Def's 2025 Ford Maverick Hybrid AWD

[Grant Lamontagne]

We made it to and from New Brunswick without an issue, and I just re-torqued the lug nuts today.  I probably should have done it while we were there but it was rainy and we kept pretty busy.

I am liking being back in my own truck(let).  It may not have the same presence as the F-150 or my Jeep had, but it is still nice to be back at the wheel of my own vehicle.

Def

[ToolJoe]

Glad to see you got your Mav back. Nothing like being in your own vehicle! 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yeah I have been pushing it pretty hard since getting it back.  We went to New Brunswick last weekend (200 miles away) and this weekend we are in Annapolis Valley, which is about 150 miles away.

I have also towed with it for the first time today.  It handled it quite well, but I'll talk about that in another thread!

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

I put a lot of miles on the Maverick this weekend, sometimes with a loaded trailer behind it and it had no issues whatsoever.   

I decided to have a little fun so I asked an AI to generate an image of my Maverick in the Pixar world of Cars.

It was nice enough to even come up with a character profile I thought was pretty funny.

Here’s a character concept for a Ford Maverick Hybrid truck as if it were in the Cars universe:

Name: Mav
Model: 2025 Ford Maverick Hybrid
Role: The Clever Commuter / Nature-Loving Pickup
Voice: Paul Rudd or someone with easygoing, outdoorsy charm
Colour Scheme: Soft sage green with matte black trim and a subtle leaf decal on the rear fender
Catchphrase: “Big adventures? Light footprint.”

Backstory:
Mav grew up in the suburbs but always dreamed of the open trails. He’s a compact pickup who doesn't try to be the biggest or the fastest—just the most efficient. He’s known around Radiator Springs for helping others carry just enough of what they need, whether it's tools for a fix-up job or gear for a weekend camping trip.
He's part of the new wave of eco-conscious cars, proudly running on a hybrid engine. While some old-school trucks scoff at his size or power, Mav always says, “I may not tow a house, but I can haul a dream.”

Personality:
Mav is friendly, humble, and practical. He’s the kind of car who knows how to patch a tire with duct tape, brew coffee over a campfire, and explain the difference between torque and mpg without sounding smug. He’s close pals with Sarge and Fillmore and likes to bridge the gap between tradition and the future.

Appearance Details:
   •   Roof rack with a kayak or bike strapped on
   •   Bed is usually full of reusable totes, camping gear, or tools
   •   LED headlights that blink with personality
   •   Dashboard has a tiny cactus bobbleplant

Def

[AzteCypher]

HA!  That's pretty cool.  I like it!

[WhichDawg]

That's GREAT! I luv it and it should be your screen saver or first thing you see wallpaper but shouldn't the kayak/canoe be purple or pink?   

[Grant Lamontagne]

That's GREAT! I luv it and it should be your screen saver or first thing you see wallpaper but shouldn't the kayak/canoe be purple or pink?   

You will have to take that up with Disney's lawyers.   

Oh, and one other update, actually on topic.  I said earlier that Tow/Haul mode turned the dash grey.  I was wrong, Tow/Haul mode is yellow.

I am also really liking the backup camera for finding the trailer hitch.  I didn't have one in the Jeep and I also had a giant spare tire blocking my view, so I ended up getting in and out of the Jeep several times to back it up to the trailer.

The Maverick also automatically turns off the rear parking sensors and things when it detects a trailer on the back, which is good.  My father could never find the sensor deactivation button on his old Ford Edge and they used to scream at him something awful when he backed up a trailer with it.

The Maverick also modifies the reverse icon when there is a trailer hooked up, but honestly other than having a picture of a trailer it doesn't help much.  And, the backup camera doesn't help much for reversing either as all you can see is the front of the trailer, when it's the back of the trailer that matters.

Fortunately I have backed up my trailer hundreds of times without the use of techno gadgets and so I'm not worried about whether they are useful or not.

Def

[Vidar]

The Maverick also automatically turns off the rear parking sensors and things when it detects a trailer on the back, which is good. 

Now there is something that the EU actually should make a requirement. Driving cars that beep at every corner with a trailer behind is beyond frustrating.

[Grant Lamontagne]

With us going to the cabin every weekend (200kms each way) it didn't take long for me to pass 20,000 kms on the Maverick, which I did a couple of weeks ago.

And now I am driving about 150kms/day for work as I am working at a location far from my house.  I worked here a few times in the Jeep and it cost me a fortune driving back and forth, but this mileage should be significant.

