Ford Maverick vs Gac Emzoom

What's the difference?

Potential is the key word when it comes to the Maverick. It has loads of potential to be a sales hit in Australia, provided Ford can get it in at the right price and specification level. In many ways, for all the success the Ranger has had for the company, the Maverick is the closest thing Ford has built to the Falcon Ute since its demise.

There’s obviously no guarantees in the automotive business, but if Ford could add the Maverick as a would-be Escape replacement it clearly has the potential (there’s that word again) to do a much better job for a brand known for its adventurous models. Whereas the Escape struggled to attract attention in a crowded SUV market alongside the likes of the Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4 and others, that wouldn’t be the case for the Maverick.

It’s been a hit for the Blue Oval in the US, with more than 22,000 examples sold in the first three months of 2023 and the company hiring more workers to try and keep up with demand. Which will only delay any plans to bring it to Australia, as the US market clearly has priority.

Which is a shame, because it would appeal to the large number of Australians who live in urban centres but have an active lifestyle. Especially the hybrid model, which would be ideal for weekday use while allowing owners to chuck their mountain bike or surfboard in the tray and head for adventure on the weekends.

Maybe that’s an idealistic view, but the Maverick left a strong impression and would fit so neatly into Ford Australia’s line-up it would be a waste if it never made its way Down Under.

Candidly, I really didn’t want to like the Emzoom. I think Australia has too many car brands already and the market is in danger of becoming overwhelmed with mediocre products at bargain prices that will squeeze out better but more expensive products.

But I cannot help but really be impressed by what GAC is offering. There’s no doubt the brand faces a major challenge expanding its dealership network to grow sales, but if it continues to deliver vehicles as nice as the Emzoom then it at least has a shot.

Not only is it affordable but it has style, space and is enjoyable to drive. For anyone in the market for a small SUV or just a sub-$30k new car, this should definitely be on your short-list.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

The design of the Maverick is one of its standout features, because it looks like a proper Ford truck, with elements in common with the Ranger and the F-150.

That’s despite the fact that underneath it actually has more in common with an SUV, sharing Ford’s ‘C2’ platform with the Escape and Bronco Sport.

It has the same ‘C-clamp’ lights that are a signature of the F-150 and have since found their way onto the Ranger.

It also has the same boxy design as its bigger siblings with a very upright front end and cut-off tail, giving it the ‘tough truck’ look popular amongst modern ute/pickup buyers in Australia and the US.

Other noticeable design elements include the Ranger-style grille treatment, slightly flared wheel arches and the ‘Maverick’ name stamped into the tailgate.

The Maverick is also available with exposed tow hooks as optional extras on the standard XLT, but they are included on the Tremor package, and add to the ‘rugged’ look of the Maverick.

Inside the Maverick looks less and feels like a pick-up and more like an SUV, with elements like the steering wheel and media system seemingly coming straight from the Escape.

But there are a number of small details in the interior design that impress, like the unique door designs and the texture finishes to some of the inlays on the dashboard and door pocket.

Unfortunately one of the common themes for many of the new Chinese brands entering the Australian market is inoffensive but uninteresting design. The cars tend to be quite generic and lacking in style and statement.

That’s not the case with the Emzoom, which stands out with its bold, angular design that really sets it apart from its direct rivals. For a brand looking to make an immediate impression and attract a new demographic, GAC has made a strong opening move with the Emzoom.

It’s not limited to the exterior either, with an equally design-forward cabin. There’s only a smallish 7.0-inch LCD instrument display integrated into a wider panel, but it’s all housed within a single unit alongside the 14.6-inch multimedia display to create a hi-tech look.

Yes, there are other elements from rival brands that are evident in the design, but borrowing a few cues from other places isn’t something unique to GAC and the overall look and feel of the Emzoom is very likeable.

Again, in terms of size and use you’ll feel more like you’re in an SUV than a ute when you jump inside a Maverick. It definitely feels more like an Escape than a Ranger, even down to the basic layout of all the controls, air conditioning vents and storage spots.

But there are some unique elements, like the previously mentioned interior door trims, and there are some handy storage spots in the centre console along with a pair of cupholders.

