Long term test cars

We now have more than 6,000 miles on our Model Y, so let’s review the farthest we’ve driven without plugging in.

With experience gained from buying a cheaper bed cover for our Ford F-150, we splurged for a more expensive bed cover for our long-term 2022 Ford Maverick Lariat hybrid.

Ford marketed the Maverick as a thrifty fuel-sipper; has its real-world fuel economy lined up with that? Find out what we’re getting so far with our long-term test truck.

The 2022 Ford Maverick compact pickup truck emphasizes and enables owner upgradability, complete with DIY plans and videos to install bed-rail lighting and an air compressor — so we figured we’d give this project a try ourselves with our own Maverick.

We’ve got all sorts of special reports on our 2021 F-150 ownership experience, including a few key areas: fuel economy, repairs and editor impressions.

A combination of dogged efforts and sheer luck landed us a well-equipped 2022 Maverick Lariat with the hybrid engine, a combination that’s been sold out for new orders since late last year.

The Tesla Model Y’s latest software, Version 11.0, launched in late December with new features and a revamped user interface.

Most Tesla updates come through over-the-air software changes, but the notably lacking wireless phone charger was improved through a hardware change on the 2021 Model Y we just bought.

Our Tesla Model Y had to return to a Tesla service center for paint repair and inspection of a few issues, but we didn’t find a car with severely misaligned body panels or detached second-row seat cushions.

A 355-mile trip in our Tesla Model Y resulted in a flat tire and more charging stops than anticipated due to weather, passengers, cargo and highway speeds.