2026 Ford Bronco

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.

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.

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.

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.