Truck Review: 2025 Ford Maverick Lariat Hybrid | Reviews

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For 2025, Ford’s smallest pickup truck undergoes some relatively large changes. The Maverick gets a styling update that includes a new grille and front lights, along with a larger infotainment touchscreen. But perhaps the biggest news, especially for Canadian drivers in winter, is that all-wheel drive (AWD), previously available just on the gas-only version, can now be added to the hybrid variants.

The Maverick is based on the SUV underpinnings of the Ford Escape and Bronco Sport. When it first arrived for 2022, some naysayers declared it wasn’t a “real truck” due to its size and unibody construction. That misconception seems to have passed, as it’s now a regular sight on the roads, at least in my neck of the woods. Last year in Canada, while it obviously didn’t come close to the six-figure sales by the Ford F-150, the Maverick outsold its midsize Ranger stablemate; and did the same in the first quarter of 2025 as well.

What powers the 2025 Ford Maverick?

The Maverick comes in two varieties, with the gas-only version powered by an “EcoBoost” (Ford’s name for turbocharging) 2.0L four-cylinder making 250 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque, and mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission – except on the street-truck-styled Lobo trim, which gets an automatic seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. All gas-only models come only with AWD.

But I’m driving the hybrid, which uses a 2.5L four-cylinder with hybrid system, making 191 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque, and with an automatic continuously-variable transmission (CVT). Of its three available trims, the XL and XLT come with front-wheel drive (FWD) or AWD, while my tester, the Lariat, comes standard with the all-wheel.

How much does the 2025 Maverick cost?

The hybrid versions, in FWD, start at $34,600 for the XL and $37,100 for the XLT, and it’s $2,500 extra to move up to AWD on either one. My Lariat tester, in AWD-only, began at $46,600. It was equipped with a number of options, including a sunroof, block heater, floor liners, and a towing package that brought it to $49,450 before freight and taxes.

The gas-only Maverick also comes in those three trims, all with AWD, and ranging from $35,100 to $44,600. It also offers that lowered-with-attitude Lobo for $41,900, or an off-road-ready Tremor version for $48,100.

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What makes the Maverick a truck?

The Maverick comes only as a four-door crew cab, and its bed is 4-foot-5-inches long. That’s only a foot shorter than what you get on some F-150 trims, and for many people it’s just right for camping gear, bicycles, or other light loads. It’s designed with indentations so you can drop in boards or carriers to divide the bed depending on what you plan to carry, and a spray-in bedliner is optional on the XL and XLT, and included with the Lariat.

Both the gas and hybrid models can tow up to 2,000 lbs; and if that’s not enough, you can option a towing package that takes it to 4,000 lbs and includes an integrated trailer brake controller. The Maverick is light-duty and no question about it; but many people don’t need the capacity of a big truck, and this compact model can handle their hauling needs while easily getting into tight parking spaces, and without the need to crawl up to get into a needlessly-oversized half-ton model.

What’s the Maverick like to drive?

The Maverick has a relatively large windshield, and from behind the wheel, that makes it feel roomy inside; but once you start moving, its compact size makes it easy to drive and maneuver through traffic. The ride and handling feel like an SUV and I mean that as a compliment. It’s responsive; the steering is light enough to be comfortable but not so much that it feels vague; and the ride is smooth. The all-wheel system primarily powers the front wheels, but sends torque to the rear as needed for traction.

Even though the hybrid system doesn’t make large power numbers, it handles acceleration and highway passing without issues. It’s a self-charging system, feeding power back into the battery through regenerative braking, so it doesn’t get plugged in. It switches automatically between gasoline, electricity, or a combination, depending on driving conditions. It gets noisy on acceleration or when the gasoline engine starts up, though. It’s not enough to be a dealbreaker, but if you’re used to the much-quieter systems in vehicles like Toyota’s Prius, you’ll notice the difference.

What kind of fuel economy does the Maverick get?

The Maverick hybrid is rated by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) at 5.6 L/100 km in the city, 6.7 on the highway, and 6.2 in combined driving. In contrast, the gas-only Maverick rates 10.6 city, 7.8 highway, and 9.4 combined. Both take regular-grade, 87-octane gasoline.

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What features does the Maverick have?

Standard features on my Lariat tester included 19-inch wheels, power driver’s seat, heated seats and steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, the new 13.2-inch screen with wireless connectivity and premium audio, wireless charger, power-sliding rear window, and LED bed lighting. Optional on mine was a power sunroof for $1,200.

In the driver-assist department, my ride included emergency front braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, 360-degree camera, and adaptive cruise control, that being the system that automatically keeps its distance from traffic in front.

That’s a decent features list, but much of it is only standard on the top-line Lariat. Items that are unavailable on the base XL, and extra-charge-optional on the XLT, include the power seat, heated seats and wheel, and heated mirrors; and you can’t even option dual-zone climate, a wireless charger, or premium audio on either one. Blind-spot monitoring and lane-keep are optional on the XL and XLT, and while they both come with cruise control, you can’t add adaptive cruise to either one. A considerable number of less-expensive vehicles include this popular system and it’s surprising that it’s not available on these two trims, especially in the XLT hybrid that starts at almost $42,000 in AWD.

For that matter, a few missing features on those lower trims are puzzling, such as no heated seats or mirrors on the XL at almost $37,000. It’s relatively common for full-size trucks to be offered in a very basic starter trim, which is generally marketed toward commercial fleets where the lower cost outweighs the driver’s convenience. There are some Mavericks running around with company names on their doors, but this is primarily a lifestyle consumer truck, and these are features consumers want. You can option a base-trim Escape – which shares its platform with the Maverick – with a package that includes adaptive cruise, premium stereo, navigation, power front seats, heated seats and wheel, power liftgate, digital mirror, and wireless charger, in addition to the Escape’s standard blind-spot monitoring and lane-keep assist, and still be only $454 more than the price of the base Maverick XL hybrid.

What competes with the Ford Maverick?

There are only two contenders in this smallest-truck category, the other being the Hyundai Santa Cruz. It’s basically a Tucson SUV with a bed instead of a cargo compartment, and comes with more standard features than the Maverick across its three trims, including AWD in everything; but it’s also costlier at $41,999 to $50,499 and doesn’t offer a hybrid powertrain. From there, you’re looking at larger and pricier midsize trucks, including the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger, Honda Ridgeline, Jeep Gladiator, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma.

Summing up…

Despite the hybrid system’s rumble and those missing-in-action features, I’m still very impressed with the Maverick. I like trucks but don’t need a big one, and this will handle what I need it to do while still fitting almost everywhere, and without the need for an auxiliary step just to easily get into the cabin or reach into the bed. Many people overestimate their needs and then overbuy their trucks. If that’s the case, the Maverick might well be all the truck you need.

Pros and cons of the 2025 Ford Maverick Hybrid

Pros

✔ The hybrid now offers all-wheel drive
✔ Handles a lot of jobs without bigger-truck bulk
✔ Handsome styling

Cons

✘ Noisy on acceleration
✘ Lower trims lack some “should be there” features
✘ Rear legroom is a bit tight

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