Hello, my Autopians! Do you have it in you to make it epic? I hope you were all as excited about the melding of the Australian desert, the Cult of the V8, and explosions as I was. My short Furiousa review is: if you like Geroge Miller and Fury Road, it’s a pretty good if imperfect follow-up.
Life up here in the Mitten state has had a few curve balls recently but I am thankful you are all still here. For me, making life “epic” is less about fireballs and more about seizing the moment when you can, whether that’s seeking out new experiences or carving out time to spend with your loved ones.
I had the chance a couple of weeks ago to go camping with my family and at the last minute, I proposed we swapped out the family’s tow vehicle for my Ford Maverick Hybrid. It would be my first true test to see how it stacked up to prolonged stress. So for the third and final part of my Maverick series, I’ll show you if the small truck can live up to its billing as a do-it-all all vehicle that can handle more than city streets. Long story short, it does! But, the trip was not without surprises.
Can A Hybrid Trucklet Actually Tow?
As part of The Autopian’s extensive Ford Maverick coverage, we’ve discussed how it’s built on the C2 platform, which also supplies the underpinnings for the Ford Escape and the Ford Bronco Sport. Its interior benefits from being very similar, to provide a comfortable daily driver and small family hauler. The main difference is the bed in the back that roughly offers the same amount of space as a Rivian 1RT with a 4.5-foot bed. The other main benefit of the Maverick over its direct competition is superior fuel efficiency while still offering towing capabilities. While the hybrid’s 2,000-pound tow limit might not sound like much, it’s more than plenty for small campers. As it turns out, my family has a cute wooden teardrop trailer with a dry weight of 1,300 pounds, leaving plenty of wiggle room left over for hauling gear.
Speaking of gear, the trailer felt a little like cheating when it came to gear management. The teardrop has a kitchenette in the back and the interior has a few cabinets that are primarily used for soft goods. The Maverick’s bed then became designated for my tent, air mattress, shoes, and dog supplies. This freed up the back seat for the dingo princess, Amber, to have all to herself. I think she appreciated the space.
While the camper was light, that didn’t mean I didn’t feel it with subtle and not-so-subtle differences from everyday driving. The steering was a tad heavier, the acceleration wasn’t quite as peppy, and the rear springs were slightly compressed due to the tongue weight. It was nothing uncomfortable, but you were definitely aware there was something hooked up to the truck and it was being pulled.
Wait, What Are These Flashing Lights
For this trip, we were going from Midland, MI to the Lake Michigan Recreation Area, located appropriately on Lake Michigan. That is a 136-mile route that’s a mix of expressways, country highways, and side roads. It should be straightforward enough. However, after 30 miles of calm cruising on the expressway, bam! The Maverick threw up a bunch of lights on the dash. The digital display between its version of a tachometer and the speedometer read: “Service AdvanceTrac.” The truck then overrode my foot on the pedal and gradually decelerated, until it reached 10 mph. It then abruptly slammed on the brakes, shifted into park, and for good measure, engaged the parking brake. I had not heard of this system before so while I was on the side of the expressway, I pulled up the ole’ Google machine.
According to Ford, AdvanceTrac is the name for its electronic stability/traction control system, and from glancing at the others who’ve also had this message, owners theorize it could be caused by a variety of issues, from damaged speed sensors, ABS issues, or numerous other maladies. After reading up, I carefully hopped out and inspected the wheels. There was no visible damage and it didn’t appear that any roadside debris and flown up and taken something out.
The truck started back up but limited the top speed to 30 mph and the brakes were limited. We limped off the highway into a nearby town with the hazards on and got to an O’Reilly’s Auto Parts parking lot. The closest Ford dealership was at least 30 miles away and it being after noon on a Saturday meant options were limited. I wanted a scan tool and mine was now three hours away to the southeast.
A very kind young man working the counter handed me the automated scan tool, which was supposed to take a snapshot of a vehicle’s codes and then display it on a computer in the store. However, nothing came through. When turning on the vehicle again, the series of lights were gone, down to just a check engine light. I unhooked the trailer and did a quick test drive around the town. There were no issues with brakes, power, or otherwise. Then, when I returned to the parking lot, the check engine light was gone, and a second, dedicated scan tool, could not read anything.
