Maverick Hybrid Is So Popular That Ford Made the 2.0L EcoBoost a No-Cost Option

Maverick Hybrid customers came out in throes when 2023 order banks opened for just a few days.

The Ford Maverick has proven to be a compelling new vehicle option for a wide and diverse group of folks, and for good reason. We’re talking about a real pickup, with a bed, that is capable of returning amazing fuel economy figures for a bargain basement price, one that has filled a void that has existed in the automotive market for many years now. Regardless, the 2023 Ford Maverick is receiving a few changes for the new model year, including one big surprise – the Maverick Hybrid has proven so popular that The Blue Oval is making the formerly optional 2.0-liter EcoBoost I-4 a no-cost upgrade, and the reason for that might just have something to do with the electrified powertrain’s popularity.

According to a user in the Maverick Truck Club forums, a whopping 80 percent of 2023 model year orders placed thus far have been for the Maverick Hybrid, which is an astounding figure if true. On top of that, the forum itself took a poll asking customers what they were ordering, and nearly 73 percent noted they were opting for the fuel-sipping version of the pickup, while another 84 percent of order holders in another group chose that particular option, too.

Of course, there is one big problem with the popularity of the Maverick Hybrid – Ford can only build so many of them. For 2023, that percentage is a mere 35 percent, which means that there’s no way it will be able to fill all of the orders it has received. This was also the case for the 2022 model year, which is what prompted the automaker to close order banks after they were open for mere days earlier this month.

It is possible that the overwhelming popularity of the Maverick Hybrid not only prompted Ford to offer the EcoBoost as an optional upgrade, but that might have also played a role in why it closed order banks so early. Either way, it’s pretty clear that most Maverick buyers favor efficiency over outright capability, which isn’t a huge surprise given the fact that most of those customers only need it for light-duty purposes.

Photos: Ford

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.