Randall Reed’s Planet Ford 635 in Garland, Texas (serving Dallas, Mesquite, Rockwall, Richardson, Plano areas) is happy to share that once again Ford Credit ranked highest in the mass market segment of the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Consumer Financing Satisfaction Study.
“This is Ford Credit’s fifth top ranking since 2015,” said Craig Carrington, Ford Credit executive vice president of U.S., Canada and International. “We’re proud of this record, and we’re even prouder of the way our team continues to treat customers like family and do the right thing every day.”
Ford Credit led in overall satisfaction in the study. The American automaker had a score of 867 on J.D. Power’s 1,000-point scale; the score was 22 points above the segment average. Ford Credit also scored highest in account management and communication, and in billing and payment process.
Ford Credit ranks No. 11 among mass-market brands consumer financing study for 2021
Ford Credit scores highest in account management and communication, as well as billing and payment process
2021 is Ford Credit’s fifth year with the top-ranking since 20152
– Ford Motor Company
“The results show our efforts to improve our digital experiences, including adding flexibility for customers to manage their accounts and make payments, are delivering the ownership experience our customers want,” Carrington said.
Ford Credit also has made concentrated efforts to improve service consistently, even though the pandemic and semiconductor chip shortages that are affecting the auto industry and its customers.
“We are investing heavily in changes across our processes and technologies to deliver leading, differentiating customer experiences,” said Sylvia Veitia, Ford Credit executive vice president of Operations. “These investments also benefit our agents, making it easier for them to do their jobs and be of service to our customers.”
Over the past year, the company has continued to improve its digital services, launched programs to support customers affected by the pandemic and semiconductor chip shortage that reduced vehicle inventories, and established a product organization with a unit focused solely on the customer experience.
“Our teams never quit working to serve and be always on for our customers, including through life’s challenges,” Carrington said. “Our goal is to be a reason people choose and stay with Ford Motor Company, and that’s the lens for everything we do.”
When you’re looking for finance options for your new vehicle, Planet Ford can help. Visit us at PlanetFord635.com.
Randall Reed’s Planet Ford 635 in Garland, TX (serving greater Dallas, Rockwall, Rowlett, Mesquite, Richardson, Plano) was honored to support the Garland Foodies Benefit Dinner benefiting the Garland Police Never Walk Alone Foundation with a VIP Table.
The Garland Police Never Walk Alone Foundation was initially formed to assist Garland Police Officer Lt. Carker who is undergoing cancer treatment. The Foundation continues to grow by supporting the police family. It has most recently assisted Lt. Carker, who has been battling Mantle Cell Lymphoma and neighborhood police officer Tommy Barnes, who has been battling Carcinoma and Adenocarcinoma.
Each requires consultation and treatment at M.D, Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The Foundation is raising funds for both Officers and their families to cover extensive expenses during their battles against cancer.
The event consisted of the Foundation, the Garland Police Officers, and the community in rallying together to show our support. Local small businesses such as Piefalootin, HTeaO, 5th Avenue Nutrition, Tavern on the Square and Dickey’s Barbeque Pit (1413 W. Buckingham Road in Garland) all came together to support the community.
This will be an annual event to continue to support our Garland Police Officers in need and show support of our city and first responders. Planet Ford 635 thanks our officers and all who support them for all they do!
Randall Reed’s Planet Ford 635 in Garland has some Ford’tastic news. Ford has announced the 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid pickup – the first standard hybrid pickup in America – is America’s most fuel-efficient hybrid pickup with an EPA-estimated rating of 42 mpg city.1
The 2.5-liter hybrid has an EPA-estimated rating of 37 mpg combined, 33 mpg highway and an EPA-estimated range of more than 500 miles on a single tank of gas.2
“Our team set out to redefine what a truck could be with Maverick, and we’ve done that with an EPA-estimated 42 mpg city that beats the 2022 Honda Civic 1.5-liter 4-cylinder automatic (variable gear ratio) gasoline engine. At the same time, Maverick offers room for five and plenty of towing and hauling for weekend trips or do-it-yourself projects,” said Chris Mazur, Ford Maverick chief engineer.3
Maverick uses Ford’s innovative fourth-generation hybrid propulsion system, which includes an all-new 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle hybrid engine and electronic continuously variable transmission. Its briefcase-size, liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery is packaged smartly below the second-row seats rather than occupying a significant portion of the cargo area.