As I saw it, we had four choices:
A) Call a tow truck and cancel the trip
B) Drive back to Midland without the trailer and then drive back with the family’s tow vehicle, a 2017 Ford Escape
C) My brother drives up with the Ford Escape and the Maverick gets left in a nearby park n’ ride lot
D) Go onward
With no lights on, we chose option D and drove forward. The only difference was purposefully selecting the “tow” drive mode, which constantly ran the ICE engine to provide instant torque/acceleration and adjusted the brakes, making them feel softer, which encouraged earlier and gentler braking.
[Ed note: For a week after the trip, there were no issues or indications there was anything wrong with the truck. Then after getting on I-75 one day after work, the AdvanceTrac drama repeated. I was able to clear it by detaching the fuse cables under the hood, as the fuses themselves are surprisingly located in the interior, under the glove box. I immediately then drove it to a Ford dealership and put the keys in their drop box. The service department called back a day later and said it was a software issue and it should be fine now that they’ve installed an update. They also handled at least two of the recalls that have been issued since February. For the first and possibly last time, I wish Ford had copied one of Tesla’s strategies. In 2024, OTA updates should be an option for every manufacturer. -JG]
Gimme That Hybrid Power
After taking it nice and slow following the excitement outside of Clare, we finally arrived at the Lake Michigan Recreation Area. It’s a charming rustic campground that’s operated by the USDA Forest Service. For most purposes while camping, if a location says it’s “rustic” that means there are no flush toilets, camper hookups, or shore power. If you’re okay with that, this also means it will likely be pretty peaceful and quiet compared to more happening state parks.
A lack of hookups can mean there are fewer gigantic RVs and campers, and without modern amenities, you’re less likely to run into large groups or families. The downside? You better come prepared when you pack…which we did not do completely. The hefty 700Wh LiFePO 4 “solar generator,” i.e. a battery, I was gifted for trips like this was left back in Midland, sitting on top of the boot chest that’s now used to store dog food. But never fear, the Ford Pro Power Onbaord’s younger cousin is here! If you opt for the Maverick XLT with the Luxury package–a pretentious name, I know but it’s how you get heated seats, which are basically mandatory in Michigan–it comes with various outlet upgrades. In addition to the rear seats getting dual USB-C ports and a 400W AC outlet, there’s another 400W AC outlet in the truck’s bed, located under a weatherproofed flip cover.
While 400w isn’t a ton of juice, it’s perfect for charging phones and powering small appliances, like a travel air compressor. While I did not have the right adapter for the compressor to blow up my new air mattress, I was able to MacGyver one together. However, I learned the intrinsic truth that small tire pumps mean small amounts of air pressure. It took about 30 minutes of continuous use to inflate, but the gas engine never had to kick on. If that holds true for other hypothetical gadgets, like small flat screens, this could be game-changing for football tailgates, as no one wants to inhaul exhaust fumes while you’re gearing up to see your team get creamed by Ohio State.
No Pavement, No Problem
A day or so into the trip, things were going swimmingly. We caught a couple of gorgeous sunsets, my new tent was working out well, and the beach was absolutely perfect.
However, the ice pack in the cooler was starting to thaw. No big deal, in two of the four loopers there were freezers with ice for sale. Or, that would have been the case if this wasn’t the first weekend of the year. They were completely empty. Thus, I started a quest to track down ice because dagnabit, I’m going to have ice in my glass of Coke and whiskey tonight or die trying. The nearest little convenience store was 10 miles away and Google Maps of course took as many gravel and dirt roads as possible.
I have two core memories regarding driving on gravel. One, the winding gravel path from the main road to my grandmother’s cottage on Black Lake. The other, driving on washboard gravel roads in the Upper Penisula. The hatchbacks of my past absolutely hated gravel surfaces. The shaking and vibrations made it seem like the cars were ready to bounce apart at a moment’s notice. With the Maverick? No such issues. It openly invited driving on gravel roads. Whereas before in the hatches, anything above 25 mph would be unbearable, the hybrid truck cruised at 45 mph, misleadingly quiet. I had to dial back on my lead foot, as I was anticipating the noise, vibration, and harshness would cause me to slow down before reaching unsafe speeds.
