2025 Ford Maverick Lobo First Drive Review: Totally Rad Truck
I’m drifting. In a truck. On tarmac.
The last time I wore a HANS device inside a production pickup, it was to launch the (now-extinct) Ram TRX off a bunch of sweet jumps. Now I’ve squeezed my helmeted noggin’ into the ample airspace inside the 2025 Ford Maverick Lobo’s cabin for a few laps around an autocross course. For a compact, unibody pickup with no more power than last year’s model. Has Ford lost it?
Based on the laughs the truck teases out of me over the next couple laps—nope.
2025 Ford Maverick Lobo First Drive Quick Take
The Maverick Lobo is a laugh-out-loud performance truck in the same vein as the street trucks of the ‘90s.
What’s New for 2025:
The whole Maverick lineup sees a refresh for 2025, including the addition of the highly requested hybrid all-wheel drive variant. I drove it, I liked it.
The Lobo is an all-new trim for this year. Forget that its name is borrowed from the F-150 in Mexico—Lobo is Spanish for “wolf”—the idea is more akin to the original Lightnings of the ‘90s. Taking the standard EcoBoost model and tweaking it for on-the-road handling, the Lobo is a parts bin special in the best sense. In comes the twin-clutch rear differential of the Bronco Sport, itself an evolution of the one first found in the Focus RS. Brake calipers from the euro-market Focus ST, a quicker steering rack from the Kuga (European for Escape), and bits from the Mach-E. Ford engineers have fit the shocks from the FX4 and Tremor, and retuned the dampers.
There is no additional power here, though the 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque now route through a seven-speed transmission. It’s not new: Ford just yanked second gear clear out of usual ‘box.
Exterior Style:
Along with the L-shaped headlights that mark out the entire ’25 Maverick range, the Lobo has a few other choice upgrades to set it apart. A unique lower bumper gives it the square jaw necessary for a performance model. A blacked-out grille features 30 slats and a corresponding monotone Ford badge. Easily the coolest feature is the set of 19-inch turbofan-style wheels, a nod to the 2022 SEMA build that kickstarted the idea of a street truck Maverick. If only they weren’t black to better show off the details…
2025 Ford Maverick Lobo First Drive: All The Details
Powertrain and Fuel Economy:
With no additional power, the Lobo holds no real straight-line advantage over any other EcoBoost Mav. If anything it might even be slightly slower, since it tips the scales at a hefty 3,814 pounds (1,730 kilograms), only slightly less than a hybrid AWD or the Tremor. Still, 250 ponies is plenty in a small truck, and that turbo torque comes on early, ensuring the Lobo is swift. There’s even a great (synthetic) burble in the cabin when putting in the work, while the turbo whistle is real.
Fuel economy isn’t much different than the regular EcoBoost, clocking in at 21 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, for 24 mpg combined. Canadian equivalents are 11.2, 7.8, and 9.8 L/100 km, respectively.
The Lobo still features different drive modes, including an eponymous mode meant for track use only. It’s a good thing the morning drive route terminates at San Diego’s Pechanga Arena then, where Ford has set up an autocross.
Handling and Drivability:
In its dedicated drive mode, the Lobo’s trick rear diff is the star. Turn into the first left of the course, pick a line, and mash the gas: the Mav’s nose loyally follows the line, while the back end edges outward in a gentle, controlled arc. The system allows for a healthy amount of slide, only really reining the fun in if you’ve overworked the front tires. Mix in some trail braking for more weight transfer and the Lobo responds in kind, swinging the tail further out. The Goodyear Territory HT tires may howl, but they offer a predictable feel at and over their modest limits. And really, isn’t that what enthusiasts have been begging for for years: fun at speeds below the national speed limit?
If not for the view out over the boxy hood, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a hot hatch. The Lobo really is a Focus ST in the shape America demands.
Ride Quality and Comfort:
The on-road ride is firmer than the hybrid, as expected given the combination of shorter sidewalls, stiffer suspension, and a ride height almost an inch lower overall. Over most roads and even on the highway it’s on the right side of tolerable, though rougher roads can make for some uncomfortable pogoing.
The seats are comfortable and well-placed, making for a lateral move when getting in and out.
Interior Style and Quality:
The Maverick interior is still more function over form even after the facelift, though the Lobo does bring up the ambiance a bit. Blue plastic is a welcome change from, uh, black plastic, and the mix between purposeful (exposed bolts) and expressive (polygonal dashboard, “floating” armrests) is fun. Material quality is still on the low side, but at least there’s no piano black. There is room for a phone on the wireless charger however, and the rear seats still fold up for extra in-cabin storage.
The seats themselves feature a subtle graffiti-inspired pattern. Kristen Keenan, a color and materials designer at Ford with previous roles at Nike, tells me that streetwear was a primary influence here, but that the pattern is meant to be a second-glance delight. The Lobo cabin features splashes of Grabber Blue like the XLT as well; needless to say it works better here.
Tech and Safety:
Like the rest of the lineup, the Lobo runs a 13.2-inch central touchscreen and 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster. Beyond the removal of physical climate controls—boo, hiss—the setup is generally good. The smaller screen is very customizable and looks sharp, while the main show is easy to use thanks to big, clear icons and a refreshing restraint towards menu-diving. Wireless Apple CarPlay hooks up quickly, and owners have the choice of it taking up the whole screen or keeping a section of the screen for a few additional, swappable widgets.
The High trim pack ($5,495 / $6,000 CAD) adds in a whole bunch of other tech including a 400W inverter, B&O sound system (it’s fine), dual-zone climate control, a 360-degree camera, and Ford’s Pro Trailer Hitch Assist and Pro Trailer Backup Assist.
Value, Dollars, and Sense:
How do you judge the value proposition of the Maverick Lobo, when there’s nothing else like it on the market? The closest option in spirit is actually the Subaru WRX: similar in power and with matching all-wheel drive, it shares the Lobo’s fun-in-any-conditions feel. In America they’re pretty close on price, too: $36,850 including destination lands you just a few hundred over the WRX Premium, or slightly under if you’re speccing the automatic transmission.
Canadian pricing kicks off at $43,995, which is higher than the base WRX with either transmission. (Subaru pricing is notoriously aggressive in Canada.) A top Lobo will thus clear $50,000 CAD.
Final Thoughts: 2025 Ford Maverick Lobo First Drive Review
The 2025 Ford Maverick Lobo left me torn. On one hand it will undoubtedly be a minor player in Ford’s yearly sales figures, a vehicle catered to a very particular sort of buyer. On the other: this little truck is a genuine hoot when tossed around and a potent bit of nostalgia, the sort that is catnip for car enthusiasts and millennials alike. The sport truck is back—here’s hoping it’s as successful as the rest of the Maverick lineup.
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Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Return of the street truck | No more power |
Genuinely capable handler | Almost too subtle |
A solid blank canvas | Not so affordable anymore |
Kyle began his automotive obsession before he even started school, courtesy of a remote control Porsche and various LEGO sets. He later studied advertising and graphic design at Humber College, which led him to writing about cars (both real and digital). He is now a proud member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), where he was the Journalist of the Year runner-up for 2021.
More by Kyle Patrick
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No Manual :(