Maverick Hybrid is expected to start shipping in December with the first customer deliveries expected in January 2022 so required state and federal emissions certification can be completed.
Due to high demand, all Maverick Hybrid production for the 2022 model year is expected to be fully reserved by early November. Once all 2022 Maverick Hybrids have been reserved, ordering for Maverick Hybrid will close until reopening next summer.
Customers are still able to place orders for Maverick with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, which is already on sale and off to a fast start with more on their way. Ready for order own Ford Maverick, visit Planet Ford 635 at 3501 S. Shiloh Road (off 635 and Garland Road) in Garland, TX. Shop online anytime at PlanetFord635.com.
# # #
1Actual mileage will vary.
2Range calculation based on 13.8-gallon tank and EPA-estimated rating of 37 mpg combined. Actual mileage will vary.
3Payload, towing, and EPA-estimated Fuel Economy Ratings are independent attributes and may not be achieved simultaneously.
Randall Reed’s Planet Ford 635 in Garland, TX is excited to share that Ford is now adding even more personalization features and thrills for Mustang customers direct from the factory, Ford introduces an all-new appearance package and a performance-minded update for the 2022 model year.
Mustang, the world’s best-selling sports car*, will debut a first-ever Stealth Appearance Package available for the EcoBoost®Premium model, while Mustang GT California Special will offer for the first time ever a GT Performance Package option.
“Since 1965, Mustang has been synonymous with performance and play, and the 2022 model year continues that call with the new Stealth Edition and an updated Cali Special,” said Jim Owens, Mustang brand marketing manager. “Mustang owners have always loved personalizing their ride, and these new flavors of Mustang are ready to inspire and excite new enthusiasts.”
Orders for the 2022 Mustang, including Stealth Edition and California Special, open later this year. Vehicles are due in showrooms in the first quarter of 2022.
First-ever Stealth Edition joins Mustang lineup Adding even more style to the 310-turbocharged-horsepower Mustang EcoBoost Premium model, the available Stealth Edition Appearance Package stays true to its name, giving customers a more menacing-looking fastback with uniquely blacked-out appointments.
The Stealth Edition Appearance Package features 19-inch Ebony Black-painted aluminum wheels, black pony badges, performance rear wing, black mirror caps and new clear LED taillamp covers, also shared with the new Mustang Ice White Appearance Package. Unique new interior appointments include a matte and gloss black instrument panel badge and lighted sill plate.
“The black accents really give the car a whole new persona, sinister and sporty all at once,” said Owens. “Naturally, the package needed the right name. Stealth Edition says it all.”
The Stealth Edition is available in Atlas Blue, Carbonized Gray, Dark Matter and Shadow Black.
California Special adds excitement with GT Performance Package option Since the first-generation Mustang, the California Special has represented a uniquely regionalized appearance package with special styling cues. The updated 2022 Mustang GT California Special embodies this tradition.
Based on the 2022 Mustang GT Premium fastback and convertible models, the latest California Special Appearance Package pays homage to the original version’s blacked-out grille, side racing stripes and rear fender scoop.
The heritage-inspired “GT/CS” side stripe trademark traces from the front fender to the signature rear fender scoop. A California Special badge in Ebony Black and Race Red script adorns the trunk lid, while the honeycomb grille with “GT/CS” badge provides a unique look. A larger front splitter from the GT Performance Package underscores the icon’s handling prowess.
A performance rear wing from the GT Performance Package is available for the fastback model, while spoiler delete is standard for the California Special convertible. The California Special wears unique five-spoke 19-inch painted machined wheels. Under the hood, this special edition features a signature strut tower brace with California Special badge atop its 5.0-liter V8 engine.
Interior appointments include rich black Miko® sueded-trimmed door inserts and sueded-trimmed seats with the embossed “GT/CS” logo and red contrast stitching, along with custom embroidered “GT/CS” floor mats. The instrument panel is finished in carbon hex aluminum with a signature California Special script badge on the passenger side.
As a California Special-first, the GT Performance Package is now available, enabling greater handling and driving dynamics for the most capable California Special ever.
The GT Performance Package adds an array of performance and handling features including Brembo six-piston front brake calipers, unique chassis tuning with heavy-duty front springs, larger tubular rear sway bar, overall lower ride height, K-brace, strut tower brace, front subframe V-brace, TORSEN® limited-slip differential, unique stability control and electric power steering tuning. Staggered 19×9-inch front and 19×9.5-inch rear wheels with Pirelli summer tires further the handling grip.
