Ford’s attractive Maverick pricing is a win for budget-conscious shoppers
Earlier this month, we took a look at 2025 sales (so far) for the only two compact pickup trucks on the market, and the figures showed that Ford’s Maverick is handsomely outselling the Hyundai Santa Cruz. In fact, the gap between the two has widened this year, and that looks set to continue based on pricing for the 2026 Maverick.
A new order guide for the 2026 Maverick was obtained by CarBuzz, and it confirmed that the starting price of the Maverick has dropped by $1,000, still putting it at well under $30k. This is welcome news after tariffs contributed to rising Maverick prices earlier this year.
Let’s take a closer look at how the 2026 Maverick compares to the 2026 Santa Cruz.
New Base Trim For The Maverick
Excluding the destination charge of $1,695, the 2026 Ford Maverick now starts at $27,145. That’s for a new front-wheel-drive version of the XL trim with the EcoBoost turbocharged engine; previously, this trim was not available at all.
Here’s a look at 2026 pricing for the Maverick:
- XL EcoBoost: $27,145
- XL Hybrid: $28,145
- XLT EcoBoost: $29,645
- XLT Hybrid: $30,645
- Lobo: $35,930
- Lariat EcoBoost AWD: $35,870
- Lariat Hybrid AWD: $38,090
- Tremor: $40,645
AWD adds $1,000 more on EcoBoost models and $2,000 more on hybrids with standard FWD.
Impressively, not a single 2026 trim is more expensive than it was for 2025, and both Lariats plus the Tremor are actually cheaper.
Nothing changes in terms of powertrains, so the EcoBoost still has a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine producing 250 horsepower. The 191-hp hybrid is much slower, but it can hit 42 mpg in the city, which no other pickup comes close to.
Changes for 2025 are minimal. There are some new colors, such as Orange Fury and Marsh Gray, and a power-sliding rear window is now an option on the Lariat and Tremor, whereas they were standard previously—this change enabled a price reduction.
Related: 2025 Ford Maverick Lobo revives the street-oriented sport truck
Santa Cruz Now Over $2,000 Pricier
For 2026, the Hyundai Santa Cruz starts at $29,500 for the SE, making it $2,355 more expensive than the base Maverick XL EcoBoost. That price gets you the Santa Cruz with a naturally aspirated engine producing 191 hp and 181 lb-ft; it has neither the power of the Maverick EcoBoost nor the efficiency of the Maverick Hybrid.
You have to spend at least $41,100 to get a Santa Cruz with the 281-hp turbo engine that more closely competes with the Maverick EcoBoost.
Although the Santa Cruz has flashier looks and an even more high-tech, refined interior—as we found when we drove it with the Maverick earlier this year—it’s going to be difficult for many customers to justify the extra expense over the Ford.
Related: Hyundai Santa Cruz Blocked From Canada Over Trade Dispute
