Ford Maverick News

Ford has shared early details of the first product to be underpinned by the global giant’s ‘Universal Electric Vehicle platform’, “a US$30,000 mid-size pick-up” at the same time reiterating the project team’s goal of making “vehicles assembled on this platform affordable for the average family”.Inspired by Henry Ford’s vision for mass availability of the original Model T, the new ute targeted to cost the equivalent of around A$42,500 is likely to be revealed this year with production following in 2027.It’s the first output from the Blue Oval’s ‘skunkworks’ engineering team in California and according to Ford’s Executive Director of Advanced Electric Vehicle Development Alan Clarke, his team has set design and engineering ‘bounties’ or goals aimed at “democratizing electric vehicles” (and it’s fair to assume, compete more effectively against emerging Chinese brands).“The introduction of these bounties is a key element to how the team has been able to really tangibly show every engineer, every product designer, how they impact the customer and cost of the vehicle on a daily basis as they do their work,” Clarke said.A fundamental cost-saving move is adoption of large alloy ‘unicast’ sections in the style of Tesla’s ‘Gigacasting’ process, an approach also used on a variety of EV models from BYD, Volvo, XPeng, Zeekr and others. A non-linear ‘assembly tree’ manufacturing process is also inspired by Tesla’s ‘Unboxed’  tech introduced by the EV pioneer in 2023.It divides assembly into smaller, parallel, modular sub-pieces rather than a single, continuous manufacturing line.Ford said sub-assemblies will include a front and rear module, as well as a battery that serves as the vehicle’s floor, the combination replacing 146 structural components used on the similarly-size Maverick ute.At the same time, the ute’s ‘zonal architecture’ groups multiple functions into five electric control units (ECUs), compared with 30 or more in prior systems, while other key functions are managed via a single ‘Energy Management Unit’.Ford said the UEV ute’s wiring harness will be more than 1200 metres shorter and 10kg lighter than the one currently used in its Mach-E electric SUV.In fact, Ford CEO Jim Farley has publicly voiced his disappointment with the Mach-E’s  teardown performance relative to the Tesla Model Y where the Mach-E proved to be less efficient, significantly heavier and more complex in its construction.“We have all lived through far too many ‘good college tries’ by Detroit automakers to make affordable vehicles that end up with idled plants, layoffs and uncertainty. So, this had to be a strong, sustainable and profitable business. From Day 1, we knew there was no incremental path to success. “We empowered a tiny skunkworks team three time zones away from Detroit. We tore up the moving assembly line concept and designed a better one. And we found a path to be the first automaker to make prismatic LFP batteries in the U.S."The (UEV) platform reduces parts by 20 per cent versus a typical vehicle, with 25 per cent fewer fasteners, 40 per cent fewer workstations dock-to-dock in the plant and 15 per cent faster assembly time as well as lower cost of ownership over five years than a three-year-old used Tesla Model Y,” he said.The new ute’s aero and powertrain efficiency have also been finely tuned to maximise driving range and reduce charging time. Examples cited include a flush underbody, compact exterior mirrors and careful profiling of the load bed.And Ford claims the ute’s in-house electrical architecture design will shorten charging time and improve battery management performance.Time will tell whether these production investments (including approximately US$2 billion to transform its Louisville Assembly Plant) deliver more affordable products while making Ford’s underperforming EV line-up (including the Mach-E and now discontinued F-150 Lightning) profitable.CarsGuide contacted Ford Australia for comment on the prospect of right-hand drive production and local sale of the new ute and was told it had “nothing to add from an Australian point-of-view”.

