Which truck is the key to your best Colorado lifestyle, the 2025 Ford Maverick or 2025 Ford Ranger? No matter what your personal priorities happen to be, our buying guide can help you choose between Ford’s popular compact and midsize trucks!
Key Takeaways
- Both trucks are competitively priced, but the compact Maverick has the most budget-friendly MSRP!
- When it comes to upscale features and street-smart technology, the Ranger has more to offer.
- Want max efficiency? Choose the Maverick to earn up to 38 mpg combined!
- With more muscle, the midsize Ranger can tow a camper weighing up to 7,500 pounds.
Starting Price
One of the 2025 Ford Maverick’s main draws — along with its thrifty hybrid powertrain — is its $26,995 starting price! If the budget is big on your agenda, put this compact truck at the top of your wish list. The 2025 Ford Ranger, meanwhile, is competitively priced for the midsize truck segment, with an MSRP of $33,080. Keep in mind that these prices are as of March 31, 2025
Comfort & Tech Features
The Maverick gets a major refresh for 2025! Along with two new trim models — the rugged Tremor and low-riding Lobo — this compact truck introduces an updated standard lineup. Every truck now features SYNC 4 infotainment, a 13.2-inch central touchscreen, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Standard safety aids include forward collision mitigation and lane-keeping assistance. Looking for luxury? The top-trim Lariat delivers dual-zone automatic climate control, a heated steering wheel, and ActiveX synthetic leather upholstery.
After a major redesign for the 2024 model year, the new Ranger is also supremely modern. It comes standard with all of the above features (albeit with a 10-inch central touchscreen) and adds an 8-inch digital gauge cluster. Compared to the Maverick, however, the Ranger offers a longer list of upgrades. For example, the Ranger’s upscale Lariat trim comes with genuine leather upholstery, a premium sound system, and a 360-degree camera, among other upgrades. The Ranger also offers tech features that aren’t available to the Maverick, including a blind-spot monitoring system with Trailer Coverage and adaptive cruise control with Stop and Go technology!
Everyday Efficiency
If you plan on doing more commuting than towing, make the 2025 Ford Maverick your first choice. With its standard hybrid powertrain, this truck earns up to 38 mpg combined (42 city/35 highway)! And now that the hybrid powertrain is available with all-wheel drive, you can build a trail-friendly version of this thrifty truck. Even the Maverick’s optional engine, the 250-horsepower EcoBoost, is pretty efficient, earning up to 25 mpg combined (22 city/30 highway).
2025 Ford Maverick Powertrain Options
- Standard 2.5L hybrid four-cylinder engine (191 hp, 155 lb-ft)
- Optional 2.0L EcoBoost four-cylinder engine (250 hp, 280 lb-ft)
- Continuously variable transmission (with hybrid) or 10-speed automatic transmission (with 2.0L engine)
- Front-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive
In its most efficient form, the Ranger earns 23 mpg combined (21 city/26 highway). Of course, the Ranger puts more of an emphasis on power! This midsize truck is the better option for drivers who require more muscle than the Maverick can muster, whether for off-road cruising or towing a bigger camper (more on this below).
2025 Ford Ranger Powertrain Options
- Standard 2.3L EcoBoost four-cylinder engine (270 hp, 310 lb-ft)
- Optional for the XLT, Lariat: 2.7L turbocharged V6 (315 hp, 400 lb-ft)
- Raptor-exclusive 3.0L turbo V6 (405 hp, 430 lb-ft)
- 10-speed automatic transmission
- Rear-wheel drive or available four-wheel drive
Towing & Hauling Capabilities
Don’t choose between the compact Maverick and midsize Ranger without first asking yourself how much weight you’ll be towing and hauling! The Maverick is small but sturdy, with a standard tow rating of 2,000 pounds. Add the 4K Towing package, and both the hybrid and EcoBoost models can now tow up to 4,000 pounds. Max payloads reach 1,500 pounds! To tow a bigger trailer, you need the more powerful Ranger. Properly equipped, Ford’s midsize truck can tow up to 7,500 pounds — nearly double what the Maverick can manage. With rear-wheel drive, the Ranger can haul max payloads of 1,805 pounds. Equip your truck with four-wheel drive, and that figure drops slightly, to 1,711 pounds.
Your Colorado Trucking Style
So, which is the best small truck for commuting and off-roading in Brighton, CO, for 2025? Properly equipped, both the 2025 Ford Maverick and 2025 Ford Ranger are at home in the snowy mountain terrain. But if you want a budget-friendly price and at-the-pump savings, the compact Maverick is your truck! For more towing muscle and luxury upgrades, the midsize Ranger is more your speed. Call or text us at Brighton Ford to schedule test-drives with either Ford truck (or both)!