The California Special is available in Atlas Blue, Carbonized Gray, Cyber Orange, Dark Matter, Grabber Blue Metallic, Iconic Silver, Rapid Red, Shadow Black and Oxford White.
Ready for your own Ford Mustang, visit Planet Ford 635 at 3501 S. Shiloh Road (off 635 and Garland Road) in Garland, TX. Shop online anytime at PlanetFord635.com.
Planet Ford 635 in Garland, Texas has some Ford’tastic news. The new Ford Bronco Sport and Mustang Mach-E have earned top spots in their respective segments of the J.D. Power 2021 APEAL Study, and Ford also received recognition from the group for its young lineup and significant launches.
J.D. Power’s 2021 APEAL study measures owners’ emotional attachment and level of excitement across 37 attributes, ranging from the power they feel when they step on the accelerator to the sense of comfort and luxury they feel when climbing into the driver’s seat.
The Ford Bronco Sport took first place in the Small SUV category, while Mustang Mach-E was voted top Compact SUV. Both models beat their segment competition in nearly every category, from exterior to powertrain to driving comfort.
The study also noted that most Ford models match or exceed their segment average.
“Ford very much believes in listening to its customers,” said Chris Brewer, executive director, quality, Ford Motor Company. “These vehicles were created to delight and impress them every time they get behind the wheel. We’re honored by this award. It tells us we’re delivering on their wants and needs.”
Ford also was recognized for having one of the youngest portfolios in the industry, with an average vehicle age of 1.5 years versus the mass market age of 3.1.
In addition, the study showed the Ford brand improved by five index points, maintaining its historic lead over the mass market average. Judges noted the brand score was helped by the company’s emphasis on higher-performing vehicles like Super Duty, F-150 and Bronco Sport.
Ready for your own “APEALing” new Ford, visit PlanetFord635.com? For more information about J.D. Power’s APEAL survey for 2021, please click here.
Randall Reed’s Planet Ford in Garland, Texas (serving Dallas, Mesquite, Rockwall, Richardson, Plano areas) has some electrifying news! Just a year after Ford confirmed building the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, the first Ford F-150 Lightning pre-production unit is leaving the factory. No surprise, demand is already soaring. So, Ford is increasing its investment and adding jobs to boost production.
Ford is amping up producting by investing an additional $250 million and adding 450 more direct jobs across the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, Van Dyke Electric Powertrain Center and Rawsonville Components Plant. The investment and added jobs will help increase production capacity to 80,000 trucks a year.
“We knew the F-150 Lightning was special, but the interest from the public has surpassed our highest expectations and changed the conversation around electric vehicles. So we are doubling down, adding jobs and investment to increase production,” said Bill Ford, executive chair, Ford Motor Company. “This truck and the Ford-UAW workers who are assembling it in Michigan have a chance to make history and lead the electric vehicle movement in America.”
F-150 Lightning, with a starting MSRP of $40,000 and targeted EPA-estimated driving range of 300 miles with the extended range battery1, is aimed at the heart of the U.S. auto market. Ford has taken more than 150,000 reservations for the trucks to date.
“Electrifying the F-Series – America’s best-selling truck for 44 years – and assembling it at this high-tech facility in Michigan – represents a significant step toward mass adoption of electric vehicles in America,” said Kumar Galhotra, Ford’s president of The Americas and International Markets Group. “F-150 Lightning is intended to be more than a no-compromise zero tailpipe-emissions truck. It’s packed with ingenious features and technology that will improve over time, it’s exhilarating to drive and it can power your home and worksite.”
The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center is part of an initial $700 million investment in the historic Ford Rouge Center, creating a manufacturing home for the F-150 Lightning. Now Ford’s pre-production F-150 Lightning trucks are leaving the factory for real-world testing, with the truck available to customers next spring.
Ford Motor Company’s $250 million additional investment will create 450 additional jobs, with most of those workers assembling the F-150 Lightning at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center. Workers at Rawsonville Components Plant will assemble the batteries and Van Dyke Electric Powertrain Center will increase its capacity to supply electric motors and electric transaxles for the F-150 Lightning.
