With gas prices hovering right around $2 more per gallon than they were a year ago, pickup truck shoppers may be considering compromises that’ll still get them a capable vehicle with a bed without siphoning every last cent from their pockets. To that end, does the 2022 Ford Maverick compact hybrid pickup live up to the promise of its EPA-estimated 42/33/37 mpg city/highway/combined fuel economy figure? Well, after about four months of ownership of the Maverick in Cars.com’s fleet of long-term test cars, we can confidently report … not yet.
In Cars.com’s most popular news story of the week, we logged average gas mileage in our first four months with the Maverick at 33 mpg — 4 mpg below the combined estimate and far below that for in-city driving. That’s despite having managed single-trip figures as high as 39 mpg and heeding the owner’s manual’s recommendation to feed the Maverick higher-priced premium fuel. On the positive side, Cars.com’s hybrid 2021 Ford F-150 stands at an average of around 20 mpg after a year of ownership, and editors anticipate improved efficiency during the warmer spring, summer and early fall months following a long, harsh Midwestern winter.
For the full fuel-economy report on Cars.com’s 2022 Ford Maverick, follow the link below to the No. 1 article on this week’s countdown of most-read news.
Charging into the second-place spot, meanwhile, is another pair of models that’ll save you money amid pumped-up pump prices: the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt EV hatchback and Bolt EUV SUV. And, now, both could save buyers even more money thanks to price cuts on the 2023 Bolt EV and Bolt EUV models of $5,900 and $6,300, respectively. The impetus for the price cuts may not be stellar (bad press for the Bolt EV following reports of battery fires and GM’s expired eligibility for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit), but the result is a good EV for a better price.
The price cut makes the Bolt EV the cheapest all-electric option for Americans. Meanwhile, the Bolt EV and EUV compare favorably to the other handful of EVs that start around $30,000, including the Nissan Leaf, Mini Cooper SE and Mazda MX-30.
“Against the base models of those competitors, the Bolt EV positively shines,” Cars.com reviewer Aaron Bragman writes, building his case for the Bolts. “For the lesser entry price, you get more than 100 miles of additional range over the Leaf (149 miles), the SE (114 miles) and the MX-30 (100 miles) thanks to the larger standard battery in the Bolt EV (259 miles) and EUV (247 miles). You also get a more powerful drivetrain, with the Bolts’ standard 200 horsepower and 266 pounds-feet of torque, compared to the Leaf’s 147 hp, the Mini’s 181 hp or the Mazda’s 143 hp.”
For Bragman’s comprehensive case on why electric-car shoppers should strongly consider the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV as their next commuter car or second car, follow the link below to the No. 2 news story of the week — and check out the No. 8 article for full details on the Bolts’ price reduction and the hot story behind it.
Beyond that, we’ve got headlines on the Mazda CX-50, Subaru Forester and Crosstrek, Ram 1500, Honda HR-V, Nissan Kicks and much more — so don’t stop reading till the digits double. Here are the top 10 news stories Cars.com readers couldn’t get enough of in the past week:
1. After More Than 2,000 Miles, How’s Our 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid’s Fuel Economy?
2. 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV’s Price Cut Makes a Good Thing Better
3. Electric Cars With the Longest Range
4. 2023 Mazda CX-50 Vs. 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness: Who Off-Roads Better?
5. 2022 Ram 1500 Rebel G/T: Max Towing and Daily Driving
6. 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Gets New Special Edition, $24,870 Starting Price
7. 2023 Honda HR-V Starts at $24,895, Packs More Power and Tech
8. Fire Sale: Chevrolet Cuts 2023 Bolt EV, EUV Prices by Thousands
9. Affordable Wheels: 2022 Nissan Kicks Serves Up MPGs, Space and Tech for $24,440
10. Buick Wildcat Concept to Lead Pack of Future EVs
Keyword: 10 Biggest News Stories of the Week: Ford Maverick Gets More Mileage Than Chevrolet Bolt EV, EUV