2017 Ford Bronco – Rumor Has It

A new Bronco has been rumored for a long time now and the peak of those rumors was back in 2015 when everyone thought that the car was going to be released sometime in the middle of the year. Unfortunately, though, Ford dismissed those rumors and said that they were not working on a new Bronco at the moment. While this may seem like a terrible piece of news, it might mean that Ford is actually planning on releasing a 2017 Ford Bronco and even more so when they stated that the new Ranger will come to the US market and it might bring a crossover version of it in the process.

We already know that in Australia and some parts of Asia Ford does have a crossover version of the Ranger with the Everest which is a very capable but slightly expensive crossover. The Bronco might be a version of the Everest and it would make a lot of sense and it would allow Ford to cut costs and bring to the US market a more affordable crossover. This means that the Bronco will certainly use a body-on-frame design and it should be just as capable in off-road as any of its direct competitors such as the Wrangler. The price or release date are still unknown for now but we do expect the new Bronco to hit the market sometime in late 2017 at a price closer to $25,000.

At this price point, the 2017 Ford Bronco should be a very basic crossover meant to get you from A to B in relative comfort and without too much hassle. The base model of the car is expected to be a 2-door version based on a shortened chassis of the Ranger. There will still be enough room for five passengers but the trunk will be quite small. Design wise, the Bronco will likely borrow some of the design cues of the original mixed with Ford’s newest design scheme with their “Edge” grille and slim headlights. While it may sound unusual, the car should be quite interesting and it will certainly become a favorite with ease.

Inside the cabin the Bronco will likely offer basic materials and commodities on the base models and in terms of design most of the dashboard should be carried over from the Ranger. However, this is not really a bad thing considering that the Ranger is one of the better trucks out there and its top end models should be more comfortable and luxurious than a lot of family cars.

Under the hood of the 2017 Ford Bronco, there are likely going to be three different engines which mean it will have one more than its closest competitor, the future Wrangler. The base model is going to offer quite a basic 2.5 liter naturally aspirated inline 4 mills which will only provide around 165 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. This will only get a 6-speed manual and a four-wheel drive system as standard. Further up the range, there will be two different engines priced similarly. For those looking to a petrol mill, Ford will offer a 2.3 liter turbocharged inline 4 EcoBoost with up to 300 horsepower and over 310 lb-ft of torque. This will offer the same level of power and tow capacity and Jeep’s V6 with the added bonus of being more efficient. A 3.2 liter turbocharged diesel with up to 160 horsepower and over 350 lb-ft of torque is also expected to be offered. Both of these two engines will get the four-wheel drive and a 10 speed automatic as well as limited slip differentials in the front and at the back as standard, so both of them should be equally capable in off-road.

You can find more details about the 2017 Ford Bronco on their website.