Looks like Ford will soon offer a small pickup

An actual small cheap pickup has been mentioned here a lot - looking forward to seeing the Ford Maverick

How cheap is cheap?

No idea but some here are hoping for a rubber floormat version with roll down windows vry cheap.

The first transit connects (small vans) were that way at first. Not sure if they still can be ordered that way.

I’d like to see the extra/club cab with a 6 foot bed.

Don't quote me, but I think I read that the base price for the Maverick was under $ 20,000.

Im not impressed. So whats the end game here, why the cheap gas sipper?..... ohhhh.

https://www.caranddriver.com/ford/maverick

Still wouldn't buy it. I'd rather sink some money into a REAL fuel sipper pickup.

I've got a line on an '88 Ram. I think it's just a 100 or 150. V6/Auto. Owner was going to build a 440-Shorty, but abandoned the project after pulling out the V6 and prepping the truck for paint.
He's offered it to me for $2000. Interior is mint. Body is straight, just needs to be painted. V6 and auto are sitting on a pallet. He also swapped the front over to passenger car brakes, and put in an 8 3/4 with 2.94 gears. So, it'll take passenger car wheels (big bolt pattern).

I think it's a screaming deal. PLUS, the thing that blows my mind is even though it's a full sizer from yesteryear, it's still way smaller than the "mid-size" malarkey of today.

Is this something new or is it like the Ranger where a version of it existed globally and the now offer it here?

If you think that combo is going to be a fuel sipper, well prepare to be disappointed. That V6 has all the power of a four banger and the fuel economy of a big block.

Small bed looks useless to me.

What the market REALLY needs is a small pickup, extended cab, 4 or 6 cylinder, and a 6' box with 4' between the tubs

The TBI V6 and 318 actually got decent MPG with minor tweaks (a few extra degrees advance from factory setting goes a long ways) some of the best I ever got in some of those size trucks but power is pretty weak and the 2.94 gear will make it a real dog without doing something to increase TQ (a point or two of compression helps if your into tearing down the motor while it's out).

Probably based on the new bronco sportwhich would make it almost as useless a truck on the lines of the Explorer sport trac ?

Yeah, it's the TBI six. Supposed to be more powerful than a Slant 6. All I care about is if it can do dump runs, haul the occasional load of wood, and maybe large car parts. My 70-year old mother is going to drive it, too. Besides, it's part of my religion to own a half-ton, 6-cylinder pickup truck!

The best part about it is that my slot wheels will fit, I'll get a "Tuff" steering wheel just for fun, add an 8-track player and some side pipes. Who cares if it's a six? If I want to go fast, I've got other cars for that. I'm hoping to not have to touch the motor. It's got a tag on it says it was rebuilt less than 10k ago. As long as I avoid hills, it should be fine. Although, the current owner has tried talking me into a carb'd 318 he has lying around instead of putting the V6 back in.

The overall size of any vehicle today is huge. Granted, I guess people have gotten bigger but when a Mustang is 4,000lbs.... even some of the "little" Hondas are pretty porky being over 3,000lbs. I remember when a Honda was 1,800lbs and got 40+ mpg. Nah. I don't think I'll ever buy a New car again. Did it once, that was enough. I'll buy what I like from here on out.

I’ll never own another Ford and there’s a gazillion pickup trucks out there.

Its FWD based lol

These are used in tight metro areas. Never towing anything. Never off-roading.

It’s hard driving and parking a full size pickup in a city. These are streets you have to slow down to fit two regular sized cars to pass by with parked cars on both sides.

The older smaller Toyota Tachoma’s are gold in areas like this.


Ford Transit Connect’s, Dodge Pro Master City, Nissan NV200 are all over.

I am all for a small pick up but it should be RWD at least. A small RWD pick up with a 6 speed manual and the 300hp 2.3L ecoboost would be awesome. They could have used the explorer platform, whereas its probably a flipped around Ford Fusion platform.

Why does it need to be RWD?

Not going to tow anything

FWD allows the bed/floor to be lower and lower reach over to cargo area and tailgate.

Just lop of the back roof of a: Ford Transit Connect’s, Dodge Pro Master City, Nissan NV200. Use the same front end sheet metal for cost savings. Those truck loaded get 20 mpg city. Unloaded hwy is 25-28+. Gas cost are big savings for fleets and deliveries.

this is going to be my next small truck.

i have a 09 jetta donor car. my kit finally arrived with a few important parts missing, supposed to be delivered shortly.

https://www.smythkitcars.com/jetta-golf-ute

I hear you but I was envisioning more of this:



instead of this



And from what I've seen they're trying to make it look like a mini F150, even using the same trim names, XLT etc. They should have just went all the way

Can't say I really understand this. Isn't the new Ranger small enough? Couldn't they make a stripped down version of that truck to fill any market gap? Also don't understand marketing it as the Maverick but then maybe it's just us car guys who have a negative connotation with that name. I do. It's almost like Pinto. Almost!

Basic economics...
Full-size trucks start @ $45K, mid-size trucks @ $30K, mini-size trucks @ $20K...
As inflation increases, the market demand for economy mini-trucks will expand...

Just my $0.02...

put an 8 ft bed option on it and they'll sell IMO.
BTW I had several of the Mazda trucks back in the 80's and they were great IMO

Around here 8ft beds don't sell. I have one, but it's a company truck so I really didn't get an option. Had I an option I would have gotten a Colorado rather than a Silverado 2500 four door with an 8 ft bed, parking that thing in town is fun.

At 8 foot bed, you’re at a regular sized truck. Or mid sized.

I’d just like to see a 6 foot bed with extended cab to haul 3rd person or some gear. Rarely haul 4 people.

That keeps the overall length under 200”

1st gen Ford Ranger (which I think mirrors that Mazda B2000):

Supercab length:
1983–1988:192.7 in
1989–1992:193.6 in

Width
1983–1988: 66.9 in
1989–1992: 66.8 in

Reg cab: 6 or 7 foot bed
Extended cab: 6 foot bed

Pretty sure Ford is looking at those that are buying Escapes, but would jump into a "truck" at the right size . . . . not to mention, that as a "truck", it is not covered by the same emissions/crash test, etc, that cars are. Even the SUV's are on different regulations than cars. Also, will bring up the Ford fleet mpg . . . allowing them to continue selling the full size F150.

Amazing how trucks have grown so much in 20 years !!! I bought my 2002 Ram2500 Cummins (quad cab, short box, HO, 6spd, SLT, 2wd) new. Today, it looks "small" next to a new 4dr Ram 1500 !!! . . . not everyone needs a monster truck (todays 1/2tons) . . . heck, I thought driving the Cummins around town and finding parking was tough . . . . HA !! I had a 2013 Ram 1500 . . . that truck seemed HUGE !! . . .

My company vehicle is now a GMC Canyon . . . reminds me of the size of trucks in the 80s. Fits great around town, and so far, comfy and does what I need it to . . . keep the Cummins for towing though !!

New Ford Maverick truck specs:

4.5 foot bed

Wow. A 8x4 sheet of plywood only stick 3.5 feet out the bed. Yea, that works great in the middle metro traffic

What I'm saying is can't Ford produce an "economy" truck on the Ranger platform. The truck we are seeing does not look at all like a mini truck to me. It looks like a stripped down plain jane but not mini sized. It's small but is market demand large enough to go slightly smaller than the Ranger other than a dinky bed?

It's a Ford! Who cares?

https://www.ford.com/trucks/maverick/2022/


Specs seems to be a $19,995 starting price, 40mpg, and 2,000 - 4,000lb towing depending on options. The wheelbase is a foot+ shorter than rangers, Colorados, nissans etc. It has a 40ft turning radius, its about the size of a midsize SUV

Maybe dodge is next?

Single cab has 5.5 ft bed

Extended cab has4 ft bed

Don't get excited, I saw one of those in El Paso, Mexican plates and all. It is tiny. Smaller than a Subaru Brat was.

Isn't that basically what the explorer sport track was?

Yes. But heftier and worse mileage.

They had a 50” (~4ft) bed.

Up to 7,100 lbs towing capacity.

Dimensions
Wheelbase
130.5 in (3,315 mm)
Length
210.2 in (5,339 mm)[2]
Width
73.7 in (1,872 mm)
Height
2009–10: 71.6 in (1,819 mm)
2007–08: 72.5 in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW9n234a1M8

the maverick seems pretty good for ~20k, the FWD hybird version does 40mpg in the city.
if you don't like FWD you can get an AWD version but then you lose the hybrid option.

like was said an extended cab with 6ft bed would be more appealing to me, but i think there are lots of people this thing will work great for. it's basically a sport utility vehicle with a small open bed in the rear instead of an enclosed cabin. better for some, worse for others, it's nice for buyers to have options. at the price I'm sure they are going to sell.

My bad as I now remember the Mazda trucks had about a 6 foot bed with either cab

Also the 40 MPG being quoted is for the "hybrid" gas / electric version. The optional 2.0 eco boost that was in my wife's Escape was fun to drive but only got about 16 MPG in town with her driving it ( less with me) and not a whole lot better on the highway. Did have some "cajones" though.

The eco boost was designed to fool the MPG rating test, they don't actually get near what they are advertised driving anything like normal people drive.

Also these tiny trucks are in no way comparable to old mini trucks, there is no frame, you can't easily swap the bed when you have dented it all up from actually working, the sheet-metal is way flimsier you can't put on a flatbed if that's what you need, not even a 6 foot bed option, the manufactures want to push those kind of people into giant earthmovers so they make more money, the profit alone on a half ton is more than a real work worthy mini truck would sell for... They are not aimed at people who use there small truck for actual work, these are for girls and other city slickers to move a recliner every other year or throw an igloo in there for a trip to the beach and a way to get around CAFE standards.

Only real player in that market and the setup is pretty interesting. Compact, fwd, good economy, decent utility, four doors, unibody...checks a lot of boxes. They'll sell just fine to those younger than members of this board and those in the more congested, northeast, part of the country.

Ford isn't selling this truck to Moparts members, just like Harley can't make a sale to a young guy. It's going to do pretty well in a younger age group, you can't expect every truck out there to be $40k-$50k-$60k and hit the full gambit of buyers. Folks that think people are buying this truck to "make a living with" are missing it.

They'll also probably design protect for some MachE commonality and get to a viable EV version rather quickly. Ford's goal is to hit 40% EV by 2030, they better get going.

Ford is totally reinventing their vehicle line up . . . .once again, FCA has rested on its laurels feeding off what they have offered for last 10-15 years. No real innovative vehicles coming from them, that look towards the future - smaller, more efficient, (err, electric ???) ... Chrysler only has 300 and Pacifica . . . Dodge only has minivan (as low cost offering), along with Charger, and Challenger . . . Ram & Jeep are being raped for their profits - but what is coming from them ?? . . . . sorry, we are the old dinosaurs and if the company wants to be around, they really gotta get their European management to allow designed in and for north american vehicles . . . rebadged european machines just have never really flied over here . . . . and the vehicles have to be targeted to those 30-45 yr olds . . . I am thinking more of retirement than vehicles . . . sure I could live in my car, but I really don't want to do that in retirement . . .

A mid size truck - Jeep Gladiator . . . not a low cost proposition . . . . GM & Toyota still eating their lunch . . . and now a "mini" option from Ford . . . well, just think that FCA is not looking forward . . .

Just my 2cents (now only worth 1??) . . .

Cheers

M

FCA had to get debt free in order to find a merge partner so spending was slowed to a snails pace, money only went into the sure winners (Jeep, Dodge trucks). Now that they pulled off the scheme money is being spent again, supposedly there is a new Dodge on the way based on this



New charger and challenger are being figured out as I type with many hints of being electric and "re-inventing the muscle car"

A rebadged Alfa . . . again, the Chrysler 200 & Dodge Dart . . . not big sellers . . . as for the redesign on Charger/Challenger . . . perhaps, but seems a bit late ???

I dont think it'll be a badge job, it'll have its own body and interior with a dodge engine. As for the charger/challenger being late, even later! 2025 they're saying

I am all for building stuff to make the masses happy, making piles o money and staying in buisness even if it's stuff I would never personally own, if they need a stupid unibody FWD truck to sell a crap load they should build one. I still think a small work oriented truck (like the 95ish toyota pickup) would also sell a crap load and they would be the only one making them! I also can't fathom how chrysler has sat around and watch the staggering numbers of suburban, yukon, expedetion sales for over 30 years and NEVER made a single competitor for them... absolutly mind blowing the money they have watched flow to their competitors and ever never tried to get in on that one. Don't tell me a Durango is in that market, too small to compete with those rigs and now it's unibody also, build a 4 door ramcharger now! Watching most of what Chrysler has done in the last 20 years looks like a dog with worms draggin his butt on the carpet, Daokta got super ugly and rode the 4.7/3.7 engines into utter darkness then claim nobody wants small trucks, the butt ugly magnum (at least it was RWD and had Hemis), re-badged fiats, VM motori diesels when they could have had cummins...