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First day impressions 2023 XL hybrid

5K views 19 replies 11 participants last post by  Aufgeblassen 
#1 ·
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!
 
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#3 ·
I have a pure base 0 option XL hybrid - waited a year for it and paid just under 21K (without taxes) - after 3 months and 3k miles I have had 0 problems with it and find the acceleration more than adequate and find it a fun stable sturdy truck. I like the simplicity of the interior, the dials and switches are easily accessible and of a good size. Honestly I find that this vehicle is more than worth the price and is enjoyable to drive. zero problems, the relay/other electronic noises are actually sort of funny after a while. It's everything and more that I expected for a 20K truck - mileage is great and everyone who rides in it likes it a lot. I think after a few weeks you'll enjoy it at lot .
 
#4 ·
I love my hybrid. I love the sounds it makes. It has more power than my last old ranger with a v6...good enough. I also think the visibility is great and I like the interior. I have never been a fan of leather. It's my first vehicle with a backup camera and info center...that's great. I haven't stopped enjoying my MAV since it arrived. Good luck with yours, I know you will like it.
 
#7 ·
Cheap interior fabrics...wait until you find out how much the plastic scratches on the door panels :) from what I have heard. Then again others say the fabric might wear well. Your XL has the black color whereas the XLT has blue fabric.

The chimes you will sort out I figure, part of the hybrid interface.

Do the radio update, still it is a base cheap radio with cheap speakers I hear.

I actually like hybrid power, when going from a stop vs a ICE (aka gas only) engine it might speed up faster then the ICE...well maybe just mostly the first 50 feet or so lol. Plus love when it runs only on hybrid battery (no engine sound). The battery pack gives it extra power vs a gas only engine

The ecvt is a strange animal, part of the hybrid system. It is sound engineering and keeps the rpm range in the sweet spot always. Downside is it may feel like a rubber-band. Sort of like the engine is racing and you are waiting for the wheels to catch up. It is an acquired taste that will take time to sync with...price for great mpg.

Little slash in console is to set a credit card.

Don't know that I am sold on the door handle, bottle storage area in door either. Don't have my truck yet, it is what it is.

I have owned a Prius IV, older maybe 2006 Toyota hybrid (v6), now a 2020 Toyota highlander hybrid) 4 cylinder. Hybrids are their own animal and not everyone will love them. I do love my 36mpg in my 3 row highlander though and hope in time you likewise will adapt to your new Maverick :)
 
#11 ·
I have a couple hundred miles on mine this week and I am starting to enjoy it. I get 38.8 mpg mixed driving, the sound system is adequate, the short stubby even length wipers remind of an old MG, the gauges are more familiar to me. Got android auto running and I like it.

New items of concern are that the mirrors seem really small compared to my Odyssey, the seats are way too soft (I might add those coverado covers i have seen in the forum) and I don't think they will hold up well on long trips, and backup camera gets covered in rain and highway grime quickly. I don't know if I will ever get over the no noise crank on startup, it just makes me anxious.
 
#13 ·
I am thinking of buying the base model 2.5L Maverick but local dealerships don't have any 2.5L hybrids on the lot for a test drive. Hard to believe it lacks power mirrors!

I want a small truck like the 1990s era Tacoma, and the Maverick is the closest in size to that. Don't need to tow anything, just haul bags of cement, saplings, bushes, mulch, pavers, etc for DIY patio and landscaping projects around the house. Also need to take 1,000-mile road trips a couple of times a year to visit family out-of-state.

I'm driving a 2018 Honda HR-V AWD LX now and its cargo area is immense when the seats are down but I don't want to be hauling dusty and dirty stuff inside. I really like the base model Honda's clean, spartan interior, simple instrumentation, old-school radio knobs, small screen, and minimalist console very much. For me, less is more.

The 2018 Honda HR-V is nimbler and has far more pep than my 2005 4-cyl Ford Escape, which I traded in for the Honda. The Escape's engine would scream going up long steep hills and it felt kind of tippy on sharp curves. But the Escape could handle bumps in the road very well with its high sidewalls and beefy suspension and it was great in the snow. I'm hoping the Maverick will be like the Escape in that regard and that it won't feel tippy on sharp curves.

Test drove a Santa Cruz recently. All they had on the lot was the top-of-the-line model and its huge shiny center console reflected everything and was very distracting. It was a rainy day and the wipers were reflected in the piano black console trim and every overhead electrical wire I drove under was reflected there too. Not at all restful to have that flickering motion in the peripheral vision. The Santa Cruz felt choppy when accelerating from a stop on suburban roads in traffic where you want to accelerate gently and smoothly not like you're in a race; but traction on the wet roads was excellent and it had plenty of power for passing on the highway. I had the dealership disable all of the driver-assist features because the last time I test drove a Hyundai a couple of years ago, it misjudged distance on a steep hill with a right turn at the crest, and thought the turn was imminent and tried to turn right when I was only halfway up the hill.
 
