GM Authority has exclusively learned that General Motors is currently benchmarking the Ford Maverick pickup truck. At present, GM does not offer any model that directly competes with the Ford Maverick in the U.S. and Canadian markets.
Benchmarking is a common practice among major makes in the automotive industry, with manufacturers testing models from rivals to gauge things like performance, ride quality, driving experience, and similar attributes.
The new Ford Maverick debuted in June 2021 as a 2022 model, and is offered as a compact, crew cab pickup with four doors and seating for five passengers.
The Ford Maverick is equipped as standard with a hybrid powerplant that mates a 2.5L I4 Duratec gasoline engine with an electric motor to produce a combined 191 horsepower, with the ICE contributing 155 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm, and the hybrid system contributing 173 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid system includes a 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery, as well. A turbocharged 2.0L I4 EcoBoost gasoline engine is optional, doling out 250 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 277 pound-feet of torque at 3,000 rpm.
Front-wheel drive is equipped as standard across the range, while models equipped with the EcoBoost engine offer all-wheel drive. The Ford Maverick rides on the same front-wheel-drive-based unibody platform as the Ford Escape and Bronco Sport. Production takes place at Ford’s Hermosillo plant in Mexico, where it’s built alongside the Bronco Sport. The Maverick is sold in both North America and South America.
For the moment, there are no known plans at GM to directly compete with the Ford Maverick. The closest thing The General has on offer is the new Chevy Montana, which is not intended for sale in the U.S. or Canada. That said, the new Montana will be available in Mexico, as well as the South American market, per previous GM Authority coverage. The all-new 2024 Chevy Montana made its world debut in Brazil early last month.
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Comments
If GM is benchmarking the Maverick in the US it maybe reasonable to believe that they are intending to compete in this market in NA
How difficult would it be to produce the Montana in Korea and ship to NA??
The real question is why not produce a competitor to the Maverick in NA ?
The consumer loves all things pickups and with the massive switch to more practical vehicles away from passenger cars, it make a lot of sense for GM to consider the Montana for NA.
From the pics, I like the Montana a lot , but to be successful here , AWD must be an option.
Montana would be significantly smaller than the Maverick. That’s not to say it’s a bad idea to sell it here. For a more direct Maverick/Santa Cruz competitor, I’m wondering if the 2025 Equinox could have its wheelbase extended a bit and given a truck bed.
1) trucks imported from Korea are subject to chicken tax. It would make more sense to build it in Mexico
2) the Montana is on a 3rd world platform not designed with the US/Canada in mind
3) it’s size would mean it would need to get SIGNIFICANTLY better fuel economy than the already very efficient Maverick. In its current configuration, it matches the 250 HP FWD Maverick, which is larger and more powerful. It has to do with what the government calls a “footprint”. A vehicle smaller than Maverick getting the same MPG (as the non-Hybrid) is a no-go.
Any compeditor would be on the Equinox platform.
I believe imported medium and larger pickup trucks are still subject to the import duty “chicken tax”. Is it financially feasible to produce the Montana outside the US and import it? I don’t have an opinion, asking honestly.
Whatever they decide to do, Montana or some other trucklet, gm will probably build it in Mexico, which isn’t subject to the Chicken Tax.
foreign built gm cars are unneeded and unwanted. vehicles delivered from overseas usually have issues. americans dont want a miniature pickup
Maybe they realize they need small pick up truck after all .. they could bring the s10 name or even the Montana name . They will probably have new name all together. No reason they can’t produce small pick up truck again.
I agree, I had 3 of the first generation S-10s , and they were Awesome
Mine were the Tahoe trim level , 4 WD , 2.8 V6, 5 speed with shift on the fly. I had an 82 2 WD, an 84 4WD and and 86 4WD
all were single cabs, and no reliability issues !!
These were terrific to drive ,i used a s a commuter, they were comfortable , quiet , great mileage and the utility aspect was there when needed .
Why oh why did they stop investing in them and continue to produce a pickup that size!!!
With a switch over to all BEV, could they be considering a life style compact pickup. Of all the different truck sizes, this size makes the most sense as a BEV, as it is the least likely to be used as a tow vehicle and more likely to be used as a mall queen.
I own a Maverick, previously owned Sierras. It is the ideal size for a small truck, useful for the majority of what the average person uses a truck for. GM would be wise to compete in this segment with a similar size, not smaller.
I would say they are watching the market and seeing if there is enough to invest in. You always keep options open.
As of now there have been less than 80K Mavericks and Santa Cruz sold and that is not good numbers for a segment.
50,802 Mavericks and 28K Cruz have been sold. through three quarters of 2022 and that is not record breaking in anyway.
