Ford’s compact pickup is off to a great start.
The biggest question Ford had when it unveiled its new Maverick pickup was whether buyers would answer. Although the full-size F-Series dominates North American sales for decades now, the unibody Maverick is a totally different beast from its bigger brother.
Jim Farley, Ford CEO, seems pleased with the progress made so far. He took to Twitter to announce that 100,000 Maverick reservations have been recorded. He also explained that reservations come from only three states, Texas, Florida, California. Los Angeles and San Francisco seem to love the Maverick far more than others, which is even more precise. Farley did not offer any deeper insights into Texas or Florida.
Ford’s new pickup was introduced two months ago. The milestone of 100,000 sales comes just over two and a quarter months later. The Maverick’s base price, before delivery fees, is $19,995 with a standard-issue hybrid engine. This pickup is not intended for traditional pickup truck buyers. Ford wants to attract people away from compact sedans or hatchbacks . Or capture first-time car buyers with a vehicle which can seat five and transport an impressive amount cargo and achieve 40 mpg in cities.
Farley appears happy with Maverick’s initial response. But, are 100,000 reservations in 12 months an indication that the truck has been a success? The new Bronco had more than twice the number of reservations in two weeks. And those were not free. The competition is very limited, aside from the Hyundai Santa Cruz. However, we can see that Toyota sold 248,801 Tacomas in 2019 and 122,304 Chevrolet Coloradotrucks were also sold that year.
Ford had earlier this year told its suppliers that they expect Maverick sales to reach 110,000. Ford is more than halfway to its annual target if Maverick reservations translate to sales at the equal percentage as the Bronco. It seems that Maverick is on the right track to reaching its annual target.