Fuelin’ Around: Ford Maverick Hybrid nabs official rating of 5.6 L/100 km

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The testing boffins at nrCan have put their stamp of approval on the 2022 Ford Maverick. In best-case scenarios – using the front-wheel-drive hybrid engine in city driving conditions – the trucklet has been rated at a remarkable 5.6 L/100 km.

That level of fuel efficiency is enough to permit Ford the boast that Maverick is officially Canada’s most fuel-efficient hybrid pickup.

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Fuelin’ Around: Ford Maverick Hybrid nabs official rating of 5.6 L/100 km Back to video

Those hybrid gubbins permit scarce use of the gasoline-powered engine at low speeds, making the stop-and-go city cycle ideal for front-page fuel economy numbers. That same powertrain works harder at a steady state on the highway, with nrCan giving it a 7.1 L/100 km rating.

Those numbers combine for an official overall rating of 6.3 L/100 km, which remains impressive for any vehicle, let alone one with an open cargo bed.

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The entry-level Maverick uses Ford’s fourth-gen hybrid power system, utilizing a 2.5-litre engine lashed to a electronic continuously variable transmission. Its briefcase-size, liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery is packaged below Maverick’s second-row seats rather than occupying a significant portion of the cargo area. This variant of the truck is scheduled to show up on dealer lots in January 2022.

But if you’ve already seen a couple of Mavericks driving around town, there’s no need to adjust your spectacles. Ford rolled out the gasoline-powered all-wheel-drive variant last month; that vehicle, which utilizes a 2.0L EcoBoost non-hybrid engine, first found its way into customer hands in September. As one may expect, that model is not as fuel efficient as the front-drive hybrid, instead rated at 10.7 and 8.1 L/100 km in city and highway driving, respectively. This shakes out to a combined economy rating of 9.6 L/100 km.

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It’s quite a delta between 10.7 and 5.6 L/100 km in terms of city driving, especially in a vehicle which doesn’t have too many external clues as to which powertrain it is running. In other words, if yer Maverick-driving buddy is crushing it at the pumps compared to the economy you’re getting in your own pint-sized Ford, it could be all down to a variation in propulsion.

And in case anyone is wondering, the hybrid is rated at 166 hp/155 tq, while the turbo 2.0L belts out 250 hp/277 tq. In other words, the power difference is noticeable. The hybrid is also capped at 2,000 lbs of towing, while the gasser can be opted to double that amount.