The 2022 Ford Maverick Might Be Great

Ford officially confirmed it will be making the Maverick Thursday night, a properly small truck that might also be a hybrid, or at least have a hybrid option, if not a plug-in electric hybrid option, though we can dream. The Maverick will also reportedly start at under $20,000. It looks like Ford has finally decided to make a good truck?

Now, Ford makes plenty of perfectly fine trucks, but the issue with Ford’s trucks, like all trucks these days, is that Ford’s trucks are too big. I remember when the new Ford Ranger emerged, and we all got very excited initially that maybe Ford would be making a small truck. We were wrong.

We might be right, though, in thinking that the Maverick could be a good, actually-small truck. We will know for sure later this year, when Automotive News says it will go on sale. For now, signs are pointing in the right direction and the price is right.

Suppliers have been told to prepare for annual volumes of 110,000, according to a person with knowledge of the plans. Production is expected to begin in late July, and the truck is expected to go on sale later this year.

Ford has told dealers that the truck will start at less than $20,000, effectively serving as an entry-level replacement for the company’s discontinued sedans.

Ford making a truck to make up for the fact that it bailed on the Fiesta is just about the most American thing ever, but I don’t hate it. In fact, if this thing is less than 17 feet long and doesn’t stand too high off the ground, I might even buy it. If this thing comes in a regular cab version, I’m definitely buying it.

And while I’m a little perplexed why Ford is doing this now — the profit margin on a vehicle that starts at under $20,000 can’t be big — I’m not going to overthink it. Which means: Over to you, GM. The S10 is long-overdue for a reboot.