2026 Ford Bronco SUV: Combining urban style with rugged off-road capability

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2026 Ford Bronco: Ford authorities are bringing the Bronco back into our lives. In fact, the Bronco model will be very interesting, as it will present updates based on the usual vehicle age criteria. For off-road enthusiasts, 2026 could be a big year.

Ford’s boxy rival, the Jeep Wrangler, the Bronco, offers five-seat capacity and a bewildering array of trims, from curb-worthy to downright trail-savvy.

There is a wide range of Bronco models for all needs, whether off-road driving on sandy roads or crawling over boulders. Ford provides enough hardware or accessory options to handle almost anything you want to accomplish off-road.

The Ford Bronco Big Bend model will happily take you down the fire road to your backcountry campsite. However, if you want a more exciting experience, you can get the Sasquatch package, which offers excellent off-road hardware. The Bronco Raptor is also perfect for replicating your Baja 500 experience.

2026 Ford Bronco Overview

2026 Ford Bronco Models With two or four doors, a soft top or hardtop, and removable doors and roof panels, the 2026 Ford Bronco SUV is one of the best ways to enjoy the outdoors. Standard is a 300-hphp turbocharged four-cylinder engine; Optional is a 330-hp twin-turbo V-6 in the boisterous Bronco Raptor edition, the six blasting out 418 horsepower.

2026 Ford Bronco

While a seven-speed manual is available with the four-banger, both engines are fitted with a 10-speed automatic. While the base model can certainly handle the trails, more serious adventures require the coveted off-road equipment of the higher-end trims.

Notable options are electronically locking front and rear differentials, bead-lock capable wheels, 35-inch mud-terrain tires, and a sway bar disconnect feature. One of our favorites in the category, the Ford Bronco, will certainly be on our Editors’ Choice list for the coming year.

What’s new:

For 2026, we expect a retro-style Free Wheeling trim to enter the Bronco fleet. Finished off with multi-colored stripes on the sides of the 1970s-inspired body based on the entry-level Big Bend variant. The Sasquatch off-road package on this model consists of high-clearance fender flares, a taller suspension, mud-terrain tires, and upgraded Bilstein shock absorbers.

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2026 Ford Bronco Redesign

2026 Ford Bronco Gets Retro-Inspired Digital Makeover to Spark Mixed Feelings

Do you think the contemporary Ford Bronco might look too modern (d’oh! And disrespect some of its predecessors? But you are not alone; a few rendering participants also started working on design corrections.

The design came to social media as jlord8, the pixel artist behind the bold approach to the next-gen Ford Bronco, has proposed a retro-style off-roader that looks nothing like the actual vehicle. Considering the number of changes, this might be considered a different version.

The first thing you’ll notice when you see this reinvented Ford Bronco is its distinctive body style. It has two doors, redesigned rear quarter panels, a tanktop, special trim on the sides to the rear, and a revamped front fascia. Apart from fresh trim on the front fenders and a new set of rearview mirror casings, the rear appears to have changed.

2026 Ford Bronco

The recommended master rendering selects a dark gray with brown on the top and other exterior components, such as the side trim and wheels, creating contrast in the overall appearance. The rest of the off-road section has a black aesthetic. The Blue Oval company logo is also visible on the wheel center caps and the grille. As sad as it is, this is where the CGI work stops. Looking back will be as amazing as looking inward.

Under the hood, something like this will covet a V8 motor, although we wouldn’t mind a Raptor variant either. The latter will transfer power to four-wheel drive via a ten-speed automatic transmission using a 3.0L V6 engine with 418 horsepower (424 ps/312 kW) on premium fuel.

Assuming the 2026 Ford Bronco Raptor starts at $90,035, minus dealer and destination fees, the same as the 2024 model, a potential retro version of the Bronco would cost more. However, we enjoyed the unofficial changes and believe that, with a few tweaks here and there, you will too.

READ NEXT: 2024 Ford Bronco: Latest Update New Ford Bronco Expert Review

2026 Ford Bronco Black Diamond

First launched as an off-road SUV model in 2021, the Ford Bronco Black Diamond is positioned as an affordable but well-equipped trim level. However, it lives on as the optional Black Diamond Package; the Black Diamond trim level is eliminated with the arrival of the 2026 Ford Bronco as one of countless upgrades and revisions. It wasn’t completely killed.

Otherwise stated, the Black Diamond name now refers to an optional package, not a trim level. Available only on the Ford Bronco Big Bend trim, the Black Diamond Package incorporates most of the same equipment that was previously included on the trim level before the demotion.

2026 Ford Bronco

The Black Diamond-equipped model still has plenty of off-road options to make the stock Bronco even more capable when it hits showrooms, even if it’s not a trim level.

