Ford's sub-Ranger, compact ute, the Maverick, seems to be attracting new customers to the brand.
The Maverick is smaller than the current Ranger (which is also sold in America), and can only tow around 1,800kg. It is based on the same chassis used in the Explorer and Bronco Sport.
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According to Ford, 25% of Maverick buyers are female, compared to 16% for full sized utes. Ford truck marketing manager, Todd Eckert, adds to this that more than quarter of buyers are aged between 18 and 35-years-old.
“We really are seeing a new customer coming into Ford,” Eckert says. “And that was really our ambition with Maverick was to appeal to a younger, more diverse customer. And we’re certainly seeing that.”
The price point for the Maverick has also been relatively low, which could add to its appeal.
A 23-year-old Maverick customer, Christopher Molloy II, recently said he wasn't in the market for a ute when he purchased a Maverick as his first car.
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“I wasn’t first looking for a Maverick. I didn’t know it existed,” he says. “I was looking for more SUV-type. I wasn’t really expecting to get a new truck because they’re so expensive until I saw the Maverick was coming out.”
“In 25 years of being in this business, I don’t know that I’ve seen a manufacturer bring a product out that hit the target this well,” general manager of Long McArthur Ford in Kansas, Derek Lee, adds. “What we are seeing in buyers is a younger buyer. We’re seeing first-time car buyers. We are having import car buyers.”
In terms of power, the basic Maverick gets a 2.5-litre hybrid, while the high-spec model uses a 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine. Interestingly, the hybrid gets a CVT, and is front-wheel drive, while the EcoBoost uses an all-wheel drive system paired with an eight-speed auto transmission.
Ford sold more than 4,100 Mavericks during the vehicle’s first full month of sales in the US in October. According to Lee, his dealership already has more than 400 Mavericks on order.
While it's unlikely the car will reach Kiwi shores, we'd expect to see similar percentages if it were to arrive in NZ.
