Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photography by Adrenaline Lifestyles
One thing I did not expect was to truly consider the Ford Maverick XLT to be a must have daily driver. The 2025 Ford Maverick is built for work and for commuting. It is stylish, efficient and ready for work. We were able to take the Ford Maverick XLT AWD for a week and really get some good seat time with it. This is definitely an attention grabber and ignites the conversation on how this truck separates itself from the tough Ford line up including the Ranger, F-150 and the Raptor.
The Ford Maverick is a four-door, compact pickup truck manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company. It was unveiled on June 8, 2021, as Ford’s smallest truck, slotted below the mid-size Ford Ranger. The Maverick is manufactured at Ford’s Hermosillo Assembly in Mexico alongside the Bronco Sport for both the North and South American auto markets.
Upon first look you notice the body-colored front bumper with black rub strip/fascia accent, a black rear step bumper, and black side windows and rear window trim. The 2025 Ford Maverick XLT has a regular box style with a spray-in bed liner, a steel spare wheel, and a full-size spare tire stored underbody. The Mavericks Flexbed features a load length of 4.5 feet with pre-stamped slots in the bed sides. There is also a built-in 12-volt electrical circuit. Our Maverick came in a Ruby Red Metallic hue. The XLT is a mid-level trim with features like 17-inch painted aluminum wheels, power mirrors, a power tailgate lock, and LED reflector headlamps.
The interior is spacious and nice with the dual bucket seats, featuring ActiveX -trimmed seating, heated front seats, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support, and a six-way adjustable manual passenger seat. The Maverick seats up to five people and has a soft vinyl-wrapped heated steering wheel. Some additional features that I liked were the rear armrest with cup holders, rear under-seat storage bins, ambient lighting, power door locks, and power windows. The Maverick’s cabin design is plain but the controls are easy to identify and use. This cab style offers a lot of leg room along with wide door openings to get in and out easily.
The Maverick is equipped with a Wi-Fi hotspot that can connect up to 10 devices. The XLT includes an 8-inch touchscreen, SiriusXM, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto smartphone integration, navigation and the standard 6 speaker audio system. Additional tech includes dual rear USB ports, a wireless charging pad and dual-zone automatic temperature control.
The 2025 Ford Maverick XLT has a 2.5-liter hybrid engine that kicks out power of 191hp and 155 lb.-ft. of torque. The power is sent to all wheels thru the continuously variable transmission (CVT). The XLT trim delivers performance and value. It is efficient and smooth, with excellent ride quality. The Maverick is perfect for darting around the city, where the F-150 or Raptor could be a bit large. The gas mileage in the Maverick clocks in at 40 mpg in the city, 34 on the highway and 37 mpg combined. The Maverick handled well in the city and on rural roads. It is great for commuting and small work jobs.
Safety ratings are mixed on the Maverick XLT, with the NHTSA giving the 2025 Maverick an overall four-star rating, and the IIHS providing incomplete testing results so far. The Maverick comes equipped with safety systems such as Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking, Available blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert and Available adaptive cruise control
The Ford Maverick has a competitive warranty. The 2025 Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid AWD warranty includes a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance warranty, and a 5-year/unlimited-mile corrosion warranty. There is also an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty specifically for hybrid-specific parts, like the battery and electric motor that are covered for a longer period and mileage than the standard powertrain.
In its’ class, the Maverick goes up against trucks such as the Hyundai Santa Cruz, Honda Ridgeline, Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Colorado and the Nissan Frontier. Overall, the Maverick is a fun truck that should easily be at the top of any consumers list that requires a truck to handle small jobs and get great gas mileage. Please enjoy the photo gallery.