In theory, I should get paid enough for mileage (I get paid mileage in my job) that the mileage payment alone should pay for the fuel I use and the payment, which should free up some of my $$ for my own personal use.   

In fact, I should make enough off the mileage that I actually get some money in my pocket after fuel and car payment, so this little rig will probably pay for itself soon enough.

All in all, the little Maverick has been holding up remarkably well.  I am probably not doing stuff worthy of a full sized truck, but I am certainly using this little truck at or near it's full capabilities!

I am pretty impressed with it so far, although as a brand new vehicle it should be quite reasonably reliable.  Still, I am sure they didn't intend for people to use it every weekend hauling a tonne of garbage up and down a mountain every weekend, especially when that mountain is a little bit on fire.   

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

It's time to bite the bullet and update this- my trusty little trucklet is starting to have a distinct scent of citrus.

In case that doesn't translate well to non English speakers, it may be time to get rid of it.

The issue that it had last year has reared it's ugly head again, and last month it went in to the shop for regular maintenance, and it had the same issue again just before it went in.  The dealer said it was related to a recall and fixed it. 

A week later it happened again.

That was almost a month ago. 

I haven't seen my Maverick since.

I am going to contact Ford and discuss a replacement with them.  After three weeks last time and four weeks this time, I don't have a lot of faith in the truck anymore.  I really like it- the size, configuration etc is all great, but I am very much bothered by it being in the shop so much.

Oh yeah, and it has 37,000 kms on it.

And, to add insult to injury, the loaner they gave me was a Nissan Kicks, but Megan said we needed something that could tow (after all, we just got a composting toilet for the camp and we have to haul stuff to the dump) so I ended up with a full sized Chevrolet pickup with a V8 motor. 

I really like this truck, but it is costing a fortune to feed right now for some reason.   

So that's it- I think I am going to have to contact Ford and see about getting a replacement.  So far the dealerships (two of them) have just seen this as an opportunity to make more money and I have told them both that I don't intend to be out any money because Ford smurfed up.

If Ford won't do anything about the issue then I will be sure to never darken their doorstep again.

Def

[Vidar]

If Ford won't do anything about the issue then I will be sure to never darken their doorstep again.

Isn't that when you're supposed to darken their doorstep, their reputation, and pester their office on hot summer days with well hidden remains of old shrimps? (Just a totally random example. Maybe).

Our car is now the ripe age of 6. One battery cell swapped on warranty so far. The surprise though was some campaign to fix a tiny cable assembly which could corrode and mess up signals somehow. In my naivete I figured that should be easy. Not so much: First the lower part of the car had to be separated from the upper part. Effectively dropping the entire bottom with out of the chassis. Then they had remove the front engine. Then a lot of the dashboard had be disassembled. Then reassembly. Almost 3 days of warranty work to fix a tiny part somebody planned to save a few cents by specifying a cheaper part originally. Just mind boggling.   

[Grant Lamontagne]

Another idiom that may not translate well...

When you stand on someone's doorstep you darken it with your shadow.  Saying you won't darken their doorstep means you won't go back there.

If I had the $$ I'd just trade the Maverick for an EV and be done with it, but unfortunately electric trucks are still quite pricey.  And, especially now with the camp, I absolutely need a truck of some sort.

Def

[powernoodle]

a distinct scent of citrus. . .  I think I am going to have to contact Ford and see about getting a replacement. 

That's a sad thing to hear.  The Maverick was in my top 5 wish list when I bought my first new vehicle in 2023.  Especially when the entry price was something like US $19,000 for the base model.

You may want to investigate the lemon laws in your jurisdiction, and be ready to enforce them if they give you any resistance.   Good luck sir.   

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yeah I have been on that.

I am also on a number of Maverick related groups on FB and it appears that no one else seems to have these problems, so it doesn't seem like a common thing.  Apparently I just got a bad one, which is nice, because it means I can get another one and not worry about this problem again.

The problem is, nothing else really checks all the boxes like the Maverick does.

The Hyunudai Sante Cruz seems like the ideal alternative, but it's been discontinued, and isn't available in a hybrid.  It's also much more expensive, although it does have a higher towing capacity.

The only other realistic option around here is the Toyota Tacoma hybrid, but at over $20k more expensive, and also much harder on fuel than the Maverick, I really don't want to consider it.  For example, my Maverick was a mid line spec (XLT with the lux package) and was $45,000 CAD, and the Tacoma Hybrid starts at $68,000 CAD.

If I'm going to spend that kind of money, there's a Ford Lightning for $67,000 I'd much rather have.

Def