The Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) announced seven category winners for MAMA’s Favorite Vehicle of 2024 awards. Benna Ford is pleased that MAMA’s Favorite Pickup Truck Award winner went to the Ford Maverick. The Maverick will join the six other category winners as finalists in competing for the overall title of MAMA’s Favorite Vehicle.
What is MAMA?
This is the 33rd year for the Midwest Automotive Media Association, which is composed of 273 automotive journalists and public relations professionals from across the country and Canada. The automotive journalists test drive vehicles individually throughout the year for their own media organizations year, and gather three times a year for three drive events:
- The MAMA Spring Rally
- Chicago Drives Electric
- MAMA’s Favorites Fall Fest
Before this year, MAMA only granted awards for the Family Vehicle of the Year and Luxury Family Vehicle of the Year. This year, the organization expanded its award categories to “recognize the diversity of vehicles available and of interest to the readers, viewers, and listeners of MAMA’s membership base.”
Voting on their category favorites narrowed a field of over 100 eligible models to a few select members in each category. They selected the Maverick and the six other category winners and finalists at the Favorites Fall Fest.
“With more than 100 new, redesigned, or refreshed vehicles MAMA members could drive during 2023, it was time to assess the breadth and depth of product at each event and for the year as a whole,” said Robert Duffer, MAMA President. “You could say MAMA loves all of her vehicles equally, but everyone knows there’s only one MAMA’s Favorite.”
Let no one say MAMA isn’t self-aware of how its acronym reads.
Why the Maverick?
While details weren’t released for the reasoning behind the Maverick’s recognition, it is easy to guess. The Maverick harks back to the small, efficient, and useful vehicles that spurred the small pickup truck market explosion about 45 years ago. It can take on almost any task a homeowner or small service business requires. At the same time, it leaves plenty of room around it in the garage and is easy on the gas credit card. The latter is particularly the case with the hybrid model, which has an EPA city/highway/combined rating of 42 / 33 / 37.
However, unlike those original small trucks, its Escape-derived platform means it drives and feels like a compact SUV. It has two rows of seats and four doors, making it practical as a passenger carrier. It is a best-of-several-worlds vehicle with a straightforward design inside and out that doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t and just happens to be Ford’s most affordable model.
MAMA members will decide which of the seven finalists they will award as MAMA’s Favorite Vehicle of 2024. They will announce the winner on February 8th at the 2024 Chicago Auto Show during a MAMA-hosted breakfast. If the Maverick wins, it will add another trophy to its case, and we at Benna Ford will undoubtedly be pleased and will likely post about it in this blog. But it has already won among pickup trucks, which is what really counts. If a small light-duty pickup truck can fill your hauling and transportation needs, you should visit Benna Ford and explore the Ford Maverick.
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