There's no question that Ford is trying to reach the hearts of traditional pickup buyers with its new compact Maverick. Compared to the snazzy styling of the Hyundai Santa Cruz the Maverick's blocky shape is pure truck, and extras like the FX4 Off-Road Package further push the traditional truck narrative. Now, we have another common truck item that Ford appears to be testing for the Maverick.

Pickup toppers have been around for decades, and this short video from 80sAirwaves on YouTube shows one on the back of a Maverick XLT. We have no context for the video, which is really just a compilation of three photos showing the truck from the driver's side. We can't even say for certain whether this is a Ford-produced cap or something aftermarket, but with the Maverick's specific bed size we can say it isn't a generic topper.

Gallery: 2022 Ford Maverick

We can also say it looks a bit odd, if we're honest. The entire cap sits just a bit higher than the roof, and the sides are nearly all window. It certainly doesn't look terrible, and plenty of standard pickup toppers sit higher than the cab. We understand the reasoning here as well, creating more interior cargo space for the Maverick's short 4.5-foot bed. This cap just looks a bit awkward to our eyes.

The Maverick won't reach dealerships until fall, but Ford already offers all kinds of bed accessories through the official Maverick configurator. There are multiple options for hard and soft tonneau covers, bed liners, bed lights, tool boxes, dividers, and more. It's one area where the Maverick clearly dominates the Santa Cruz, which has a slightly smaller bed that gives up even more space when fitted with the optional tonneau cover. However, perusing the Maverick configurator we don't see any mention of a full-on bed topper. At least, not yet.

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Will compact truck buyers be interested in a topper? It will be interesting to see how the market shakes out between the conservatively styled Maverick and the very non-traditional Santa Cruz in that regard. 

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