Ford's new hybrid Maverick: A 40 MPG pickup for $20,000.

[JRMichler]

I've had my new Maverick for four days now. It's too soon to report on gas mileage, but the first fill calculated to 38 to 40 MPG depending on exactly when the dealer filled it and how full they filled it. That included a highway run at -3 deg F into a headwind, more highway driving at 15 deg F, and some idling. The dash display showed 62 MPG driving five miles home after filling the tank at 25 deg F.

The MPG of my Canyon would change by 1 MPG for every 10 deg F temperature change, so I expect better mileage when the weather gets warmer and I learn to drive it better.

Two annoyances:

1) When taking foot off the gas, it automatically goes straight to regenerative braking. If I want to coast, I need to stay on the gas pedal. It does have a power meter that shows the point of zero braking, and an EV Coach display that helps to control amount of electric motoring/braking.

2) The key is almost the size of a banana. This seems to be a modern trend in new cars. I do not like this trend.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by JRMichler

I've had my new Maverick for four days now. It's too soon to report on gas mileage, but the first fill calculated to 38 to 40 MPG depending on exactly when the dealer filled it and how full they filled it. That included a highway run at -3 deg F into a headwind, more highway driving at 15 deg F, and some idling. The dash display showed 62 MPG driving five miles home after filling the tank at 25 deg F.

The MPG of my Canyon would change by 1 MPG for every 10 deg F temperature change, so I expect better mileage when the weather gets warmer and I learn to drive it better.

Two annoyances:

1) When taking foot off the gas, it automatically goes straight to regenerative braking. If I want to coast, I need to stay on the gas pedal. It does have a power meter that shows the point of zero braking, and an EV Coach display that helps to control amount of electric motoring/braking.

2) The key is almost the size of a banana. This seems to be a modern trend in new cars. I do not like this trend.

How long before it gets an aero cap?

[MetroMPG]

JRMichler - fantastic! Thanks for the update. Keep 'em coming!

Originally Posted by JRMichler

1) When taking foot off the gas, it automatically goes straight to regenerative braking. If I want to coast, I need to stay on the gas pedal.

Some hybrids have easily-modulated throttles for staying in the "coasting zone". Others don't - which is a pain, because it's pesky and troublesome to have to monitor a screen.

I shift to N/neutral to coast in hybrids that have finicky throttles.

Doing this, I've learned that in the Toyota hybrids I've driven, you need to wait a second for the engine to shut down after releasing the throttle or it will continue to run while in N.

Also: while in N there may be no regenerative braking if you have to use the devil pedal.

[redpoint5]

It became 2nd nature for me to shift to N in the Prius coming off the highway and coasting. Then back into D just before I needed to regen/brake. I don't think any of that extra stuff mattered much, as I got the rated 50 MPG, and my wife did too.

The aftermarket tires are probably what prevented me from achieving better than EPA rating.

[Hersbird]

The Pacifica hybrid you had to shift to neutral to coast, it also had a "L" that seemed to double or triple coasting regen I shifted to all the time too.

[JRMichler]

Originally Posted by Ecky

How long before it gets an aero cap?

I want to get a good baseline before installing a aero cap, so I can get a reasonably good measurement of the effect on mileage. It will take a month or two to learn to drive it, so that rules out a good estimate of winter mileage without a topper. My tentative plan is to put an aero topper on after the end of summer 2022.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

I can't believe it didn't launch with that option

That was a quite pointless move, as the Escape, Maverick and Bronco Sport rely basically on the very same underpinnings. And with so many advantages for hybrid vehicles in some regional export and overseas markets, Ford could've placed itself in a more comfortable.. err.. less discomfortable position compared to Toyota nowadays that Ford decided to focus (no pun intended) on SUVs and trucks.

[Tahoe_Hybrid]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Ford's marketing people must be laughing at the sheer number of media/blog reports touting their new "40 MPG pickup".

Of course we all saw & understand that's the city rating, where most hybrids excel.

Joe & Jane Consumer won't make that distinction. I think they're going to sell like hotcakes. And then we can shake our heads at all the owners complaining that they can "never get anywhere near 40 MPG".

Any guesses on the highway number?

They had a 40mpg ranger in the 1980s that got 16mpg

[Xist]

The 1983 Ranger was the first year, but 1984 was the first year that FuelEconomy.gov lists.

It has dozens of variants!

The 2.8 L, v6, Automatic 3-speed was rated 13/15 and the 2.2 L, i4, Manual 4-speed [diesel] was rated 25/28, but that was the current rating.

I don't know what it was originally rated, nor the real-world mileage.

The second generation didn't come out until 1993, although there was a facelift in 1989.

[Tahoe_Hybrid]

Originally Posted by Xist

The 1983 Ranger was the first year, but 1984 was the first year that FuelEconomy.gov lists.

It has dozens of variants!

The 2.8 L, v6, Automatic 3-speed was rated 13/15 and the 2.2 L, i4, Manual 4-speed [diesel] was rated 25/28, but that was the current rating.

I don't know what it was originally rated, nor the real-world mileage.

The second generation didn't come out until 1993, although there was a facelift in 1989.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feEFczCLIL8