I’m sure it’s happened to you before. The incessant binging and bonging and beeping and booping of your devices has driven you insane. It takes forever to shut them off, and if you’re old enough, you think back to the days when this just wasn’t an issue. Whether intentionally or not, the Ford Maverick caters to this sense of being overwhelmed by new technology. Its infotainment system is… decidedly low-tech, at least in appearance if nothing else.

Sometimes, less is more

The less-is-more philosophy is clearly something the Ford Maverick takes to heart. I mean, you can get steel wheels on a brand new truck. That’s insane. Nearly unheard of. Moreover, the whole design language of the new truck leans on that philosophy of practicality and usability without being overcomplicated. Look at the image above. Precious screen real estate has been lost to a storage cubby.

What would you put in there? Who cares, all that matters is it’s there. Note the physical controls. Ferrari has haptic feedback touch panels on the steering wheel, which will break, and the Ford Maverick says “no thanks” and puts in good ol’ fashioned hardpoint controls. Thankfully, you do still get a bit of functionality from the elderly touchscreen, like Android Auto and Apple Carplay.

You can tell where the money went on the Ford Maverick

On the surface at least, it would appear that the Ford Maverick is cheaping out. The base XLT trim starts at $21,490, per Ford, and you get that head unit? But that head unit is a blessing in disguise, and so is the rest of the interior. There’s a real, solid button for almost everything. Climate controls buried in a laggy screen menu? Hell no! They’re right on the dash where they belong. The Ford Maverick is a masterclass in not reinventing the wheel.

For those of us that do prefer a little more binging and bonging from our cars, there’s still some modern features, like wireless charging. No, the big Blue Oval didn’t put a bunch of money into disguising a $20,000 truck as a luxury vehicle. The brand was clearly careful about where the money went and it shows. Honestly, as long as the buttons are physical and the radio works, it’s better to put the money into making a better truck.

I, for one, welcome our new low-tech overlords

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not a “Ford Guy.” Hell, I’m not even a truck guy. I drive broken German sports cars. And I applaud Ford for putting this kind of thought into their products lately. The Bronco has about all the interior bells and whistles an off-roader needs, and the Maverick’s infotainment is a perfect example of less being more. Well done Ford. You’ll make a Ford Guy out of me yet.