The Best 1st Car For Your Teen Might Be The Ford Maverick Truck
If you are a truck fan, chances are you can remember everything about your first truck. For some, it was an old Toyota. For others, a Ranger. I started out in a Mitsubishi Mighty Max, of all things. But few truck fans–or our parents–can afford a full-size truck at first. While many full-frame fans complain about the compact Ford Maverick, it will be thousands of driver’s first truck. And for many of those drivers, the Maverick might prove the perfect gateway truck. And for many teens looking for an SUV-size vehicle with room for their hobbies, the Maverick may be an excellent choice.
The Ford Maverick is impossible to ignore
Ford launched the Maverick for the 2022 model year, and the Blue Oval’s smallest truck was instantly impossible to ignore. The Maverick started at under 20k and got over 40 mpg.
The Maverick’s current MSRP is advertised at $22,595. And at that price, you get the hybrid powertrain. The hybrid Maverick’s EPA efficiency rating is 40 city/33 highway mpg (37 combined). If you live in a place where you need AWD, you’ll have to order the 2.0-liter EcoBoost I4 instead of the hybrid. That truck’s mileage is 22 city/28 highway mpg (24 combined).
If you and your teenager are looking at vehicles on a “car” budget, the Ford Maverick is reasonable to cross-shop. The Maverick might even be within your budget if you are looking at used trucks. If your teenager has complained that used vehicles don’t have modern infotainment systems, they might be thrilled with a new Ford Maverick. Every trim level of Ford Maverick comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Ford Maverick is a DIYer’s dream
Every teenager is different. Ford has built the Maverick to serve the widest variety of hobbyists as possible. Despite its bed being relatively small, it is an incredibly versatile space.
The Ford Maverick’s bed is nearly a perfect square, 4.5 feet on every side. At 30 inches tall, it is relatively tall for a compact truck. Ford has designed this bed with pockets to hold both 2×4 and 2×6 shelving. This means in-bed structures are only limited by your teenager’s imagination.
The Maverick’s “flexbed” also has a rail system with multiple tie-down points. Ford even engineered this rail system to connect to hardware from your local store for more versatility. Though the Maverick’s wheel wells are just 42.6 inches apart, they are flat-topped for carrying loads. In fact, you can put its tailgate in a midway position and stack plywood on the wheel wells and tailgate. You can even order the Maverick with in-bed power outlets.
The Ford Maverick is a comfortable daily driver
If your teenager is asking for a truck but not already a tradesperson, you might be thinking of steering them towards something more “reasonable.” The Ford Maverick’s motto might as well be “A reasonable truck.”
This compact truck shares a unibody chassis with the Bronco Sport, so it’s relatively lightweight. It also features independent front suspension, so you know it won’t suffer from the “death wobble” that can strike old solid front axle trucks on the highway.
Finally, every Ford Maverick has the SuperCrew four-door with five seatbelts. So if your teenager needs to haul friends or siblings around, the Maverick is a sensible choice.
Learn more about uses for the Ford Maverick’s bed or see Ford’s new compact truck reviewed in the video below:
