Also you currently have the FWD Transit Connect carrying nearly that much payload with FWD for thousands of commercial customers the world over.

My thoughts exactly. I’ve always thought the Ridgeline looked like a Pilot with a bed. And the Santa Cruz will get some people because they just like that it’s “different” (the same kind of people would probably also drive the Cybertruck for the same reason, gag). But this Maverick looks good. It borrows enough of the…

Not only truck street cred, this actually looks like a somewhat respectable pickup to me. The Santa Cruz and Ridgeline look so bad to me. The Ridgeline looks like someone took a Pilot, lopped off the third row/trunk, and put a bed on the back. The Santa Cruz at least feels like it is a more original design and not an…

Yeah it looks like it’s in place of the RPM gauge, showing combined hybrid output in KWh. If you stay on electric power only (i.e. don’t push the pedal hard enough for the gas engine to kick on), the needle will stay in the green range

e-CVT.

I agree wholeheartedly on this being a perfect truck for home and backyard projects. Has enough utility to be useful for that, but is likely comfortable enough in normal everyday driving. Especially at the price point. You can deck the Maverick out and still come in well below any new F150 worth buying.

In likely minutes before someone patents a fold-up bed rack with over-cab support that solves everyone’s plywood and ladder questions for $499......

CVT here means powersplit hybrid with planetary gearbox that, through the nature of that planetary, has variable ratios. This is like the prius, volt and other dual motor hybrids.

It’s been a surprisingly strong product offensive. Bronco, Bronco sport, now this. After the current gen Escape came out I thought they had lost it, but apparently that was just the B team going a little too You-row-peon.

as a crosstrek owner, you’re 100% correct. The fact that you can get an AWD truck, with solid storage, and a spot for your insanely overpriced “bed-top” tent for about $25k msrp is gonna be a hit with all the softroaders. It’s the ultimate gravel road car camping machine.

Ford’s hybrid CVT is solid, including holding up in fleet/taxi service. The design doesn’t have the durability issues of other CVTs, and the hybrid keeps start/stop from being unpleasant.

Pretty sure you Subaru buyers are the target market.

I think based on looks alone (plus the pricing is great) this will kill off the Ridgeline (resembles a Pilot with a bed, even after mild redesign)and severely hampers the Santa Cruz’s prospects. 

So will Orkin be signing up for the first few hundred in white? :)

Also, kudos to Ford. This is gonna be huge....Hyundai and Honda lack one big thing when it comes to the Pilot & Santa Cruz: truck street cred. While it doesn’t mean so much to mean, I can see lots of buyers willing to give this a chance since it’s a…

It’s a hybrid CVT, so likely a planetary-type rather than a belt CVT

I want one. I do wish that it was a 2 door with a 6 foot bed. But I’m seriously thinking about getting one.

A CVT will do that to tow ratings.

I really wanted to barf when I saw “CVT”, but that’s all the negative I have for this. I hope it does well.

So, now we see what Ford’s plan was to replace the Fiesta, Focus and Fusion in the US.  This thing will sell well I think.

Ok this is impressive. If it was available when I got my Outback I would have gone with this.