These are my first day impressions of the 2023 Maverick XL hybrid in Cactus Grey. I want to record them now to see how well they hold up in the future. Some background: I have a 2008 Honda CR-V LX with 300k miles on it, daily driver, love it, most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. I had a 2006 Honda Fit sport with 300k that I sold to buy a 2016 Honda Odyssey (currently at 150k). The fit was my second favorite car I have ever owned, but my wife hated it. The Odyssey is one of my least favorite cars I have ever owned because of the amount of maintenance I have to do on it. I change the oil, rotate tires and make small repairs on all my vehicles, and the Ody needs everything replaced every 65k. Struts, shocks, tie rods etc. Plus transmission oil changes every 20k or it shudders. I have a 2004 Miata (184k) which I love but never really get to drive. While waiting over a year for my Maverick, I bought a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 with 150k miles on it. I actually have had Dodge trucks my whole life and I like them because I am familiar with them. So that is where I am coming from. I drive my cars until the wheels come off and keep most cars around 10 years.
Now to the Maverick: I have never owned a Ford but I have driven plenty of F150s. They are great trucks. The Maverick interior doesn't seem half as well built as a F150. I knew it was cheap, but having not seen it before purchasing, I was shocked how cheap it feels. I like cheap in a Honda, but Ford feels crappy in comparison. I also don't like the Mavericks cheap dash board gauges. Even my 2008 base LX CR-V looks more updated. The chimes and controls in the Maverick are confusing to me at this point and I hope that unfamiliarity will soon be gone. The radio interface seems ancient already. The shift knob will take some time to get used to. My father's Dodge Ram has a dial knob and I haven't gotten used to it when I occasionally drive his truck. I miss the column shift. The truck is very underpowered and my 6 cyl Odyssey feels like a race car on takeoff compared to the Maverick. I knew this thing was slow, but I am still shocked at how slow.
The noises the hybrid makes are just strange to me. Again, I hope this wears off, but I am not sure what all these strange sounds coming from under the hood and dash are. They don't sound car like. The fact that you cant tell when the engine is running is disconcerting for my wife and I. We are afraid we are going to crank the key again while already running. The back up beep and electric beep sounds like a child's garbage truck. Is there a way to disable that? The headlight control button feels like an odd choice. I have never had a car with selections like that and it feels like it should have been a dial wheel instead. No power mirrors, really? And what is that giant black thing behind the rear view mirror? And what is that little slash for in the center console behind the traction control buttons? I haven't even opened the hood yet, so I don't know how simple oil changes will be. I saw that you have to take the skid plate off, so that is an extra step.
I know everyone loves storage spaces, and my Hondas are loaded with them, but the ones in the Maverick don't make sense to me. Do you need three bottle holders on the door? What am I to do with that large hole next to the screen? Why does the door arm rest just end like that? What are the torque looking screws really doing on the door and dashboard?
My likes. First time with LED headlights and I want them on all my cars now. Love the outside build quality on the Maverick, especially the bed. It just feels solid. The back seat area is much larger and more comfortable than I imagined. There is PLENTY of visibility and it almost feels like a fishbowl. I think I will tint the front windows for more privacy. I think Cactus Grey looks great on sunny days and dreary on rainy ones. I like the steel wheels, something I can't stand on my base Odyssey. I like the adjustable steering wheel which will come in handy on long trips. I like the LED interior lights. I like the slide out visors. I will add a self-dimming mirror in the future and I can't ding the Maverick for not having one at this price.
Anyway, I have less than 50 miles on the XL and wanted to post my initial impressions before I forget them. It may sound like I am attacking the Maverick, but I know I will enjoy it and it will earn a spot in my fleet of cars. Now I have to determine which cars are getting sold. Peace and love, Maverick Chat!
Now to the Maverick: I have never owned a Ford but I have driven plenty of F150s. They are great trucks. The Maverick interior doesn't seem half as well built as a F150. I knew it was cheap, but having not seen it before purchasing, I was shocked how cheap it feels. I like cheap in a Honda, but Ford feels crappy in comparison. I also don't like the Mavericks cheap dash board gauges. Even my 2008 base LX CR-V looks more updated. The chimes and controls in the Maverick are confusing to me at this point and I hope that unfamiliarity will soon be gone. The radio interface seems ancient already. The shift knob will take some time to get used to. My father's Dodge Ram has a dial knob and I haven't gotten used to it when I occasionally drive his truck. I miss the column shift. The truck is very underpowered and my 6 cyl Odyssey feels like a race car on takeoff compared to the Maverick. I knew this thing was slow, but I am still shocked at how slow.
The noises the hybrid makes are just strange to me. Again, I hope this wears off, but I am not sure what all these strange sounds coming from under the hood and dash are. They don't sound car like. The fact that you cant tell when the engine is running is disconcerting for my wife and I. We are afraid we are going to crank the key again while already running. The back up beep and electric beep sounds like a child's garbage truck. Is there a way to disable that? The headlight control button feels like an odd choice. I have never had a car with selections like that and it feels like it should have been a dial wheel instead. No power mirrors, really? And what is that giant black thing behind the rear view mirror? And what is that little slash for in the center console behind the traction control buttons? I haven't even opened the hood yet, so I don't know how simple oil changes will be. I saw that you have to take the skid plate off, so that is an extra step.
I know everyone loves storage spaces, and my Hondas are loaded with them, but the ones in the Maverick don't make sense to me. Do you need three bottle holders on the door? What am I to do with that large hole next to the screen? Why does the door arm rest just end like that? What are the torque looking screws really doing on the door and dashboard?
My likes. First time with LED headlights and I want them on all my cars now. Love the outside build quality on the Maverick, especially the bed. It just feels solid. The back seat area is much larger and more comfortable than I imagined. There is PLENTY of visibility and it almost feels like a fishbowl. I think I will tint the front windows for more privacy. I think Cactus Grey looks great on sunny days and dreary on rainy ones. I like the steel wheels, something I can't stand on my base Odyssey. I like the adjustable steering wheel which will come in handy on long trips. I like the LED interior lights. I like the slide out visors. I will add a self-dimming mirror in the future and I can't ding the Maverick for not having one at this price.
Anyway, I have less than 50 miles on the XL and wanted to post my initial impressions before I forget them. It may sound like I am attacking the Maverick, but I know I will enjoy it and it will earn a spot in my fleet of cars. Now I have to determine which cars are getting sold. Peace and love, Maverick Chat!