There has been a lot of talk about Ford’s upcoming ‘baby’ pickup that will serve as an entry-level choice slotting below the Ranger and F-150. The looks of Ford’s compact pickup, rumored to debut under the Maverick nameplate, have been a complete mystery so far but that changes (slightly) today as spyshot photographers spotted several prototypes undergoing testing in the United States.
Mind you, the prototypes are fully
disguised and feature both tight-fit foil and loose black cover, along with
plenty of padding. Still, these shots are very informative because they allow
us to compare the Maverick’s size with that of a Ford Ranger that accompanied
the convoy. It’s pretty obvious that the Maverick is smaller than the Ranger,
but it’s not as small as some thought it would be. While clearly lower, it
appears to be almost as long as its midsize sibling, and only marginally
narrower.
Unlike the body-on-frame Ranger, the
Maverick utilizes a unibody platform adapted from Ford’s C2 compact architecture
that underpins the fourth-generation Focus and the latest Escape / Kuga SUV.
While it’s too early to talk specifics, the C2 platform suggests the Maverick
will feature transversely-mounted powertrains. Expect the lineup to feature
only four-cylinder engines, in naturally-aspirated and turbocharged forms,
depending on the market. Front-wheel drive will be standard while all-wheel
drive should be an option.
The cabin remains a mystery for now but
our photographers did manage to get a look underneath one Maverick prototype.
The close-up shots of the rear suspension reveal the truck-like shock absorbers
and coil springs, as well as other structural elements. We also get to see the
spare tire tucked up beneath the truck bed and the low-slung routing of the exhaust
system. If definitive, the latter looks like it will seriously limit off-road
incursions. Ford is expected to launch the Maverick in late 2021 as a 2022
model, with a sub-$20,000 starting MSRP in the USA.