This is the latest in Ford’s continuing investment in Michigan. Ford has invested $7.7 billion in the state and created and retained 7,000 Michigan jobs since 2016, including bringing the new Bronco SUV and Ranger pickup production to Michigan, refurbishing Michigan Central Station, developing a new Ford Research and Engineering Campus in Dearborn, creating Ford’s Ion Park in Romulus and more. Michigan has been the home of Ford since its founding in 1903 and these sites represent a growing network across southeast Michigan that will support the next generation of Ford’s battery electric, connected and autonomous vehicles.
“Today’s announcement is a great example of the right way to navigate the transition to tomorrow’s vehicles by ensuring good-paying jobs of the future – investing in building vehicles in the United States, with the hard-working men and women of the UAW,” said Laura Dickerson, UAW Region 1A Director. “Investments like this can pave the way to a future that protects our families, our communities and our middle class. Ford is doing this the right way with the F-150 Lightning – creating 450 additional UAW-represented jobs. Ford is investing in this all-electric F-150 Lightning, as well as hybrid and gas F-150 versions, as consumer demands shift. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.”
Ford hosted government officials including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to celebrate Ford’s commitment to Michigan and assembling electric vehicles in Michigan as the first pre-production F-150 Lightning trucks start to leave the factory.
“We’re standing on the edge of an era of electrification that will be built in factories like this one by hardworking UAW members and the innovative minds at Ford,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “I am proud of Ford for committing to invest $30 billion in electrification through 2025, including this additional $250 million today to create 450 jobs in Dearborn, Ypsilanti and Sterling Heights supporting the production of the new F-150 Lightning. I will stay laser-focused at the state level on making investments in the future of mobility and electrification too, and together, we can create good-paying, high-skill union jobs and lead the world in electric vehicle development and manufacturing.”
“Michigan is the heart of the auto industry and we need to work across all sectors every single day to keep it that way,” said Rep. Debbie Dingell. “Building the vehicles of the future here at home while maintaining good-paying, union jobs will help the United States lead on mobility technology and innovation and stay ahead of our global competitors. I’ve been working day in and day out in legislative markups and discussions to ensure strong support for domestic manufacturing and electric vehicle infrastructure. I’m thankful for Ford’s partnership in this goal as we work together to protect jobs and keep the supply chain here in the United States, while also combatting the climate crisis and strengthening our economy.”
The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center is in the Ford Rouge Center, which sets the benchmark for sustainable automotive assembly. This new center supports Ford’s vision of sustainable production as a zero-waste-to-landfill site.
The center uses natural lighting, as well as LED lighting and the primary forklift fleet will use hydrogen fuel cells with a zero-emission profile. The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center is built on the site of the old Dearborn Assembly Plant, using its recycled foundation and construction materials. To learn more about getting one of the first Ford trucks, visit PlanetFord635.com.
Randall Reed’s Planet Ford 635 in Garland, TX has some Ford’tastic news. The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E earned Car and Driver’s inaugural Electric Vehicle (EV) of the Year Award. That is one of many coveted honors in the vehicle’s trophy case and one more way it is beating overall top-rated EV competitors along the way.
The popular publication took out 11 top-rated electric vehicles and put them through rigorous testing for three weeks, including a 1,000-mile road trip to evaluate each in real-world conditions. Mustang Mach-E took the No. 1 spot.
“We felt that if a carmaker was looking to convert people from EV skeptics to EV evangelists, there’s not a better vehicle out there than the Mustang Mach-E,” said Sharon Carty, Car and Driver editor-in-chief. “It’s a familiar shape and size of crossover. It’s in the sweet spot of what Americans love. It’s beautiful. It’s a design that gets noticed. It has a range and charging speed that is very competitive.”
This is a newly created electric vehicle award that uses the same criteria as Car and Driver’s 10Best Awards: The vehicle must deliver exceptional driving engagement, offer indisputable value and/or practicality, fulfill its mission better than any of its competitors and, lastly, be fun to drive – a great description of Mustang Mach-E.
“Mustang Mach-E is the start of what we can do to compete in the EV revolution,” said Darren Palmer, Ford general manager, battery electric vehicles. “Its continued success in the form of happy customers, sales and awards are all signs of the momentum we are building. Accolades like the Car and Driver Electric Vehicle of the Year are particularly rewarding for the team who designed this performance battery electric vehicle to be truly fun to drive. It can only get better as we continue to learn from and grow with our customers.”
