10 Things To Know Before Buying A Ford Bronco (New Or Used)

Since its reintroduction at the start of the decade, the Ford Bronco has proven to be a hit with buyers. Initially, demand for the SUV exceeded supply, as issues with the supply chain restricted the amount of examples that Ford could produce. Those issues have since been resolved, and according to CarFigures data, the Blue Oval sold around 116,000 examples of the Bronco in 2024. The arrival of the 2025 model year has seen further tweaks made to the popular model, with several minor updates aiming to boost its appeal as a daily driver.

Make no mistake, the Bronco isn't a particularly practical SUV to drive on the road, especially in its off-road focused trims. Its massive tires, boxy design, and all-terrain suspension lead to a driving experience significantly different from most road-focused SUVs, but that's all part of its appeal. That charm has already won over scores of buyers, and if you're looking to purchase a new or used example for yourself, there are a few things worth knowing before you head to a dealership.

For the 2025 model year, the Bronco starts at a little over $40,000 once Ford's compulsory fees are taken into account. The entry-level Base trim starts at $37,995, but once the $1,895 destination fee and $695 acquisition fee are added, the net price starts from $40,585. A few thousand dollars extra gets buyers the Big Bend trim, which starts from $40,370, excluding fees. A new Freewheeling Edition appearance package is available for the Big Bend trim for 2025, while the previously available Black Diamond trim has been turned into a package.

The next step up in the range is the $47,940 Outer Banks trim, followed by the $49,475 Heritage Edition we reviewed in 2024. The Badlands trim offers a suite of additional off-road equipment for a starting price of $50,095 excluding fees, while those with extra cash to splash could opt for the $75,635 Stroppe Edition, which further leans into the Bronco's already retro styling with a unique paint scheme and racing-inspired trim. The Bronco Raptor sits at the top of the Bronco tree, starting from $90,035, excluding fees.

In addition to tweaking its trim range, the 2025 Ford Bronco reveal let us know that Ford has made some changes to the standard and available equipment for 2025. The latest model sees the previous 8-inch instrument panel and traditional speedometer replaced by a new, all-digital 12-inch panel. The all-digital panel had previously been offered on the Bronco Raptor, but Ford has made it standard for all 2025 Bronco trims. The 12-inch infotainment screen from previous model years remains unchanged.

Other changes include additional cabin sound deadening, a revised optional Bang & Olufsen audio system, extra cabin lighting, and a set of A/C vents for rear passengers. A wider variety of exterior color options are available, too, thanks to the new optional Matte Clear Film, which can be paired with all Bronco paint schemes. It adds a matte look to the paint and helps shield it from the chips and scratches that inevitably accumulate over time while driving.

The range of engine options available to Bronco buyers depends on which trim they pick, with the lowest trims only available with a 2.3L EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. From the Heritage Edition upwards, buyers can pick from a choice of either the base four-cylinder or a more potent 2.7L EcoBoost V6 engine. The Stroppe Edition is available with the V6 as standard, while the top-spec Bronco Raptor receives a separate 3.0L EcoBoost V6 to differentiate itself from lesser variants. Most Bronco trims can be optioned with either a seven-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic transmission, but the Raptor is only available with the auto gearbox.

Power varies considerably between the three engines on offer, with the Bronco Raptor's 3.0L V6 churning out 418 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque. The 2.7L V6 found in the main Bronco range makes 330 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque, while the base 2.3L four-cylinder offers a still-respectable 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque. All three engines will require premium fuel to reach those peak outputs. A maximum tow rating of 3,500 lb applies to both the 2.3L four-cylinder and the 2.7L V6, while the 3.0L V6 in the Bronco Raptor boosts that maximum capacity to 4,500 lb.

Buyers shouldn't expect the Bronco to be particularly efficient regardless of which powertrain option they pick. According to the EPA, the least gas-guzzling option is the 2.3L four-cylinder engine, which achieves a combined 20 mpg. The 2.7L V6 is officially claimed to be able to manage the same combined mpg figure, but our real-world testing of the V6-equipped Bronco Heritage Edition returned an average of 16 to 17 mpg.

With its larger V6 engine and beefy all-terrain tires, the Bronco Raptor is predictably the worst performer. It's officially claimed to average 15 mpg combined, and anyone looking to make full use of its all-terrain talents probably won't even see that. It's an exceptionally low figure, particularly for a six-cylinder engine. For context, even the larger F-150 Raptor, which boasts a more powerful 3.5L V6 engine, averages a marginally higher 16 mpg combined.

