Our (Two-)Yearlong Test of the Ford Maverick Hybrid Is Over: Here's How It Went

Motor Trend

31-07-2025

The Ford Maverick arrived like a breath of fresh air to a market that had been starving for a truly small truck. We fell in love with Ford's small pickup from the moment we first drove it, so we were eager to put the Maverick to a long-term test. But it took until the second model year—2023—to finally park one in the MotorTrend garage.
Our two-year test of the Ford Maverick Hybrid XLT showed it as a reliable small truck despite 10 recalls. The truck excelled in fuel economy (35.7 mpg) and cost-efficiency, with minor regrets on some features. They plan to keep it due to its performance and utility.
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Actually, we did more than park it. We bought it. With our own money. (Our long-term vehicles are usually borrowed from manufacturers.) Owning the truck meant the Maverick would go beyond our usual one-year test and stretch to two. Which Version Did We Test?
We ordered a Maverick XLT hybrid in Cactus Gray, a fun but not ostentatious color applied to the trim we felt was the sweet spot in the lineup. The XLT wasn't as bare bones as the work-truck XL, and it could also be optioned with several luxuries from the top-spec Lariat trim. And that's what we did.
The $1,730 XLT Luxury package was a must-have, as it included heat for the front seats, side mirrors, and steering wheel (plus a wiper de-icer)—clutch since our truck lives at our office near Detroit. We regretted ordering the $150 manual sliding rear window because honestly, we never opened it, not the cost. But we definitely didn't regret the agreeably priced spray-in bedliner ($495) or all-weather floor mats ($175). They kept the truck's bed and carpets looking fresh through two years of hauling.
And haul we did, everything from loads of cardboard to piles of rocks, and from scrap metal to mounds of mulch and yard debris. Vacation and tailgating gear, bikes, flat-pack furniture, non-flat-pack-furniture—the Maverick's 4.5-foot bed proved perfectly adept at carrying all these things and more. When we needed some degree of weathertightness, we simply rolled out our secure tonneau cover. (Now, was that cover worth the $1,200 we paid for it? Maybe not.) What little towing we did within the truck's 2,000-pound limit was handled flawlessly, with no bounding or struggling. Any Features We Missed?
We do wish our truck was equipped with a wireless charging pad (available on the Lariat) and the new 12.5-inch infotainment screen now standard on all models, but they weren't dealbreakers. What could be a dealbreaker might be today's pricing, more on which in a bit.
Had the hybrid powertrain been offered with all-wheel drive at the time we bought our truck (the option became available for 2025), we'd probably have ordered it. Even still, the front-drive hybrid proved perfectly adept at handling Michigan's worst rains and snowstorms. A set of Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires helped in the depths of winter, but they weren't on the truck every time we encountered inclement weather. Price, Fuel Economy, and Cost to Own
The Maverick launched with a sub-$20,000 base price (before destination), but that had already risen to $23,000 or so by the time we bought ours. Our XLT carried a base price of $25,950 and an as-tested sticker of $30,355. Good luck getting such a deal today. The Maverick was refreshed for the 2025 model year, and to essentially replicate our truck within the new lineup (the XLT hybrid now starts at $32,340) would set you back $36,975. At least the options haven't gone up much.
Maintenance added up to just under $500 over two years and consisted of the usual oil changes, inspections, and tire rotations. We incurred a bit of labor cost, too, to see if the techs could track down a musty smell we thought might be due to a leak into the cabin, but nothing was found, and the smell went away. Must have been a wet dog, although no one fessed up.
Our exact maintenance total of $478.55 over two years compares very favorably to the $1,100 we paid to keep our Hyundai Santa Cruz—the only direct competitor to the Maverick—happily on the road during its 12-month test.
Similarly, the Mavvy's fuel economy (35.7 mpg) and cost ($0.12/mile) blew away the Santa Cruz's (23.8, $0.16), although to be fair the Hyundai wasn't a hybrid and its turbo engine trounced the Maverick in horsepower and torque. The Maverick's combined fuel economy during our test fell below its 37-mpg combined EPA rating, but still impressive for a vehicle that spent vast stretches of time on the highway, where it's less efficient. For more context, the pint-sized Toyota Corolla Cross could only achieve 29 mpg combined during a year with us.
The one major cost associated with our Maverick wasn't our fault; we were rear-ended. You can read about the accident and repairs in more depth here, but the truck was away for roughly 10 days and required $4,843.44 of insurance money to make right again. It still drives as if the accident never happened.
We didn't have any major mechanical, electrical, or software issues, and the Maverick served us faithfully for its entire stay—that is, when it wasn't getting a recall repair handled. We received a staggering 10 recalls and 'Customer Satisfaction Program' notifications over our test period. (CSPs are essentially extended warranties on potentially problematic parts.) Most of the recalls were for minor issues, although one was for a major fire risk. Luckily, none of the problems reared their head while we were driving or otherwise, and our recall repairs (all software updates) were quickly taken care of by our local dealer.
As for the interior of the Maverick, it withstood the two years of abuse extremely well, with little to no visible wear to its cloth upholstery. There are some scratches visible on the darker plastics, but that's to be expected given it's an industrious vehicle where little of the materials are soft touch.
In the vast majority of our long-term test stories, this is where we say goodbye. But since we own our Maverick—and we still love it—it's going to be sticking around. Keep an eye out for it on the streets of Royal Oak, Michigan, in future MotorTrend stories, or even in my personal garage. More on Our Long-Term 2023 Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid: We Bought a Maverick and It's a Real F***ing Truck!
Interior Review: Almost Everything You Need
10,000-Mile Fuel Economy Update
So, Are We Having Regrets?
Our Maverick Was Rear-Ended! How Much to Repair?
Our Maverick Has Been Recalled 5 Times (and Counting)
The Tonneau Cost $1,200—Worth It?
Maverick's Size vs.'70s, '80s, '90s Trucks
The Recalls Keep Piling Up For Our Maverick