In a supply constrained world, the Blue Oval has worked hard to offer new variations for the 2023 Ford Maverick that don’t tax the system too much. They may have found a winner in the new Black Appearance Package now available on XLT and Lariat trim grades of the Maverick.
Offering the immensely popular black out look isn’t anything new, but a play that almost all car companies are making on their vehicles now. On the 2023 Ford Maverick, the same strategy we’ve seen before offers a meaner tighter look outside but also answers some of the critics inside.
Starting with the exterior, adding the Black Appearance Package to and XLT changes the silver grille bar to black. The mono look is book ended by the same black lens LED headlamps as the Tremor off-road truck gets. A black Ford oval finishes off the look.
The package also includes black finish on the mirrors and door handles. What we don’t know as of today is whether all these items get a gloss finish or simply the same black grille, mirrors and door handles the XLT already has.
Planting down the look is a gloss black set of 18-inch painted alloy wheels which are essentially the same design optional on the Lariat without the machined face. The finishing touches are a set of darker smoked lenses for its tail lamps and the black Ford oval at the rear.
If you step up to the Lariat with Black Appearance Package, all of the same details are included – including the black mirrors and door handles. At least that is according to both the order guide and the Ford website, you loose the body color mirror skull caps and the door handles.
The interior is where a lot of people who were not all that jazzed about the bright orange accents of the XLT and the copper brown color scheme of the Lariat might really like the Black Appearance Package.
To start with, the background plastics of Navy Pier and the dash and door trims are virtually identical to that of the Maverick XL. Door panels and dash accents are dark silver. Vents, door handles, cubby inserts are all black. Check.
Seating surfaces are black as well. If you opt for the XLT you will get Black Onyx seats in cloth. These are essentially the same seats as the XLT normally gets but upholstery, trim and stitching is all solid black in color.
The Lariat with Black Appearance package is identical to the XLT in colors and trims but instead has black ActiveX vinyl seating instead of the saddle brown. The dash, door, and vent trim is again virtually identical in color and look to that of the XL.
Of note, the XLT on the Ford website as of this video shows black shading on some plastics like the lower dash and center console instead of Navy Pier. If you look at the Lariat, its Navy Pier again. My gut feeling is that this is an anomaly on the Ford website, don’t take that to the bank. It’s most likely all Navy Pier, as the 2022 Maverick build and price application has similar mistakes for some time.
Lastly if you want the Black Appearance Package there are some can not do’s. You can not combine it with the FX4 Off-Road Package and you cannot combine with the Tremor Packages. The latter is because the Tremor almost already has the most of the blacked out items standard, but with orange accents.