Fuel efficiency isn't one of the Bronco's strongest suits, and neither is its everyday driveability. After our experience developing a Ford Bronco review shortly after its relaunch, we came away impressed by its mix of modern tech and retro design but found its on-road driving manners far from exemplary. Sure, the Bronco wasn't as rudimentary as a Jeep Wrangler, but its off-road tires and pliant suspension meant that it couldn't hustle on the asphalt in the same way as many other modern SUVs.

Its looks undoubtedly come at the cost of on-road refinement but for most people considering a Bronco, that will be a compromise worth making. At least, for drivers planning to spend most of their time on the asphalt, the Bronco's cabin is a step above most of its off-road competition, and the aforementioned tweaks for 2025 should help make it even more appealing than before. Cabin equipment varies by trim, but even the base Bronco is reasonably well equipped, with standard Apple Carplay and Android Auto and USB charging ports available for both the front and rear rows.

Despite Ford's all-American heritage, not all of its current models are made in the U.S. The Bronco Sport and Maverick pickup, for example, are made in Mexico, while the upscale Lincoln Nautilus is imported from China. The Blue Oval does have a factory in China making Broncos for the local market there, but all American market Broncos are built in its Michigan assembly plant. The automaker reportedly invested $750 million to upgrade the plant in preparation for Bronco assembly, safeguarding several thousand jobs in the process.

The same factory produced all previous generations of the Bronco from the '60s to the '90s, with over 1 million examples sold before Ford pulled the plug on the nameplate in 1996. Buyers who spec customization options have their car sent to the nearby Customization Center, previously known as the Wayne Assembly Plant, for final assembly before they're shipped off to dealers.

Virtually all new vehicles depreciate, but thanks to the Bronco's unique charms and its limited availability over its first few years of production, it depreciates less than the average new SUV. According to KBB data, the Bronco should retain about 60% of its original sticker price after five years on the road, which puts it above the market average of 45%. It's also notably above its rivals. The Jeep Wrangler is forecast to retain 52% of its value over the same period, while the Toyota 4Runner should keep 56%.

That value retention means that buyers looking for a new Bronco can feel safe in the knowledge that they won't lose too much money when it's time to upgrade, but it's potentially an issue for buyers looking to score a used example. Unlike the Wrangler and 4Runner, where used buyers on a tighter budget can opt for an older model year, the last model year before the nameplate's reintroduction in 2021 was 1996. So, anyone priced out of a new or lightly used Bronco will have to look in the classic section of the classifieds instead.

The initial idea for a versatile all-terrain vehicle that could also be used for daily driving duties arose in the early '60s, with Ford looking to capitalize on the growing owner base discontent with the on-road handling and performance of their Jeeps and Scouts. After consulting with those owners, Ford launched the Bronco for the 1966 model year, and it quickly became a hit. Its profile was boosted by its racing success at the hands of Bill Stroppe, from whom the modern Stroppe Edition Bronco takes its name.

The first generation Bronco remains the longest-running generation to date, with production continuing through 1977. Today, surviving examples are in high demand with collectors, with prices for the most pristine examples reaching well into six-figure territory. According to data from Classic.com, the average sale price for a first-generation Bronco sits around $81,000, although the cheapest clean, running examples can be bought for around half of that figure.

The original, first-generation Bronco remains the nameplate's defining design for many, and the current sixth-generation Bronco takes significant styling inspiration from it. Later generations are still desirable among collectors, but they sport much lower average resale prices. The second-generation Bronco, made for just two model years between 1978 and 1979, sports an average resale price of around $49,000 as of this writing, according to Classic.com tracking data.

The third generation Bronco arrived in 1980, further improving on-road ride quality and a wider range of upscale options. The fourth generation was launched in 1987, with less boxy proportions and improved powerplants from its predecessor. Both generations remain affordable today, with average resale values of roughly $25,000 and $20,000, respectively. The last generation before the Bronco's discontinuation hit dealerships in 1992 and remained on sale until 1996. According to Classic.com, surviving examples sell for an average of $22,000.

The Bronco is generally a safe bet when it comes to reliability, but some model years are known to be more troublesome than others. As of this writing, the model year with the most complaints logged on the NHTSA's database is the 2022 Bronco, with over 200 complaints on file.

These complaints cover a wide range of issues, from braking problems and engine trouble to electrical gremlins. The model has also been subject to 11 recalls, so anyone looking for a used example should check for evidence that it has had all the relevant remedial work for those recalls carried out.

The 2023 model year is the second most complained about, with just over 150 complaints logged as of this writing. It's worth noting that this is still a low level of complaints overall — for context, several model years of the Jeep Wrangler have over 1,000 complaints on file.