A baby Raptor, or a Raptor for a baby, the world may never know....
I would submit that Gladiator may be the answer to the "4 door small truck that excels offroad" question.
I may also be biased because I own a Gladiator, sooo....
Feel that? No, it's not an earthquake, it's just a tremor–a Ford Maverick Tremor, that is.
For those looking for a small truck with some off-road prowess (or at least the appearance of it), Ford now offers the Tremor package on the Maverick.
Keep scrolling to read what it's like to drive.
We love the new Ford Maverick. This small unibody truck offers a lot of what most American truck lovers need and want in a package that makes more financial and dimensional sense than bigger trucks.
We first drove the hybrid version and came away impressed regarding the fuel economy (an honest 40 mpg in hard driving) and the price (well under $30,000).
This time around, we tried out the gas-powered version.
This 250-horsepower, 2.0-liter EcoBoost makes strong power for its size (277 lb.-ft. of torque, too) yet still has to work fairly hard in this relatively big vehicle. While power is adequate (if not startling), fuel mileage suffers. In a week of diving in all kinds of conditions, we only saw about 22-23 mpg. (We also assume a less aggressive tire and wheel package might help fuel mileage a bit.)
The Tremor package fitted to our truck adds off-road-style, 17-inch wheels and tires, a trailer hitch receiver, off-road springs, heavy-duty transmission cooler, improved four-wheel drive, tow hooks and some graphics and other niceties. The Lariat starts at $34,885, so about $8500 more than an XLT model. Our truck was also equipped with a bed liner and Ford Co-Pilot 360.
While an all-wheel drive Maverick equipped with the towing package is rated to tow 4000 pounds, the Tremor is only rated for 2000 pounds as the 4K towing package is not available on this model. That could make the Tremor package a deal-killer for some, especially those who want to tow even a light race car.
As equipped, this truck tops out at a bit over $40,000. While nicely equipped and a great place to spend a week, you could shave $5000-$10,000 off the price if you equipped yours a bit more sparingly.
At $30,000, the Maverick is in a class of one, but at $40,000, the market becomes a bit more crowded, including options that are more comfortable and efficient–like the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Honda Ridgeline.
All things considered, we still really like the Maverick and enjoyed our time with this comfortable, nimble little truck.
A baby Raptor, or a Raptor for a baby, the world may never know....
I would submit that Gladiator may be the answer to the "4 door small truck that excels offroad" question.
I may also be biased because I own a Gladiator, sooo....
Our next-door neighbors are rather happy with their Gladiator.
I keep seeing this as: 2003 Ford Maverick
Tumor
etifosi said:I keep seeing this as: 2003 Ford Maverick
Tumor
They could call it that and people would still buy it. Look at TRD. There is no way to get that to resemble anything but negative words - especially if it's brown.
David S. Wallens said:Our next-door neighbors are rather happy with their Gladiator.
I had a base model Gladiator as a rental for a month and it was a really solid truck. Used it to do all my mulch and 7 yards of garden soil. I'd own one. In fact they are massively marked down right now...
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