#16 ·
UPDATE: 1200 miles, 1.5 months with 2023 XL Hybrid in Cactus Grey
I have driven 1200 miles in my truck and it still feels like new to me and I am still trying to figure things out rather than RTFM.
Here are my recent impressions of the 2023 XL HYBRID in Cactus Grey:

LIKES: the mpg is 41.1 and I have gone on several hour-long highway trips. Love the LED headlights, and want them on all my vehicles now. The automatic high beams are magic every time I see them in action. I never had them before and I love them! The Cactus Grey color always surprises me when I see it. I can't tell if I like it or not. It can look grey, green, and light blue, sometimes all on the same day. I like that aspect. There is plenty of power and speed despite my early concerns. Great forward visibility while driving. The truck feels like it is solid despite the squeaks and rattles I hear every so often. I have never used android auto, but I like it, especially on long trips.

Dislikes: The radio freezes like crazy, the screen takes forever to turn on, the screen is hard to see in sunlight and should be slanted towards the driver more, no power windows is a PITA, the grabby brakes are annoying and passengers complain, my rear driver's side door unlock got stuck open and rattled like hell until I found out what was causing the noise. My windshield squeaks alternately on the driver and passenger side, then stops for days. The driver-side door speaker vibrates and hums during certain voices on NPR. I don't know if it is a speaker issue or if I should adjust the bass higher but it sounds fine for music. I still don't like the doorpull/armrest with that missing hole in it.

I am hoping to get 5 years/100,000 trouble free miles out of this before I will consider it worth it. I do feel this was the best vehicle purchase that I could have made for THIS price. Everything else is too freaking expensive nowadays. I don't have faith in Ford's reliability though. Thankfully this forum is a great learning resource for problems that might arise in the future. Thank you forum members for your knowledge!
 
#19 ·
UPDATE: 1200 miles, 1.5 months with 2023 XL Hybrid in Cactus Grey
I have driven 1200 miles in my truck and it still feels like new to me and I am still trying to figure things out rather than RTFM.
Here are my recent impressions of the 2023 XL HYBRID in Cactus Grey:

LIKES: the mpg is 41.1 and I have gone on several hour-long highway trips. Love the LED headlights, and want them on all my vehicles now. The automatic high beams are magic every time I see them in action. I never had them before and I love them! The Cactus Grey color always surprises me when I see it. I can't tell if I like it or not. It can look grey, green, and light blue, sometimes all on the same day. I like that aspect. There is plenty of power and speed despite my early concerns. Great forward visibility while driving. The truck feels like it is solid despite the squeaks and rattles I hear every so often. I have never used android auto, but I like it, especially on long trips.

Dislikes: The radio freezes like crazy, the screen takes forever to turn on, the screen is hard to see in sunlight and should be slanted towards the driver more, no power windows is a PITA, the grabby brakes are annoying and passengers complain, my rear driver's side door unlock got stuck open and rattled like hell until I found out what was causing the noise. My windshield squeaks alternately on the driver and passenger side, then stops for days. The driver-side door speaker vibrates and hums during certain voices on NPR. I don't know if it is a speaker issue or if I should adjust the bass higher but it sounds fine for music. I still don't like the doorpull/armrest with that missing hole in it.

I am hoping to get 5 years/100,000 trouble free miles out of this before I will consider it worth it. I do feel this was the best vehicle purchase that I could have made for THIS price. Everything else is too freaking expensive nowadays. I don't have faith in Ford's reliability though. Thankfully this forum is a great learning resource for problems that might arise in the future. Thank you forum members for your knowledge!
Looks like your Maverick is starting to grow on you. I had never sat in one, much less driven one when I bought one off a dealer lot. it was an EB while waiting on my hybrid to be built. Having it prepared for getting my wife's XLT hybrid a couple months ago and my Lariat hybrid should be here within a couple of weeks. While there are a few things I do not really like or cannot figure out, all in all, there is nothing out there for the price that comes close. It drove a Santa Claus - I mean Santa Cruz, and was not impressed, especially for the price and poor fuel economy. Each time I get in my wife's hybrid, I like it more and more.

Will look for your next update.
 
#17 ·
I simply disagree with your negativity. Power is GREAT! FYI: It is GOOD if you can't if engine is running or not, as you have NO need to know anyways, and ALL hybrids I'm sure have the goal of a quite engine (maybe some failed at achieving that). Complaining about too much visibility??? - sheesh!

"Different" sounds than usual are to be accepted and not complained about! :rolleyes:

The "radio interference I found is less than way more expensive (when new) vehicles I had.

So how does it matter HOW you get in gear, as long as you can? :unsure:

I don't see that the gauges are "cheap". If the WORK, that is all that matters!
 
#18 ·
I simply disagree with your negativity. Power is GREAT! FYI: It is GOOD if you can't if engine is running or not, as you have NO need to know anyways, and ALL hybrids I'm sure have the goal of a quite engine (maybe some failed at achieving that). Complaining about too much visibility??? - sheesh! "Different" sounds than usual are to be accepted and not complained about! :rolleyes: The "radio interference I found is less than way more expensive (when new) vehicles I had. So how does it matter HOW you get in gear, as long as you can? :unsure: I don't see that the gauges are "cheap". If the WORK, that is all that matters!
Well said!
 
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