2026 Ford Bronco

Name: 2026 Ford Bronco
Brand: Ford

Release Date: Late 2025

Estimated Price: Starting around $41,000

The 2026 Ford Bronco offers world-class off-road capability and adventuring potential. A dizzying array of configurations and options means you can also tailor a Bronco to your taste. As you might expect from its boxy shape and big tires, poor fuel economy and wind noise come with the territory.Read full review

Contact your local dealers about upcoming availability and pricing details.

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2026 Ford Bronco Review

Pros

Impressive all-terrain capability
Pleasant on-road steering and comfort
Helpful tech features for off-roading
Offers extraordinary level of customization

Cons

Lots of wind noise at highway speeds
Lackluster fuel economy

What's new

The Bronco could be due for a refresh
Part of the sixth Bronco generation introduced for 2021

Overview

Written by automotive expert Dan Frio

9/4/2025

It feels like only yesterday that Ford brought the Bronco back into our lives. In reality, it's been five whole years (they grow up so fast!), and by typical vehicle lifespan standards, the Bronco is overdue for a refresh. That sets up 2026 as (potentially) a big year for the capable off-roader. The Bronco is Ford's boxy Jeep Wrangler competitor, with seating for five and available in a dizzying array of trims ranging from pavement-pounder to a true lord of the trail.

Edmunds spotlight: About as capable as they come

Whether you picture off-roading as driving down a dusty road or crawling over massive boulders, there's a Bronco for you. Ford offers enough options, whether through hardware or accessories, to tackle just about anything you'd hope to do off-road. The base Bronco, known as the Big Bend, will happily take you down fire roads and get you to your rural campsite. But if you crave a more adventurous experience, you can opt for the Sasquatch package, which includes very impressive off-road hardware. There's also the Bronco Raptor, which is perfect for simulating your very own Baja 500 experience.

Competitors to consider

The Jeep Wrangler is the Bronco's most natural competitor. There's also the Jeep Gladiator, which is basically a Wrangler with a pickup bed. There's also the Toyota 4Runner, which was fully redesigned for 2025. And if your budget is a little healthier and you want something with a little more finesse, operators are standing by to take your Land Cruiser order.

What’s it like to live with?

Edmunds bought a 2021 Ford Bronco First Edition to find out what owning a rebooted new-generation Bronco would be like. We drove it for 40,000 miles, loved its personality and capability, but didn't love its rough-edged daily driving. You can read our full experience here. While Ford has made some changes since 2021, most of our observations still apply to the 2025 Bronco.

Edmunds Expert Rating

edmunds TESTED

Driven, tested, rated by automotive expert Cameron Rogers

Average

5.7

out of 10

We drove the Ford Bronco on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.

Driving experience

6.3/10

How does the Ford Bronco drive? Whether you stick with the turbo four-cylinder or opt for the turbo V6, the Bronco has sufficient and smooth power for daily driving with a quick-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission. Edmunds achieved 0-60 mph acceleration ranging from 8.4 seconds (four-cylinder with a manual and four doors) to 7 seconds (V6 with an auto and two doors) in our independent testing.

Jumping hard on the brakes produces plenty of nosedive — normal for off-road SUVs — though emergency stopping distances were very long. From 60 mph, a panic stop took 146 feet — we typically see that kind of distance with heavy-duty trucks. The distances are partially due to our car's all-terrain tires, but other Broncos we've tested with less aggressive rubber weren't much better.

The real star is the steering. Thanks to an independent front suspension, the Bronco's steering wheel relays confidence and stability to its driver at freeway speeds. A truck-based construction means its ride is a bit firmer and bouncier than other SUVs, but it's not enough to make you want to drive it any less.

Outward visibility is pretty good all around, but the massive rearview camera display is phenomenal. It takes up the entire touchscren and is crystal-clear.

Comfort

5.4/10

How comfortable is the Ford Bronco? While far from a luxury vehicle, the Bronco is more comfortable on the road than an equivalent Jeep Wrangler, its most direct competitor. The Bronco's seats feature better support and enough adjustments to reduce fatigue on long freeway drives. Both vehicles have a good amount of space in the front and back, though the Bronco feels roomier, and it doesn't force you into a bolt upright driving position like the Wrangler.

The climate system allows you to adjust the intensity of the auto setting, and the available heated front seats work extremely fast, which is excellent if you've got the doors off on a cold day. The removable hardtop lets in a significant amount of wind noise at pretty much any speed, dragging down the Bronco's score in this category. There were also several rattles and vibrations during our off-road testing, almost like the hardtop panels didn't fit together properly.

Want to bring the kid(s) along on your adventures? The Bronco's spacious second row means you can fit a rear-facing child seat without needing to negotiate for room with the front passenger.

