It is the Ford Maverick that makes Steve Rodgers the Captain America of the F-150 Raptor. And yet, just like its comic counterpart, it has heart and is not afraid of any challenge.

Great praise. What’s so special about it?

The Maverick is a pickup truck with brilliant simplicity and compact design. It is perfect for people who live in the city or want a pickup but don’t have the space or parking in their lives for the big behemoths that dominate the market.

Don’t worry, the Maverick won’t be able to handle all the tasks its bigger sibling can, but it can handle most of the jobs people buy a pickup truck for while being more affordable and manageable.

Can you give us some details?

Sure. The Maverick is available in a monocoque configuration, a four-door, five-seat Supercrew cab with a 54.4-inch cargo bed. Under its small hood is either a 2.0-liter inline-four that delivers 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque, or in its hybrid configuration, a 2.5-liter engine paired with an electric motor and battery that delivers 162 hp and 155 lb-ft of torque while extending the available miles.

The hybrid Maverick is paired with a CVT transmission and is currently only available with front-wheel drive, although Ford has heard the calls of potential customers and will offer all-wheel drive with the hybrid setup in 2025.

The 2.0-liter version is now available with all-wheel drive and is paired with an eight-speed automatic. Mavericks with all-wheel drive can be equipped with the FX4 off-road package and Tremor equipment provides even more off-road capability.

How does it compare to the F-150?

That’s a bit of a tricky question, but if you want to put things in context with old-fashioned statistics, here you go. The F-150 can haul over 3,000 pounds of payload at most and tow 14,000 pounds of cargo, but its minimum payload is 1,955 pounds and its maximum towing capacity is 8,200 pounds.

By that measure, the Maverick’s maximum payload is 1,500 pounds, half of what the least powerful F-150 can manage. But what about towing capacity? 2,000 pounds. And here’s the kicker: With an optional towing package, the load increases to 4,400 pounds! So small but mighty, enough to haul at least a couple of jet skis, and certainly more than enough for odd jobs like moving furniture or setting up a weekend camping trip. All that, and it fits in a standard supermarket parking lot with plenty of room.

And how does it drive?

There are moments when you forget you’re driving a pickup truck, but while it resembles a car, it’s still a truck, especially when it comes to handling on the road. While they lack urgency, both powertrains are adequate and suit the type of vehicle. The same goes for handling, as there’s a bit of truck-like body roll and a corresponding amount of body roll, but it’s all so old-school that it doesn’t really detract from the experience.

When it comes to off-roading, the vehicle is capable enough to handle most off-road and hill-climbing needs, and while it would probably try valiantly, it’s not suited to really tough terrain. It would be fun to try, though, if you had a Raptor on hand to watch you.

The Ford Maverick is a brilliant utility solution that doesn’t require major lifestyle compromises. It drives and behaves like an affordable subcompact for the most part, but it just happens to have a cargo bed, making it worth considering for city dwellers looking for something more useful and robust that doesn’t take up valuable space.

Even if that’s not a problem, the Maverick is far more accessible in terms of usability than larger trucks and far less intimidating for those put off by the monstrosity of typical pickup trucks.

In that respect, the Maverick fills a gap that few people know exists—aside from owners of the Honda Ridgeline, the Ford’s only real competitor. With the space to itself, the Ridgeline has had the “car-like truck” persona firmly in its grasp for some time, and while it’s more powerful than the Maverick, it’s also twice as expensive.

Ultimately, the Ford Maverick’s utility and stealth are what win it over. With a few upgrades, it’s also ready for most off-road challenges the average weekend adventurer will encounter. It’s cute enough to fall in love with, but even if you don’t, it’s hard to deny how practical it can be.