2025 Ford Maverick First Drive: Hybrid Has Price Appeal, But Lobo Steals The Show

The Ford Maverick is one of the smallest trucks in America, but for 2025, it gets some big updates, broadening its already substantial appeal. Don't worry, it hasn't gotten any bigger — it still has scant dimensions and a relatively small price tag to match — but there's more performance, more tech, and updated styling all around. 

One of the most significant updates for the 2025 Maverick is the addition of optional all-wheel drive for the hybrid-powered model. Previously available only on EcoBoost models, all-wheel drive is now available with both of the Maverick's available powertrains.

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Meanwhile, all-new Lobo trim has been added to the Maverick lineup, spicing things up with a focus on performance and style. The Lobo isn't the only looker in the group either: every Maverick gets updated styling via new headlights, a new grille, and new interior colors. A big new touchscreen is now standard on all Maverick models too, along with wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. To test out the new Maverick and all its updated features, Ford invited me out to San Diego for a few days – and I happily obliged. I got behind the wheel of the updated XLT hybrid model and the new Lobo trim in some pretty demanding scenarios and I left seriously impressed.

The 2025 Maverick is available with two powertrains. The standard powertrain is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a hybrid system. Combined output is 191 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque. In city driving, on the highway, and stitching together corners on mountain roads, the hybrid powertrain felt adequate but not inspiring. 

Flat-footed acceleration didn't raise pulses (especially with the droning nature of the CVT) but it did get the Ford up to a highway pace in a relative hurry. The hybrid system also provided a bit of silent movement at slow speeds for more serene motoring.

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The available turbocharged 2.0-liter engine proved to be a much livelier powertrain. It produces 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque and it's paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission (or a 7-speed in the Lobo). Initial specs from Ford had the 2.0-liter putting out a reduced 238 hp due to some emissions changes, but after some testing Ford says that the turbocharged engine carries over into 2025 with the same 250 hp rating from last year. 

Power delivery, especially when you mash the throttle, is strong. The standard Eco, Slippery and Normal driving modes are all a bit banal, but Sport mode sharpens up the throttle responses and gives the turbocharged Maverick a much peppier vibe. If you're looking for some entertaining driving dynamics from your compact truck, the turbocharged engine has you covered – especially when it's under the hood of the new Lobo.

Powered exclusively by the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, the new Lobo trim was a major highlight during Ford's launch of the 2025 Maverick. It's lower than the standard truck by half an inch up front and 1.12 inches in the rear, giving it a more aggressive stance. The ride height pairs well with the seriously-sleek Turbofan wheels and the unique lower fascia all the way around. 

My only complaint with the looks of the Lobo is the fact that the Turbofan wheels come exclusively in a black finish. If they were available in colors like bronze, gold, or white, they'd give the truck even more presence.

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It's much more than just looks with the Lobo though. It uses a specifically-tuned version of the Maverick's torque-vectoring twin-clutch rear drive unit to give the pickup better cornering performance. Shifting is done via a 7-speed automatic with paddle shifters rather than the standard 8-speed unit. Front brakes from Ford's European Focus ST help with stopping power, while upgraded radiators help keep things cool during performance driving.

Part of Ford's launch program with the Maverick Lobo included an autocross course set up to showcase the truck's handling capability — and it didn't disappoint. In the track-oriented Lobo drive mode, the truck's rear end was extremely playful. After a single lap of the course, I was able to start getting the truck sideways by introducing a bit of front-end dive and lightening the load on the rear tires. 

A big dose of throttle mid corner gave the Lobo enough power to rotate the rear end and introduce the slightest of drifts. After two or three laps, sliding the back of the truck around almost every corner felt like second nature.

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I wasn't the only one leaving long black marks on the asphalt, either. Several Ford engineers and media members beat on the Lobo for hours. Hard braking, sending cones flying across the parking lot, full-throttle acceleration, rear-end drifting – all of it was handled with no complaints from the Ford staff or the Maverick itself. The only audible complaints came from the tires. It was easy to forget that the vehicle we were there testing was a truck – capable of towing 4,000 pounds and otherwise living its life with a bed full of mulch and lumber.

About 50 feet away from the autocross course, Ford had a towing demonstration set up to showcase the Maverick's trailering capabilities. New to the Maverick's upper trims this year are Ford's Pro Trailer Hitch Assist and Pro Trailer Backup assist: systems sourced from Ford's bigger trucks, designed for easier connection and management of your trailer. 