Tragically, the quest ended in failure. The woman running the little grocery said the delivery truck for ice was running late and wouldn’t be there until the next day. Dejected, I went back to the campsite. Thankfully, my SO was joining that evening and she was able to grab some on her way in.
Perhaps I Treated You Too Harshly
After a short weekend of enjoying the sun and the sand, it was sadly time to head back to reality. While hooking the trailer back up, I thought to myself, “Damn, Ford does really have this hitching thing down to a science.” Which they do! The F-Series trucks have Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, which will do a lot of the work for you. The Maverick doesn’t have anything that fancy, but the backup camera does trace an almost perfect path of where your hitch will go while backing up, along with a digitally cropped zoom shot of the hitch for exact alignment. In just one try, I was able to get everything aligned perfectly… which was somewhat surprising based on my previous issues with the backup camera.
And don’t even get me started on the backup camera. It’s laggy and has low resolution, which is a major safety concern. At times it feels like it was added on to meet government mandates rather than being a useful feature.
That’s still all true, but if you’re going slow and steady backing up, which you should(!), it works pretty well.
Oh, and one other note to be aware of while towing; don’t be like me and the guys who helped me move out of my Mishawaka apartment, don’t drop the tailgate while something is on the hitch. It’s pretty apparent when there’s something like the arm of the trailer’s front wheel sticking straight up, but it’s still easy to forget about if you’re reaching in to get something out of the bed.
But when it’s something like a small U-Haul trailer, with a subtle little bubble handle, it can happen. Especially for trucklet rookies like me who don’t tow all that often.
Would I Do It All Again?
The 136-mile trip from the campsite in Free Soil back to Midland was, thankfully, uneventful. I was still anxious that the truck would freak out with service lights but no such thing happened. We also went at a glacial pace of 60 mph, which really benefited fuel efficiency.
Per the onboard computer estimate, the truck got 26.2 MPG while towing. That’s significantly better than our standard tow vehicle, the EcoBoost Escape, which gets 17-18 mpg when hauling the teardrop camper.
If the fix for the AdvanceTrac system is truly the software update, I wouldn’t hesitate again to use the Maverick as the primary camping vehicle. It offers a ton of storage, relatively easy driving, and nifty features that can be helpful. However, I probably need to readjust the tonneau cover’s weather stripping and get large plastic tubs, so if/when it rains, the bed could be a more water-resistant storage option.
Your fuel mileage results aren’t surprising to me. In my experience towing 16′ Scamp trailers, you always get about 18 mpg. That was true with my Subaru Forester towing a 2000-lb trailer, and the same when it was replaced with a turbo Tiguan. These days, my trailer weighs 3,000 lbs and rides behind a Mercedes GLK with a 3.5l V6. That, too, gets about 18 mph, depending on slop, speed and wind direction.
Your fuel mileage results aren’t surprising to me. In my experience towing 16′ Scamp trailers, you always get about 18 mpg. That was true with my Subaru Forester towing a 2000-lb trailer, and the same when it was replaced with a turbo Tiguan. These days, my trailer weighs 3,000 lbs and rides behind a Mercedes GLK with a 3.5l V6. That, too, gets about 18 mph, depending on slop, speed and wind direction.
Thanks for this article. It’s good to see these smaller practical vehicles get used and their experiences shared.
When random check-engine lights come on when there seems to be no obvious cause for it, turning the vehicle fully off for about a minute and restarting can clear up those weird glitches. Ideally they shouldn’t happen, but as complex as vehicles are nowadays and adding in another factor with the trailer can cause some mild hiccups. Glad it turned out to be (seemingly) nothing, but definitely a bit concerning for such a relatively new vehicle (and I see this all the time in my shop across the industry, it’s not just Ford).
Would you try doing a similar journey without Tow mode engaged so you could use the hybrid system more, or do you think the truck would freak out again?
Thanks for this article. It’s good to see these smaller practical vehicles get used and their experiences shared.
When random check-engine lights come on when there seems to be no obvious cause for it, turning the vehicle fully off for about a minute and restarting can clear up those weird glitches. Ideally they shouldn’t happen, but as complex as vehicles are nowadays and adding in another factor with the trailer can cause some mild hiccups. Glad it turned out to be (seemingly) nothing, but definitely a bit concerning for such a relatively new vehicle (and I see this all the time in my shop across the industry, it’s not just Ford).
