The Ford Maverick has been making waves in the market since it launched in 2021. The compact crew cab pickup truck is slotted in the Ford lineup as its smallest truck. Many are already chiming in on how reliable the Maverick is turning up to be.
What makes the Maverick interesting is that it comes standard as a hybrid though buyers can opt for an optional turbo engine. This can leave some people wondering if the vehicle is capable of doing pickup truck things like carrying heavy loads and towing trailers. Interestingly, the Maverick can pull some serious loads but not as much as its bigger and more brutish trucks in the Ford lineup.
What is the Ford Maverick Payload Capacity?
Since it’s a pickup truck, you’d expect that it should be able to haul cargo and tow things. So, you might be wondering: How much can the Ford Maverick haul? It depends on the variant.
Standard Hybrid Variant
For the standard hybrid model, the Ford Maverick’s capacities are 1,500 lbs for payload and 2,000 for towing.
The hybrid variant features a 2.5L Duratec gasoline engine paired with an electric motor. It delivers 191 horsepower. The gasoline engine produces 155 lb-ft of torque, while the electric motor generates 173 lb-ft. Power is sent to the front wheels through an e-CVT gearbox.
Turbocharged EcoBoost Variant
The variant equipped with 2.0L turbocharged EcoBoost engine can pull much more. The engine produces 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque.
The payload capacity remains the same at 1,500 lbs, but this Maverick variant has a towing capacity of up to 4,000 lbs thanks to an 8-speed transmission, all-wheel drive, and 4K Tow Package.
Loading and Hauling Tips
If you plan to do some hauling and towing with your Maverick, it’s important to follow the proper procedures outlined by Ford in the manual.
Distribute the cargo evenly. Having a maximum payload of 1,500 lbs doesn’t mean you can drop a dense, heavy object just anywhere in the truck bed. The load must be distributed properly so that it won’t shift the truck’s center of gravity, affecting its handling. According to the owner’s manual, the load limit for the middle position is 500 lbs, and you need to distribute the load evenly in the area between the wheel wells and the tailgate.
Use the bed slots. The Ford Maverick pickup bed features bed slots where you can place lumber and dividers to organize your cargo. Secure the cargo with straps and dividers. You wouldn’t want the cargo to slide or jostle on the bed during travel.
Avoid exceeding the load limits. While the Ford Maverick posts acceptable payload capacities, you should heed these load limits. Overloading your vehicle can result in premature wear of all components. Grossly overloading your truck is unsafe, and you can endanger not only yourself or your truck but others on the road as well.
Mind the trailer too. When towing, 60% of the allowable weight should be in the front part of the trailer and 40% in the rear. Keep in mind that it’s the turbocharged Maverick variant with the towing package and AWD that has the towing capacity of 4,000 lbs.
A Capable Small Truck
All things considered, the Ford Maverick is proving to be quite the popular pickup truck. The 2022 Ford Maverick year sold out earlier this year, and the order books for the upcoming 2023 model year are closing as well, and that’s for all Maverick trims.
We’d still need more data points on how well the Maverick truly performs in real-world situations and whether or not the truck will be quite reliable in the long-term. But as a vehicle in its particular segment, the Ford Maverick appears to have some decent performance as well.
