Overall Rating |  |
Maverick was developed alongside Mazda's Tribute as a family 4x4 to rival Freelander. It's quite good value and works well enough, but its relatively brief production history underlines its lack of popularity.
For
- Ford version of Mazda Tribute is roomy
- Easy to drive with a smooth ride
- Used prices are looking tempting now
Against
- Both versions are rather thirsty
- Low demand, so residual values suffer
- Mundane, uninspired styling, inside and out
Road Test
Maverick had the odds stacked against it from the start. It's roomy enough and well equipped for the money, but Ford has little 4x4 credibility; buyers simply weren't looking for the blue oval badge on a family 'soft roader'. More seriously, Ford neglected to provide diesel power; the 2.0 and 3.0 V6 engines are both thirsty, and the 2.0 lacks strong pulling power.
Ford dealers discounted the remaining UK stocks of Mavericks to shift them; the resulting low used prices look tempting. But before taking the plunge, potential buyers should take a test drive. They'll find it handles well enough, but refinement is unremarkable on both cars - there's just too much noise at anything above urban speeds.
Bought cheaply enough, a fully loaded Maverick may make sense to some. But it won't be worth much come resale time, and that steady thirst will be a steady drain on your wallet.
Need To Know
Best Models: 3.0 V6
Worst Models: 2.0 TD
Replacement: 2009
Alternatives
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Star Ratings
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