Would you try doing a similar journey without Tow mode engaged so you could use the hybrid system more, or do you think the truck would freak out again?
‘What is Service AdvanceTrac’
Alpha testing for Big Brother to shut down your vehicle at anytime is desired.
/tinfoil hat
‘What is Service AdvanceTrac’
Alpha testing for Big Brother to shut down your vehicle at anytime is desired.
/tinfoil hat
Other than that software issue, it sounds like the trucklet worked out just fine. Now that software issue is disturbing. Hard to tell what it was related to, whether it was towing, or just happened to happen when you were towing. Hopefully the update fixes it. That reminds me, I still need to get my Maverick in for the recall fixes and a car wash.
Other than that software issue, it sounds like the trucklet worked out just fine. Now that software issue is disturbing. Hard to tell what it was related to, whether it was towing, or just happened to happen when you were towing. Hopefully the update fixes it. That reminds me, I still need to get my Maverick in for the recall fixes and a car wash.
I have a 2022 hybrid Maverick and tow a camper with gear pretty close to the 2,000# limit. I put it in tow mode. I have gotten anywhere from 25-30 MPG. I am really happy with it.
There is no trailer sway, braking is easy (I am a pretty defensive driver while towing).
Love my Maverick. It is a daily driver dream vehicle.
I have a 2022 hybrid Maverick and tow a camper with gear pretty close to the 2,000# limit. I put it in tow mode. I have gotten anywhere from 25-30 MPG. I am really happy with it.
There is no trailer sway, braking is easy (I am a pretty defensive driver while towing).
Love my Maverick. It is a daily driver dream vehicle.
You were towing a significant percentage of its tow capacity and didn’t use the tow mode?
This is an assumption that doesn’t always hold true. One of the less pleasant aspects of the boom in camping during the pandemic is that there are an increasing number of idiot campers who think they must have 120V power at all times and run a generator constantly at primitive campgrounds. Some of the worst neighbors I’ve had in all my years of camping were at campgrounds without hookups.
If that’s accurate, which is a big if in my experience (my computer mileage estimates vary wildly from much too high to much too low when towing), that is pretty darn good. It’s not a huge trailer, but it’s also not a teardrop so I would have expected much more of a mileage hit than that.
You were towing a significant percentage of its tow capacity and didn’t use the tow mode?
This is an assumption that doesn’t always hold true. One of the less pleasant aspects of the boom in camping during the pandemic is that there are an increasing number of idiot campers who think they must have 120V power at all times and run a generator constantly at primitive campgrounds. Some of the worst neighbors I’ve had in all my years of camping were at campgrounds without hookups.
If that’s accurate, which is a big if in my experience (my computer mileage estimates vary wildly from much too high to much too low when towing), that is pretty darn good. It’s not a huge trailer, but it’s also not a teardrop so I would have expected much more of a mileage hit than that.
“The truck then overrode my foot on the pedal and gradually decelerated, until it reached 10 mph. It then abruptly slammed on the brakes, shifted into park, and for good measure, engaged the parking brake.”
That’s some real HAL 9000 shit. I hate it.
“The truck then overrode my foot on the pedal and gradually decelerated, until it reached 10 mph. It then abruptly slammed on the brakes, shifted into park, and for good measure, engaged the parking brake.”
That’s some real HAL 9000 shit. I hate it.
Not that I’m the weight police, but…. I think this article is missing something from an RVer for 10 years.
2000 lb towing capacity generally means if the rest of the vehicle is empty except a driver who is supposed to weigh 160 pounds. Of course, you didn’t mention the GVWR, sometimes that can make a difference in either direction, too.
Most people would say it is most safe to go to a towing capacity of 90%.
So 2000 lbs = 1800 lbs.
Does that trailer weight 1300 empty or 1300 now? Most people are surprised when they get their trailer weighed, because it has water and stuff in it that adds up fast. And the manufacturer or the trailer sometimes play a little fast and loose with the options and weight. Also, I don’t know how much your princess weighs, but a family might normally be a couple and 2 kids. That’s probably 500 lbs. eating into the capacity.
So my point is that 2000 lbs is barely enough, and no one seems to be discussing this here in this article. What am I missing?