The other contenders the Mach-E beat out included: Audi e-tron, Kia Niro, Nissan Leaf Plus, Polestar 2, Porsche Taycan 4S PBP, Tesla Model 3 Performance, Tesla Model S Long Range Plus, Tesla Model Y Performance, Volkswagen ID.4, and Volvo XC40 Recharge. Car and Driver employed instrumented testing, subjective evaluation and side-by-side comparison in both practicality and entertainment value.
The 2021 Mustang Mach-E has claimed a number of other awards including Car and Driver’s Editor’s Choice Award earlier this year, plus the Cars.com Eco-Friendly Car of the Year Award, AutoGuide’s Utility of the Year, Green Vehicle of the Year and Autoweek’s Car Buyer’s Award.
“We could have made a boring electric vehicle, a compliance vehicle that looks like a dust buster,” said Palmer. “But we decided people need an EV with soul. So we built them an all-electric Mustang SUV that is disrupting the status quo in electric vehicles. And the Mustang Mach-E GT and GT Performance Edition are still to come.”
The full story on Car and Driver’s very first Electric Vehicle of the Year can be found here and in the new July/August issue of the magazine, available now everywhere magazines are sold.
Ready to get your own? Start… your… shopping… at PlanetFord635.com. At Planet Ford 635 located at 3601 S. Shiloh off Garland and 635, we are here to help all of our neighbors in Dallas, Rockwall, Rowlett, Mesquite, Richardson, Plano, Frisco, Sunnyvale, Caddo Mills, Royse City, Greenville, Terrel and beyond!
Randall Reed’s Planet Ford 635 in Garland, Texas has a lot of Ford’tastic Transit customers. The vehicles are ideal for so many needs, especially for our commercial clients. These vehicles really help businesses move! So, it comes as no surprise that so many have been produced and well used over the years.
Ford and the UAW workers at Kansas City Assembly Plant are celebrating producing one million Transit vans in North America since production began in 2014. Ford Transit is America’s best-selling van*, and Ford has been the commercial van leader for 42 years**. Kansas City Assembly Plant will also produce Ford’s first all-electric van, the E-Transit, coming later this year.
The one-millionth Transit rolled off the line June 29. It is an ingot silver, high-roof, extended wheelbase cargo van with rear-wheel drive. A Ford dealer in California ordered it.
Are you ready for your own Transit to keep moving Ford’ward? Our team at Planet Ford in Humble on Interstate (serving Houston, The Woodlands, Aldine, Cypress, Conroe) is here to help. Get started at PlanetFord635.com.
Robert Selders Jr. and Stephen Stanley representing Garland ISD School Board of Trustees, Sheen Sharapata, Planet Ford 635, and four of the five GISD honorees celebrate at Main Street Café in downtown Garland, Texas
June 14th, they will be a part of the Ford Motor Company Fund virtual ceremony where they, along with 250 North Texas winners will be honored. In total, over $500,000 in scholarship funds will awarded during the presentation.
Special thank you to Robert Selders Jr., Garland ISD School Board of Trustees, and Stephen Stanley, representing Daphne Manor of the Garland ISD School Board of Trustees, for helping show the importance of community, being involved in your city, continued education, networking, non-profit support, city government, and some very important life tips for college students as they prepare for the fall.
To learn more about Ford’s Driving Dreams, visit www.forddrivingdreams.com. For more information about Randall Reed’s Planet Ford 635 at 3601 S. Shiloh Rd. (off Garland Road and 635) visit www.PlanetFord635.com.
RandallPlanet Ford in Humble has truck’tastic news. Ford has revealed a new kind of pickup – compact but mighty that is built for makers and doers. It is stunningly fuel-efficient* and packed with awesome technology and features. The all-new 2022 Ford Maverick is the truck for people who never knew they wanted a truck.
The Maverick comes as a standard five-passenger, four-door pickup, with a full-hybrid powertrain and a projected EPA-estimated rating of 40 mpg city fuel economy* and 500 miles** of range on a single tank of gas. Tested and tortured to meet Built Ford Tough standards, Maverick offers ingenious design and storage solutions while enabling customization inside and out. It all comes with a starting MSRP of $19,995.
