I know I'll get angry comments and emails for calling the unibody Ford Maverick a real truck, but that's okay. I've driven it and, yes, even towed with it, so I can confidently say it's worthy of the "pickup" title. And while it shares a platform with the humble Bronco Sport, that's actually good news for its off-road credentials. Likewise, that means aftermarket support is steadily flooding in—take this lifted Maverick on knobby 32-inch tires as proof.
The $525 kit from Ford Ranger Lifts raises the all-wheel-drive Maverick two inches with plans for a slightly smaller 1.5-inch lift later on. There's enough room under there for bigger rubber, like the 255/75R17s seen here. One has to imagine this makes the Maverick a fairly capable off-roader, especially when you pair it with the FX4 package that includes monotube suspension dampers, hill descent control, and multiple driving modes for sand, snow, mud, and so on.
It's worth noting that you won't see a front-wheel-drive, hybrid Maverick riding high on this kit. It's made specifically for AWD models, which are exclusively powered by the 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbo four-cylinder. That engine's 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet are better suited for turning larger tires anyhow. The cons would outweigh the pros with a lifted hybrid considering that variant's biggest benefit is fuel economy, and this would definitely impact that in a bad way. When someone figures out how to get 42 miles per gallon in the city from a lifted truck, please do hit me up.
The lift utilizes two-inch strut spacers up front made from quarter-inch, laser-cut steel plating. Out back, there are 1.25-inch steel coil spacers and one-inch subframe drop spacers, plus trailing arm spacers to retain the factory geometry. Ford Ranger Lifts recommends 245/65R17 or 245/60R18 tires, though it'll fit 245/70R17, 255/75R17, 255/60R18, or 245/70/R18s with some trimming to the fender plastics and firewall pinch weld.
Most Maverick drivers will leave their trucks alone; if anything, they're more likely to lower them than lift them, like we've seen already. Still, it's cool to see one modified like this. I wouldn't mind one for myself if I had a couple of ATVs to haul around.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: [email protected]