If this segment grows they may jump in but right now I think it is a wait and see as the Unibody Ridge line never really sold great with an average of 30K or even less.
As for comparisons to the S10 these trucks are not the second coming of the S10 and not even close. The beds are smaller towing is less.
The reason the automakers want to sell these is they share many parts with FWD platforms they already build and they can make more money on them. The Maverick is just a cheap Escape in sheep clothing.
As Mark Twain once said it is easier to fool people than to convince them they are being fooled. .
The problem is that Ford cannot make enough to meet demand. They still have over 100,000 customer orders to fill for the Maverick. My friend had a Maverick on order for over 18 months now and was just informed on Monday that his order has been canceled (ordered a 2022, that was converted to a 2023, and now that has been canceled.) Ford told him he could enter a new order, however the price is now $9,000 more than his original order. He obviously said no, and also said he would never buy [or try to buy] a Ford again.
Ford can easily find a buyer for every single Maverick they can build. They just can’t build enough due to “supply chain issues”. They could easily sell 15K Mavericks per month if they could get full production going.
Hyundai didn’t build the Santa Cruz with the expectation that it would be a volume seller. They expected it to be a lower volume model and are limiting the production themselves, They are building just enough to meet demand. They could build more if they wanted to, and they probably should to try and get more conquest sales from disgruntled Maverick seekers.
If GM could get a North American spec Montana variant on the market at pricing comparable to the Maverick, and keep them in inventory with any kind of regular cadence, they could easily grab sales from Ford.
If dodge , Chevy , Toyota even put out small pickup there would be more small pickups to go around . Overall the market would win if other major manufactures produced a small pick up .I’d say 40% of people who want trucks really do not want anything bigger than maverick in size. You can put it in your garage . Great Mpg , and use of truck bed . Allot people just want the simple things . They don’t need 4×4 short bed truck that cost 40k and up
Depends on real demand.
If there is small demand more trucks would have to splits the small group of buyers.
You say 40% want? Do you have a way to prove this. Ram, Toyota, GM and others would love the data as they can’t even prove this.
Sorry before a company commits say a billion dollars to an unproven segment they need to know sales are there.
Ford did this on the Ranger before they brought it here as msny claimed GM was going to fail on the Colorado.
The truth is for $40knyou can get a damn goo Colorado with mpg of around 20 in daily driving and 26 highway. The new Turbo may see better.
My V6 crew has 20.4 mpg over 18,000 miles and very few highway miles.
There’s a real dammed for them 80k orders in week and sold out for a year is proof .
Orders are not sales.
Anyone can say I have so many orders but they fail to say how many are actually sold.
Besides if it is so hot why are they only building 80K. If it was that hot of a model I would expect they would be building as many as the plant can build.
The Bronco Sport that is the SUV version of the Maverick sold 79K through three quarters in 22 and the headlines read
“FORD BRONCO SPORT SALES PLACE NEAR BOTTOM OF SEGMENT”
Limiting orders and then claiming sold out is very misleading. Ford has used this much of late with their production issues.
The HERMOSILLO, MEXICO Plant can built 300,000 vehicles The plant is only at about 2/3 capacity with the Bronco sport right now. They have 100,000 more capacity but they are not using it for a so called hot product?
Maybe the hybrid version of the Maverick isn’t profitable for Ford and thus they’re significantly reducing the quantity produced. Ultimately making it appear like there is more demand than reality.
Ford sure doesn’t appear to be making an effort to build many.
Orders mean people wants them . You don’t see people ordering somthing they do not want . That’s what we call demand. If they could produce 80k they would have at least 70k sales . Clearly people want it . Why do think you see over msrp for maverick over colorado with 2x more the options on it .
Orders mean dealers ordered them and that it does not mean they are sold.
Ford is playing some kind of game here or they have some real issues. First off They act like this is selling like the 64-65 Mustang. But they built over a million in 2.5 year not took 80K orders.
The Mexican plant can built 300,000 vehicles a year. The Bronco Sport is struggling at 79K sold this year. The Maverick in the same time is at 50K. Why are they leaving the plant under capacity?
They have already raised prices too.
Are they short money to build more. Are they short parts? Are there issues with the design due to the six recalls?
Ford just announced they are sending owners insulated mug for all the recalls.
Ford stock in in the gutter and they need cash badly. The Maverick. Bronco Sport and Bronco all have under delivered due to MFG issues.
The Bronco if you have not been in one take a look at the right side mirror from the drivers seat. 1/3 is behind the A pillar. The roof issue is said to be fixed after a year.
Ford is having major assembly issues all around.
Even GM when the Fiero came out sold 160,000 units of a two seat car with little trunk. I would think Ford if the public really was that enamored with this could match that. But no.
