• Ford is working on a Maverick refresh, and it was just caught testing undisguised
  • These latest pics reveal the front-end appearance is set to change next year
  • While the ’25 Maverick is set to get prettier, no powertrain modifications are expected

Ford created something of an unexpected hit with the Maverick, catering simultaneously to a particular price-point but also to buyers who desire something with an open cargo bed without wishing to consume four parking spaces every time they visit the hardware store.

Now it seems the popular pickup is set for a mid-cycle facelift. Our eagle-eyed spies caught an undisguised Maverick test mule in XL trim prowling Oakwood Boulevard near the Blue Oval’s home in Dearborn, Michigan earlier this week. Anyone blessed with the gift of sight can spot the fascia changes on this Maverick compared to the one currently in showrooms, such as a colour-keyed front bumper which intrudes further into the headlight assembly.

In fact, the entire headlamp assembly is different, moving from a square-ish design that ties in with a grille bar; to units with a more claw-like appearance. These appear to be halogens on this base XL trim, by the way. It seems the parts which are expensive to redesign, such as the area where headlights meet the fenders, have been left alone; same goes for the upper part of the lens near the hood. Its grille is also cut more aggressively on its lower corners than on a 2024 model.

No changes are expected behind that grille, with Ford continuing to offer the choice of hybrid or gasoline powertrains. At present, the former melds a 2.5L four-banger delivering 191 horsepower through a CVT; while the gasser is a 2.0L EcoBoost turbocharged mill good for 250 ponies. In Canada, that engine dances with an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive.

The truck in these digital shots is shown hanging a left into what is thought to be the brand’s Vehicle Operations General Office in Allen Park. That’s a fancy name for what is essentially the pilot plant, a facility in which new models are generally tested and developed. It is typical of such a spot to run manufacturing tests of soon-to-market vehicle, documenting the steps and working out kinks before assembly line production starts at a factory. Ford chooses to build the Maverick at its plant in Hermosillo, Mexico.

Check out the details of the latest Ford Maverick via our online shopping tool.

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