Specifically, the Black Diamond Package, which costs $4,495, consists of the following tools:

  • Advanced 4×4 with Automated On-Demand Engagement
  • Auxiliary Switch with Pre-Run Accessory Cable located in Overhead Console with Front Map Lights
  • Bumpers, Front and Rear – Powder Coated Steel
  • Full Vehicle Steel Bash Plates
  • Interior Grab Handles, Front Row – One on Center Floor Console, Passenger Side
  • LED Fog Lights
  • Rock Rail
  • Rubber Flooring – Washable with drain plug
  • 17 inch Black High Gloss Painted Aluminum
  • LT265/70R17 All Terrain (A/T) tires (32”) and full-size spare tires with TPMS
  • 4.46 Final Drive Ratio with Open Front Differential and Electronic Locking Rear Axle
  • For reference, a 2025 Ford Bronco with the Black Diamond Package costs $47,45,5, including the destination delivery charge (DFC). The 2024 Ford Bronco Black Diamond trim is priced at $45,92,0, including DFC.
  • One of the four trim levels from the 2026 Ford Bronco is the Black Diamond. It also takes on the Wildtrak, Everglades, and Heritage Limited Edition as The Blue Oval simplifies its model line, joining previous models. Still, it’s the only trim level that begs for a redesign as an additional package.

2026 Ford Bronco Interior

The Ford Bronco provides the same open-air opportunities that satisfy outdoor enthusiasts like the Wrangler by leaving the doors and roof panels removed. There are some further advances on the inside of the Ford than on the Jeep. For example, the Bronco’s dashboard shelf on top allows GoPros and cell phones to be placed there.

Additionally, it has frameless doors that are easy to remove. However, the long side windows allow more wind noise into the cabin and can be annoying with the weather. However, the four-door variant with the extended wheelbase has room to accommodate all four doors.

The outside rearview mirror can still be used even if the door is removed because it is attached to the base of the windshield. Optional rubber flooring and marine-grade vinyl upholstery will help protect your cabin from inclement weather. Those who prefer a more elegant setting can opt for leather seating surfaces, but the spacious plastic interior looks cheap on top trims.

The two-door Bronco’s back seat has enough room to comfortably accommodate two people. Although most of the additional length is accumulated in the cargo area, which is 50 percent longer than on the two-door variant, the rear seat on the four-door variant is centrally positioned for a third rear passenger and offers more rear legroom.

Infotainment

Embedded in the center of the Bronco’s dash, Ford’s latest Sync 4 in-dash software powers a 12.0-inch touchscreen. This configuration enables over-the-air updates and wirelessly links to users’ smartphones and the cloud.

Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot are some of this system’s contemporary infotainment tools. Built-in navigation and more powerful B&O sound might also be desirable additions to this unit.

2026 Ford Bronco Engine

Under the hood is a 300-hp 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine or an optional 330-hp 2.7-liter twin-turbo V-6. The seven-speed manual is only compatible with the smaller; A ten-speed automatic transmission is fitted to both gas engines. Unfortunately, neither machine has a live soundtrack.

Every Bronco comes with conventional off-road-style four-wheel drive (the kind you must select manually), and its independent front suspension is more advanced than the Jeep’s front stick axle.

Other interesting options include 35-inch mud terrain tires, bead lock-capable wheels, electronic locking front and rear differentials, and a sway-bar disconnect feature. Based on our initial driving impressions, the Bronco demonstrated excellent highway refinement.

Despite its more precise steering than the Wrangler, the Ford handles better. Of course, with the biggest tires and softest off-road-oriented suspension, there’s a noticeable brake drop, and the body-on-frame architecture isn’t hidden. Even so, the Bronco can pass through quite difficult terrain, n and it’s not a Pony that can do just one trick.

0–60 MPH time

After testing various Bronco variants, the twin-turbo V-6 model showed the fastest acceleration times. The Everglades Class with the turbo automatic takes 7.1 seconds; Wildtrak models using that engine and a 10-speed automatic hit 60 mph in 6.2 seconds.

2026 Ford Bronco Competitors

After testing various Bronco variants, the twin-turbo V-6 model showed the fastest acceleration times. The Everglades Class with the turbo four automatic takes 7.1 seconds; Wildtrak models using that engine and a 10-speed automatic hit 60 mph in 6.2 seconds.

2026 Ford Bronco Payload Capacity

The Ford Bronco can tow a maximum of 3,500 pounds. This figure is equivalent to that of the Jeep Wrangler but lower than that of other competitors, such as the Toyota 4Runner.

2026 Ford Bronco

2026 Ford Bronco MPG

Rated 20 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway, the most frugal version is the four-cylinder Bronco with the automatic transmission. Upgrade to the V-6 variant with fuel, a drop in economy, drop mpg city and highway, and, arge, aggressive tires included in the Sasquatch package.

Running the automatic-equipped Broncos with both engines on the 75 mph fuel economy line, the four-cylinder engine returned 22 mpg, while the V-6 returned 18 mpg. The EPA website has more details on the Bronco’s fuel efficiency.

Security

With a suite of driver-assist technologies,s including parking sensors and automatic high beams, the Bronco also features equipment that simplifies low-speed rock crawling and trail driving. Important safety elements consist of the following:

  • Automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning are available
  • Rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring are available.
  • Lane-keeping and departure aids are available.

2026 Ford Bronco Release Date

  • End of 2025

2026 Ford Bronco Price

  • Estimated Price: Starting around $41,000

Verdict

Even though it has a nice and bold appearance, we hope that with the presence of the 2026 Ford Bronco, it will be a two or four-door adventure car that is truly capable and will answer all the drivers’ needs when using daily transportation. We’ll be back soon with more on the 2026 Ford Bronco, so bookmark our website to stay updated with the latest news, updates, and information on other Ford models.