As for pricing you get what you pay for. You don’t get much. Add options and you may as well buy a Ranger.
These small unconventional trucks have been a niche product. Subaru. VW Dodge and even the El Camino and Ranchero were not big volume models.
These are also not the S10 or Ranger of old.
As Mark Twain once said it is easier to fool people than to convince them they were fooled.
This is just a Ford Shell game.
The 86,000 orders are not dealer orders. Every single one is a customer order. Dealers have not been allowed to order stock units.
I ordered an AT4 back in September, it came in January 6, and I checked it out yesterday. Ultimately, I decided not to buy it because it wouldn’t tow the trailer I want to buy. Back on December 6, I ordered a Chevy High Country with Max Towing, and when in, I will buy. People don’t always buy everything they order.
By the way, the AT4 and the High Country are both the same build other than Max Towing, and almost identical in price. I would have ordered the Denali over the High Country, but the GMC only has single speed transfer case 4WD. That is stupid of GMC, in my opinion.
It’s not that they can’t make them… they can’t deliver them due to multiple recalls and holds thanks to Ford’s recent quality.
2022 Maverick recalls to date: brake lights turn on without braking, side curtain airbags do not deploy and need to be replaced, engine fires due to engine block failures, trailer brakes don’t work, rear seat belts not attached, factory drilled holes into the fuel tank.
That’s not true their major recall is the hybrid battery. What you’re mentioning about taillights is false . And not recall. My taillights work just fine . As far being able make them , lot people want the hybrid that has battery . Battery shortage is real thing . Why do you see evs cost more try an ice … supply .
NHTSA recall 22V730000
“Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022 Maverick vehicles. Under certain
circumstances, the Antilock Brake System (ABS) module may cause the brake lights to illuminate without the driver applying the brakes. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.”
Maybe do some basic research before claiming something is “false” and you’ll look better.
I said major recall . Learn to read . That’s not major recall . Look up death ratio for maverick owners then if you really think it’s problem . Really picking at straws
So they can’t make more than 50k trucklets in 9 months?
That is pretty pathetic for a company that could use the money. They laid off 8,000 people to pay for their EV program as they lacked the money.
Note Bronco Sports sales the SUV version is dropping now that the initial sales have been done.
Those numbers have been se erly limited by supply chain issues, just like the C8.
Who do you think is getting fooled? And what makes you say that?
the santa cruz is NOT a pickup truck nor is it comparable to the maverick
Had a ’98 Sonoma extended cab with ZQ8 suspension. I would love a new truck with same dimensions that could ride and handle the same way. Favorite truck I ever had of the five I owned.
Same here. I still drive one.
GM should leapfrog Ford and make an Ultium little Truck.
That would sell like Hotcakes.
Redevelop the Bolt on Ultium platform to fit below the Equinox. Give base model RWD with 200 hp motor and awd with around 300 hp. Make an suv, small commercial/passenger van and small truck. Would be able to sell huge quantities with many shared components. Maybe even a small sedan. Prices starting around $20k with at least 250 miles of range in the smallest pack and over 300 miles on longer wheelbase versions. Quick charge capabilities.
It’s the bottom line which is what makes the Maverick so popular – it offers a hell of alot for the price it sells for. At a time when car prices are skyrocketing, the Maverick bucks the trend with lots of value designed into it.
Look a small truck may work but until we see more movement here a number of companies will be cautious.
Vehicles are not brought to market most times on a whim of I think, I know or I feel.
Ford on the other hand was hurting on cash flow and they are willing to take some chances.
I would like to see a smaller truck but I also get it as how they need more proof before they toss money on this when it could make more return on something else that may sell twice as many.
Here is my take on building a U.S. spec “Montana”, base it on the next gen Trailblazer or Equinox (maybe too big) platform (modify if necessary), offer three and four cylinder engine options with hybrid availability for one or both (1.3 turbo standard for LS & LT, 2.0 turbo optional for LT, standard for RS, Activ, Z71…a guy can dream right…lol), AWD with various terrain and drive modes (normal, sport, snow, etc.), nine speed automatic (NO CVT!!!), six or seven speed manual optional, as for a name Montana would be good but maybe consider bringing back one from past Chevy truck history such as Cameo or Scottsdale? Just my two cents.
Good idea about the names. Some people will remember “Montana” as Pontiac’s replacement for the TransPort minivan.
How about ‘Nomad’….. has a similar vibe to ‘Maverick’… bucking the trend, going one’s own way…
Or El Camino. These are car-based, after all.
Good one, although the new Blazer should have been called Nomad in my opinion.
I’m not in the market for a small pickup, but the Maverick seems to be a much needed vehicle in today’s world, especially the price point!!!
