Can the front-wheel drive hybrid handle the job?
The Ford Maverick is yet another pickup for the automaker. The truck is smaller than the Ranger, and it has a large truck bed. But can it do the daily work of a huge ranch? A new TFLTruck YouTube clip shows a front-wheel drive hybrid model climbing up a mountain trail to remove trees that had fallen on the trail.
This job tested the Maverick’s maximum payload capacity of 1,500 pounds (680 kgs). Although the truck needed stake sides to hold the logs, it is stock otherwise. The hybrid Maverick combines a 2.5-liter four cylinder with an electric motor for 191 horsepower (142 Kilowatts) 155 pound-feet (220 Newton-meters of torque) though getting all that power to the ground can be difficult.
All-season tires are used on the front-wheel-drive Maverick, which does not improve its traction, but it is capable of tackling steep, gravelly-covered hills with ease. After it has been loaded with a substantial amount of rear-end squat at approximately 3 inches (76.3 millimeters), it turns to head down the mountain. Although the truck has a lower rear suspension, it doesn’t provide much ground clearance. A large rock can strike the underbody skid plate, causing it to lose forward momentum.
It is able to climb the remaining mountain without any difficulty. The truck then makes a trip to scales. It shows the truck reaching its GVWR of 5,200 lbs (2.358 kg). By adding 200 pounds, it reaches the scales at approximately 5,400 lbs (2.450 kg).
This is a rare test, since it’s unlikely that most FWD Maverick owners will purchase the pickup for such work. The Ford is a very capable machine, even though it cannot compete with full-sized trucks. Even though not everyone requires to carry thousands of pounds of stuff daily, they still need some extra space and utility.