SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Rounding the 180-degree, left-hand bend at the east end of Pechanga Arena’s autocross course, I stabbed the throttle pedal of my 2025 Ford Maverick Lobo and twin clutch packs accelerated the pickup’s outside rear wheel. SQUAAAWWWWWWWW! The tires squealed in protest as I drifted sideways through the next gate of pylons before flinging the wheel left to navigate the next right-hander. SQUAAAWWWWWWWW!

Wait, what?!!! Payne, you’re autocrossing a pickup truck? Have you lost your mind?!

Sometimes a vehicle comes along that you covet even though it makes no rational sense. The wee Mazda Miata. Carbon-fiber Alfa Romeo 4C. Stainless-steel Tesla Cybertruck.

Lobo is one of those vehicles. It’s irresistible. Torque-vectoring. Lowered suspension. Turbofan wheels. Lobo loco.

I imagine bringing it home and parking it in the garage.

Mrs. Payne: You bought a pickup truck?

Me: Not just any pickup, a Maverick Lobo! It has the Ford Focus R clutch packs and a lowered suspension. I put it in Lobo Mode and it’s a riot around an autocross course.

Mrs. Payne: You’re going to autocross a pickup?

Me: Yeah, isn’t that cool? And we can use the bed to pick up the Christmas tree every December.

Mrs. Payne: Have you lost your mind?!

Ford has been making gotta-have-‘em hellions for as long as I can remember. The winged, cannon-exhaust, fenders-out-to-here Focus RS looked so evil that cops would ticket it when parked at the curb. My friend John got a 2007 Mustang GT500 with 500-horsepower and a manual gearbox even though he didn’t know how to drive a stick. And the Fiesta ST made an affordable, sippy entry-level hatchback into a ferocious Rottweiler that dragged you on its leash to local autocrosses so you could chase Miatas up a tree.

The Maverick Lobo is cut from the same cloth.

Maverick debuted in 2022 as an insanely practical $21K hybrid pickup that drove like a Ford Escape while doing the daily chores of a Ranger and sipping 42 mpg around town. Dude. Maverick was so practical that it won back-to-back Detroit News Vehicle of the Year awards for its hybrid and Tremor off-road models.

The Lobo, by contrast, is pure indulgence. It’s a nod to hot rod street culture and the irresistible tuner urge to take a small truck, slam it to the ground with short springs, paint it neon and bolt on wheels that would burn a Hollywood designer’s eyeballs.

DJ Smith of Crestview, Florida, bought his ’22 and had to wait a year for delivery Mav was so hot. When it finally arrived, he lowered it for more menace. He wasn’t alone. Ford noticed the groundswell for an urban truck and went to work.

“I like the facelift. I like the turbo-4. I loooove the turbine wheels,” smiled Smith after taking a spin ‘round the autocross course.

In this age of commoditized products, Nanny State finger-wagging and electric fashion, I must admit I wondered if Ford still had it in ‘em. Facing electric mandates and SUV fashion, Ford had long ago sent its Focus and Fiesta ST performance stallions out to pasture. Lobo is welcome evidence that Mr. Hyde still resides in Dr. Ford.

I mean, just look at my black tester. Lobo means wolf and this is one stealthy predator. Merging onto I-8 East heading out of San Diego, I toggled SPORT mode and the exhaust note lowered to a GRRRRRRR.

Yes, master. What are we hunting?

A Mustang GT ambled around the 180-degree freeway ramp. Black Mamba circled the ramp, then struck. WHOOOM! I exploded onto the freeway, blowing the doors off the unsuspecting GT. What was that?! The GT pursued, pulling up next to me in traffic and noticing the big 19-inch Turbofan saucers spinning like circular saws. A grin, a thumbs up. He knew.

I first saw Maverick Lobo at its Detroit Auto Show introduction in January. The Frankenstein’s monster was adorable. Those Focus RS twin clutch packs. Lowered springs and Bilstein shocks from the Bronco Sport Badlands. Rear sway-bar like, well, any performance sportscar.

I couldn’t wait to drive it.

It lives up to expectations. In addition to its autocross antics, Dr. Frankenstein — er, chief technical officer — Eddie Khan and his minions have created a wildly diverse product lineup for 2025 that would make Papa F-150 proud.

I jumped into the base, hybrid, AWD model — 40 mpg highway! — and headed to the San Diego hills. Upgraded with new front and rear fascias for 2025, Maverick is true to Ford’s performance DNA with firm steering that feels rooted to the pavement. The unibody 3,800-pound pickup is no Focus RS, but it weighs a whopping 1,000 pounds less than a Ranger with no bed flutter. The result is a pickup that’s fun to drive hard.

It gets more fun as you climb the model ladder with the off-road focused Tremor and on-track Lobo bringing the twin-clutch pack handling magic. The fact that clutch packs used to be the exclusive domain of vehicles like Audis is a reminder of the shrinking gap between luxe and mainstream.

Indeed, Maverick has so much personality that I would buy it over numerous luxury brands — and not just because of the bed utility. Interior instrument graphics are stunning — just scroll from ECO to NORMAL to SPORT modes.

And the door design is inspired with a floating armrest so you can fit tall thermoses in the cupholders.

The only thing missing is affordability. Three years ago, Maverick debuted at a Chevy Trax-like $21,490. No more. That price has risen by a whopping 33% to $28,590. Oof.

What’s more, you don’t get essentials like adaptive cruise control until you shell out $36,850 for upper trims like Lobo. Sporty compact SUV Mazda CX-30 gets standard ACC and blind-spot assist at, ahem, 10 grand less.

Desire has a way of justifying price. Once you’ve settled on Lobo you’ll want to add toys like Pro Trailer Backup Assist that autonomously steers Lobo to your hitch. A trailer full of racing go-karts, for example.

Or maybe I’ll leave the karts in the trailer and race the Lobo instead. I’ve lost my mind.

2025 Ford Maverick

Vehicle type: Front engine, front- and all-wheel-drive, five-passenger compact pickup

Price: $28,590, including $1,595 destination fee ($36,505 AWD XLT Hybrid and $42,345 AWD Lobo as tested)

Powerplant: Hybrid 2.5-liter 4-cylinder mated to electric motor (XLT); 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder (Lobo)

Power: 191 horsepower, 155 pound-feet torque (hybrid); 250 horsepower, 277 pound-feet torque (2.0L)

Transmission: Continuously variable (hybrid); seven-speed automatic (2.0L)

Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.9 seconds (Car and Driver est.); towing capacity, 2,000-4,000 pounds

Weight: 3,814 pounds (Lobo)

Fuel economy: EPA est. 40 mpg city/34 highway/37 combined (AWD hybrid); EPA est. 21 mpg city/30 highway/24 combined (Lobo)

Report card

Highs: Lobo fun, pickup utility; clever interior

Lows: Desirable features like adaptive cruise unavailable on lower trims; gets pricey

Overall: 4 stars

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