This Is Considered The Best Pickup Truck By Customer Satisfaction

• Cars
• Trucks

The way prices have been soaring in recent months and years, buying a new pickup truck can be a daunting prospect. With the average price paid for a new truck touching $60,000 in recent years, it's not a decision you can afford to get wrong — not being happy with your decision is simply not an option. So, you are faced with two choices as a consumer. Hit every dealer, view and test-drive every pickup truck within your budget, log what you noticed, and then compare your findings at the end, or, take a look at what Consumer Reports (CR) has to say about them. The latter certainly sounds easiest to us. CR has been through and thoroughly tested a whole heap of current pickup trucks, in addition to scoring them on how satisfied real customers are with their decisions.

There is a clear winner, too — the Ford Maverick. The small but mighty Ford comes CR recommended, in both gas and hybrid guise, making it the perfect choice for those shopping around in the compact truck segment. While the gas-powered model comes with a higher overall rating, they both boast the same high score in the customer satisfaction department, out-pacing rivals like the Hyundai Santa Cruz. We test drove the 2024 Ford Maverick, and then reviewed the 2025 Maverick Hybrid just a few months ago. The former impressed us with its great economy and genuine usefulness, while the latter proved it could excel in a number of key areas, so the data reported by CR comes as no surprise to us.

Here's why we think the Maverick scores so highly

Understanding customer satisfaction can be a little tricky, as all customers will have their own unique opinions on what's great about a model, and what's not. Some might love capacitive touch buttons and screens galore, while others might long for tactile toggle switches and rows of physical switchgear. However, when it comes to a compact pickup truck, there are a few traits we can likely assume that all customers would be looking for; a decent payload capacity, a punchy and reliable engine which is capable of towing, reasonable fuel economy, and an easily-swallowed price tag.

In all of these areas, the mighty Maverick impresses. For example, when properly configured, the Maverick boasts a 4,000-pound towing and 1,500-pound payload capacity, which is more than enough to prove competitive in this particular segment. It also managed to return an EPA-estimated 42 miles to the gallon around the city, in addition to 35 on the highway, for a combined figure of 38. The key kicker, though, is that the Maverick is available from just $28,145 (plus $1,695 destination), which sees it stand out as the cheapest pickup truck in the U.S. right now. That's for a 2.0-liter EcoBoost-equipped model, for the 2.5-liter hybrid, just add an extra $1,000 to the price.

Here's how the Maverick could improve customer satisfaction even further

If the Maverick was truly perfect, then surely competitor models like the aforementioned Santa Cruz wouldn't be able to shift a single unit. However, the little Ford — as brilliant as it is — is not quite perfect, and here's how it could improve.

In terms of reliability, there is scope for the Ford to have left a sweeter taste in the mouths of owners. Some have complained about CV axle issues and a steady stream of recalls, plus CarEdge reports a slightly higher chance of a major repair being required in the first five years, but yet more than tolerable repair and maintenance costs. In fact, the latter are pegged at $3,341 for the first five years of ownership, which is $910 less than what CarEdge reports the sector average is. Edmunds estimates maintenance bills over the same period to be a bit higher, at $4,522, which suggests owners have mixed experiences when it comes to keeping their Mavericks ticking over in top condition. 

This could also be due to the different powertrain options available; it's unlikely that the boosted 2.0-liter unit will share the identical repair and maintenance costs to the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter hybridized model. Fortunately though, while the reliability of some EcoBoost engines leaves much room for improvement, the Maverick's mill proves to be quite dependable, with most owners seeming more than happy with how their Maverick trucks have been holding up. This explains why CR reports it to be such a satisfying choice to make in today's busy and saturated truck market.