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Ford went out on a limb when it created its little Maverick, but the automaker’s risk is reaping huge rewards. The Maverick is very popular and provides a great entry vehicle for people who want a truck but can’t afford to buy the eternally popular F-150. Now, Car and Driver is honoring the mighty 2026 Maverick with a spot on its prestigious 10Best list. Car and Driver describes the Maverick this way. “Small in stature and big in utility, the Ford Maverick pickup comes in more flavors than ever, bolstering its case as a 10Best winner.” As I recently reported, the 2026 Maverick recently won MotorTrend's Truck of the Year.
Car and Driver also named the Ford Ranger Raptor to the 10Best list saying “It’s not often that anything as fun as the Ford Ranger Raptor is also an excellent value.” This is the second year in a row both trucks have made the list.
2026 Ford Maverick
Car and Driver likes just about everything about the Ford Maverick except its escalating prices.
“Ford, to its credit, has worked to keep the momentum going, refreshing the exterior and interior, as well as updating the hybrid powertrain and introducing a new variant last year. The new Lobo revives the sport-truck concept with its lowered suspension, quicker steering, upgraded brakes, and a torque-vectoring rear differential—although you'll want to upgrade from all-season tires to get the most out of the chassis changes. This sport truck does not get additional horsepower, instead using the optional 250-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four, which is good for a sprightly 5.8-second sprint to 60 mph.”
“A much bigger deal, though, is that Ford responded to customer requests to offer all-wheel drive with the hybrid powertrain.” Impressively, that Maverick was able to hit the 40-mpg bogey with its EPA city number (the front-wheel-drive hybrid does even better with 42 mpg city). In our testing, the all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain also proved significantly quicker than the previous front-wheel-drive hybrid version. That's due in part to a shorter final-drive ratio and revised programming of the electronically controlled continuously variable automatic transmission—two changes that benefit the front-drive hybrid as well.”
Ford’s compact Maverick is economical and useful, the two features that are most attractive to most vehicle buyers.
2026 Ford Ranger Raptor
Ford’s Ranger Raptor is great fun to drive. The people I know who have them love them. It handles great on the road and even better while off-road! It has a 405-horsepower twin-turbo V-6 that can take you virtually anywhere.
Car and Driver says this about the Raptor making its second appearance on the 10Best list. “This truck is a blast: loud, fun, and sometimes very sideways. Although Ford's Raptorization of the Ranger targeted high-intensity off-road driving—adding suspension travel, upgraded dampers, ground clearance, and locking diffs—the Raptor steers so well and handles with such balance, even on pavement, that we've come to think of it as the Michigan Miata. The beefy 33-inch BFGoodrich KO3 all-terrain tires limit on-road grip, but their fat sidewalls, along with the suspension that inhales off-road obstacles, is a fantastic combo for shrugging off potholes on the morning commute, making the Ranger Raptor a fantastic do-it-all daily driver. The Raptor's more heavily bolstered front seats are still plenty comfortable too.”
Car and Driver also praises the Raptor for being more convenient than the larger F-150. “The Ranger's relatively compact footprint is also an asset in many circumstances: Its mid-size dimensions equate to modest rear-seat space but make this pickup so much more maneuverable, parkable, and two-track friendly than the full-size F-150 Raptor. While the Ranger Raptor's towing (5510 pounds) and hauling (1411 pounds) figures aren't quite as high as those from some less-fun members of the Ranger lineup, there's still plenty of pickup-truck usefulness.”
Car and Driver evaluates vehicles based on how well they perform their chief functions and also on their value. Clearly, the 2026 Ford Maverick and the 2026 Ford Ranger Raptor performed well in both categories.
Ford Photos
Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.
Follow Mary Conway at @MaryConwayMedia and send her car news tips for future stories
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