An Affordable Off-Road Beast: The 2025 Bronco Sport

Since its re-introduction in 2021, the Ford Bronco has become a fan-favorite off-roader, providing the most tactile capability paired with the trendiest (and most nostalgic) style. Some drivers like the Bronco for its off-road prowess; others like it for its eclectic aesthetics; many others seek it for both. But what some drivers don’t like about the Bronco is its price. Sure, you’ve heard the argument before about purchasing a used Bronco, and while that can be a great option, sometimes you just want something new.

But what if there was a way to get the Bronco fresh and new at a lower price? Sounds like a dream, right? Well, that dream is called the 2025 Ford Bronco Sport. It’s every bit a Bronco, but it’s a little bit smaller, making it not only more affordable but also better suited to urban drivers and those who may not need the classic Bronco’s full interior capacity. That’s not to say that it has an insufficient interior; since the Bronco is designed for outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers, it certainly provides the storage solutions you need to get out of the city with all your gear.

The Bronco Sport really is a great solution for adventure-seekers on a budget, and it still provides all of the Bronco features you love most. To prove it to you, let’s take a look at the 2025 Bronco Sport’s off-roading prowess and design features to show you why you’ll love this affordable Bronco solution.

The Bronco Sport’s Tactile Capability

The Bronco is an off-roading champion, and that’s no different in the Bronco Sport. While its capability is geared in a slightly different direction, a vehicle does not earn the Bronco nameplate without proving itself. The 2025 model year offers five trims. While two of those are more design-centric (though they certainly hold their own from a capability perspective), the three trims off-roaders will really want to be aware of are the Big Bend, Outer Banks, and Badlands. As all three names suggest, they are designed especially for the trails, but each in a different way.

The Big Bend serves as the Bronco Sport’s entry-level trim for 2025. As such, it’s the most affordable trim of the five, but you may be surprised at just how affordable it is, coming in at $29,995. A new Bronco for under $30k is nothing to brush off—but even with that price point, you still get the strength that makes a Bronco a Bronco.

The Big Bend and Outer Banks come with the same engine, which is a turbocharged 1.5-liter EcoBoost I-3, providing up to 180 hp and 190 lb-ft of torque. The Big Bend offers an available Black Diamond Package, which provides off-road features like all-terrain tires. The Outer Banks trim provides a higher-grade off-road outfit with the Sasquatch Package, providing a HOSS 2.0 suspension system and Advanced 4×4, giving drivers optimal control when traversing the trails.

The Bronco Sport Badlands is actually the premiere trim of the 2025 lineup, and as such, it provides the most high-end features. The Badlands has a little more engineering prowess with a turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost I-4 engine, achieving up to 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Of course, its off-roading package reflects its higher specs, offering Bilstein rear shocks and some extra fine hardware.

Holistically speaking, the Bronco Sport is always ready to navigate terrain with five selectable drive modes standard. This system collaborates nicely with the available Advanced 4×4, which utilizes a twin-clutch rear-drive unit to send torque to a single wheel if traction is lacking in the others. It’s that kind of precision that sets the Bronco and the Bronco Sport apart from other off-road vehicles, giving drivers a vehicle that does a lot more than drive. The Bronco Sport has performance fitting to its sporty subcompact size, but we’ve only covered three of the trims; the other two are better analyzed by their design…

Fashion-Forward Throwback Designs

Similar to the traditional Bronco, the Bronco Sport embraces the nameplate’s earlier generations with its throwback trims. For the 2025 Bronco Sport, these are the Heritage and the Free Wheeling. But pay close attention! While these are both throwback trims, they are different homages to different generations, so let’s make sure you know which one is which…

The Bronco Sport Heritage is a wonderful tribute to the Bronco’s first generation. The vintage aesthetic is achieved by using just the right amount of white on the vehicle’s exterior. The first thing you’ll likely notice about the Heritage is the Oxford White-painted roof; right off the bat, this sets the tone for the old-school charm. The white theme is furthered with an Oxford White grille (nicely complimented by a red molded-in-color “BRONCO” signature) and, of course, white-capped wheels. The Heritage is aptly named, giving drivers a taste of what began the brilliance that the Bronco still carries today.

As nice as it is to remember the first-generation model, some people may look fondly at the second generation and prefer that. If that’s the case for you, the Free Wheeling trim will suit you perfectly! A lovely look back at the ’70s and ’80s, the Bronco Sport Free Wheeling catches the eye with its iconic red, orange, and yellow sunset stripes. If you see it on its own, you may think for a second that you’re actually back in the ’80s. The aesthetic is no less present inside, with the cloth seats offering the same Sunset weave pattern, complemented by Red Ombre stitching.

That red upholstery accent adds a spark of ferocity that helps you feel excited for the drive—but since you’ll be sitting on the seat and won’t often be able to see the stitching, there’s a Race Red center instrument panel surround as well as Race Red door trimming with Red Ombre stitching. Red has a real psychological impact, and you’ll have plenty of that positive impact in the Bronco Sport Free Wheeling.

These two Bronco trims couldn’t be more different, but they are both wonderful throwbacks to days gone by. Having a vehicle that captures the designs of the past with all the modern amenities of the present day is a unique opportunity. Whichever generation you prefer, you can have it in the 2025 Bronco Sport.

Bronco Past and Bronco Future

As you can see, the Bronco Sport provides a lot more than just a subcompact, more affordable version of the Bronco; it provides the same performance and style that attracted drivers to the Bronco in the first place. One of our favorite things about the Bronco nameplate is that it so strongly represents both the past and future. With past models so iconic they’re being recreated today in the Heritage and Free Wheeling trims, it’s a vehicle with roots that will never be forgotten.

As we can see in higher-level trims like the Badlands, the Bronco also strongly represents the future of innovative driving performance. Seeing the past and future married in the Bronco Sport is a unique opportunity. With an affordable alternative to the full-size Bronco, you may have a hard time coming up with reasons not to consider this sporty icon of an off-roader.