Ford Maverick Pickup?

[WinterDeere]

So, honestly, the Maverick isn't that small. It's roughly the size of a Ford Explorer, although it is maybe 3-4" shorter vertical. I view the Explorer as a mid sized SUV, but its maybe medium-large.

On towing, your typical, TSC/Lowes landscape trailer, 5x10; 5x12, single axle; is rated for 3500#; and that's the most the vast majority of people use.

At one point, I looked at ditching both the truck and the sedan, and compromising on a Durango SRT (500 hp 6.4L Hemi) to replace two vehicles with one, which is similar width and height to an Explorer or Maverick. It's rated to tow 8700 lb., which is less than my Ram 1500 (11k#), but still perfectly adequate for my 7000 lb. landscape trailer on local roads at lower speeds. Morover, it's a much better vehicle than the Ram pickup for hauling boats and boating gear to races, as my racing boats are under 2k# trailer weights, and the SUV has way more room for gear and boat covers.

I went so far as to haul my landscape trailer over to the dealership and connect it to a Durango, and drive it around a bit. It pulled and stopped just fine, but what I couldn't get past was the width. These mid-size SUV's and mini trucks are just too narrow, to where the mirrors don't stick out far enough to see the trailer wheels. All I could see was the front wall of the trailer.

So yes, a Maverick, Explorer, or Durango can pull a landscape trailer. But even for someone with a lot of trailering experience, it's not a really nice option.

 

[ning]

At one point, I looked at ditching both the truck and the sedan, and compromising on a Durango SRT (500 hp 6.4L Hemi) to replace two vehicles with one, which is similar width and height to an Explorer or Maverick. It's rated to tow 8700 lb., which is less than my Ram 1500 (11k#), but still perfectly adequate for my 7000 lb. landscape trailer on local roads at lower speeds. Morover, it's a much better vehicle than the Ram pickup for hauling boats and boating gear to races, as my racing boats are under 2k# trailer weights, and the SUV has way more room for gear and boat covers.

I went so far as to haul my landscape trailer over to the dealership and connect it to a Durango, and drive it around a bit. It pulled and stopped just fine, but what I couldn't get past was the width. These mid-size SUV's and mini trucks are just too narrow, to where the mirrors don't stick out far enough to see the trailer wheels. All I could see was the front wall of the trailer.

So yes, a Maverick, Explorer, or Durango can pull a landscape trailer. But even for someone with a lot of trailering experience, it's not a really nice option.

If you don't trailer a lot, would you consider towing mirror extenders?
We used them a few times when we had a cabover camper on the F350, as I didn't spec it with trailer mirrors - and considering how much use the truck got pulling anything that would need mirrors (ie, occasional, not often) IMO it was a good choice.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've never had a car with the dial or button gearshift, but don't they have a dash display that shows the gear, just like the conventional shifter. If you have an automatic with a console shifter, you can only tell the gear by the feel or the dash display unless you look down. Why is it different?

Had a 1960’s Plymouth with push button auto transmission…

 

[ultrarunner]

I’ve pushed limits with my Samurai hauling a yard of rock in my box trailer…

I think the factory rating is conservative… but only 3 blocks from the stone yard to the job…

 

[Jstpssng]

I’ve pushed limits with my Samurai hauling a yard of rock in my box trailer…

I think the factory rating is conservative… but only 3 blocks from the stone yard to the job…

Pulling isn't the problem; stopping the load is. If some kid steps out in front of you the tail is going to be wagging the dog. I pulled into a coworker's driveway behind him, glanced at the crushed stone in the borrowed dump trailer he was pulling behind his company 1/2 ton Sierra and said "what's that, about 3 yards?"
"Yup, 8000 lbs." He said "I just pulled it through town, pulled it no problem."
Just the load weighed more than the pickup, plus dump trailers aren't light.

