[Schobz]

Hey there.

I was the 2nd owner of a Subaru Baja in college and definitely took for granted the size, utility and rarity of this type of vehicle. After college, I took a job that required a lot of driving and living in an apartment complex with limited parking. So I did the natural thing and replaced it (@140k miles) with a more fuel friendly but similarly quarky Hyundai Veloster. I remember thinking the dealer lost their minds when they offered me $8k as a trade. Fast forward 10 years; now married with two small children, living in rural New Hampshire, the Veloster is gone in favor of a Hyundai Sonata 2.0T with a huge backseat to swallow equally huge kid seats.

I mention NH, because we don’t have trash pickup here and I cart everything to the transfer station myself; it sure would be nice to have that Baja back.

Maybe just maybe the maverick will have the right mix of utility, interior space, and car like efficiency to make real case for my next vehicle purchase.

While you may think I’d just wait for Hyundai to release the Santa Cruz. I’ve been less than impressed with the design direction they seem to be taking and seeing early concepts that look heavily based on the Tucson. I much prefer the pre-production designs on the Maverick that we’ve all been seeing the last few days. Needless to say Ford may convert me.

 

[Primrose]

Hey there.

I was the 2nd owner of a Subaru Baja in college and definitely took for granted the size, utility and rarity of this type of vehicle. After college, I took a job that required a lot of driving and living in an apartment complex with limited parking. So I did the natural thing and replaced it (@140k miles) with a more fuel friendly but similarly quarky Hyundai Veloster. I remember thinking the dealer lost their minds when they offered me $8k as a trade. Fast forward 10 years; now married with two small children, living in rural New Hampshire, the Veloster is gone in favor of a Hyundai Sonata 2.0T with a huge backseat to swallow equally huge kid seats.

I mention NH, because we don’t have trash pickup here and I cart everything to the transfer station myself; it sure would be nice to have that Baja back.

Maybe just maybe the maverick will have the right mix of utility, interior space, and car like efficiency to make real case for my next vehicle purchase.

While you may think I’d just wait for Hyundai to release the Santa Cruz. I’ve been less than impressed with the design direction they seem to be taking and seeing early concepts that look heavily based on the Tucson. I much prefer the pre-production designs on the Maverick that we’ve all been seeing the last few days. Needless to say Ford may convert me.

I remember seeing the Santa Cruz news and being interested but that truck has taken years to reach prototype stage let alone production that I'm not considering it anymore. I think the Maverick can deliver that versatility that all of us are looking for.

Would you want the 4 cylinder or 3 cylinder engine in your Maverick?

 

[Schobz]

Would you want the 4 cylinder or 3 cylinder engine in your Maverick?

Definitely AWD and a 4 cylinder. If the Escapes Titanium trim pricing model is any indication, I think the hybrid will be offered below the 2.0 “eco”boost.

So if it is less expensive initially and at the pump with minimal payload change I'll probably lean toward the Hybrid.

 

[fero]

It might come down to how poorly the CVT trans drives in the hybrid. How is it in the Escape hybrid?

 

[Schobz]

It might come down to how poorly the CVT trans drives in the hybrid. How is it in the Escape hybrid?

Agree. I've heard that Consumer Reports say that the Hybrid is definitely better than the 1.5L 3 cylinder, in the escape. I believe they've even gone on Record on their "Talking Cars" podcast to say that the base powertrain should've been the hybrid instead of the 3pot.

 

[Primrose]

Definitely AWD and a 4 cylinder. If the Escapes Titanium trim pricing model is any indication, I think the hybrid will be offered below the 2.0 “eco”boost.

So if it is less expensive initially and at the pump with minimal payload change I'll probably lean toward the Hybrid.

View attachment 199

If anything the hybrid could be an upgrade on performance like the F-150 hybrid is compared to the gas versions.

 

[Schobz]

While I've preferred the spy photos of the Maverick compared to the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Since all of Hyundai's spy shots have been covered with cladding.

Per this article on Hyundai's Media Site, the Santa Cruz is scheduled to be revealed 4/15.
Hyundai Releases Teaser Sketch of Segment-Shattering Santa Cruz - Hyundai Newsroom

It will be interesting to see if this competes with where many of us have hoped Ford will position the Maverick, until I get hard specs on either vehicle I'm open to both.

 

[Schobz]

My local ford dealer also happens to be a Hyundai dealer. We will see where Hyundai decided to price the Santa Cruz... I have a suspicion that it will start in-line or just above the Tuscon which starts at $24,950. And while there has been a plethora of speculation about the Maverick price starting @ or around $20k, that was before 2021 (the year of inflation)... And I already know I'm not the target audience for this base model, as I'm not even interested in the 1.5L 3cylinder base engine that's been speculated for the Maverick so whatever its baseline price is - I'm already adding 3-4 thousand for the motor upgrade and AWD.

