Ford Maverick debut

ProDarwin said:

RX Reven' said:

My question, does Ford have a proven track record with CVT's?

With hybrids, yes.  They license the toyota patents, so its similar to the prius design (at least it is in Fusion/Escape/etc.).  Twin electric motors driving a planetary gearset.

I put about 160k over 3 years in the seat of a fusion hybrid company vehicle. Motor and trans never missed a beat. Anecdotal yes, but I had a dozen co workers doing similar mileage and I don't recall any large issues with any of them other than being hard on brakes. 
 

I will likely look at one in a few years when the leases start coming back as a local delivery vehicle for our company.

Ranger50 said:

In reply to APEowner :

I only believe they are building it to meet those standards and suck off some of those people who would be buying something similar.

The entry level "mini" truck market died years ago when the profit margin was becoming increasingly meager and financing became easier to get. Not to mention you can't order it how you want anymore. Dealers only get so many buying slots, which keeps decreasing, and is why you see them with every option possible selling for 71k....

I foresee the ranger going away and staying in the foreign markets.. It was nothing but a stopgap move for this to be produced. Again JMO.

Fuel economy requirements have been vehicle based rather than fleet based for quite a few years now, so this vehicle won't be offsetting any other vehicle's FE issues.  It will stand very nicely on it's own.

However, even if the rules were the old one, dumping a very expensive vehicle to build on the market is the fast way to bankruptcy.  So this would the opposite strategy to meet the previous fleet average.  Previous small trucks were basically given away because of what you think- and they were cheap and old.  Once the CAFE rules changed, that doubly got rid of small, FE offset, trucks.

STM317 said:

Rotaryracer said:

Need to read more specs...any curb weight given for this "compact" truck?

C&D is saying 3700lbs for Ecoboost/AWD

3550lbs on the 2WD 2.0L. That's similar power/weight to the step up 2.0L turbo engines in mid-size sedans, or the 3.5L Ecoboost F150 from a couple of years ago. Pretty decent for the price.

I'm not a truck buyer, but other than the tow rating, I think this makes a lot more sense than the "mid-size" Ranger/Colorado trucks, which are very incrementally smaller, more efficient than the full size class. It's too bad they're continuing with the trendy ground clearance shtick, it would have been nice to see a more practical height.

In reply to gumby :

Big front intercooler on a 2.0L turbo with a big tune driven through 4wd....interesting!

In reply to ProDarwin :

Good catch! So close...

Driven5 said:

TIL that 'real' truck stuff people complain about bed size so much because they're afraid of getting their tailgate dirty.

QFT

are they using Toyota hybrid parts (Quality)  or just  the patents ?

I am sure that  Tesla bean counters are wondering how a $40K plus  Tesla truck   will do against the Maverick !

gumby said:

This is good. As with everything, it still needs moar low, but we're moving in the right direction. 

californiamilleghia said:

are they using Toyota hybrid parts (Quality)  or just  the patents ?

It's not aToyota part. Toyota patented the hybrid CVT design for the original Prius. Ford licensed those designs for their first generation of hybrids about 15 years ago. For their second generation of hybrids, Ford kept the same principle (2 electric motors and a planetary gear set), but changed the layout of the two electric motors, and it actually became a little more efficient. And I believe Toyota then more or less copied Ford's redesign for their next Prius (I think it would've been 3rd gen Prius at that point), and FCA did for the Pacifica hybrid as well.

We don't know for sure which cvt is in the hybrid Maverick, but I'd be really surprised if it's much if any different than what htey've been using in recent years.

Here's a good video on Ford's hybrid CVT over the years for anybody interested:

Sorry, needs a 6 foot bed. And only ICE powered.  No hybrids for me.   

barefootskater (Shaun) said:

gumby said:

This is good. As with everything, it still needs moar low, but we're moving in the right direction. 

That makes my pants tight. 

Wonder what the depreciation curve will look like off lease?

Sidebar - someone should make a dirtbike tray system that runs 2 trays longitudinally in the bed. use a Y support at the rear that fits into the receiver, and use arms off the front sides to brace to the underside of the bed rails. It would be secure without drilling the truck and (although heavy) could be made removable. Make the rear 2' or whatever rides on the tailgate separately removable so you could leave the rest installed. 

As for getting your tailgate dirty....imagine how they must feel about the rest of the truck being dirty!

Seriously, am I correct in thinking that their concerned about sandblasting the paint? I'm not sure I've ever seen that, even on old trucks, but it sounds like a perfect application for a layer of 3M adhesive paint protection vinyl. 

LOL.....I love these new vehicle launch threads.......it's not small enough....it's too small....it doesn't have enough space....why don't they get rid of the rear seat.....I wish it could tow 11 million pounds.....needs more cabin space......the bed isn't long enough.....I want a real truck......yada yada yada !

Ford does make several sizes of truck you know, from this one all the way up to a crew cab , long box F-350 that will tow my house. They've given us more choices with this launch and we grumble like a pack of grumpy old men......which some of us are. 

