The all-new 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid is here to tackle the world’s toughest towing test – the Ike Gauntlet™. How will it do? Is it really a hard-working little compact pickup truck? Let’s find out!
Ike Gauntlet
This is the world’s toughest towing test because it’s an 8-mile climb up the country’s steepest interstate highway to a maximum elevation of 11,158 feet above sea level. This is a 7% grade with a 60 MPH speed limit.
2022 Ford Maverick
The pickup we are testing is a Maverick XLT Hybrid. This is a mid-grade of the new compact pickup truck with an MSRP of $27,305. It’s powered by a 2.5-liter I4 gas engine that is combined with an electric motor and a planetary-gear eCVT. This is a power-split hybrid system with a combined rating of 191 horsepower. The little pickup can drive on electric power, gas power, or a combination of the two.
The little pickup is EPA rated at 42 MPG city / 33 MPG highway and 37 MPG combined.
For this Ike Gauntlet, we are towing a Colorado Teardrops trailer that weighs approximately 1,500 lbs. This trailer is actually a perfect match for this pickup. It’s about the same width as the Maverick and it’s low-profile that helps with efficiency and during high crosswinds.
Results
The regenerative braking of the electric motor and the assist from the gas engine resulted in very good downhill performance. I needed to apply the brakes just three times. It was a very controlled and confident downhill run.
On the way up, the Maverick Hybrid had good acceleration, but the engine/transmission combination was a little loud and droned at times. The suspension performed well with this load. The Maverick squatted down just under one inch with this trailer hitched to the back.
In the end, Nathan and I gave it a very good score of 92.5 out of 100 for this 2022 TFL Top Truck / Ike Gauntlet competition. Check out the video below for all the details, and stay tuned as we plan to test the new 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, Maverick Turbo, and many other all-new trucks very soon.
