In the extended continuum of pickup trucks, there’s now a choice and a price point for everyone, though the latter is usually a tall number nowadays. Today, an interesting but admittedly niche version of the Ford Maverick compact truck, plus an off-road package that helps better outfit the Toyota Tundra, at an arguably reasonable price. 

In the case of the stylish Lobo Maverick, my first instinct when seeking gratification in a lowered, blacked-out mini-truck was to point the exact opposite direction from Summit County and instead take a long drive to Fort Morgan.

Maybe there was something about this speedy, 250-hp all-wheel-drive machine, its non-mountain-adventure looks and its surprisingly capable cruising power that said “farming town Saturday morning festival.”

It’s certainly not going to be the first choice for those of you about to contend with seven months of snowy passes and barely-plowed side streets, as the Lobo edition’s ride has been dropped a half inch up front and over an inch in the back, giving it a passable but more performance-oriented 7.4 inches.

A day into it, and the discovery of a “Lobo” performance mode that lit up the screen, buzzed the exhaust a bit and turned off the traction control — a definite anti-mountain-truck move — it dawned on me that the Lobo edition is what we in North America get, instead of cool, high-performance cars like the late Focus RS or even the perverse Fiesta ST.

That explains its curiously curated mix of components, from the actual European Focus ST’s front brakes to the Bronco Sport’s twin-clutch rear differential and suspension tuning from the domestic racing division, not to mention the very classic Porsche 911-look solid 19-inch wheels. Also, the Maverick’s regular eight-speed transmission loses a gear here to allow more solid and speedy takeoffs.

If all of that, especially the boosted 2.0-liter/30-highway-mpg turbo, strikes you as more a Southern California “cones in the parking lot” autocrosser/cruiser’s dream, complete with a small bed for carrying stickier drifting tires, then yes, you’d be right.

In our world, it was as small-vehicle comfortable as its non-Lobo variations, and certainly less bonky overall than the perhaps too-well-equipped Laramie Tremor off-roader. Like that more winter-friendly rendition, however, these are nearly price-doubling propositions for what is still a very austere and basic, plastic-interiored micro-truck.

Given that the Maverick’s base price is now above $28,000 (the early days suggested that might be closer to $20,000), that’s no longer exactly true, but the higher-end Lobo I drove did indeed come to $42,345. (For reference, a super-simplified Mustang with a 315-hp EcoBoost engine starts at $32,320.)

Mine included a spray-in bedliner, a B&O sound system plus the model’s extra-sparkly blue-speckled seats, blue and yellow highlight stitching, fancy logos and Thin Blue Line air vents.

Like other Mavericks or the related Bronco Sport/Escape, it’s a bit of a stretch to the rotating gear knob on the console, and the futuristic not-exactly-arm-rest door pulls are strange, though they do allow for very large bottles of whatever to be stashed there.

The 13.2-inch screen also takes up a fair amount of dash space but is great for full CarPlay map rendering, and the instrument display is garnished with 1970s sci-fi-inspired gauges. You will never quite adapt to the automated trailer control knob being in the spot where the audio volume knob oughta be; towing capacity is limited to 2,000 pounds, as well.

Meanwhile, in full-sized pickup truck land, the very expansive Toyota Tundra line can also provide options to build a lower model to higher standards, if you’d like the ’80s-inspired looks and more of the full off-road prowess of TRD models.

Second from the bottom in a 10-model lineup, the more austere SR5 Tundra trim ($51,000 as a four-wheel-drive variation) approached $62,500 with the addition of the $8,660 TRD Rally package. While not cheap, it’s a bargain considering the full TRD Pro model retails at $72,565 and the full-blown Capstone edition creeps close to $81,000.

What starts with the mid-output, 389-hp i-Force twin-turbo 3.4-liter V6 and a Crewmax cab is then conspicuously upgraded with a load of rainbow-accented stickers and genuine TRD parts, from 18-inch wheels and medium-duty all-terrain tires to the red TRD starter button. 

The legit bits include Bilstein shocks, an electronically locking rear differential and the full multi-terrain select, crawl and downhill assist functions, plus skid plates. Seats are the weatherproof synthetic SynTex and the cumulative effect generally brightens up what is a somewhat basic model. 

It’s still a solid alternative to Ford, Ram and Chevrolet’s full-sized trucks, with these customized add-ons providing a more solid mix of capability.

Andy Stonehouse’s column “Mountain Wheels” publishes Saturdays in the Summit Daily News. Stonehouse has worked as an editor and writer in Colorado since 1998, focusing on automotive coverage since 2004. He lives in Golden. Contact him at summitmountainwheels@gmail.com.