This truck is like nothing else out there. It’s a great-looking vehicle that features four doors with room for you and lots of family and friends and a standard full-hybrid engine with city fuel economy that beats a Honda Civic***. Plus, it has plenty of towing and hauling for weekend trips or do-it-yourself
https://youtube.com/watch?v=0JeH1qnb-bQ
So How Much Does It All Cost?
Drum roll… and it starts under $20,000,” said Todd Eckert, Ford truck group marketing manager. “Maverick challenges the status quo and the stereotypes of what a pickup truck can be. We believe it will be compelling to a lot of people who never before considered a truck.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/0JeH1qnb-bQ?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent
What Is a Ford Maverick? The compact truck has a unibody design and the first pickup in America with a standard full-hybrid powertrain – providing better-projected city fuel economy than a Honda Civic***. Its 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder hybrid powertrain delivers 191 horsepower when combined with the electric motorƗ, and 155 lb.-ft. of torque mated to a continuously variable transmission driving the front wheels. It features an in-house-designed and manufactured electric traction motor, which is light and powerful. Along with its targeted EPA-estimated fuel economy of 40 mpg city* and 500 miles of range on a single tank of gas**, it offers standard payload of 1,500 pounds and the volume to carry a standard ATV, plus it has the capability to tow 2,000 pounds – enough for a pair of personal watercraft or a good-sized pop-up camper trailer.
Those who want more capability can upgrade to a 2.0-liter EcoBoost® gas engine delivering 250 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torqueƗƗ with an 8-speed automatic transmission and standard front-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive. Equipped with the optional 4K Tow Package, conventional towing doubles to 4,000 pounds – enough for an average 21-foot boat.
“One thing that’s non-negotiable is that Maverick is Built Ford Tough,” said Chris Mazur, a third-generation Ford employee who led development of the all-new pickup as chief engineer. “Our engineers were unrelenting, putting it through a battery of vicious on-road, off-road, environmental and simulated customer use testing until we were satisfied. Ford trucks are Ford trucks – through and through.”
What’s on the Inside? Maverick won’t make its owners run up the bill for a good user experience, offering options for both built-in and brought-in technology. Its standard 8-inch center touch screen features Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto®compatibility so customers can have the experience they’re used to with their phones. Maverick has standard FordPass™ Connect with embedded modem and Wi-Fi for up to 10 devicesƗƗƗ, while standard FordPass™ makes it easy to find the truck, check fuel level, lock and unlock the doors, and start or turn off the vehicle – all from your phone.
The interior design is stylish and spacious, with thoughtful features and the versatility for city driving or escaping the urban life. Surprisingly roomy, there’s excellent leg and headroom, shoulder and hip width, and a comfortable seating position for both rows.
“This customer wants simple, but not basic, and Maverick is all about thoughtful details executed well,” said Barb Whalen, who led the team in choosing materials and colors. “We want this to have a straightforward, durable, honest, well-built feel. The interior was designed with function, purpose and ease of cleaning in mind to help make our customers’ lives better. We’re using unique textures and materials like reground carbon fiber for strength and visual interest. The dash panel has a stonelike finish, like a super-durable synthetic countertop. We strategically placed pops of color for functionality – creating an energetic space you want to be in.”
Form following function can be seen all over the interior of the all-new Maverick – right down to how the space is designed and utilized. Creating clever storage and useful features fell to Daniel George, interior leader, who calls Maverick “the ultimate first vehicle for my kids.”
What’s key, he said, was understanding how people actually use the stuff they bring in, rather than just expecting them to find places to stash it. Door armrests have a split design to allow a one-liter water bottle to sit upright in a bin rather than rolling around on the seats, while door pockets are huge and have lots of vertical clearance to store a tablet or notebooks. There’s a spacious storage bin under the rear seats that fits a fully inflated volleyball, laptop bags, roller blades, tools and other gear.
FITS – Ford Integrated Tether System – is a clever multitasking solution for rear seat passengers. There’s a FITS slot at the back of the front console that accommodates different accessories for endless personalization. An available accessory package includes cupholders, a storage or trash bin, cord organizer, double hook for grocery bags and purses, and under-seat storage dividers. More FITS slot creations are in development and Ford is working to publish the slot geometry so people can 3D-print DIY solutions to further fit their lifestyle. Those accessories can be stored in multiple slots under the rear seats, which could also be used for novel applications on their own.
