Looks like the compact truck is back

[rphillips]

I remember the days when trucks came in 3 sizes, compact, mid-sized & full sized. maybe we're heading back to that. In the past Ford had Courier (compact), Ranger (mid-sized), & F-150 (full-sized). Looks as they're just bringing compact back with the Maverick. RWD, vs FWD, vs, AWD, 4WD, I well remember yrs. ago, in winter on icy roads there were always cars & trucks stranded & needing help as most all were RWD. Since in todays world most are either FWD, AWD, or 4WD & can get around on icy roads waaaaay better than the RWDs ever could, weight piled in the back or not, there are way less stranded drivers today. My opinion the huge improvement from RWD to FWD is almost the same as the huge improvement from FWD to AWD, then again the same huge from AWD to 4WD. You will never realize the difference in RWD & 4WD until you actually experience it, nobody can tell you.

[GS1150Pilot]

I think the shift from RWD to FWD is a bigger improvement overall than any shift from FWD to AWD.

It will be interesting to see how this little truck fares in sales and reliability (and, therefore, more sales if it proves solid).

[RichDesmond]

I think the shift from RWD to FWD is a bigger improvement overall than any shift from FWD to AWD...

Agreed. And on ice-covered roads I'd rather have a good AWD (like Subaru's) over the conventional 4WD that's in my Tacoma

[GS1150Pilot]

We moved from Ohio to Arizona after my mother totaled our newer Audi 100 in 1976 when she was driving my sister and me home from a grocery trip. Black ice is definitely the bane of traction on the road, and I have often wondered whether a later Quattro might have managed where the FWD of the 100 did not. All said and done, my mother was a competent driver, though nowhere near the ability levels of my dad, who raced cars throughout the 60's and 70's, including a stint of ice racing.

[rphillips]

May be worth looking in to, Continuously variable transmission ( CVT )???, hope it ain't kin to a Nissan CVT's. From what I hear they give lots of problems & you can't find a transmission shop to work on them, You'll need to go back to the Dealer ( Stealership ) to get robbed for repairs. My info from 2 local guys who work, one recently retired, from Nissan R&D, those guys aren't impressed with the CVT at all... Maybe Ford's will be different.

[LAB3]

We moved from Ohio to Arizona after my mother totaled our newer Audi 100 in 1976 when she was driving my sister and me home from a grocery trip. Black ice is definitely the bane of traction on the road, and I have often wondered whether a later Quattro might have managed where the FWD of the 100 did not. All said and done, my mother was a competent driver, though nowhere near the ability levels of my dad, who raced cars throughout the 60's and 70's, including a stint of ice racing.

About 10-12 years ago the place where I was working had a fleet of Ford Focus's for us to use. One winter morning while not quite awake I hit a curve WAY faster than I should have, it wasn't a four wheel drive but my guess was it was the traction control that kept me from rolling it over into the ditch.

[GS1150Pilot]

May be worth looking in to, Continuously variable transmission ( CVT )???, hope it ain't kin to a Nissan CVT's. From what I hear they give lots of problems & you can't find a transmission shop to work on them, You'll need to go back to the Dealer ( Stealership ) to get robbed for repairs. My info from 2 local guys who work, one recently retired, from Nissan R&D, those guys aren't impressed with the CVT at all... Maybe Ford's will be different.

Oh crap-I didn't notice that. It has a CVT? No way, no thanks. Ford put crappy CVTs in the Freestyle, and you see those things all the time for sale cheap with transmission problems. CVT transmissions are woeful, and really don't create a good driving experience IMO. I had a friend who had a Dodge Caliber with a CVT. Damned thing felt numb, and the transmission overheated going up to Flagstaff, putting the damned thing into limp mode. The dealer told him the transmission was not easily serviced and that any number of issues (from shift modules to transmission internals) could cause premature burning of the Dodge-only fluid. Suffice to say he got rid of that thing shortly thereafter, buying a Toyota Matrix.

