look old-school. Especially because the rest of the pickup looks like a traditional truck.
2. Standard hybrid engine
As mentioned before, Ford’s small truck comes with a hybrid powertrain. You can get an optional 2.0-liter EcoBoost for no extra charge, and despite that, it seems like the Maverick hybrid remains popular.
The EPA gives this compact pickup a fuel economy rating of 40 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, and 37 mpg combined. It does seem like some folks have been able to get even better mileage out of their Mavericks. One Youtuber reported seeing 50 mpg from the 2023 Ford Maverick, and that is extremely good for a truck.
1. Usable interior
A Maverick XL will not get you all of the features this small truck offers. But this compact pickup can still be a comfortable place to be. It is clear that the engineers at the Blue Oval wanted this vehicle to be practical. And it does seem like they have succeeded in that mission.
Each 2023 Ford Maverick comes standard with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. So you do not have to worry about paying extra for connectivity convenience. According to Jalopnik, you’ll need to climb to some of the higher trim levels to get active safety tech, like adaptive cruise control.
That should not be a huge dealbreaker because, remember, the base MSRP of the Ford Maverick XL is under $25,000.