Also, used car prices are sky high now so I've got a solid equity position in my current vehicle. Would make for a really favorable trade this year. As the saying goes, time will tell. But you can't wait for ever. YOLO.

 

[Yeoldminer]

My local ford dealer also happens to be a Hyundai dealer. We will see where Hyundai decided to price the Santa Cruz... I have a suspicion that it will start in-line or just above the Tuscon which starts at $24,950. And while there has been a plethora of speculation about the Maverick price starting @ or around $20k, that was before 2021 (the year of inflation)... And I already know I'm not the target audience for this base model, as I'm not even interested in the 1.5L 3cylinder base engine that's been speculated for the Maverick so whatever its baseline price is - I'm already adding 3-4 thousand for the motor upgrade and AWD.

Also, used car prices are sky high now so I've got a solid equity position in my current vehicle. Would make for a really favorable trade this year. As the saying goes, time will tell. But you can't wait for ever. YOLO.

I read that the Base Santa Cruz will not be even offered in Canada and in that case tthe Santa Cruz isn't even an option for me. Besides in my eyes the Maverick is more to my liking as a pickup truck.

 

[Yeoldminer]

I owned the previous Maverick, a 1970 2 door 6 cylinder, 3 on-the-column manual shifter....a good and economical car.

 

[Primrose]

My local ford dealer also happens to be a Hyundai dealer. We will see where Hyundai decided to price the Santa Cruz... I have a suspicion that it will start in-line or just above the Tuscon which starts at $24,950. And while there has been a plethora of speculation about the Maverick price starting @ or around $20k, that was before 2021 (the year of inflation)... And I already know I'm not the target audience for this base model, as I'm not even interested in the 1.5L 3cylinder base engine that's been speculated for the Maverick so whatever its baseline price is - I'm already adding 3-4 thousand for the motor upgrade and AWD.

Also, used car prices are sky high now so I've got a solid equity position in my current vehicle. Would make for a really favorable trade this year. As the saying goes, time will tell. But you can't wait for ever. YOLO.

It really is a seller's market for used cars right now. Everyone is holding on to their vehicles a bit longer now. A friend of mine has been in the hunt for a new car and it's slim pickings for him.

 

[Yeoldminer]

We are waiting for our Warranty to run-out in 10 months, than a shopping we go.

 

[Schobz]

Alternatively, I wish I had the time to make my own..

Dodge Charger Ute kit | Boston | Smyth Performance car to truck kit (smythkitcars.com)

 

[Schobz]

Update. While I wait for the Maverick, I've decided to get out of my 18' Sonata and pickup a used Audi AllRoad that a friend is selling to tackle New Hampshire winters better. Will hopefully give me another year or two to hold me off until the Maverick is released and the first year release issues are worked through; and if they seem to have better than average reliability in the first MY maybe I'll pickup a used one.

 

[Schobz]

Looks good to me, either with bare necessities:

\
or with some creature comforts and the FX4 package.

 

[Yeoldminer]

Looks good to me, either with bare necessities: View attachment 361 \
or with some creature comforts and the FX4 package.
View attachment 362

 

[Yeoldminer]

Of course I would take the XLT w/AWD, because living in the snow country of northern Ontario is a given, but not impressed with the use of premium gas as at $7.00 a gallon (in my city), has me rethinking if the Maverick is even economical at all.....There are cheaper more economical AWD SUVs out there, so more research is needed by me.

 

[Eric G]

My first car was a Ford, and almost all since have been as well. I was in fact looking for a used Escape, when I discovered the EcoSport. Yeah it's a little smaller, and more of a pig on gas, but it had 9000 miles on it, and was completely loaded, and thousands less than the Escape. It was pretty basic, FWD, and over 100k miles. Going with Ford again for me is a no-brainer.

 

[Darnon]

Of course I would take the XLT w/AWD, because living in the snow country of northern Ontario is a given, but not impressed with the use of premium gas as at $7.00 a gallon (in my city), has me rethinking if the Maverick is even economical at all.....There are cheaper more economical AWD SUVs out there, so more research is needed by me.

The Mav should be like other Ecoboosts where Premium is just recommended to reach the full engine power spec. It'll adjust and run lower boost (and less HP/torque) with Regular and have about 1 MPG less fuel economy.

 

[Yeoldminer]

Thanks that is good to know! Btw I owned a 1971 2 door Maverick with a small 6 cylinder and a column mounted 3 speed manual transmission in the 1980s, it was a real good car for me.