The trailer without gear came in at 1,300 pound when we weighed on a truck scale. The hybrid Maverick’s GCWR is 6,045 pounds. This truck itself weighs 3,636 pounds, meaning 1,109 pounds should be available for passengers and gear.
2000lbs is just the towing capacity.
GCWR is 6,500lbs. If the truck (with fuel) weighs around 3,750lbs that leaves 2750lbs in total trailer and passenger weight. (Only 2,000 of that can be a trailer though.)
So based on the GCWR with this 1300lb trailer you can still have 1450 lbs in passengers and cargo.
BUT, payload capacity is listed at 1,500lbs. So, if you net out about 300lbs for the trailer tongue weight (about 15% of the trailer weight) I think you would actually be limited to 1,200lbs of passengers and cargo.
Either way, even if you cram 4 large 200lb adults in a maverick you will still have 400lbs for cargo. Which, unless your hauling something really dense like water should be enough to essentially fill the bed with stuff.
If you’re really savvy you can put the cargo in the trailer up to the 2,000lb towing capacity. Because only about 15% of that weight will be counted towards the max payload you may be able to claw back an extra 250lbs in total gear until you hit the GCWR limit.
Ford is pretty good about making their listed towing capacity the actual towing capacity, not a big looking number.
What American driver weighs 160lbs? I could stand to lose 30 pounds from my mid-section but that would still put me at 170lbs.
Not that I’m the weight police, but…. I think this article is missing something from an RVer for 10 years.
2000 lb towing capacity generally means if the rest of the vehicle is empty except a driver who is supposed to weigh 160 pounds. Of course, you didn’t mention the GVWR, sometimes that can make a difference in either direction, too.
Most people would say it is most safe to go to a towing capacity of 90%.
So 2000 lbs = 1800 lbs.
Does that trailer weight 1300 empty or 1300 now? Most people are surprised when they get their trailer weighed, because it has water and stuff in it that adds up fast. And the manufacturer or the trailer sometimes play a little fast and loose with the options and weight. Also, I don’t know how much your princess weighs, but a family might normally be a couple and 2 kids. That’s probably 500 lbs. eating into the capacity.
So my point is that 2000 lbs is barely enough, and no one seems to be discussing this here in this article. What am I missing?
The trailer without gear came in at 1,300 pound when we weighed on a truck scale. The hybrid Maverick’s GCWR is 6,045 pounds. This truck itself weighs 3,636 pounds, meaning 1,109 pounds should be available for passengers and gear.
2000lbs is just the towing capacity.
GCWR is 6,500lbs. If the truck (with fuel) weighs around 3,750lbs that leaves 2750lbs in total trailer and passenger weight. (Only 2,000 of that can be a trailer though.)
So based on the GCWR with this 1300lb trailer you can still have 1450 lbs in passengers and cargo.
BUT, payload capacity is listed at 1,500lbs. So, if you net out about 300lbs for the trailer tongue weight (about 15% of the trailer weight) I think you would actually be limited to 1,200lbs of passengers and cargo.
Either way, even if you cram 4 large 200lb adults in a maverick you will still have 400lbs for cargo. Which, unless your hauling something really dense like water should be enough to essentially fill the bed with stuff.
If you’re really savvy you can put the cargo in the trailer up to the 2,000lb towing capacity. Because only about 15% of that weight will be counted towards the max payload you may be able to claw back an extra 250lbs in total gear until you hit the GCWR limit.
Ford is pretty good about making their listed towing capacity the actual towing capacity, not a big looking number.
What American driver weighs 160lbs? I could stand to lose 30 pounds from my mid-section but that would still put me at 170lbs.
I’m not surprised, I know of a Maverick owner who tows a vintage trailer (Shasta sized) with no problems, although he has an Ecoboost with a higher tow rating.
If you’re willing to forgo the portable palazzo with AC and a TV you can also ditch the full size truck and tow with something more modest like a Maverick
I’m not surprised, I know of a Maverick owner who tows a vintage trailer (Shasta sized) with no problems, although he has an Ecoboost with a higher tow rating.
