Ford Maverick vs. the competition: Santa Cruz, Tacoma, and Colorado compared
01 · The short version
A hybrid pickup against three different ideas of a small truck
The Ford Maverick is a compact pickup with a hybrid engine as standard. Shoppers usually weigh it against the Hyundai Santa Cruz, the other compact pickup built like an SUV, and against the Toyota Tacoma and Chevrolet Colorado, midsize trucks that cost a few thousand dollars more and tow a lot more. Here is how the four compare, from the makers’ own figures.
The short version
The Maverick costs the least of the four and is the only one rated 42 mpg in the city. It also has the biggest bed of the two compact trucks. The Santa Cruz has a much longer warranty and tows more. The Tacoma and Colorado are the choice if you tow over 4,000 lb or want a traditional truck frame.
02 · Side by side
The numbers, from each maker
Checked Sept. 23, 2026 against each maker’s own website and brochures. Where a maker did not publish a figure we could confirm, the cell is left blank.
| 2026 Ford Maverick | 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz | 2026 Toyota Tacoma | 2026 Chevrolet Colorado | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP | $28,145 (XL) | $29,750 (SE) | $32,545 (SR) | $32,400 (WT) |
| Construction | Unibody | Unibody | Body-on-frame | Body-on-frame |
| Engines | 2.5L hybrid, 184 hp; 2.0L EcoBoost, 250 hp | 2.5L, 191 hp; 2.5L turbo, 281 hp | 2.4L turbo; i-FORCE MAX hybrid up to 326 hp | 2.7L TurboMax, 310 hp |
| Hybrid | Standard on XL, XLT, and Lariat | No | Available | No |
| EPA mpg, city/highway/combined | 42/35/38 (hybrid, FWD) | 22/30/25 (FWD) | 20/26 city/highway (SR) | — |
| Maximum towing | 4,000 lb (AWD with 4K Tow Package) | 5,000 lb (turbo) | — | 7,700 lb |
| Maximum payload | 1,500 lb | 1,411 lb (maximum load limit) | — | — |
| Cab and bed | Crew cab; 4.5-ft bed, 33.3 cu ft | Crew cab; 52.1-in bed, 27.0 cu ft | Two cabs; 5- or 6-ft bed | Crew cab |
| Warranty | 3 yr/36,000 mi basic; 5 yr/60,000 mi powertrain; 8 yr/100,000 mi hybrid | 5 yr/60,000 mi basic; 10 yr/100,000 mi powertrain | 3 yr/36,000 mi basic; 5 yr/60,000 mi powertrain; hybrid battery 10 yr/150,000 mi | 3 yr/36,000 mi basic; 5 yr/60,000 mi powertrain |
| IIHS 2026 award | None | None on the 2026 list | None | None |
Starting MSRPs exclude destination ($1,845 on the Maverick) and are the makers’ prices, not ours. Toyota’s two consumer sites showed different Tacoma SR prices on the same day; we use buyatoyota.com. — means the maker did not publish a figure we could confirm.
03 · Where the Maverick wins
What the Maverick does best
The lowest price here
At $28,145, the Maverick XL starts $1,605 below the Santa Cruz and more than $4,000 below the Tacoma and Colorado.
Hybrid mileage
42 mpg city and 38 combined with front-wheel drive, the best of the four by far. The hybrid comes standard on the XL, XLT, and Lariat.
The bigger compact bed
54.4 inches at the floor and 33.3 cu ft, against 52.1 inches and 27.0 cu ft in the Santa Cruz. FLEXBED slots take 2×6 lumber to build dividers and racks.
More payload than the Santa Cruz
Up to 1,500 lb, against the 1,411 lb maximum load limit Hyundai lists.
04 · Where the others win
Where each rival beats the Maverick
If one of these matters most, one of the other trucks may be the better buy.
Santa Cruz: warranty and towing
Hyundai covers 5 years or 60,000 miles bumper to bumper and 10 years or 100,000 miles on the powertrain, far longer than Ford. The turbo tows 5,000 lb, and the base engine 3,500 lb against the Maverick’s 2,000 without the tow package.
Tacoma: choice and a stronger hybrid
Two cabs, two bed lengths, and a manual transmission are available. The i-FORCE MAX hybrid makes up to 326 hp and 465 lb-ft on a traditional truck frame.
Colorado: towing and power
Every Colorado has a 310-hp turbo engine, and it tows up to 7,700 lb, nearly twice the Maverick’s maximum. The ZR2 is a serious off-road truck.
On crash tests, none of the four has a 2026 IIHS award, and the Maverick is rated Marginal in the updated moderate overlap front test.
05 · Which one fits
Match the truck to the job
- Mostly commuting, with weekend loads. The Maverick hybrid, for the mileage and the bed.
- A small camper or boat over 4,000 lb. Step up to a midsize truck. Ford’s is the Ranger, which tows up to 7,500 lb.
- Keeping the truck ten years. The Santa Cruz’s warranty is the longest here. With the Maverick, Ford Protect extended plans are the way to add coverage.
- Snow and gravel roads. Maverick AWD is available on the XL, XLT, and Lariat and standard on the Lobo and Tremor.
Feel the hybrid for yourself. At low speeds it can run on electric power alone, so try it in town.
06 · FAQ
Questions about the Maverick and its rivals
Is the Maverick bigger than the Santa Cruz?
Its bed is. The Maverick’s is 54.4 inches long at the floor with 33.3 cu ft, and the Santa Cruz’s is 52.1 inches with 27.0 cu ft.
Can a Maverick tow as much as a Santa Cruz?
No. The Maverick tows up to 4,000 lb with AWD and the 4K Tow Package, and the Santa Cruz turbo tows 5,000 lb. Without the package, a Maverick is rated at 2,000 lb and a base Santa Cruz at 3,500 lb.
Which small truck gets the best gas mileage?
The Maverick hybrid: 42 city, 35 highway, and 38 combined with front-wheel drive. The Santa Cruz is rated 22/30/25 and the Tacoma SR 20 city and 26 highway.
Maverick or Tacoma: which is cheaper?
The Maverick. The XL starts at $28,145 and the Tacoma SR at $32,545, a difference of $4,400 before destination.
Does the Santa Cruz have a better warranty than the Maverick?
Yes. Hyundai gives 5 years or 60,000 miles basic and 10 years or 100,000 miles powertrain. Ford gives 3 years or 36,000 miles and 5 years or 60,000 miles, plus 8 years or 100,000 miles on hybrid components.
Is the Maverick a real truck?
It is a unibody pickup, built like an SUV, with a crew cab, a 4.5-foot bed, up to 1,500 lb of payload, and up to 4,000 lb of towing. The Tacoma and Colorado are body-on-frame midsize trucks that tow more.
07 · Sources
Where these figures come from
Every source was read Sept. 23, 2026.
- Huntley Ford: 2026 Ford Maverick, from Ford’s 2026 Maverick technical specifications
- Hyundai: Santa Cruz specifications
- Toyota: 2026 Tacoma pricing and Toyota Tacoma
- Chevrolet: Colorado and Chevrolet’s 2026 Colorado trailering guide
- IIHS: 2026 Top Safety Pick awards
Try the hybrid pickup
Every Maverick we have in stock, hybrid and EcoBoost, with its trim and price.