In the automotive world, luxury usually translates to more. More hand-crafted leather, more high-resolution screens, more panoramic roof space, and more social clout. It can also translate to more visits to the gas station.
Although there are affordable and efficient luxury vehicles, there are others that, while they have the torque to pull a mountain, their carbon footprint is the actual size of that mountain. On that expansive touchscreen is a navigation system that plays connect-the-dots with every nearby gas station.
Enter the Ford Maverick, a compact pickup designed for hauling a single houseplant and for easy parallel parking in your living room if the driveway is full. While it might not get the glory like the best-selling F-150, the Maverick outpaces some of the most ultra-luxurious vehicles at the pump, and by a wide margin.
Base Trim Engine
2.0-liter 4-Cylinder EcoBoost
Base Trim Transmission
8-Speed Automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive
The baseline: 2026 Ford Maverick EcoBoost
- Engine: 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (250 horsepower / 280 lb-ft. of torque).
- Transmission: Eight-speed automatic.
- Drivetrain: All-wheel drive.
- Starting MSRP: $28,145 (XL model).
When the Ford Maverick debuted in 2021, America fell in love with the truck that had a bed the size of a Silverado’s glovebox. Trim levels for 2026 include the work-truck-style XL, the off-road-inspired Tremor, and the Lobo, which pays homage to low-rider trucks.
Even if we ignore the thrifty Maverick Hybrid and focus strictly on the gas-only model, the Maverick still manages to make these five luxury icons look like they have a giant hole in their tanks. The list below is ranked by how much more fuel-efficient the Maverick is than each luxury vehicle.
5
BMW M8 Competition
The BMW M8 has more computing power than the Apollo 11 moon lander, but it uses roughly the same amount of fuel to get off the line at a green light.
Classified as a Grand Tourer, the M8 Competition can take you across the country in luxury and style, but you’ll spend more time looking at the local architecture of gas station convenience stores than the actual scenery.
- Powertrain: 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 (617 horsepower / 553 lb-ft. of torque).
- The Math: The Maverick is 52% more fuel-efficient than the M8.
- Price Gap: Starting at around $140,000, the M8 equals roughly five Mavericks.
The M8’s digital dashboard is a masterpiece of light and color, mostly used to display a high-definition warning that you’re low on gas. The Maverick owner, meanwhile, is proud of the time since their last fill-up, which is usually measured in presidential terms.
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4
Audi RS 7 Performance
Sleek, sophisticated, and fast, the RS 7 is an automotive engineering masterpiece. Audi calls the RS 7 a five-door sportback, which has enough cargo space for two mountain bikes. That’s great, because you will need to ride one of those when you run out of gas.
- Powertrain: 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 (621 horsepower / 627 lb-ft. of torque).
- The Math: The Maverick is 62.5% more fuel-efficient than the RS 7.
- Price Gap: At $130,700, the RS 7 costs about the same as 4.6 Mavericks.
The RS 7 needs night vision so you don’t smoke a deer at 100 mph. The Maverick needs a cupholder large enough for a liter of coffee, because you’ll be driving for so long without stopping for gas.
3
Mercedes-AMG G 63
The G-Class has the engine of a serious performance car, but the aerodynamic profile of that second-hand refrigerator in your first apartment.
Built with enough off-road hardware to navigate Mars, yet primarily used to conquer the treacherous terrain of the pilates studio parking lot, the G-Wagon is the ultimate influencer rig: it’s boxy and expensive, but there is no denying it looks its best when standing completely still in front of a mural with a plethora of hashtags.
- Powertrain: 4.0-liter biturbo V8 (585 horsepower / 626 lb-ft.).
- The Math: The Maverick is 73% more fuel-efficient than the Mercedes-AMG G 63.
- Price Gap: With a starting MSRP of $195,000, you’re looking at about seven Mavericks.
The Maverick is for people who have projects to do; the G-Wagon is for people who want to look like they’re the project manager for the entire ZIP code.
What’s Included
M12 impact driver, hammer drill, 3/8-inch ratchet, charger, two batteries
Warranty
5-year warranty on tools, up to 3-year warranty on batteries.
If you’re looking for a great DIY starter kit from Milwaukee, this M12 3-tool combo kit is it. With an impact driver, hammer drill, and 3/8-inch ratchet, along with a 4Ah and 2Ah battery, this kit is a great starting point for projects both at home and on your vehicle.
2
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
The CT5-V Blackwing is arguably GM’s best performance sedan of all time, thanks to a supercharged V8 that produces enough power to restart a cold, dead planet at the furthest reaches of the galaxy.
Unfortunately, that monstrous V8 requires a steady diet of premium fuel. Yes, it’s designed to bend time and space on the Nürburgring, but on a Tuesday afternoon at 5:30, it’s a very expensive way to move 10 feet every 30 minutes on the freeway behind a 2012 Toyota Camry.
- Powertrain: 6.2-liter supercharged V8 (668 horsepower / 569 lb-ft. of torque).
- The Math: The Maverick is 73% more fuel-efficient than the Blackwing.
- Price Gap: V-Series Blackwings start around $100,700, or roughly 3.5 Mavericks.
Every time you blip the throttle with a CT5-V Blackwing, you aren’t just hearing a masterpiece of American engineering; you’re hearing the sound of a $5 dollar bill being fed into a paper shredder.
In all seriousness, however, the CT5-V Blackwing’s sibling, the CT4-V Blackwing, isn’t always as popular as other sporty sedans, which makes it feel a little more special.
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1
Rolls-Royce Cullinan
If you want to spend “house in the suburbs” money on an SUV, the Cullinan is the gold standard. It features a 6.7-liter V12 that is so quiet you can hear your own heartbeat, which is good because your heart will likely skip a beat after seeing the fuel gauge drop faster than grandma’s bank account in a Vegas gift shop.
- Powertrain: 6.7-liter twin-turbo V12 (563 horsepower / 627 lb-ft. of torque).
- The Math: The Maverick is 85% more fuel-efficient than the Cullinan.
- Price Gap: You could buy 15 Mavericks for the price of one Cullinan ($432,350).
The only difference here is that while the Maverick says, “I have a weekend project,” driving a Cullinan says, “I’m the CEO of the home improvement franchise that sells the mulch you’re hauling.”
The luxury of time
The Ford Maverick isn’t trying to win a drag race against an Audi RS 7 or BMW M8 Competition, and it certainly doesn’t offer the status and clout of a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Nor can it match the muscle of an American hot-rod like the CT5-V Blackwing, or the off-road chops of the G-Wagon.
However, in a world where gas prices only ever seem to go up, there is a specific type of luxury the Maverick offers: the luxury of time between fill-ups.
