Twinned with the Ford Escape, the Bronco's unibody sibling is due a mid-cycle refresh in 2024 for the 2025 model year. As per the press release for the Ford Motor Company's Q3 2023 results, the Bronco lineup will be extended together with that of the Maverick.
What kind of newcomers are in the offing? In the Maverick's case, a hybrid with all-wheel drive or a performance-oriented version are the main candidates. Regarding the Bronco, one could argue for a plug-in hybrid in the same vein as the Ranger PHEV for markets outside of the United States. The Bronco Sport, on the other hand, could use a hybrid.
The Ford Motor Company already offers hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Escape, meaning that it would be relatively straightforward to adapt said powertrains for the off-road crossover. The spy photographers, however, still haven't caught any Bronco Sport prototype with high-voltage stickers.
Be that as it may, the carparazzi did snap a few pics of the interior, which is dominated by a landscape-oriented touchscreen infotainment system. SYNC 4 would be a tremendous upgrade from the outgoing version, and from the looks of it, said touchscreen infotainment system appears to be running SYNC 4.
This, however, means that certain physical controls will be deleted in favor of touch controls. From the pictures uploaded in the gallery, it's easy to see that the lower part of the screen is full of air conditioning and heating controls. A different prototype sports video cameras on all sides, including side mirror cap-mounted cameras. In other words, the Bronco Sport will get a 360-degree camera system for 2025.
Photo: Baldauf
The prototype with said camera system appears to be an off-road trim, although it's not certain whether that grade is the Badlands. Equipped with black-painted wheels and Wrangler Territory rough-terrain rubber from Goodyear, the off-road specification does look immensely capable off the beaten path. For a compact-sized crossover, that is. After all, the Ranger-based Bronco is the more capable vehicle.
Further expected with minor stylistic updates fore and aft, the 2025 Ford Bronco Sport may also switch to a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster à la the facelifted Escape. Other than that, it's unlikely for the Bronco Sport to receive the plug-in hybrid setup of the Escape PHEV. The self-charging hybrid is a much better fit, especially in terms of curb weight.
Listed as a 2024 model since July 2023, the Bronco Sport is available in five trim levels. The Base was dropped for 2024, leaving the $31,230 Big Bend as the most affordable specification of the bunch. Higher up the spectrum, there's the $33,700 Heritage, $33,730 Free Wheeling, $35,915 Outer Banks, and the more powerful and capable $38,390 Badlands.
Gifted with Advanced 4x4 comprising a twin-clutch rear drive unit supplied by GKN, the Badlands further sweetens the deal with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost of the Maverick as opposed to the three-cylinder 1.5 that nobody actually likes, especially in a vehicle advertised as being proficient off the beaten path.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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