Some owners aren’t looking for that; they’re looking for something as practical as an everyday crossover, but with the ability to carry materials, equipment and tools for their weekend projects. Some also want to have their trucks jury-rigged to meet their needs, rather than paying for expensive aftermarket parts or OEM packages. That’s where the Ford Maverick comes into the picture. It’s the perfect truck for DIY enthusiasts in 2025, and here’s how.
The Maverick is built for all types of do-it-yourselfers
The Ford Maverick ticks all the boxes for DIY enthusiasts of all types, from project car owners to those building their own patios on the weekend. It’s designed to be a practical pickup that you can use every day, while still being able to carry most of what you’ll ever need for your weekend projects. In addition, the hybrid powertrain consumes fuel, while its smaller dimensions should make it easy to live with in urban spaces. It’s essentially a crossover SUV with a bed in the back, perfect for DIYers, but not for commercial use.
Versatile bed with FLEXBED and pre-wired sockets
The pickup takes this DIY approach one step further as you can easily customize it yourself without having to spend money on aftermarket accessories. Take the FLEXBED system, which allows you to customize the bed for carrying your dirt bike, strapping down gear, hauling wood or powering electrical accessories for camping. The bed is also wired for DIY accessories, complete with pigtail connections, eliminating the need to tinker with the original wiring harness.
Ford encourages DIY mods
Ford is also encouraging DIY modifications to the truck through its Hack Your Maverick video series, which shows you how to add bed rail lights, install an air compressor or build a bike rack for $45. Meanwhile, the cab features the Ford Integrated Tether System (FITS), a series of slots designed for accessories. Ford also offers CAD files and manuals for 3D printed FITS accessories. Essentially, with the Maverick you are assured of DIY projects in and around the truck, but also outside of it.
It is a commercial vehicle that you can actually drive every day
Do-it-yourself is a lifestyle, and the Maverick promises to support this without the drawbacks of a half-ton truck. It is built on a unibody platform, with the same basic structure as the Escape or Bronco Sport. So, unlike the body-on-frame F-Series trucks, the Maverick should drive like a crossover, not a fat half-ton truck. Think of light steering, good visibility and smoother driving. Plus, it’s small enough to fit in most suburban and urban garages while being relatively easier to park than a full-size truck.
Decent everyday power and modern features we’ve come to expect
Adding to the functionality are the engine options: a base 2.5-liter hybrid with 191 horsepower, which delivers (estimated) 37 miles per gallon, and a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine with 250 horsepower. It also has a host of modern features, including SYNC 4 with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and Co-Pilot360 Driver-Assist, with adaptive cruise control, speed sign recognition, intersection assist and evasive steering assist. Higher trims offer features such as Intelligent Access, a 360-degree camera, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, a wireless charging pad and skid plates.
DIY-friendly utility with a 4-foot bed and 1,500-pound payload
The Maverick combines this practicality for everyday use with plenty of DIY-friendly functionality. The 5-foot bed has a load capacity of 1,500 pounds, which is more than enough for most DIY projects. The standard model has a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds, which increases to 4,000 pounds with the available 4K towing package and AWD. This makes the Maverick a great lifestyle truck, made for the real world. With a base price of under $30,000, you’ll wonder why you’d ever need anything bigger for most non-commercial use.
Innovative, versatile truck bed with FLEXBED system
The FLEXBED is another standout feature of the Maverick, apart from its SUV-like functionality. This system allows you to adjust the bed the way you want. For example, it has more slots than you’ll find in most pickups, including slots for wood that let you create racks or room dividers using nothing but 2×4 or 2×6 planks. You also get multiple mounting options and a tailgate that can be locked in three positions by simply moving the support cables.
Ford even goes so far as to teach you how to make your own mods
As part of the Hack Your Maverick series, Ford has a few videos on how to get started making the bed. One video shows how to build a bike rack for under $45, which is significantly cheaper than buying an aftermarket rack that costs hundreds of dollars. Another video shows how to make a homemade side rail to tie down cargo and keep the bed organized. This pickup allows you to haul tools, create temporary shelves, and transport a dirt bike, all without expensive aftermarket equipment. The system adapts to your needs.
The bed can hold 18 full sheets of half-inch plywood or 16 bags of mulch
The bed is also very functional in a traditional sense. With 33 cubic feet of space within the side walls and tailgate, Ford says this is enough for 16 standard bags of mulch. The bed is also wide enough to accommodate a standard piece of plywood. The folding height of 30.4 inches, lower than that of a standard kitchen countertop, should also make it easier to load your cargo into it. Ford also designed the sidewalls to be low enough that five-foot owners can reach into the bed without climbing over the truck.
Pre-wired for DIY accessories
While still technically part of the FLEXBED, the pre-wired e-DIY system deserves its own mention because of what it promises. It features two 12-volt power sources on the back, good for 20 amps each, with two-pin connectors hidden behind a blank plate, which connect to the included pigtail connector, which can be soldered to any 12-volt accessory. This will save you the hassle of running a wire from the cigarette lighter socket on the dash to the rear or messing with the truck’s original wiring harness, which is a recipe for electrical gremlins. A 110-volt/400-watt power outlet is also available, allowing you to charge devices or power a drill or air pump.
Easy to follow guides for installing electrical accessories
Ford also has a number of DIY guides for this system that will walk you through two typical installation scenarios. It teaches you how to connect bedside lighting with LED lights and also shows you how to install a small air compressor in the bedside table using the second e-DIY socket. The videos are surprisingly thorough and easy to follow, covering everything from soldering the accessories to a note on disconnecting the battery before you start. This can go a long way in encouraging new DIYers to customize their Maverick to suit their needs.
The DIY friendliness also extends into the cabin
With the Maverick’s DIY friendliness in terms of lifestyle and bed use, we next move to the cabin. The highlight here is the Integrated Tether System (FITS), which features eight mounting slots that are compatible with a variety of Ford accessories.
Another area where the Maverick excels is versatility. The interior is packed with blocks (yes, that’s a technical term) with more nooks and crannies than a loaf of sourdough.
– Craig Cole, TopSpeed journalist
You can also scan a QR code on the bed to access CAD files and videos showing how to 3D print your own accessories for these boxes, including bins, storage dividers and cup holders. Scroll through the online ownership forums and you’ll also see many owners’ creative takes on this system, including an iPad holder, a CB radio holder and even a small container for sauce.
The Maverick is built for do-it-yourselfers
The Maverick isn’t doing anything revolutionary here. Jeep Wrangler has offered a similarly DIY-friendly approach for years, and it’s not like pickup truck owners are strangers to DIY mods. Some of the best MacGyver mods ever are found on pickup workhorses! Instead, the Maverick gives owners a practical option that suits the DIY lifestyle while being very DIY-friendly to customize. And now that the slightly cheaper 2026 model year is just around the corner, this compact pickup becomes even more tempting for do-it-yourself enthusiasts.
Sources: Ford, Reddit (/rFordMaverickTruck), CarBuzz, EPA
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