Ford Maverick Wins AutoGuide 2022 Truck of the Year

Ford’s all-new Maverick compact pickup truck has taken the crown as the AutoGuide 2022 Truck of the Year.

This year’s crop of truck finalists covered a wide range of options, including compact, midsize, and full size pickups, as well as one speciality off-road monster. Voting was close with the Ford F-150 Raptor and Hyundai Santa Cruz just coming up short. But in the end, it was the new Ford Maverick that took the honors thanks to its blend of value, practicality, and efficiency in a right-sized package.

For more AutoGuide 2022 Awards goodness, check out the rest of the stories here:

The all-new Ford Maverick is a fresh take on the compact pickup truck market. It’s a jack of all trades. There are the entry level XL models which are small work trucks, perfect for businesses who need a pickup but don’t need the cost or size of a larger truck. But the real bread and butter segment for the Maverick is the compact market. Ford abandoned passenger car sales a few years ago, but has not abandoned customers looking for an affordable, small, useful vehicle. The XLT and Lariat trim levels come loaded with modern comfort and convenience features, in a spacious, easy to drive vehicle. It just happens to also have the flexibility of an open truck bed.

Pricing starts at just $21,490 (including destination), yet comes standard with an efficient hybrid powertrain. For those who need more power and capability, there is a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with available all-wheel drive. We have driven a few examples of the Maverick, both hybrid and turbocharged, and have always came away impressed.

Road Test Editor Kyle Patrick sums it up best: “There’s a lot of talk about want versus need in the car buying space. The Maverick is all the truck most people probably need, for the two or three times a year they’d use the bed or towing capability. Crucially, it still satisfies the want side of the brain with pleasantly honest and practical design, inside and out. Not only should it appeal to those who’ve missed small trucks, but it should peel sales away from compact cars too, especially with a hybrid model that beats them in fuel economy. ‘Cheap and cheerful’ doesn’t typically apply to a truck, but it sure does here.”

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