Ford's Maverick stands out from the pickup crowd

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- The dictionary defines maverick as an independent sort, differing from the norm. Separate from the crowd.

And those words are entirely appropriate for the tested 2025 Ford Maverick XLT AWD, a compact pickup that is easy to handle, just-the-right-size for many motorists and priced well below the $50,000 or $60,000 you expect to pay for a full-size pickup these days.

This Maverick can handle chores without taking up all the space in your driveway. That's likely the primary reason that Ford calls it "the truck (Americans) never knew they needed."

But wait, there's more.  The tester was equipped with a 2.5-liter hybrid engine getting 40 miles per gallon in the city and 34 mpg on the highway.

It's the pickup for the rest of us ... including an ever-growing group of budget-conscious buyers.  The bottom line on my ride was a reasonable $36,860. The starting price on a basic Maverick is less than 30-grand.

Discount, however, does not equate to bare bones.

The long list of standard amenities on my ride included under-seat storage, pre-collision assist and LED lighting all around. The tester's options included rear parking sensors and a 4,000-pound towing package.

The hybrid power plant was efficient and quiet, and passengers commented on the smooth ride in the back seats.

Side note: The gleaming "Velocity Blue" paint job on the tested pickup drew admiring crowds in parking lots and my driveway.

How many times have you wanted a vehicle to occasionally do pickup duty, but handle like a midsize passenger car?

You're talking Maverick's language.