Breaking News: 01-11-22 - 1PM
North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year: Civic, Maverick, Bronco
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Detroit Free Press
January 10, 2022
Photo Credit: Ford Motor Company
.
North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year: Civic, Maverick, Bronco
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Detroit Free Press
January 10, 2022
Photo Credit: Ford Motor Company
Norine Kingsbury, of Flint, was one of only six buyers to take home a 2022 Ford Maverick hybrid pickup in November — sort of like Veruca Salt getting a golden ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.
She was one of the first in the whole country to get a coveted compact pickup.
"I can get into my vehicle and have enough room but don’t feel like a little child in a big man's toy," Kingsbury told the Free Press. "I bought it especially for winter driving in Michigan. I put the truck into snow mode, that's what it's called, snow mode, and it's just beautiful. I haven't gotten stuck or slipped or slid."
But this isn't a story of one woman. This is the story of one woman who's part of a movement that no one expected — not industry analysts or even Ford Motor Co.
Szott Ford in Holly called Kingsbury while the truck hauler was pulling up, the Maverick not yet unloaded. "I said I'd be over within the hour!" she said, laughing. The 47-year-old materials management specialist works at a hospital in Grand Blanc and drives the truck to work every day. At 5-foot-5, Kingsbury worries about upper body strength and she'd rather use her legs and hips. So she likes that she can lift garden dirt and boards into the truck at waist level instead of chest level.
In fact, she feels like this compact pickup is a perfect replacement for a small car. And this is music to the ears of Ford.
The Dearborn automaker sees three distinct groups buying the truck — female drivers, young drivers and retired drivers. Starting at just under $20,000 and getting 40 mpg, the vehicle is designed to compete with Honda and Toyota sedan offerings.
“Maverick is one of those big surprises for the industry that is only beginning, with sales turning on dealer lots in just four days," said Erich Merkle, U.S. sales analyst for Ford. "It brings a younger buyer from outside of the traditional pickup segment. From a value proposition, it can go head-to-head with passenger cars while offering fuel economy that is comparable to many compact sedans.”
The vehicle, which had no run-up to the reveal in June 2021 and launched in September, caught many in the industry by surprise. Even now, trying to track the thousands of Maverick posts on various social media platforms "is nearly impossible," said Dawn McKenzie, Ford truck communications manager.
"We have passionate customers for Ford trucks. We've never seen these communities pop up like they are around Maverick," she said. "The only thing that's close is what happened with Bronco, but that brewed for years."
Timing for the Maverick could not have been better planned, said Karl Brauer, executive analyst for ISeeCars.com, an internet search engine for new and used cars.
“At this point in time, you have people increasingly worried about economics -- we’ve had a lot of turbulence in last 18 months, a lot of job change,” he said.
“People aren’t as financially secure or confident. So to have a $20,000 starting-price vehicle with the level of functionality and flexibility and fuel efficiency that the Maverick provides is just hugely compelling. I think there’s a bit of a surprise and delight element here," Brauer said. "We haven’t seen a new truly compact truck for decades. The cost and size of full-size trucks makes them unusable for anyone living in a city. Even midsize trucks have gotten fairly large and expensive.”
Online marketplace sites independently confirm Maverick's strong appeal.
Interest in the Maverick actually highlights untapped needs and wants of consumers now, said Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights at the Edmunds.com car shopping site.
"For years, automakers and consumers have embraced a 'bigger is better' mentality with trucks. As a result, prices have exploded, with many full-size truck prices rivaling those of luxury vehicles," she said. "But the reality is that many truck owners don't need the capability of a full-size truck."
.