In 2026, there are a number of intriguing new models designed and engineered expressly for North America that we think would resonate with Australians.While some are certainly flash and expensive, all are exceptional in some special way.We identify our favourites, and reveal why we’re denied them. Let’s go.The latest Toyota HiLux is… better than before.An appreciable improvement over the previous model launched in 2015, it evolves the series in key safety, comfort and multimedia areas.But the HiLux is far from the best, being a rehash of a much-older design compared to the leading Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Kia Tasman.Which is where the US-market Tacoma steps in… and up.However, though it uses the TNGA-F body-on-frame platform related to the latest LandCruiser 300 Series and Prado 250 SUV ranges, it is currently a left-hand-drive-only (LHD) proposition, made in Mexico chiefly for North America, so out of bounds for us.But – as Toyota Motor Company Australia’s (TMCA) departing sales boss Sean Hanley recently revealed to CarsGuide ­– Tacoma is high on the local wishlist, as part of a broader ute strategy that would also include HiLux.“They could live side by side,” he said. “And I think that's the diversity of the requirement of that particular segment and its customers. (Tacoma) would be a more high-end vehicle.“I think that there's a market for that vehicle in the right configuration alongside HiLux.”This one-two ute approach would please both traditionalists and provide a more-effective, premium-positioned weapon against larger, stronger competition.But, it won’t happen in 2026, as the local team appears to await an evolved Tacoma (or similar) that’s said to be in the pipeline for global markets, with more-suitable engine options for Australians than the existing 2.4-litre turbo and turbo-hybrid petrol-powered choices. And possibly cheaper sourcing than from America.If you’re a Toyota fan and the latest HiLux doesn’t quite do it for you, the right Tacoma cannot come soon enough.Oh, and while you're at it, can TMCA also release the US-market retro-style round-light Prado 250 to Oz, please?Five years after storming North America, the Maverick continues to sell better than ever, with over 155,000 units shifted in the US alone last year.Made in Mexico, the ute that looks like it was designed by Ikea isn’t the first of its type. But where the Ford differs from other car-based monocoque-bodied dual-cab utes is in its perfect proportions: it seems consumers love the compact yet confident pick-up look.Yet that’s not the only reason why we reckon the Maverick would win over Australians. A sub-$40K asking price, for starters, would help, given the cheapest new Ford passenger vehicle, the base Everest, costs nearly $60K. And the petrol-hybrid powertrain would woo more than a few would-be BYD Shark 6 buyers.So, why can’t we buy one here? The official reasons are no right-hand drive (RHD) production and a lack of production capacity keeping up with demand, though the fear of stealing sales from Ranger must surely also factor in. Yep, the fear of cannibalism from within is real at Ford.With timeless styling, a sumptuous cabin for seven, alluring luxury and the option of up to four electric motors, the R1S is an American flagship SUV EV that seamlessly blends performance, opulence, practicality and desirability.And while a massive battery pack ensures outstanding range, the Rivian’s off-road prowess makes this a reinvented Range Rover for today.The bad news is that RHD seems unlikely. While many top-end full-sized SUV EVs miss the mark for consumers, the R1S provides a most-compelling alternative. It even helped achieve a “most loved brand” accolade from Consumer Reports in 2024, highlighting this newcomer’s immense achievement.We’ve already spotted R1S’s related electric ute sibling at Ford’s Australian headquarters, presumably undergoing competition evaluation, suggesting the Ranger may eventually follow suit. But that’s another story.It also speaks volumes about how esteemed this 600km-plus luxury pick-up is. Classy, capable and high quality, it seems to embody the polar opposite of a Tesla Cybertruck. And we’re here for that.But the only RHD Rivian coming will be this year’s smaller, all-new R2 SUV, but that’s only currently confirmed for the UK.You’d think the R1T would be a no-brainer in ute-obsessed Australia. Pity.Unlike every other Charger since 1966, today’s eighth iteration breaks from the traditional American muscle-car formula.Built on an albeit heavily-modified premium platform also underpinning a number of larger Jeep, Alfa Romeo and Maserati models within the Stellantis portfolio, the sleek, evocative body offers three-door and five-door liftback styles, rather than the expected two-door coupe or fastback designs associated with so-called pony cars.With no V8 Hemi in sight, today’s Charger spec consists of twin-motor and triple-motor all-wheel drive EV choices, or a 3.0-litre twin-turbo in-line six-cylinder petrol engine dubbed ‘Six Pack’. Fans of Australia’s legendary Chrysler Valiant Charger R/T E49 of 1971 would know exactly what that entails.But inevitably we miss out again. Yes, Autogroup International does offer a remanufactured RHD version for an undisclosed premium, but we imagine it would be far-more expensive than the $85K-plus Ford Mustang GT.The Lucid Air represents the pinnacle of American luxury sedan development.Exquisitely designed, beautifully packaged, blisteringly fast and incredibly efficient even by EV standards, this ultra-high-tech alternative to a Mercedes-Benz S-Class pushes flagship-sedan boundaries with the no-compromise vision of a company determined to succeed against near-insurmountable odds.More romantically-inclined automotive historians might liken the Air as kin to ambitious but doomed heroes like the 1937 Cord 810, early Lincoln Continentals and even the Tucker 48 Torpedo, but the sheer competence and abilities of the Lucid mean this is a Tesla Model S smasher for the head as well as the heart. Except, not for Australians.