There’s respectable space in the back for what is ultimately a small vehicle, but it could do with some extra amenities for the rear seat passengers. There’s a power outlet and some under seat storage space but no rear air con vents or cupholders. 

As for luggage space, this is where the Maverick diverges from the SUV script by adding its ute-style tray.

It’s a good sized bed, as the Americans call it, measuring 1381mm long and 1353mm wide, but with the tailgate able to be set a floor height it can accommodate eight-feet by four-feet wooden sheets (2400mm x 1200mm). Our test car came with the optional spray-in liner.

The tray features what Ford calls its ‘Flexbed’, which describes a variety of in-built functionality including pre-stamped slots in the side of the tray so you can insert timber as dividers, depending on what you want to use it for. There’s also a 12-volt outlet and 10 tie-down points to lean into its practical nature. 

It may be small in stature compared to the Ranger and F-150 but the Maverick isn’t a show pony. In the years since it arrived we’ve seen multiple examples of the Maverick being used as a working truck in the US, with plumbers and builders who don’t need a bigger model opting for the practical small ute and it’s easy to see it filling a similar role here.

The Emzoom offers a surprisingly spacious interior for a small SUV. 

We were required to travel with four adult occupants at one stage and even in the back seat there was enough room for this six-foot tall reviewer to ride comfortably.

It feels more spacious thanks to the panoramic sunroof which can let in a load of natural light and get rid of the cramped feeling you sometimes have in these smaller models, particularly in the back seats.

While the seats are trimmed in PVC, they look and feel fine for this price point, and the driver’s seat is ventilated and has six-way power adjustment.

There are two USB ports in the front (one A and one C) as well as a 12V outlet, and there’s one USB-A in the rear.

The boot measures 341 litres, which is a respectable size for this type of SUV. While the inclusion of a power tailgate is a very nice touch at this price and makes life easier.

GAC has kept it simple and offers the Emzoom in a single model grade - Luxury - which is priced from $25,590 plus on-road costs. Even at roughly $28,000 on-road, the Emzoom is among the dozen or so cheapest new cars in Australia, and certainly one of the most affordable SUVs of this size.

GAC didn’t skimp on equipment to achieve that price too, with such luxuries as a panoramic sunroof and power tailgate included, along with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED lights and dual-zone climate control.

Other equipment includes wireless phone charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth and a six-speaker sound system.

Ford offers two engine choices in the USA - a standard 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid and a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol ‘EcoBoost’ option.

The hybrid powertrain makes a modest 120kW/210Nm and is only available in front-wheel drive, in an obvious nod to this ute’s shared DNA with an urban SUV. 

The EcoBoost fitted to our test car packs more punch, with 186kW/375Nm on tap and it’s paired to an all-wheel drive system via an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

Bucking the trend for electrification, the Emzoom is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that makes 125kW/270Nm. This provides adequate performance for a small SUV, without offering anything special.

The engine is paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, which sends its power to the front wheels. More on that set-up under ‘Driving’...

Ford claims the Maverick Hybrid is capable of hitting a fuel economy figure of 6.3L/100km, which is a lot more efficient than its bigger ute siblings can manage and on par with consumption the Escape Hybrid manages in the US market.

The more powerful EcoBoost is obviously not quite as efficient, using 9.4L/100km on the combined urban/highway cycle. Although this turned out to be pessimistic, as we saw returns of around 9.0L/100km in our LA test drive.

Slightly confusingly GAC quotes a claimed combined urban/extra urban figure of 6.6L/100km, but based on the WLTC testing protocol, which is similar but marginally different to the more common and real-world-focused WLTP.

However, in our actual real-world test drive we instead saw a return of 7.6L/100km, so expect to use slightly more than the claim, regardless of testing protocols.

The Emzoom has a 47-litre fuel tank, which means if you can hit the claimed economy, you’ll have a range of just over 700km on a single tank. Our real-world average would still be good for more than 600km, which is a respectable range for what is designed to be a city-friendly SUV. 

As you approach the Maverick your brain tells you it’s a ute, but once you hope inside and start driving that idea quickly vanishes and you realise this is an SUV in disguise.

And that’s not a criticism, because Ford offers the Ranger and F-150 for people who do want a ute/pick-up that looks and drives like a ute/pick-up, so that’s not the role of the Maverick.

