It has officially changed the world of pickup trucks for the foreseeable future. Americans are once again interested in compact trucks, not only for everyday use but also for work truck use.
However, one reviewer does not have the Ford Maverick as our top pickup pickup pick, going so far as to rank the polarizing Jeep Gladiator as a better choice than the Maverick. Here’s everything you need to know about the list of pickup trucks as the Ford Maverick got beat up by the Gladiator.
Compared to the Ford Maverick, the Jeep Gladiator ranks as the best pickup truck, coming in third overall in the pickup truck market. The Gladiator went into production in April 2019 for the 2020 model year and immediately became a huge hit among Jeep fans. The Gladiator is essentially a Jeep Wrangler with a truck bed, making it the first Jeep product with a truck bed since the Comanche.
The 2023 Gladiator is a Jeep through and through, and it is for some owners. On the plus side, the Gladiator is incredibly capable off-road, with all the freedom you’d find in a typical Wrangler, with great towing capacity, open-air driving, and four doors.
This jeep truck comfortably seats five and comes equipped with either a 3.6-liter V6 petrol engine or a 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel engine producing 285 HP and 260 HP respectively. The 2023 Gladiator starts at $38,775 for the base model, with some models going for more than $50,000.
Ford Maverick 2023: specifications, price and features
In the list compiled by US News, the Ford Maverick is barely beaten by the Jeep Gladiator in the overall score, giving the Ford Maverick the fourth spot among all the trucks available on the market today.
The Ford Maverick offers a completely different utility interior that’s a big change of pace from regular work truck interiors. It includes a hybrid powertrain as standard.
The Maverick is one of the best-driving pickup trucks on the market today, thanks to its crossover SUV chassis that keeps this truck feeling nimble and quick around corners and off the line, unlike many other trucks on the market.
The Maverick starts at $22,195 for the base model with a hybrid and front-wheel drive, while the more powerful all-wheel-drive Mavericks with a gasoline engine can easily break into the $30,000 price range, depending on your model.
The Maverick is a great truck for most people, but if you’re looking for and want an all-wheel-drive powertrain, it’s slowly going towards the full-size truck price range, and if you’re spending the full-size truck money, most consumers will simply choose to buy a bigger, more capable truck.
Midsize trucks: the best of the best
With the Ford Maverick reaching fourth and the Jeep Gladiator reaching number three on the US News list, which trucks took the top spots? Well, the winners might surprise you.
In second place, the compact Hyundai Santa Cruz took the silver medal, beating out every small and mid-size truck on the market, and beating out the Ford Maverick in head-to-head competition for best compact truck.
This compact truck is also built on the crossover SUV platform and delivers all of the handling and comfort found in the Maverick with a slightly different style and slightly more power.
The first truck on this list compiled by US News is the. The Ridgeline takes all of the reliability and drivability found in a Honda concept car and brings it to the pickup market with a solid V6 engine and an interior that rivals the comfort and convenience found in most SUVs.
While it may not be the best vehicle for off-road driving, the all-wheel-drive Ridgeline offers great towing and a powertrain that outlasts anything on the road today.
