Maverick is official, Ford announced Thursday. The nameplate will return on a compact pickup — the very same one we’ve seen repeatedly in the wild over the course of the past year — and we’ll get to see it officially revealed in a matter of days. Ford included a pair of teaser photos of the truck’s celebrity ambassador, Gabrielle Union.
“Months of rumors, spy shots and speculation have all led to this moment. It’s true – Ford is adding an all-new small pickup to the lineup, and it’s called Maverick,” Ford’s brief announcement said. “Bringing a rebirth of a classic name and the creation of a new choice for truck customers, the all-new Ford Maverick makes its debut on June 8.”
Based on what we’ve seen so far, Maverick will be smaller than the Ranger and front-wheel drive (with available all-wheel drive). It appears as though it will come with either a torsion beam rear suspension or an independent setup, depending on drive configuration. Despite its unibody construction, it will likely appeal to those who miss the old compact Ranger’s smaller footprint and reasonable (for the time) frugality.
It has been more than a decade since America had a true compact pickup option, but soon it will have two, thanks to Hyundai, which is also getting into the game with its new Santa Cruz. While Hyundai’s reps hesitate to call it a truck, you’d be hard-pressed to call it anything else based on its silhouette and cargo-friendly rear end, but we expect Ford’s offering will appeal more to those who err on the side of practicality.
We won’t have long to wait for details. Ford will officially reveal the Maverick on Tuesday, June 8. Stay tuned!