Produced in the United States from April of 1969 to 1977, the Ford Maverick was a mid-size compact car. The Maverick's real wheel drive platform was based on an earlier Ford hit, the 1960 Ford Falcon.

The Falcon's sales slumped during the mid-1960s and a 1966 redesign didn't increase the curb appeal of the sedan to consumers. Ford initially designed the Maverick to replace the Falcon and to fight back against lighter imported cars, such as the Volkswagen Beetle and the new models coming in from Japan at the time. Like the Falcon, the Ford Maverick was aimed at customers who wanted an inexpensive, easy to maintain car. The first two-door Maverick models sold for just $1,995 when launched. 

The Ford Maverick's body consisted of a fastback roof, a long hood and the short deck also seen on the Ford Mustang at the time. Instead of windows that rolled up and down, the Maverick had inexpensive rear-side windows that popped out.

Ford made more than 578,000 Mavericks during its first production year. These early models did not have glove compartments and were only two-door, with the ignition switch in the instrument panel. Models made after September of 1969 had the ignition switch in the steering column to comply with new safety laws. The Maverick would get glove compartments in 1973 and a four-door version was released in 1971. The four-door Maverick had a 109.9-inch wheelbase and windows on the rear doors that rolled down.

Paint choices on the Maverick ranged from the usual to some less common options. Candyapple Red and Brittney Blue were fairly standard, but the Maverick also came in Thanks Vermillion and Anti-Establish Mint.

Ford stopped producing the Maverick in 1977, two years past the previously planned end date of 1975. Ford had originally planned to stop making the Maverick after the 1975 introduction of the Monarch and Granada but kept producing the car for two more years in the United States. 

The Ford Maverick was replaced in the United States by the Mercury Zephyr and the Fairmont in 1978. However, the car was manufactured in Brazil until around 1979.