I am happy to see Ford launching something different and exciting. I have no doubt it will be a huge success, and the ideal vehicle for many. This is the kind of thing that happens when you have a leader who loves cars and trucks. If everyone wanted to drive the same thing, the world would be dull, so, hey, keep these new products coming!

jharry3 said:

Sorry, needs a 6 foot bed. And only ICE powered.  No hybrids for me.   

Thankfully they also make an F-150 that has a bed and is ICE powered. It is inherently impossible for all things to be all things at all times. 

DeadSkunk (Warren) said:

LOL.....I love these new vehicle launch threads.......it's not small enough....it's too small....it doesn't have enough space....why don't they get rid of the rear seat.....I wish it could tow 11 million pounds.....needs more cabin space......the bed isn't long enough.....I want a real truck......yada yada yada !

Ford does make several sizes of truck you know, from this one all the way up to a crew cab , long box F-350 that will tow my house. They've given us more choices with this launch and we grumble like a pack of grumpy old men......which some of us are. 

...I need to park more junk cars on it. 

grover said:

jharry3 said:

Sorry, needs a 6 foot bed. And only ICE powered.  No hybrids for me.   

Thankfully they also make an F-150 that has a bed and is ICE powered. It is inherently impossible for all things to be all things at all times. 

Xactly. Everything is a compromise. The question is which and how much. 

Do we think that first model year will be reliable with a minimum of bugs? I heard that the Ranger was rated 1 star of five for reliability in its first year, followed by four stars in its second.

In reply to DeadSkunk (Warren) :

I think it's brilliant.  I'm not big on the execution, but I'm not the target for it either.

Most people who own trucks don't need trucks. They'll never use them for real truck things, that is, use the truck's capabilities. And this is more practical, cheaper, smaller, and capable of light truck things, pretty much what most people need. It's a midsize sedan with a little bed on the back and it looks like a truck to avoid the stigma of a car-truck. It's practical and sensible. Unfortunately people don't seem to value either of those properties the way they used to so it'll be interesting to see how the market accepts it.

Regarding the dirt bike thing, I have a 6' bed in my truck. When I load my bike in straight, I can only bring the tailgate up 45 degrees.

grover said:

jharry3 said:

Sorry, needs a 6 foot bed. And only ICE powered.  No hybrids for me.   

Thankfully they also make an F-150 that has a bed and is ICE powered. It is inherently impossible for all things to be all things at all times. 

Don't even need to step all the way up to an F150. A no frills, Extended cab, 2WD Ranger comes with a 6ft bed and starting MSRP of $25k.

Mr. Peabody said:

In reply to DeadSkunk (Warren) :

Regarding the dirt bike thing, I have a 6' bed in my truck. When I load my bike in straight, I can only bring the tailgate up 45 degrees.

So as long as you were willing to leave the tailgate down, this Maverick would haul your dirtbike. And you wouldn't even have to load it at an angle.

barefootskater (Shaun) said:

gumby said:

This is good. As with everything, it still needs moar low, but we're moving in the right direction. 

Looks like there's creases in the wheel arches already, so a set of flares could be made to look great on this - and that would provide room for 305s on all corners.  Let the aftermarket give us a better front bumper/air dam, throw on an intake/downpipe/exhaust/tune and I'll bet this would be a quick little truck.  If my thoughts on this engine being in the same family as the 2.3 ecoboost in the Mustang are correct, then it's only a matter of time until some internals are swapped and someone has a 450hp version with lots of boost.

I'll bet this holds its value decently off-lease.  Maybe if Ford makes enough of them, we'll be able to get an AWD Ecoboost off lease for upper teens.

I'm not excited about the thought of 40mpg large vehicles; I really don't want more idiots buying big E36 M3 and driving it obliviously.

Otherwise I assume that'll be the selling point & I can't see why people wouldn't want it. It's nice to see a smaller truck & one that gets good mileage.

I hope people driving rangers & 90's Tacoma's are the buyers. Not someone who would've bought a sedan/hybrid, but now that the pickup truck mpg tax has been removed, why not. I guess the modern equivalent of when people were buying giant ass suvs pre-recession. Wonder what the insecure types who call their vans & suvs 'trucks' think of it.

Regardless, no ford's for me, thank you. While I'm surprised they're the first out with a compact hybrid truck, I'm impressed with it. Can't see why they wouldn't sell like hot cakes other than getting shredded in future reviews, or overpriced for the class. I'm guessing people with a negative presumption of ford will think, 'oh, but their trucks are good, so this must be too'

*Also i think maverick is a stupid name. And reading this thread, i had forgotten that ford stopped selling cars and i chuckled

californiamilleghia said:

are they using Toyota hybrid parts (Quality)  or just  the patents ?

I am sure that  Tesla bean counters are wondering how a $40K plus  Tesla truck   will do against the Maverick !

You can make something that doesn't actually exist yet stack up however you like on on paper.