In the limited demo, the systems worked well. The Maverick's cameras lined up the trailer hitch to a perfect mounting location. Backing up the trailer in the desired direction was easy when using Ford's dashboard-mounted knob. For owners towing their first trailer, these are excellent learning tools and for more seasoned veterans, they're aids that can make towing a much smoother experience.

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Unfortunately, we didn't get to drive fully-weighed-down versions of the Maverick, but the Ford's payload numbers are respectable for the class. Hybrid, front-wheel drive max payload is an impressive 1,500 pounds. All-wheel drive drops that number down to 1,400 lbs, but it trades off for better towing. Front-wheel drive versions of the Maverick can tow 2,000 lbs while AWD trims, with the optional 4k Tow package, can tow 4,000 lbs. That's enough for most small utility trailers, but it's worth noting that both the Hyundai Santa Cruz and the Honda Ridgeline can tow more: up to 5,000 lbs. According to Ford, with the tailgate folded down, you can load 18 sheets of 4x8' plywood in the bed.

At 5-foot-9, there's plenty of headroom and legroom for me in the Maverick. I didn't have to duck to get in and I didn't need to scrunch up my legs too much to fit in the back seat behind my own seating position either. Six-footers will likely struggle in the back seat, but otherwise they should be fine up front thanks to significant seat and steering-wheel adjustability. In both the XLT and the Lobo I tested, the seats were comfortable and relatively supportive – even if they were a bit flat in terms of bolstering. 

The Maverick's cabin has all sorts of storage space too, with decent-sized cupholders, a generous center console, and of course, there's plenty of space in the truck's bed for most big items. Throwing a few mountain bikes in the back or surfboards over the tailgate should be no problem. 

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On the highway, significant tire noise and wind noise made their way into the cabin of both trucks I tested. The hum of the tires was impossible to ignore over 60 mph, and the boxy shape of the Maverick seemed to create a little windy echo-chamber, with lots of wind noise coming from the mirrors and the top of the windshield. I wouldn't consider the noisy cabin a dealbreaker, but it does distract a bit from an otherwise pleasant driving experience.

On the whole, I really enjoyed driving the Maverick in both the XLT hybrid and Lobo trims. It was entertaining and comfortable. It does fall short however, in the tech department. The big new 13.2-inch center touchscreen is impressive to look at, with good graphics and quick response times. Unfortunately, it now has the responsibility of managing all the Maverick's climate controls too. 

Previous Maverick's had physical knobs to change things like temperature and fan speed, all of which are now located in an ever-present lower menu on the touchscreen. The touchscreen climate controls are relatively small, and trying to aim a fingertip at them can distract from the task of driving. Most owners will likely get used to this interface over time, but with my short time in the Maverick, the system felt less than intuitive. Thankfully, the heated seats were just how I like them: scorching hot.

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Then, there's the audio. The standard 6-speaker stereo is just plain bad. Anything over two-thirds of the maximum volume level and the plastic speaker housings rattle. Any louder than that, and there's significant distortion in the quality of the music. The upgraded 8-speaker B&O stereo in higher trim levels is much better. It has good bass, appropriately loud volume, and decent audio quality in general: all impressive for the truck's size and price. If there's an option I'm not skipping on the Maverick's build sheet, it's the upgraded stereo. 

While the price tag of the Maverick may change in a hurry thanks to auto tariffs, it still represents a strong bargain in the truck world and amongst lots of other compact vehicles – truck, SUV, and sedan alike. A bare-bones Maverick XL still checks in at under $30k ($29,285 including $1,595 destination fee) but you can easily upgrade to multiple trim levels with plenty of creature comforts to choose from. 

Upgrading to the rowdy Lobo trim will cost a pretty penny (MSRP for the Lobo is $37,545 before adding any options like the B&O stereo), but it has excellent style and impressive performance. Above the Lobo, at least as far as price and general refinement goes, the Lariat is still available too. And, of course, there's the Tremor trim which offers a bit of off-road capability for adventurous types. 

The new touchscreen climate-control interface is underwhelming and I'd recommend opting for the optional stereo if you're ever in the mood for cranking up your tunes, but otherwise, the 2025 Ford Maverick is still a really tempting truck with a lot to offer.