If you’re willing to forgo the portable palazzo with AC and a TV you can also ditch the full size truck and tow with something more modest like a Maverick
I tow my Mini with my MINI (2009 Clubman S automatic) we’ve been all over the country, coast to coast and north to south……I set the cruise control at 70-75 depending on the speed limit and it pulls it easily – fuel mileage drops from 34 to around 26-27 mpg. My only point is to reinforce that you don’t need a truck or a giant SUV to tow something.
When I moved from Denver to Southern California I towed one of those small U-haul trailer that looks like a miniature horse trailer with all my worldly goods in it with a Porsche 914.
People used to tow enormous trailers with the family sedan – they even made a movie about it (The Long, Long Trailer)
I remember when my grandfather towed his 18-foot boat with a 87 Buick Regal. It squatted like hell but pulled it.
My 69 Mustang has a trailer hitch installed. That’s the second think people notice and ask me. The first is always, ‘Is it a fastback?’ Strangely enough they are always looking right at it when they ask, and it’s clearly not a fastback.
LOL! I totally understand. (This is also where I regret The Autopian not having pics available in the comment section. I’d love to see your Mustang.)
I tow my Mini with my MINI (2009 Clubman S automatic) we’ve been all over the country, coast to coast and north to south……I set the cruise control at 70-75 depending on the speed limit and it pulls it easily – fuel mileage drops from 34 to around 26-27 mpg. My only point is to reinforce that you don’t need a truck or a giant SUV to tow something.
When I moved from Denver to Southern California I towed one of those small U-haul trailer that looks like a miniature horse trailer with all my worldly goods in it with a Porsche 914.
People used to tow enormous trailers with the family sedan – they even made a movie about it (The Long, Long Trailer)
I remember when my grandfather towed his 18-foot boat with a 87 Buick Regal. It squatted like hell but pulled it.
My 69 Mustang has a trailer hitch installed. That’s the second think people notice and ask me. The first is always, ‘Is it a fastback?’ Strangely enough they are always looking right at it when they ask, and it’s clearly not a fastback.
LOL! I totally understand. (This is also where I regret The Autopian not having pics available in the comment section. I’d love to see your Mustang.)
Solid no on more new Ford vehicles, so thank you for reporting on these issues
Minor hiccup that caused a short delay that didn’t repeat itself is almost a “nothing burger”.
These sorts of things crop up all across the industry. There’s no flawless vehicle, and when you add more components – hybrid system and a trailer notably – it’s not entirely unreasonable to expect a slight issue once in a while. Modern vehicles are rolling computers, and folks understand that sometimes the computer acts up a bit and needs to be restarted, updated, etc. Same applies for modern cars.
In essence, you’re correct, in that there are problems all over. I’m a Toyota guy, and I’m eagerly watching the new V6TT stuff that’s dropping. For what it’s worth, I’m really happy with my V8 GX and not interested in a turbo for these reasons.
However…to be clear, you’re not suggesting that the numerous trucky/off-roady issues with Fords are nothing burgers, right? OR are you?
Solid no on more new Ford vehicles, so thank you for reporting on these issues
Minor hiccup that caused a short delay that didn’t repeat itself is almost a “nothing burger”.
These sorts of things crop up all across the industry. There’s no flawless vehicle, and when you add more components – hybrid system and a trailer notably – it’s not entirely unreasonable to expect a slight issue once in a while. Modern vehicles are rolling computers, and folks understand that sometimes the computer acts up a bit and needs to be restarted, updated, etc. Same applies for modern cars.
In essence, you’re correct, in that there are problems all over. I’m a Toyota guy, and I’m eagerly watching the new V6TT stuff that’s dropping. For what it’s worth, I’m really happy with my V8 GX and not interested in a turbo for these reasons.
However…to be clear, you’re not suggesting that the numerous trucky/off-roady issues with Fords are nothing burgers, right? OR are you?
Saw a guy with a hole in his bed gate just yesterday from dropping the tailgate when there was a handle on the trailer.
Good write up. I wish ford would give this a 6 foot option, and maybe 4k towing. That would be such a sweet spot for me, and I am guessing a lot of other folks.
The Ecoboost Maverick has a 4k tow rating, but no hybrid I doubt a 6′ bed will happen since that requires a new body in white
Good to know the ecoboost can take a little more! Maybe someone will make a flatbed, or they might already, I haven’t really looked.
As a unibody truck, that’s unlikely.