Quick Spin: 2025 Ford Maverick Lobo - A Lone Wolf

There's no denying that the Ford Maverick has been a smash hit for Ford, with sales increasing dramatically in its first 4 years on the market.  At its base price, the Maverick is Ford's least pricey vehicle, but Ford has introduced a full range of trim lines, powertrain options, and colors so that customers can build the compact truck of their dreams.

For 2025, Ford introduced the Lobo trim for the Maverick, a sport oriented street-truck trim that reminisces about the sport trucks from the 90s and early 2000s. Unlike some other "sport" trims, the Maverick Lobo actually has some bite.

Ford Engineers raided the parts bins of some of their storied performance vehicles to build the Lobo. The 8-speed automatic has been replaced with a 7-speed unit from the European Ford Focus ST and calibrated specifically for the Maverick. The transmission and oil coolers from the 4k towing package are installed to keep things cool though towing with the Lobo is limited to 2,000 lbs. Stopping is managed by dual-piston calipers, also from the Ford Focus ST.  The all-wheel drive system is poached from the off-road oriented Maverick Tremor and features a twin-clutch torque vectoring rear unit, while steering rack is a retuned version from the European Ford Kuga. The suspension is retuned for sportier driving and lowered 0.5-inches in the front and 1.1-inches in the rear.  The only engine available is the same 2.0-liter Ecoboost available on most other Mavericks, detuned this year to 238 horsepower from 250 due to the addition of an exhaust particulate filter, however it still makes a healthy 275 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 RPM.  When getting rowdy on a track, drivers can activate Lobo-mode that changes the transmission shift points, throttle response, and torque vectoring while dialing back on stability control. Ford says that Lobo-Mode should be thought of like Mustang's Track-Mode, and should only be used on closed courses.

While Lobo means "Wolf" in Spanish, he 2025 Ford Maverick Lobo is not wearing sheep's clothing.  The Lobo gets a unique and menacing looking shovel nose grille, a unique body-color lower fascia, and rolls on 19-inch black turbine wheels. A black painted roof is there by default, but as on my tester, it can be deleted to body color.  Only one interior color choice is available in the Lobo, Black Onyx, but it comes with unique dual-contrast stitching and embossed Lobo details. Even with the dark colors, the interior doesn't feel stark as there are plenty of blue trim and interior detailing to keep things interesting.

Lone Wolf

Manufacturers left the street-sport truck niche over a decade ago deciding instead to focus their special models on off-road prowess. The Maverick's sole competitor in the compact pickup segment, the Hyundai Santa Cruz, doesn't come with a street-sport trim. To sample Ford's restoration of this segment of the market, I traveled on a particularly rainy day to the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania for a day of testing with Ford and other brands.

While weather and road conditions prevented me from pushing the Maverick Lobo to anything close to an extreme, I still came away very impressed.  Ford engineers took these performance parts and made the Lobo a true next generation street truck.  The ride is firm without being harsh, and this wolf always feels ready to pounce. Corner lean is nearly non-existent at sane speeds. Steering turn-in is fantastic and responsive, there are sports sedans with sloppier steering than what's in the Lobo.  In casual driving, you can hustle the little truck up a wet, windy mountain road at speeds faster than you probably should.  The one area enthusiasts might miss is the lack of bark. The sound and exhaust uses the same inside-voice tuning that all other turbo Mavericks get. Keeping in mind that this truck more for autocross than drag racing, forget about the 238-horsepower rating and instead focus on the 275 lb-ft @3,000 rpm available. 

In standard drive mode, the 7-speed automatic does its job in a crisp, business-like fashion, but in sport mode it is far more generous with downshifts, letting you dig deeper into that thick turbocharged torque curve.  Lobo mode, though untested on my trip, allows the transmission to hold those lower gears longer even with a lift of the throttle which is where that torque vectoring gets activated when necessary.

Except for the open-air trunk out back and the upright, elevated setting position, piloting the Maverick Lobo through the curvy mountain roads feels remarkably similar to any mildly hot hatch out there, and that in itself is an accomplishment.

Part of the Pack
The bones of the Maverick Lobo are obviously still all Maverick.  As part of the 2025 model year, Ford included a bunch of updates across the Maverick lineup.

The center screen has been updated to a new 13.2-inch unit, replacing the rather modest 8-inch screen from earlier years.  Graphics appear clear and crisp and the new Sync4 system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto operated smoothly during my test. All 2025 models now include a WiFi hotspot that allows Sync4 to receive over-the-air updates. HVAC controls are, unfortunately, primarily touchscreen based. In other trims, the Hybrid is now available with all-wheel drive and an optional 4k towing package.  There are two phone storage spots in a compartment under the screen, one of which is powered with a wireless charging mat, an option available in the 702A equipment package.

One thing I struggle with when first getting in any Maverick is the seating position. It does take me a minute to get it configured to a position I feel comfortable, and yet something still feels off. That feeling dissipates as I get a few miles down the road when suddenly I realize that everything just fits.  If you are test driving a Maverick for the first time and something doesn't feel right, just give it a few miles before making any rash decisions.  The one exception to this is the screen that feels oddly angled downward, but that may just be due to my height. Room for two is fantastic. Room for four is good for a compact crew cab, but will feel snug for those long of leg. Don't expect to haul 4 full-size Americans on a long trip comfortably.
 

The Lobo is based off the Maverick XLT trim and includes all of the Lobo trim performance and appearance features as well as Ford CoPilot360.  My tester was equipped with the 702A equipment package, a $5,495 upgrade, roughly equivalent to a Lariat-trim that includes:

• 400W Inverter (Cab + Bed Includes Cubby Cover) with USB Console Rear
• Acoustic Windshield
• All-Weather Floor Liners, Front and Rear (with Carpet Mats)
• Ambient Lighting
• Bed Tie Down Locking Rails with Two (2) Locking Bracket
• Bedliner – Tough Bed Spray-in
• B&O® Sound System by Bang & Olufsen® with HD Radio™ (8 Speakers Including Subwoofer)
• Connected Navigation (1-year included)
• Dual Rear USB
• Dual-zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control
• Ford Co-Pilot360® Assist 2.0
• Heated Seats
• Heated Steering Wheel
• Power Moonroof
• Power-Sliding Rear Window
• Visors – Driver and Front Passenger – Illuminated
• Wireless Charging Pad
• Pro Trailer Backup Assist
• Pro Trailer Hitch Assist

After destination charges, the 2025 Ford Maverick Lobo comes in at $37,625. My tester with the 702A Equipment package rang up to $42,325. That may seem high, but with so much equipment included and the lack of competition, I still think it is a fair price. However, the Maverick is built in Mexico and is being impacted by tariffs, so that price could fluctuate in the future.  With the market's shift away from cars towards trucks and SUVs, the hot hatch segment dwindled significantly, however the Ford Maverick Lobo makes a very compelling case as an equipment substitution.  I'm sure Ford will sell every one they can build.

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