“It’s going to be a game changer” and “twice as cool as I thought it would be” are two of the comments coming from U.S. dealers, and who could blame them? A rectangular grille with BRONCO lettering, round headlights, removable hardtop and doors, there’s a lot to like about the mid-size SUV from Wayne, Michigan.
To be manufactured at the same plant where Ford makes the 2019 Ranger for the United States and Canada, the Bronco features a spare wheel on the tailgate and square-ish styling. Chevrolet came out with the all-new Blazer for the 2019 model year, but the Camaro-infused design has nothing to do with the C/K pickup-based utility vehicle that was replaced by the Tahoe.
It’s interesting that Ford didn’t go with the CD6 platform of the Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, but on the other hand, do you want solid axles from Dana or not? If you’re into off-roading and the like, the answer is obvious enough. It remains to be seen, however, if the leaf springs of the Ranger will be retained by the Bronco as well.
Even though Ford has no plans to sell the Bronco in Australia, there’s a possibility the newcomer will be available in Europe for a premium. This has always been the case with the Edge mid-size crossover, which is expected to be replaced by a seven-seat version of the Kuga (that’s European for Escape in the United States of America).
As we wait patiently for Ford to take the veil off, the Bronco is rumored to come with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 from the Edge ST (335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque) and an interesting transmission option. More to the point, the 7MTI550 from Getrag – also known as MT-88 – would bring seven forward ratios and a three-pedal setup to the Bronco.
