The 2.0-liter engine comes paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and either front- or all-wheel drive. Optional is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 250 hp and 277 lb-ft. So while the Santa Cruz ultimately has a higher overall towing capacity, the Maverick is better equipped to tow straight from the factory. The Maverick also offers a four-pin and seven-pin connector and an integrated trailer brake controller, the latter of which is missing in the rival Hyundai Santa Cruz. The Maverick's maximum towing and payload capacities are impressive for such a small vehicle: 4,000 and 1,500 pounds, respectively. Plus, the underseat storage is accessed by lifting up the entire rear seat bottom, so you'll have to remove any child seats to get underneath. Loading in a large car seat will be a bit difficult because the top tethers are located behind the folding rear seats. The Maverick has mastered small-item storage. The doors can accommodate huge water bottles, the rear underseat storage is relatively large, and there are all sorts of useful dividers in the large center console. How are the towing and storage? The Maverick's party piece is the massive number of cubbies and interior storage areas. Plus, you can get the optional FX4 package if you want to go even farther off the beaten path. Off-roading isn't a strong suit for the Lariat trim level, which is what we tested, but there's a decent 8.3 inches of ground clearance and all-wheel drive to be had. The Maverick is a bit stiffly sprung so midcorner bumps will upset its handling a bit too. You don't get much feel for the road through the steering wheel, and there's a significant amount of body roll when going around turns. The Maverick feels more like a traditional truck in this sense. Steering and handling aren't as satisfying, however. The Maverick with the base hybrid powertrain is a bit slower to 60 at 8.4 seconds, but it's a trade-off we'd make given the improved fuel efficiency. The automatic transmission shifts quickly when you're accelerating, and it doesn't hunt around for gears on long uphill grades thanks to abundant power from under the hood.
That's quicker than any midsize pickup truck and just a smidge quicker than the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Our test truck, equipped with the latter, zipped from zero to 60 mph in just 6.4 seconds.
How does the Maverick drive? We tested both Maverick engines: the base engine 2.5-liter hybrid as well as the optional turbocharged 2.0-liter engine.
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