New Models
New Models

2022 Ford Maverick: Baby Ranger ute leaked ahead of June 8 reveal with hybrid power, not for Australia

Ford's sub-Ranger ute has leaked ahead of next week's reveal, as teaser images confirm a hybrid powertrain will be offered.


The 2022 Ford Maverick has been teased for the first time ahead of its unveiling next week – but a set of leaked images have already spoiled the reveal surprise: a hybrid badge fitted to the tailgate.

A pair of leaked images posted on the Maverick Truck Club forum show Ford's new sub-Ranger ute in full ahead of its reveal on 8 June 2021 at 8pm AEST, confirming the boxy, truck-like look first seen in leaked images taken on the Maverick's production line last year.

However, unlike the larger, body-on-frame Ranger and F-150 pick-ups, the Maverick rides on the front- and all-wheel-drive C2 architecture employed by numerous Ford passenger cars and SUVs, including the Focus small car, Escape mid-size SUV and Bronco Sport off-road SUV – with its car-derived underpinnings reflected in its softer body lines and 'compact' proportions.

Above: A screenshot from Ford's official teaser video – note the Hybrid badge on the left side of the tailgate.

But despite many of those vehicles being sold in Australia in right-hand drive, Ford has previously indicated there are no plans for an Australian launch, as the Maverick is understood to have been engineered only for left-hand-drive markets.

Built to rival the recently-revealed Hyundai Santa Cruz – a dual-cab ute riding on the Hyundai Tucson medium SUV's platform – the Maverick will trade 3500kg braked towing and a one-tonne payload for passenger SUV-like handling and efficient turbo-petrol power.

Even with car-like independent rear suspension, an FX4 decal on the side of one leaked vehicle's tray – a name used by Ford in the US to optional packs focused on boosting off-road capabilities – suggests the Maverick will still be able to venture off the beaten track and into the wilderness, even if it's not as far as a conventional dual-cab ute.

Expect the Bronco Sport's twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system to feature in the Maverick FX4 – a system derived from the Focus RS hot hatch – plus a rear differential lock, underbody protection, and off-road-focused monotube shock absorbers.

Above: An undisguised spy shot of the new Ford Maverick posted by TFLTruck.

While a choice of turbo- petrol four-cylinders driving the front or all wheels are expected to make up the bulk of the engine range in the US, badging spotted in Ford's teaser video confirm a hybrid model will be offered with the new ute – a 'baby' companion to the rumoured 2024 Ranger plug-in hybrid, and larger F-150 PowerBoost hybrid on sale in the US.

While mechanical details won't be confirmed until next week's reveal, it's likely the four-cylinder hybrid powertrain used in Europe and the US's Escape Hybrid will be used in the dual-cab (owing to its shared platform), combining a 2.5-litre petrol engine with an 88kW electric motor and 1.1kWh battery to develop 149kW.

Drive is sent to the front or all wheels through a CVT automatic transmission in the Escape, though it's probable Ford could opt to restrict front-wheel drive to entry-level petrol variants, and offer the Maverick Hybrid with standard-fit all-wheel drive.

Alternatively, the Escape's plug-in hybrid powertrain could be used for the hybrid Maverick, which develops 165kW from an identical petrol engine, but larger electric motor and 14.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack – though the use of a 'Hybrid', rather than 'Plug-in Hybrid' badge suggests the aforementioned 149kW hybrid system will be used instead.

Other engine options should include a 135kW/257Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder and a 183kW/373Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder, both paired to eight-speed automatic transmissions, and driving the front or all wheels depending on variant.

The leaks provide our first look at the Maverick's interior, featuring a large widescreen infotainment display mounted high up on the dashboard, analog instrumentation, and overall layout largely shared with the Bronco Sport SUV and Focus hatch.

The 2022 Ford Maverick 'compact' dual-cab ute will be unveiled on 8 June 2021, at 8pm AEST. Stay tuned to CarAdvice for the full reveal.



Below: Watch the official teaser video

MORE:Ford Showroom
MORE:Ford News
MORE:Ford Reviews
MORE:Ford Maverick Showroom
MORE:Ford Maverick News
MORE:Ford Maverick Reviews
MORE:Search Used Ford Maverick Cars for Sale
MORE:Search Used Ford Cars for Sale
MORE:Ford Showroom
MORE:Ford News
MORE:Ford Reviews
MORE:Ford Maverick Showroom
MORE:Ford Maverick News
MORE:Ford Maverick Reviews
MORE:Search Used Ford Maverick Cars for Sale
MORE:Search Used Ford Cars for Sale
Alex Misoyannis

Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.

Read more about Alex MisoyannisLinkIcon
Chat with us!







Chat with Agent