That Maverick is a slick looking truck and for someone like me that doesn’t work construction, tow a boat, and can’t fit a full size in my garage.. it’s a good fit. Sometimes it would be nice to have an open bed to move things.
An S-10 and Sonoma rebirth could be good competition.
Manufacturers always picture short people in ads to make small vehicles appear bigger. If the lady in the image has to tip toe to reach into the bed, she isn’t even 5 feet. A normal sized person towers over this truck.
The first time I saw a Maverick in the metal, the driver pulled up behind me at a red light. In the mirror, the Maverick looked like some sedan car I hadn’t seen before. The grille was reminiscent of a Nissan product. The driver changed lanes, went by and, “Oh that’s a Maverick!”
As a comparison, I have a 2011 Ford Ranger Super Cab V6 Automatic (last year for the previous smaller generation)
Dimensions: L 204″ – W 71″ – H 68″
Maverick: L 200″ – W 73″ – H 69″
As you can see, almost identical. My Ranger is an excellent vehicle for size, utility and drivability. I would not trade it for anything on the market right now. Maverick is a short bed so it’s a no-go for me.
I do believe there is a great market for this size vehicle, GM would sell plenty of these.
I must be getting old I can remember 2 door and long bed small pick up trucks we dont all need 4 door trucks sure would be nice if GM would make a real small truck again the Ford Maverick is nice but still 2 extra doors and short box.
Exactly. I had a 2-door 1994 Ranger long bed. Loved it.
Montana?
Let me say good conversation here with a lot of ideas and information. Here is what I would like to replace my 2002, 2500HD, 6.6 that I ordered new and it still works fine. The only major issue was those durn factory LB7 injectors. I find I still need a truck but no longer a full sized pulling, towing, hauling machine like this beast still is. I want a crew cab (grandchildren) and the ability pull smaller trailers along with haul lighter loads. When my son was looking for vehicles I tagged along and sat in other manf mid-small sized pickups. Would I consider the the Maverick hybrid, the answer is yes. Reason is MPG and the ability to not be confined to a charging plug somewhere that isn’t home. I like the hybrid model if taking trips and such. I really hope GM considers this type and see there
is a future for this down the road for this platform.
Read a lot of the comments. GM could make a lot of things except they have no batteries. Why? Bad planning. They have no desire to sell cheap ICE cars either. GM is an odd duck.
I wonder if the manufacturers GM and Ford really have their fingers on the pulse of consumer sentiment or if they’re essentially indulging in confirmation bias by only polling people who have already bought their king size vehicles.
I used to believe the US auto business decided to concede the compact vehicle segment to Japan and Korea, but if you look at what is coming out of Asia these days, it is also a lot of king size vehicles.
It is probably some combination of brainwashing that consumers believe they need king size vehicles for everything and manufacturers believing their own hype that the only suitable size to make is large. Ford is selling Mavericks as fast as they can make them and even here in the Midwest there are a lot of Tesla Models 3 prowling around (what now counts as a small-ish car). There appear to be available consumers willing to go more compact.
I owned a 1994 Ford Ranger 2WD long bed 5-speed which was only a little larger than the current day Maverick. The only options my Ranger had were A/C and an FM radio. There really isn’t anything comparable on the market today with decent cargo capacity and not festooned with cushy options. If you search around, you can find some pretty plain Toyota Tacomas, but they are all short bed.
The reason for not making a lot of Mavericks / Bronco sports etc is financial. The NA based manufacturers , GM , Ford , Chrysler all have limited chip supplies. Full size truck and SUVs are were the profits are. Selling at $22,000. Maverick is likely little more than break even. Selling a $70k 150 likely has $15-$20 k profit.
If your cash strapped like Ford , what will you build ?, where would you use your precious chips??
Its the same at GM , go try to buy anything other than a Full Size truck or SUV, BOF and it will be slim pickings!!
There is a logic to that, but offering a product you can not buy at the listed price leaves customers like me just hating the brand. It’s like GM with their new EVs. They are going to be impossible to get so screw them. Just order a Tesla and wait. Dodge and their fake EV truck looked great but in the end it will be a hybrid not an EV.
The Dodge EV truck concept had so many things impractical. The most obvious being the cafe doors. The designer obviously never had to maneuver a store cart next to the truck to unload supplies while parked between other vehicles. Those doors would never withstand a side impact test.
The windscreen which is also the one-piece glass roof isn’t really doable anywhere you have to drive on a real road with bits of gravel getting thrown up.
Last, that chassis being displayed sports an impossibly tiny battery pack unless Dodge has a connection with space aliens who have a new compact power source.
I wonder why the Colorado is not offered with EV?