Is Our Ford Maverick Hybrid the Cure for the Giant Truck?

It's big enough for small jobs, but too small for everything else

written by Jake Sundstrom
edited by Steven Ewing
4/13/2026
Share:

The Ford Maverick will soon be the only compact pickup truck on sale in the U.S.
It provides light-duty utility with compact car passenger space and efficiency.
We've had one in our One-Year Road Test garage for almost a year. Would we do it again?

The Ford Maverick is a novelty: a compact pickup truck in a sea of midsize and full-size trucks that seem to get larger every year. And it'll soon be the only new compact pickup you can buy; the Hyundai Santa Cruz is being 86'd after just a few years on sale.

Following a modest update for 2026, we added a Ford Maverick hybrid with all-wheel drive to our One-Year Road Test fleet. After years of clamoring for a reasonably sized and reasonably priced pickup truck, is the Maverick what we've been waiting for?

Click here to read all full 2025 Ford Maverick One-Year Road Test updates.

See 284 2026 Ford Maverick vehicles for sale near you

See All for Sale

It's big enough for small jobs … but so are compact SUVs

"Even though I love the Ford Maverick, it was shockingly not the right tool for the job when I borrowed it over the holidays," wrote David Lucio, post-production editor. "With California getting some rare and much-needed rain, I could not put anything in the truck bed since ours doesn't have a cover. It's a common truck problem. So all of the food and gifts, plus my dog, my wife and I had to be crammed into the cabin. Luckily, everything fit — kind of. We both had to scoot our seats forward and sit rather uncomfortably, plus keep an extra-sharp eye on the dog to not get into the food, which was now next to him in the back. An SUV or a roomy/hatchback sedan would have solved all of these issues."

The Maverick is a great size, but it doesn't offer much more than a Honda CR-V when it comes to storage space, unless you're carrying something of unusual size (like bikes) or something you don't want inside the vehicle (firewood, muddy clothes, etc.). This can be solved by purchasing a tonneau cover, of course. But part of the appeal of a full-size pickup is that there's a ton of space inside the truck. The Maverick doesn't work here.

The Maverick leaves at least one editor wanting more

"We named the Maverick our [Edmunds] Top Rated Truck for 2026," wrote Brent Romans, director of written content. "Congratulations are in order! But if I can cast a dissenting opinion, I will. In theory, this truck should be for me. I don't own a trailer or a boat, but I sometimes could benefit from a vehicle that has a cargo bed. For example, I could use a Maverick to get some new plants for my yard, or haul a couple of bicycles for some weekend biking. That would work. Or hey, if I started Brent's Bug Exterminator Service, it'd be ideal for that. But anytime I drive our Maverick, I find myself wishing I had the Ranger or Chevy Colorado. They're just nicer and more pleasant to drive."

Romans continued, "The Maverick's low price and hybrid powertrain option are just not enough of a draw for me. Basically, I'd much rather get a midsize truck, even if I had to buy it used. Or a more heavily used full-size truck."

OK, hear us out: A Maverick-based SUV

"Ford should really make a Maverick-based SUV," wrote video manager Will Kaufman.

"'But Will, you fool!' I hear you say, 'The Maverick is an SUV-based truck!'"

"To which I say, 'It is! But the SUVs it's related to all stink.'"

"For whatever reason, the Bronco Sport and Escape just aren't great. They both sit low in their segments in our rankings, and we just generally don't have a lot of nice things to say about either. But we love the Maverick! Slap a roof over the bed, carpet that sucker, and call it a day!

"You can have that one for free, Ford."

Would we choose the Maverick again?

There are narrow use cases for this little truck, like Brent Romans' lifelong dream to start an exterminating service. But for many editors, myself included, there are small SUVs that suit our needs better. And if we really wanted the capability of a truck, we'd probably pick a used midsize or full-size truck to save some dough.

We'll have more to say when we fully wrap up our yearlong test of the Maverick in a few months.

by Jake Sundstrom

Jake Sundstrom has worked in the automotive industry since 2017. He has written hundreds of car-related articles. Jake is currently an Editor for CarMax and has also contributed to National Hot Rod Association publications. When he's not driving cars, he's eating takeout inside of them (probably burgers, burritos or pizza).

edited by Steven Ewing

Steven Ewing is Edmunds' director of editorial content. An automotive journalist for more than half of his life, Ewing's been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and he was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. He's also contributed to publications like Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and more. Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. From testing prototype cars in the Arctic Circle to spilling a beer on a Formula 1 driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (oops), he's always got an interesting story to tell.

Get More Edmunds Car News in Your Inbox

Pricing

Edmunds suggests you pay

$27,146

9 for sale near you

Prices based on sales in VA thru 5/4/26

Final assembly in Mexico