[Sandy]

Agreed. And on ice-covered roads I'd rather have a good AWD (like Subaru's) over the conventional 4WD that's in my Tacoma

Definitely agree with that. We've got both and been driving Subarus for about 20 years now. Current vehicles are a 2020 Outback and a 2019 Tacoma. Tacoma is only better in winter in DEEP snow at lower speeds and probably only because of more ground clearance and about 300lbs of weight in the box. Subaru is much better at managing traction in all conditions especially at highway speeds. Both run studded winters on all four corners and can be quite fun to drive as long as you don’t get over confident.

[Jedz123]

2000lbs towing capacity....
That's the same as my Honda Fit and it has a 6-speed transmission and gets 40-45mpg not loaded, high 20's low 30's towing a MC...

This whole rig cost 40% asking price of the Maverick...
FWD 6-speed 130hp I-VTEC (HONDA) engine. Just a great little car that does everything anyone looking to save a dime needs...
Best,

[GS1150Pilot]

One thing I definitely do NOT like about the preponderance of AWD cars is the need to replace 4 tires when you need one.

[Sandy]

Actually, from what I've heard, some of the major tire guys will shave a new tire to match the dianeter of a worn tire to avoid having to replace all four.

[wyly]

The 2022 Ford Maverick looks to have some great potential, a 5 passenger vehicle that get's 40 MPG in the city with room in back for a little hauling. At $20k my guess is it'll sell pretty well, how many people really NEED a full or even mid sized hauler in the first place?

https://media.ford.com/content/fordm...-maverick.html

I bought my full size Tundra back in the day when I needed it as a renovator, yeah it's too big for my current needs. Selling it now for something smaller doesn't make economic sense, even though it's a gas pig the cost of a smaller fuel efficient truck is not a viable financial improvement. Low mileage, mechanically perfect with a few dings my 14 yr old pickup it sits in the driveway most days waiting for the odd time I need it.

[GSXR7ED]

2000lbs towing capacity....
That's the same as my Honda Fit and it has a 6-speed transmission and gets 40-45mpg not loaded, high 20's low 30's towing a MC...

This whole rig cost 40% asking price of the Maverick...
FWD 6-speed 130hp I-VTEC (HONDA) engine. Just a great little car that does everything anyone looking to save a dime needs...
Best,

VERY NICE set up, Jedz!!!

I wanna trade up/sell my HF trailer for the gate/ramp set-up like yours.

Ed

****

[wyly]

Not really.

If you truly know what you are doing rear-wheel drive and only two drive wheels will not make a huge dfiference to your getting anywhere

4WD popularity as seen today is the end result of a huge amount of money spent convincing people they needed it and it would be safer for them..

It was a huge load of BS.......BUT it has paid off in monstrously huge profits



Front-wheel drive was done the same way......endless advertising saying more safety, more traction, more safety.

.......almost entirely BS......but people bought the BS, and the vehicles......for MUCH higher prices. (read PROFITS)


The number one reason for pushing front wheel drive was to meet CAFE rules on fuel consumption: changing the drive train from rear to front lowered total vehicle weight and that alone instantly reduced gas consumption for the same engine in the same vehicle.

There's no question Four wheel drive is better than front or rwd drive and front wheel drive is way better than rear when things get slippery. There's no BS in that it's physics front wheel drive put the traction where the weight is.

The only RWD vehicle I owned that was useful in difficult driving conditions was a 1964 Bel-Air station wagon, just short of the mass of the Titanic. It would go anywhere through or over anything because of the massive amount of weight over and hanging past the rear axle.

[bonanzadave]

My F150 extcab long box is the most gutless winter vehicle Ive ever driven. The alum 8' box and the rear axle waaay back there is dangerous on a slippery surface. Gotta have 1k lbs and tire pres at 28psi. Even in 4x4 the truck will lock out the spinning tire. There is a secret button push sequence with the trac control to combat that.......