Ford has announced the return of the Maverick as a hybrid compact pick-up truck, with prices starting from $19,995 (around £14,150).
The new Maverick will launch in the US as the first pick-up in the country with a full hybrid powertrain. It will be Ford's smallest available pick-up, measuring in at 5072mm long and 1745mm tall. The Ranger, also described by Ford as compact, measures 282mm longer and 71mm taller.
"The Maverick product proposition is like nothing else out there," said Ford Truck Group marketing manager Todd Eckert. "It's a great-looking truck featuring four doors with room for five adults [and] a standard full hybrid engine with city fuel economy that beats a Honda Civic, and it starts at under $20,000."
The Maverick is driven by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 191bhp and 155lb ft. The US firm says the five-seater will be the most fuel-efficient truck on sale, returning an estimated 40mpg in the city with up to 500 miles of range per tank.
An option for a more powerful 2.0-litre petrol engine will also be available with 250bhp and 277lb ft of torque, although MPG and range figures haven't yet been made public.
Three trim levels – XL, XLT and Lariat – will be available for the Maverick. Four-wheel drive, all-terrain tyres, suspension tuning and off-road drive modes are available on XLT and Lariat specifications, although pricing hasn't yet been revealed beyond the XL.
An 8.0in infotainment touchscreen hosts Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Ford describes the interior as "surprisingly roomy" with "excellent leg and head room [and] shoulder and hip width and a comfortable seating position for both rows."
The Maverick is expected to go on sale in the US this autumn, with a limited First Edition package featuring unique styling available for the 2022 model year only.
Ford originally used the Maverick name in 1970 for a two-door, rear-wheel-drive compact car and later in Europe for a Nissan Terrano-based SUV.
