It’s not the right fit for this small truck, so we aren’t sure.
It’s clear that Ford wants to appeal to traditional pickup buyers by launching the Maverick. The Maverick’s slender shape is a stark contrast to the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Additionals such as the FX4 Off Road Package push the truck story further. Ford may be testing a common truck item for the Maverick.
Pickup toppers are a tradition that has been around for many decades. This short YouTube video by 80sAirwaves shows one mounted on the back of an XLT Maverick Maverick. The video is a compilation three photos that show the truck from the driver’s perspective. We don’t have any context. Although we are unsure if this is a Ford-produced cap, or an aftermarket product, the Maverick’s bed size allows us to say that it isn’t a generic topper.
It also looks strange, if you’re being honest. The entire cap is just a little higher than the roof and almost all sides are window. It doesn’t look bad, and many standard pickup toppers are higher than the cab. We can see the logic behind it. It allows for more cargo space in the interior, which is ideal for the Maverick’s 4.5-foot bed. We find this cap a little awkward.
Although the Maverick will not be available in dealerships until fall 2010, Ford offers many bed accessories via its Maverick configurator. You have many options for bed liners, bed lights and tool boxes. This is one area where the Maverick dominates the Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz has a smaller bed, so the Maverick takes up more space. We don’t find any mention of a bed topper in the Maverick configurator. It’s not at least yet.
Compact truck buyers will be interested in a topper. It will be fascinating to see how the market reacts between the traditional Santa Cruz and the Maverick.