| Overall Rating |
 |
| Description |
| 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. |
| Handling |
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| Comfort |
|
| Quality & Reliability |
|
| Performance |
|
| Roominess |
 |
| Running Costs |
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| Value for Money |
|
| Stereo/Sat Nav |
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| Best Models |
| 3.0 V6 |
| Worst Models |
| 2.0 TD |
| Replacement |
| 2009 |
|
| 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. |
| Positive Points |
- Ford version of Mazda Tribute is roomy
- Easy to drive with a smooth ride
- Used prices are looking tempting now
|
| Negative Points |
- Both versions are rather thirsty
- Low demand, so residual values suffer
- Mundane, uninspired styling, inside and out
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