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It feels like, in recent years, all we talk about is the take-over of the dual-cab ute. The idea of a ute is nothing new but since the Toyota HiLux took over the best-selling accolade in 2016, they have changed dramatically in how they’re used. It isn’t farmers, miners or road-workers driving the Aussie ute boom, it’s those who use these vehicles for both work and play. For family duties and forest exploration, but the current crop of utes are tied to their commercial heritage and compromised as a result.Over the years there have been some takes that simply wouldn’t have flown here: the hideous 207-based Peugeot Hoggar, the Golf-based VW Saveiro and Chevrolet Montana don’t get the blood rushing like a Ford Ranger Raptor, that’s for sure. But this “half SUV, half dual-cab ute,” Ford bosses told CarsGuide of back in 2020? That could be revolutionary. About a year later, the new Ford Maverick was born based on the same underpinnings as the Escape and Bronco Sport SUVs. Pretty much since then, we’ve been asking why Ford hasn’t been able to bring Maverick Down Under. The Ranger is still the one to choose if you need carrying capacity, towing ability or extreme off-road ability but for city and suburban folk, the cleaner burn petrol engine and more SUV-like ride of the Maverick could be the perfect tonic. Oddly, Ford Australia is keeping very quiet about the Maverick. Apparently it’s too popular in the US to consider right-hand drive, for now. Hyundai, however, has trickled the scoop down to dealers that its Santa Cruz pick-up, based on the Tucson mid-size SUV, is coming to Australia some time in 2026. Like the Maverick, the Santa Cruz has proved a hit with US pick-up buyers, combining car-like comfort with outdoorsy styling and carrying ability in an affordable, fuel-efficient package. The other benefit of SUV-based utes is the ease of engineering a hybrid system. For Hyundai and Ford, plug-in and plugless hybrids already exist in their passenger cars. Next stop, funky utes.The Maverick and Santa Cruz could pave the way for Honda’s entrant, the Ridgeline. A tough-looking SUV-based ute.With a bit more size and punch, the Ridgeline is aligned more closely with Ranger and HiLux, rather than the smaller Santa Cruz and Maverick. That could change come 2026, when its expected replacement arrives.Then there are the models we haven’t seen yet. Most exciting might be the Renault Duster Oroch — otherwise known as the Dacia. The budget-oriented brand is eyeing an Australia launch in the near future and a ute could be the ticket to instant sales success. Gawky in its first-gen form, the new Duster design lends itself perfectly to a ute version. Just look at this speculative render by Kolesa of the Renault pick-up. A 650kg payload is targeted, about 300kg down on the dominant dual-cab segment but still plenty more than your average medium SUV. Finally, we’d love to see Subaru return to this segment with a Brumby revival — or Brat, for you North Americans. The ute name is an icon here and abroad and, with Subaru’s latest Outback taking a step closer to ruggedness, it would be the perfect spin-off. As always, we’re talking about this ‘new breed’ of utes as if they’re groundbreaking. They aren’t so much in Australia, with Ford and Holden both famous for car-based utes.Holden even tried to steal a bit of rugged HiLux love, dipping its toes (rather unsuccessfully, mind you) into the segment with the lifted Crewman Cross 8 and its HSV Avalanche relation. Toyota also toyed with a car-based ute with the vibrant X-Runner concept of 2003. 

Ford needs a less expensive model under the Ranger and Everest, that buyers want, preferably to operate in a segment that is not saturated with rivals, while offering a far-more economical powertrain than a diesel engine in order to meet increasingly stringent NVES regulations. To paraphrase one of the company’s most successful-ever advertising campaigns, the Ford Maverick is the answer.

Hyundai is set to be the first with the return of the car-based ute in Australia, with an evolution of its popular North American Santa Cruz series. As revealed by CarsGuide back in May, the company informed its local dealer network at a conference of plans for a future version to launch in Australia. Timing is vague, but we hear from around 2026. And Ford won't be too far behind with the Maverick

Ford USA seems to get all the good stuff - not just the partially Aussie-developed Bronco four-wheel drive but also the urban-friendly Maverick ute. 

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Australians love two types of vehicles at the moment - mid-size SUVs and utes. Together, those two segments make up more than 40 per cent of the new cars bought in this country so far in 2023.

Will the next all-new Mazda BT-50 be twinned with the upcoming Toyota HiLux? The ever-closer working relationship between the Japanese brands is prompting speculation on many coming joint venture – from a line of luxury grand touring sedans and EVs to be shared with Lexus, to a monocoque dual-cab ute to take on the super-successful Ford Maverick in America.