Ford’s adventurous rival to the Jeep Wrangler, the Bronco, crawls into the 2026 model year with the same rugged look and off-road attitude that make it so beloved. With numerous on and off-road trims, removable doors/roofs, and both four and two-door options, the Bronco can fit into any niche snugly.
Key Takeaways:
- The 2026 Ford Bronco starts at $42,000.
- The new Ford Bronco offers a wide range of customization and removable parts so that you can customize your perfect vehicle.
- The Raptor trim is a whole new class of off-road power that has been introduced this year.
Will the 2026 Bronco Have New Features?
The 2026 Bronco comes with an assortment of new features. Most notably, a new Bronco 60th anniversary trim, celebrating the classic heritage of the Bronco with a stylish red finish, ebony leather seats, and 60th anniversary badging through the interior and exterior of the Bronco. The Thai trim comes with all the off-roading tech on the Outer Banks trim. All Bronco models also now come with a grip handle on the A-pillar.
What makes the Ford Bronco an Ideal Off-road Vehicle?
The Raptor has great clearance and a wide assortment of available off-road options, like electronically locking differentials, standard 4WD selectors, capable 35-inch mud tires, and many more. It shares many of the off-road stylings that are popular among similar cars, but without the sacrifices those cars make to comfort and performance. Capable V4 and V6 engines make 300 and 330hp, respectively. The standard Bronco is already a capable off-roader, and it only becomes more so with additional off-road capabilities.
But all of this comes before mentioning some of the upgrades found on the best off-road trim the Bronco has to offer: The Raptor.
The “Braptor,” as it’s affectionately known, has a 418hp V6 engine, Fox suspension systems, 37-inch tires, and skidplates over the entire underside. It can handle bumps, shocks, and rough terrain with the refined ease and fun only a true offroader can deliver. While it is expensive, few cars can compete with the sheer off-road chops a Braptor can bring to the table.
Is the Ford Bronco more expensive than the Jeep Wrangler?
The Bronco’s main competition in the off-road SUV space, the Jeep Wrangler, comes in at a lower starting MSRP due to its smaller complement of standard tech.
A big factor of this is in Ford’s CoPilot 360 suite of safety features standard across all trims of the Bronco, which the Wrangler lacks. Similarly, the Bronco has a more refined on-road presence across the board, making for a much more controlled daily driver than a Jeep.
Will the 2026 Bronco have a bigger screen?
The Bronco received a 12-inch touchscreen for the 2024 model year, which was a lead from the older 8-inch screen of pre-2024 models.
Is the 2026 Bronco quieter?
The 2025 Bronco got better noise-dampening material over older iterations. The thicker padding reduced the highway noise some Bronco drivers criticized.
These two recent upgrades on the weak points of the older Bronco demonstrate Ford’s commitment to the Bronco as a platform, and are only a handful of the total upgrades the Bronco’s interior has received in recent years.
Some other recent upgrades include: an optional 12-speaker B&O premium sound system, heated steering wheels standard on higher trims, ambient Footwell lighting, a new 12-inch digital instrument cluster, etc.
Is the 2026 Ford Bronco a Good Off-Roading Vehicle?
For a tough off-roader or a daily driver, the Bronco can handle it all. It brings the ruggedness and off-road prowess without sacrificing the refinement that so many other off-roaders lack. And with so many options to customize one, there’s a Bronco to suit your tastes — whatever they may be.
From fun style open-top-no-doors cruising, serious off-road trail plowing, and simple day-to-day driving, there’s nowhere a Bronco can’t bring you.
If you’re interested in trying out the Bronco for yourself, come down to Jarrett-Gordon Ford Davenport today for a test drive.