The 2025 Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport offer two different flavors of all-American freedom. Which is right for you, Ford’s rugged, body-on-frame midsize SUV or its small-but-sporty compact crossover? While one literally puts the wind in your hair, the other combines off-road capabilities with greater comfort. Before you choose, let’s take a closer look at each model.
Key Takeaways
- The body-on-frame Bronco is built to go just about anywhere! Meanwhile, the Bronco Sport feels at home on the average off-road trail.
- While the Bronco prioritizes rugged performance above all else, the Bronco Sport delivers a smooth ride with a splash of off-road adventure.
- These SUVs have lots of features in common, but the Bronco Sport comes standard with more creature comforts!
- Choose the compact Bronco Sport for the most budget-friendly MSRP!
Rugged Capabilities
Is the Bronco Sport just a smaller version of the Bronco? Well, not exactly. With its unibody frame and more efficient performance (up to 30 mpg on the highway), the Bronco Sport offers the best balance of weekend adventure and weekday commuting. But even if the Bronco Sport isn’t as capable as the bigger, body-on-frame Bronco, it’s definitely tuned to hit the trail. Back on the pavement, its sporty suspension sometimes feels a little stiff. But once you get used to the ride, you’ll find this small SUV strikes a friendly compromise between athleticism and ride comfort!
For a Bronco Sport that can go further into the wild than the rest, check out the Badlands trim model. It adds features designed to travel through increasingly difficult terrain, including all-terrain tires and a Rock Crawl drive mode. New for 2025, the Bronco Sport’s Sasquatch package is available to take the Bronco Sport’s off-road performance to new heights.
Then again, to conquer truly wild trails, you need the bigger, stronger Ford Bronco. Not only does this midsize SUV have the right frame for extra-rugged driving, but it also treats you to greater power, more traction-boosting gear, and a fun-loving convertible rooftop (and removable doors)! Four HOSS suspension options are available to help you hit the trail at increasingly greater speeds. And available upgrades — like electronically locking front and rear axles, modified fender flares, and Fox shocks — help you get up and over the obstacles in your path.
Powertrain Options
There are two Bronco Sport engines available, both of which deliver turbocharged power. All but the extra-rugged Badlands trim feature the standard EcoBoost engine, a smooth operator both on-road and off. The top-tier Badlands helps escort you through North Carolina’s rockier trails with its exclusive turbo four-cylinder engine, enhancing your adventures with 250 horses. And this model's upgraded all-wheel drive system, featuring a unique rear differential, really comes in handy when the going gets rough.
2025 Ford Bronco Sport Powertrain Specs
- Big Bend, Heritage, Free Wheeling, Outer Banks: Turbocharged 1.5L three-cylinder engine (181 hp, 190 lb-ft of torque)
- Badlands: Turbo 2.0L four-cylinder engine (250 hp, 277 lb-ft) (Badlands only)
- Eight-speed automatic transmission
- All-wheel drive
As you might expect from Ford’s iconic off-roading SUV, the midsize Bronco’s three engine options deliver more power. For 2025, each powertrain is paired with Bronco specific trim models. Most feature the 300-horsepower EcoBoost engine, delivering a hearty ride at no extra cost. However, the all-new Stroppe Edition and top-of-the-line Raptor are specially designed for high-speed off-roading, treating you to exclusive engine upgrades (along with their own respective lists of performance enhancements).
2025 Ford Bronco Powertrain Specs
- Standard 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder engine (300 hp, 325 lb-ft of torque)
- Stroppe Edition-specific 2.7L turbo V6 (330 hp, 415 lb-ft)
- Raptor-specific 3.0L turbo V6 (418 hp, 440 lb-ft of torque)
- Seven-speed manual transmission
- Optional 10-speed automatic transmission
- Four-wheel drive
Comfort & Convenience
Inside, the Bronco Sport is big on passenger space and seating adjustments, making it easy for you and your besties to get comfortable. Compared to the Bronco, this compact crossover comes standard with more luxuries, including automatic climate control, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and a wireless smartphone charging pad. It even sports the biggest SYNC 4 touchscreen, coming in at 13.2 inches.
And it’s not just the Bronco Sport’s powertrains that come ready for adventure — these compact crossovers come standard with a flip-up rear window and built-in bottle-opener, perfect for picnics and tailgate parties. Behind the rear seats, you can fill 32.5 cubic feet of cargo space with camping supplies and beach gear.
Meanwhile, the bigger Bronco offers extra passenger space, especially from its 4 Door body style. Behind the rear seats, you can stow your overnight bags and sporting equipment in the Bronco’s 20.6 (2 Door models) or 38.2 (4 Door models) cubic feet of cargo space. When it comes to features, the Bronco Base model starts you off with the basics, including a terrain management system, 12-inch SYNC 4 touchscreen, and LED headlamps. With optional packages and higher models, you can enjoy upgrades like leather-trimmed seats and adaptive cruise control.
MSRP
Looking for the best deal on a trail-friendly ride? The 2025 Ford Bronco Sport (from $30,995*) comes at a discount compared to the 2025 Ford Bronco (starting at $38,995*). The Bronco’s higher price speaks to its increasingly rugged frame and performance equipment. But even if the Bronco Sport goes easier on your budget, it still delivers a sporty, all-wheel-drive performance and the longest list of standard comfort features!
*Price as of 6/5/25.
Choose Your Own Adventure
In the end, the Bronco Sport makes more sense for North Carolina drivers who want to explore well-trod mountain trails and take frequent beach vacations. The Bronco is built for outsized adventure, with upgrades available to help you build a best-in-class off-roading SUV. Visit us at Lafayette Ford in Fayetteville, NC, to test-drive the SUV that’s best suited to your adventures!