Ford to suspend reservations for Maverick compact pickup

Ford Motor Co. is suspending customer orders for the Maverick, a compact pickup that the automaker had rolled out in June last year, the company confirmed Monday.

Ford told its dealers in a memo that it is suspending customer orders for the Maverick pickup truck because it is already straining to fill a backlog.

The automaker said it will stop taking new orders after Jan. 27 to focus on existing bookings, although customers may still be able to purchase a Maverick at their local Ford dealer.

Ford will resume taking orders for the 2023 Maverick in the summer, the company said in a statement.

The Maverick compact pickup was launched with a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain as standard equipment, a technology choice aimed at keeping the vehicle's starting price below $20,000.

The worldwide shortage of computer chips has left car manufacturers unable to complete assembly of some new vehicles. Suppy-chain and production disruptions have left auto dealers with reduced inventory levels.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the story earlier Monday.