In-cabin tech

7.6/10

How’s the tech? The Sync 4 system is starting to show its age. It takes a little while to load the software initially, and you'll notice some lag as you cycle through menus. But the menu structure is easy to navigate, which helps out a lot. Speaking of navigation, this system is very easy to use, and I love that "Include 4x4 roads" is a selectable option when planning a route. It really shows that Ford put thought into how its drivers will use the system.

It's not the most high-tech vehicle on the road, but the Bronco isn't a Luddite either. It has six USB ports plus standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There's also a smartphone app with unique off-road trail maps. A wireless charging pad and digital key are not offered.

Storage & cargo

4.5/10

How’s storage and cargo? The Bronco's bigger size compared to the Wrangler translates into a larger interior with more cargo space. The Bronco's rear swing gate opens to the passenger side and stays in place thanks to a strut. On hardtop models, the rear glass folds up easily, but the soft top doesn't open as far and needs a prop rod to stay up. Interior storage options are adequate, with an appropriate number of cupholders and spaces for personal items. Most versions of the Bronco tow up to 3,500 pounds (the only outlier is the Raptor, which is rated to pull 4,500 pounds). That's enough for a small trailer but ultimately less than what the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota 4Runner — and even crossover rivals like the VW Atlas Cross Sport and Honda Passport — can pull.

Value

6.1/10

Is the Ford Bronco a good value? Some people might be disappointed with a few cheap-looking interior materials in the Bronco, especially in higher-end models, but others may see the benefit to long-term durability when the interior is exposed to the elements. The Bronco delivers off-road hardware more broadly through its pricing spectrum than the Jeep Wrangler, providing greater access for shoppers at different budgets. It also opens access to serious off-road performance at a much lower price point than the Toyota 4Runner. Warranty coverage is average for the segment.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

MPG

3/10

How’s the fuel economy? All non-Raptor Broncos are rated between 18 and 20 mpg in the EPA's combined cycle, with variances due to the powertrain and wheel and tire package on the vehicle. Because there's no equivalent to the Wrangler 4xe plug-in, no matter which Bronco you get, you'll run up quite the fuel bill. We owned a turbocharged V6-powered 2021 Bronco First Edition for several years, and it averaged 16.4 mpg over the course of 40,000-plus miles. A similarly lengthy ownership test of a V6 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon yielded a 17.5 mpg average over 50,000-plus miles.

X factor

10/10

The Bronco's charisma is off the charts. Just seeing one — especially if you opt for one of the many retro styling packages — makes you smile. But the Bronco isn't just a looker; it offers praiseworthy capability and character in equal measure. As with the Wrangler, removing the Bronco's roof and doors makes for a highly enjoyable driving experience, but the Bronco has more on-road appeal with its superior ride and handling.

The off-road driver aids are helpful not just for rookies, and tools such as the Trail Turn Assist add genuine fun even for seasoned off-roaders. And if getting a manual transmission wasn't a bragging right already, the Bronco does one better by giving you a super high-ratio crawler gear.

2026 Ford Bronco trim level differences

[Editor's note: The following unofficial information is based on last year's Bronco. We expect the 2026 model will have a similar lineup and we'll update this section once we have complete information.] The Ford Bronco is a four-wheel-drive SUV available in six primary trim levels. In order of price, they are: Base, Big Bend, Heritage Edition, Outer Banks, Badlands and Raptor. All Broncos can be kitted out with a long list of options, ranging from appearance and personalization options to different roofs to off-road hardware, wheels and other accessories. Keep reading for what you need to know about the Bronco's most significant standard and optional features.

Which Bronco trim does Edmunds recommend?

Ford hasn't released official information on the 2026 Bronco as of this writing. We'll update our recommendation if anything changes, but based on last year's Bronco, we recommend the Big Bend. It's an entry-level trim, one step up from the base model, but includes features from the Mid package like heated front seats and navigation. The Big Bend also comes with a full-size spare tire — useful if you plan to do any off-roading — and can be upgraded with the more hardcore Sasquatch off-road package.

2026 Ford Bronco video

Toyota 4Runner Trailhunter vs. Ford Bronco vs. Jeep Wrangler | Off-Road Comparison Test

NOTE: This video is about the 2025 Ford Bronco, but since the 2026 Ford Bronco is part of the same generation, our earlier analysis still applies.

As iconic as the Toyota 4Runner is, it’s never quite been able to keep up on the trails with the Ford Bronco or Jeep Wrangler. Has the redesigned 2025 4Runner finally caught up to its rivals? In this comparison test video, Edmunds’ Brian Wong puts all three to the test off-road to find out.