If you wanted a midsize truck 10 years ago, your choices included an aging Toyota Tacoma or an even older Nissan Frontier ...

Great mileage, a pragmatic size, and an affordable sticker all explain why, even loaded, the Maverick is a hot seller.

The Maverick’s 1,500-pound payload capacity — fuel, passengers and bed weight combined — edges out the Santa Cruz’s rating of 1,411 pounds, and the Ford’s slightly longer bed improves ...