 

[jyoutz]

Pulling isn't the problem; stopping the load is. If some kid steps out in front of you the tail is going to be wagging the dog. I pulled into a coworker's driveway behind him, glanced at the crushed stone in the borrowed dump trailer he was pulling behind his company 1/2 ton Sierra and said "what's that, about 3 yards?"
"Yup, 8000 lbs." He said "I just pulled it through town, pulled it no problem."
Just the load weighed more than the pickup, plus dump trailers aren't light.

^^^^this^^^

 

[ultrarunner]

20 mph for 3 blocks is a risk I am willing to take plus in a panic stop the surge brakes should be at maximum.

The front disk brakes on the Samurai are large for such a light vehicle.

Kind of like a 1950 tractor bringing a loaded hay wagon in from the field… only 2 wheel brakes and running a quarter mile on paved county road.

But I have towed often with small rigs.

The bottom picture is all Mechanical Brakes with a lever to activate the trailer brake.

Just not sure how a CVT trans will hold up compared to gear?

 

[Ortimber]

Tell him to at least look at the Tacoma Hybrid. $46k MSRP.

The problem is 4 adults won't fit in a new Tacoma. I have one...

 

[ning]

Considering towing capacity is assigned based on being able to handle it safely at highway speeds (as safely as a Samurai is at highway speeds on it's own! jk jk), 20mph vs 60mph should require like 1/9th the braking capability (kinetic energy = ½mv²) so I suspect you were reasonably safe.

 

[Hughman]

I once used my samurai to pull my busted rv off I-5. Granted I needed 4-low to move it, but we made it safely off the freeway. I always view towing a car as an insurance policy for when the RV breaks down.

 

[ultrarunner]

10 forward speeds plus I don’t run oversize tires… amazing little package.

I’ve consistently avoided anything with a CV transmission… either the tech improves or it goes away.

I have friends with new Subaru 4wd Justy cars for snow country just when CV came out and each had transmission problems from winter driving.

 

[Torvy]

The problem is 4 adults won't fit in a new Tacoma. I have one...

Y'all must be huge. A co-worker had one and 5 of us would take it to lunch. I'm 6'1" 240.

 

[ruffdog]

The Hyundai Santa Cruz has an 8 speed automatic. Now that the Maverick has jumped in price to the Santa Cruz level, a person should compare both of those.

 

[jyoutz]

10 forward speeds plus I don’t run oversize tires… amazing little package.

I’ve consistently avoided anything with a CV transmission… either the tech improves or it goes away.

I have friends with new Subaru 4wd Justy cars for snow country just when CV came out and each had transmission problems from winter driving.

I no longer have the vehicle, (it was my wife’s), but our 2017 Subaru Forester with cvt transmission and full time AWD was the best on road snow vehicle ever as long as snow wasn’t too deep. Never a problem with the cvt transmission. I suspect there has been a lot of refinement of those transmissions over the past 25 years.

 

[Streetcar]

I see Frontiers used by landscapers with bed racks…

Many are extended cab.

My only reservation on the Maverick is transmission longevity… maybe why towing limitations?

Maverick is reconfigured fusion, front wheel drive car that had no transmission issues

 

[WinterDeere]

I no longer have the vehicle, (it was my wife’s), but our 2017 Subaru Forester with cvt transmission and full time AWD was the best on road snow vehicle ever as long as snow wasn’t too deep. Never a problem with the cvt transmission. I suspect there has been a lot of refinement of those transmissions over the past 25 years.

Reliable or not, I really hate the feel of those CVT’s. Heck, I don’t even like the 8sp tranny’s when coupled with low ratio rear ends, like you find on most pickups and SUV’s today, as they shift so soft you almost can’t feel them.

Am I weird for enjoying the feeling of being kicked in the seat of the pants each time a gear winds out and slams up to the next?

