The Perfect First Car is a TruckEzra Dyer - Car and DriverWhat's the perfect first car? Everyone has a different idea on that, defined by taste, geography, and budget, among a million other factors. But if you want a cheat sheet for the ideal first car, no decision tree required, allow me to help. The perfect first car is a truck, and specifically the Ford Maverick.See Our Comprehensive Ford Maverick Make-Model PageShop New Cars | Shop Used CarsKeep dreaming, kid.Ezra Dyer - Car and DriverThe Maverick does it all. It's safe, affordable, and efficient. It's useful but fun. I think it looks cool. You can throw messy stuff in the bed and tow a trailer. Add a tonneau cover, and it's like it has a huge trunk. Cops don't look twice at a Maverick, unless maybe you get one in Orange Fury paint. The interior looks nice enough but is made of rugged materials that will mop up easily when teenagers inevitably spill whatever syrupy liquid's been haphazardly placed in the cupholders. And if your kid isn't driving it, you can borrow a Maverick for your own chores and amusement. A Maverick is the utility player of your automotive stable, ready to assist with a trip to the landscaping store or a run to the single-track trails, bikes hanging over the tailgate. It does it all, the Maverick.Hot take: You see more Mavericks with payload in the bed than you do F-250s.Ezra Dyer - Car and DriverThe lineup is broad too. You want a sub-$30,000 hybrid, you've got it. A Lariat with heated seats and a B&O sound system? That's a little further up the food chain, but sure. There's the Lobo for street-performance types and the Tremor for light-duty off-roading. None of the powertrains are bad—the all-wheel-drive hybrid hits the sweet spot of performance and economy, but the 2.0-liter turbo models can tow as much as 4000 pounds and make great forced-induction noises. And every Maverick except the Tremor is EPA rated at a minimum of 30 mpg highway.We tend not to trust trip computers, but this one showed an overall 34.1 mpg after more than 400 miles. Meanwhile, over 40,000 miles, our long-term Maverick hybrid averaged . . . 34 mpg.Ezra Dyer - Car and DriverI always preach safety as a first-car priority. The Maverick is great on that front, as confirmed by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) testing and my own anecdotal experience—which actually pertains to its SUV cousin, the Bronco Sport. I recommended the Bronco Sport to my sister-in-law, who bought one for her son. He took good care of it. Then his older sister came home from college, borrowed the Bronco Sport for five minutes, and promptly tested its side-impact protection, vis-à-vis a Buick Enclave hitting the driver's-side door at 45 mph. She was fine. That would not have been the case in a similar impact with anything my friends and I drove for at least the first 10 years of our driving lives. So, via the Bronco Sport transitive property and IIHS validation, I'd put my kids in a Maverick.AdvertisementAdvertisementAs for price, I understand that not everyone can swing a $30,000-something truck for their kid. But good news: The Maverick's been around since 2022, and a perusal of the trusty C/D Marketplace shows that used ones are dropping into the $15,000 range at the low end. And if that's still too expensive, simply close this browser and reopen it in five years. [Five years pass.] How about Maverick prices now? What, you're chained to an exercise bike beneath a data center? Well, just think of where your newly licensed kid could drive you in that Maverick during your annual vacation day!Add a hitch-mount cargo rack and the Maverick is ready for a weekend of mountain biking. My local dealer has a new Lobo like this one for $9000 off.Ezra Dyer - Car and DriverMy own kids are 14 and 16 years old. I just tested an all-wheel-drive Maverick Lariat, and it's so good that I immediately started perusing local dealer inventory, where I found a new leftover Lobo for $9000 off. A turbocharged truck with paddle shifters and a torque-vectoring rear end is the kind of thing that I'd want to have around, and self-interest is really an underrated component of your first-car selection.Whether your kid thinks their first car is cool or lame is a concern of low priority, because they'll have a great time no matter what, as proved by all your friends who drove Dodge Omnis and Geo Metros back in the day. But if you're making the payment, you may as well get something that you'll enjoy driving yourself. If you can ever get your hands on the keys.You Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029