This is designed to be an urban-friendly vehicle for those who may want a ute but need something smaller and more efficient.

The EcoBoost performs admirably on the road, with decent low speed response and enough grunt when you stand on the accelerator and rev it hard. The Maverick isn’t a big vehicle, so it doesn’t need a particularly big engine to get the job done. 

The eight-speed auto is well-suited to the EcoBoost, able to get the most out of the engine when needed but also returning that strong fuel figure. 

It’s not meek, though, the Maverick EcoBoost has a standard towing capacity of 900kg but can be upgraded to pull up to 1800kg with the 'Tow Package'.

Unfortunately, the Los Angeles landscape didn’t give us a chance to test the Maverick’s off-road credentials, because it does have good on-paper capabilities.

Particularly the Tremor, which has specific drive modes for 'Normal', 'Sand', 'Mud', 'Slippery' and 'Towing', as well as the ability to switch the traction control off with the press of a button so you can let the wheels slip on loose surfaces.

But around the streets and freeways of LA it did impress with its on-road manners. The steering is nicely weighted and direct, and when paired with the compact dimensions of the Maverick it reacts and drives much more SUV-like which means it feels at home in the city.

What makes the Emzoom really impressive, particularly at its price, is the way it drives. GAC has been in partnership with both Toyota and Honda in China for decades, and clearly the brand has been paying attention to how those more established global brands do things.

The net result is a small SUV that is genuinely enjoyable to drive and a far cry from the dull, unresolved offerings from other Chinese newcomers.

The Emzoom’s ride is nothing short of remarkable, given this is an all-new brand to Australia. It managed to soak up some very nasty-looking bumps without any notable fuss in the cabin. There is still some fine-tuning that could be done to make it class-leading in terms of both comfort and responsiveness, but the overall first impression is very, very positive.

It’s a similar story for the steering, with responsiveness and good weighting, not the occasionally numb and dull steering other Chinese competition offer up. 

The engine is fine, nothing special to report, it does the job steadily but does need to be worked hard at times. The gearbox, on the other hand, is more notable.

While a dual-clutch transmission is better on paper, providing faster gear changes for more responsive driving and lower fuel consumption, in practical terms they can be more challenging to operate smoothly.

That’s very much the case with the Emzoom, with the clutch tending to ‘slip’ when you take-off from standstill, often resulting in wheel spin - and a more dramatic-sounding departure than you intended. 

This is probably not helped by the tyres, a Chinese brand that this reviewer had never experienced before but felt light on grip.

Once on the move, it works well enough, although occasionally it gets caught between gears when you’re trying to drive more spiritedly, but most of the time it’s fine.

By far the biggest foible of the Emzoom is the noise. GAC clearly saved money on what’s known in the business as ‘NVH’ (or noise, vibration and harshness), with a noticeable amount of tyre roar, wind noise from mirrors and poor sound deadening underneath.

It’s not ideal but there was always going to be a compromise to get this type of SUV for this price.

Thankfully, GAC didn’t cut too many corners on safety. There’s airbag coverage for all outboard occupants and a 360-degree parking camera system as well as a decent amount of driver assistance features for a sub-$30k SUV.

It must be noted that there is no ANCAP or Euro NCAP score, but the Emzoom comes with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, high beam assist and adaptive cruise control.

However, that's the extent of the list, so it doesn't have the comprehensive list of active safety systems that its rivals can claim.

It’s also much too early to speculate on ownership and warranty details.

Ford hasn’t made any official commitment to bringing the Maverick to Australia but if it does it would be logical to expect it to mirror what we already expect in terms of warranty and the ownership experience.

That means five-years/unlimited kilometres of coverage and Ford’s capped price servicing plan.

GAC has tried to be proactive and match the market with a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, but strangely offers an even longer warranty for its electric and plug-in hybrid models.

It is an unusual decision and raises question marks over the longevity of its internal combustion engine models for no apparent reason.

As we wrote when we tested the Aion V, GAC is starting from scratch in Australia with less than a dozen dealers set to operate in the first 12 months. That means limited opportunities to both buy and service a GAC vehicle.