Half the reason I special-ordered my current truck with a high-ratio rear was for this drivability feel. It increased the towing capacity, and now I can light up tires more easily, but those were just bonuses… the low ratio rear was actually sufficient on both accounts.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I have a 2019 Ranger, very happy with it, although I wish I had the larger bed. We don't have 4 people inside more than 2x per year. Back seat is very comfortable for adults.
That said, I would prefer an AWD truck, just for piece of mind in the winter. Driving in 4wd in winter all the time is frowned upon, promotes excessive wear. With conditions changing at every bend in the road and in 2wd (as recommended) things could go south quick. AWD does the changing for you, and that piece of mind, to me, is priceless.
It's rare that I "need" 4WD anyway. Dirt/muddy roads and heavy snowfall. Our road crews do a great job on roads, and being retired, I don't have to go out as some do. I have never towed close to the 7500# rating, and don't foresee ever having to.

 

[jyoutz]

Reliable or not, I really hate the feel of those CVT’s. Heck, I don’t even like the 8sp tranny’s when coupled with low ratio rear ends, like you find on most pickups and SUV’s today, as they shift so soft you almost can’t feel them.

Am I weird for enjoying the feeling of being kicked in the seat of the pants each time a gear winds out and slams up to the next?

Half the reason I special-ordered my current truck with a high-ratio rear was for this drivability feel. It increased the towing capacity, and now I can light up tires more easily, but those were just bonuses… the low ratio rear was actually sufficient on both accounts.

The 8 speed transmission in my Jeep is the sweetest I’ve ever owned. It’s always in the right gear, and the shift points are not noticeable. I don’t miss the being banged back in the seat feeling. It’s simply a great transmission that’s always in the right gear and the manual shift option is nice for forcing downshifts on steep hills. The 8 and 10 speed transmissions are the reason why automatics get better fuel economy than manuals today.

 

[Runner]

Reliable or not, I really hate the feel of those CVT’s. Heck, I don’t even like the 8sp tranny’s when coupled with low ratio rear ends, like you find on most pickups and SUV’s today, as they shift so soft you almost can’t feel them.

Am I weird for enjoying the feeling of being kicked in the seat of the pants each time a gear winds out and slams up to the next?

Half the reason I special-ordered my current truck with a high-ratio rear was for this drivability feel. It increased the towing capacity, and now I can light up tires more easily, but those were just bonuses… the low ratio rear was actually sufficient on both accounts.

I get a big kick out of how fast my truck goes through the gears (4 speed auto/4WD) when in low range. It has a 4.30 to 1 rear end so in low range it goes through all four gears in about 20 feet.

Wife's 2017 Honda CRV has a CVT with "fake" shift points built in, so a really strange combination of just constant acceleration when driving easy, but if you step down on it going up an on-ramp it "downshifts".

 

[Oaktree]

That said, I would prefer an AWD truck, just for piece of mind in the winter. Driving in 4wd in winter all the time is frowned upon, promotes excessive wear. With conditions changing at every bend in the road and in 2wd (as recommended) things could go south quick. AWD does the changing for you, and that piece of mind, to me, is priceless.
It's rare that I "need" 4WD anyway. Dirt/muddy roads and heavy snowfall. Our road crews do a great job on roads, and being retired, I don't have to go out as some do. I have never towed close to the 7500# rating, and don't foresee ever having to.

What's nice about GM trucks is that they have a full-time 4WD option, not sure how it works but it only engages the front wheels when needed. I can choose from 2 WD, fulltime 4WD, 4Hi & 4Lo. In the winter I just leave it in FT4WD. Drives/handles as if it was in 2, except you get the added traction when you need it.

Reliable or not, I really hate the feel of those CVT’s. Heck, I don’t even like the 8sp tranny’s when coupled with low ratio rear ends, like you find on most pickups and SUV’s today, as they shift so soft you almost can’t feel them.

Am I weird for enjoying the feeling of being kicked in the seat of the pants each time a gear winds out and slams up to the next?

Yeah, I think so.
If I'm not mistaken, you've posted elsewhere that you're into muscle cars, maybe that goes with the territory. I'd guess most of us appreciate smooth shifts though.
CVTs are a separate animal from a modern 8+ speed. I've driven a couple cars with them (a Nissan and a couple Suburus) and didn't like the way it drove. It felt, for lack of a better term, buzzy.