Ford Co-Pilot360™ technology includes standard Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking and Automatic High Beam Headlamps. Available options include Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Centering and Evasive Steering Assist. Five standard drive modes include Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Tow/Haul to enhance performance and confidence over various driving conditions.
What’s out back? Maverick really goes all-out when it comes to functionality with its unique FLEXBED™, which is packed with standard features and opportunities to transform the cargo box into a complete makerspace. FLEXBED gives customers organization and storage solutions to secure cargo, while accommodating Ford accessories and creative DIY solutions. The team developed its features after watching people at home improvement and furniture stores as well as college kids moving into their dorms, observing how they struggled to load things into small crossovers and cars while working around the cargo limitations they faced.
People can create segmented storage, elevated floors, bike and kayak racks and more by sliding 2x4s or 2x6s into slots stamped into the side of the bed. There are two tie-downs, four D-rings and built-in threaded holes in the sides to bolt in new creations.
“The whole bed is a DIY fan’s paradise,” said Keith Daugherty, an engineering specialist who helped develop the truck box for Maverick. “You can buy the bolt-in Ford cargo management system and we’re happy to sell it to you, but if you’re a bit more creative, you can also just go to the hardware store and get some C-channel and bolt it to the bed to make your own solutions.”
Maverick customers want to live freely. They have passions and hobbies they love and would rather spend money on the mountain bike, not necessarily the bike rack to get it to the mountains. Customers can scan the FLEXBED QR code in the bed for some interesting ideas to get started.
Gaby Grajales is an electrical engineer who helped develop standard built-in 12-volt electrical power prewired to an easily removable cover on either side of the back of the bed to support DIY electrical projects.
“People have forever been hacking into their wiring harness to run things like lighting, air pumps and other useful accessories,” said Grajales. “This is a better solution – we’re enabling customer needs while protecting the taillamp wiring and creating a fused circuit to avoid compromising the overall electrical system. With this, you have the option to select the factory-available box lighting or install your own home-built lighting setup, or even invent a whole new use for the 12-volt access points.”
Beyond DIY electrical, there are two available 110-volt 400-watt outlets – one in the bed and one in the cabin – that can power phones, laptops, small TVs, a cordless tool battery charger, or a small, corded tool like a jigsaw. There’s also a storage cubby built into the side of the bed on XLT and two available on Lariat trucks, perfect for keeping a ball hitch or air pump.
The 4.5-foot bed can carry 1,500 pounds of payload, the equivalent of roughly 37 bags of 40-pound mulch, and has a six-foot floor with the tailgate down. Maverick can carry long and wide stuff too, thanks to its multi-position tailgate. It opens normally, but also has a halfway-open position – just unclip the support cables and hook them onto the latch pins so the tailgate lip and wheelhouses can support up to 18 sheets of 4×8-foot three-quarter-inch plywood without needing to angle the panels. It’s easy. The tailgate features tie-down clamps that double as bottle openers, and is rated to hold 500 pounds of friends hanging out and taking a seat. The bed floor and sides are low, so almost any size adult can reach over and grab items off the floor.
The Look
It has a look all its own, but Maverick sports iconic Ford pickup truck style with a door design that pays homage to the company’s signature drop-down side windows and a front end that stretches edge to edge, connecting the standard LED headlamps and grille for a more prominent, planted appearance.
Form follows function here, too. Maverick is upright and squared off for space efficiency, but it looks youthful and athletic – clean, not overdesigned. There’s no gap between cab and tailgate, and the bed rail caps extend from the bed and go vertical, ending at the top of the back window. It’s designed this way to offer greater dent and ding protection, knowing people will load and unload the bed from the sides more frequently.
Maverick is offered at three trim levels – XL, XLT and Lariat. An FX4 package available for all-wheel-drive XLT and Lariat trucks adds more off-road capability with rugged all-terrain tires and suspension tuning, additional underbody protection, and off-road-focused drive modes like Mud/Rut and Sand, as well as the addition of Hill Descent Control™.https://www.planetford635.com/reserve-maverick/
Available for the first model year only is the Maverick First Edition package. It is built off the Lariat trim level and includes unique graphics on the hood and lower doors, a high-gloss black-painted roof, soft tonneau cover, body-color door handles, high-gloss black skull caps, and gloss black-painted and machined 18-inch wheels for hybrid or unique 17-inch aluminum wheels for the gas model. It comes in Carbonized Gray, Area 51 and Rapid Red, unique to First Edition.
