My first thought when I glimpsed the Ford Maverick Lobo, which was squatting in the valet parking spot, was: Do I like this?
Because my first impression was that it wasn’t the most beautiful small truck I’d ever seen. I thought it was—to be blunt—a rather homely looking little guy.
It took me a day or two to realize the truth. The Lobo wasn’t homely—it was unique. And by the end of my week of test driving the little-truck-that-could, I’d developed something of an attachment.
First things first: What we’re dealing with here is what Ford calls a sport truck, but is commonly referred to as a “street truck.” That essentially means it wasn’t built to perform like those trucks you see in the macho commercials—you know, hauling gigantic payloads of steel girders or splashing their way through muddy ruts that are nowhere near pavement.
Nope. The Maverick was built to satisfy the other truck-buying audience. I’m talking about the people who will only go off-road when they accidentally smoosh their lawn while trying to back into the driveway. This little lowrider is in a class all its own.
That’s not much of an exaggeration. The small truck market ain’t exactly bustling with rivals. You might compare the Maverick to the Honda Ridgeline, or perhaps the Hyundai Santa Cruz.
Is it a perfect vehicle? No. But it was a treat to drive. Let’s get into it.
The Basics
There are four primary trim levels of the Maverick, ranging from the base XL up to the Lariat. A fifth pseudo option is actually just a special package, known as Tremor.
I spent a week in the Lobo. It comes with a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine that puts out 250 horses, and I drove their all-wheel-drive model.
Ford has tweaked the suspension on the Lobo so it sits a little lower than some of the standard Mavericks—yet another reason why you probably won’t be horsing around in it off the beaten path. But that ground effect makes it look like it’s ready to do some serious ON-road truckin’.
And sure, it’s a pickup truck, but that bed in the back isn’t carrying massive loads. While the basic Maverick will handle 1,500 pounds, the Lobo tops out just over 1,000. It does offer plenty of tie-downs and a power outlet in the bed.
Oh, I should mention its towing capacity is half what other Mavericks give you. Yeah, definitely a street truck. It’s a niche, for sure.
I can hear you saying, “Wait, you’re not really selling this thing, ya know.” Stay cool, we’re getting to it.
Looks wise, it’s true this truck doesn’t really look like the ones you’re used to. But is that a bad thing? A world of nothing but F-150s would be boring as hell. This Maverick’s got some new touches for the ’25 version, including a spiffy new grill that I think gives it a playful yet sporty look.
The Inside
Okay, here’s where we start making up some ground.
You might call the interior of the Maverick Lobo rather spartan—I think it looks clean and functional.
The seats are comfortable, and the new stitching is a sign that Ford has stepped up their materials game. Technically this truck seats five, but I don’t personally think that middle spot in the back seat would be that comfortable with the transmission hump. Let’s just call it a four-and-a-half seater.
Sometimes it’s the little things that bring us joy. Like the storage pockets in the door. Yeah, they’re actually practical and very useable, unlike the token “storage” some car makers give you. Your fancy metal water bottle will probably fit in there.
On the dash, one negative. What’s with the giant Pro Trailer backup assist knob? I reached for it half a dozen times, thinking it was the volume knob for the stereo. No, that’s much smaller, and way over there. Didn’t make sense to me, and won’t to you unless you’re backing up a helluva lot of trailers.
Otherwise, the interior is laid out well. Hey, you even get a power sliding rear window so you can toss your Chick-fil-A bag in the back.
The Drive
Look, this is a small truck, and it’s not made by a luxury car brand. What I’m saying is that the ride is good. The best? No. The worst? Oh, hell no.
The Maverick Lobo won’t win too many drag races, but it gets off the line just fine. I thought that steering could be a tad better, but the overall handling was quite nice. Braking also about average.
The ride itself was smooth and comfortable. The truck features Ford’s EcoBoost engine, which is their version of a turbo, but supposedly with better fuel efficiency.
One thing to point out is that the Maverick Lobo doesn’t have an eight-speed transmission, like some of its brethren. It has a seven-speed transmission. Basically, they did away with 2nd gear.
Yeah, it’s a long story. But you won’t miss that gear.
The Tech
I have to say that Ford’s engineers have stepped up when it comes to addressing the issues of previous Maverick owners.
Take the generous 13.2-inch infotainment screen in the dash. It looks good, it functions well, and it didn’t give me a single problem all week. It comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and my CarPlay connection was flawless. I like the wireless charging pad, too.
Ford offers a variety of options so you can add the goodies that speak to you.
If I was going to complain about anything tech-wise, it would be the lack of physical buttons for the climate system. You gotta go through the touchscreen. Boo!
The Bottom Line
As mentioned, you don’t buy a Ford Maverick Lobo if you want to look like every other pickup parked outside Home Depot on a Saturday.
You buy it because you want a sporty, nimble little truck that can haul just the stuff you need for your suburban life, and one that gets pretty good mileage.
My first impression may not have been favorable, but this little truck ended up being a fun ride for the price.
The Details
2025 Ford Maverick Lobo
2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine
250 horsepower
7-speed automatic transmission, with all-wheel drive
Fuel efficiency: 21/30/24 overall
MSRP: $40,750
As tested: $42,345
Reviewed by Dom Testa
Vehicle provided by manufacturer