The small SUV emulates its big brother. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

Because more than 50% of Ford Bronco Sport owners have been known to take their small SUV off the tarmac, according to Mike Weller, brand manager for the vehicle, for 2025 the vehicle is being upgraded, taking that adverturousness into account. While this is across the board for the vehicle, it is particularly germane for the 1.5-liter Outer Banks and 2.0-liter Badlands models, which can be equipped with the Sasquatch off-road package.

Eddie Khan, Bronco Sport vehicle engineering manager, notes that some other small SUVs have the appearance of ruggedness, but “Bronco Sport is engineered rugged from the inside out and top to bottom.” (According to Ford, Bronco Sport drivers go off road 3.5 time more often than competitive vehicles, so that engineering is important for go, not just show.)

Designed to Perform

It must be admitted, however, the Bronco Sport Sasquatch has functional features that make it look rugged, as in a standard front brush guard, steel skid plates, and front and rear bumpers that are fitted with steel bash plates. There are two cast two hooks in the front and a pair of cast D-rings in the back that serve as recovery points.

But beyond those visible modifications there are several things that make the ’25 Sasquatch-fitted vehicles more capable.

Such as:

• A twin-clutch rear-drive unit
• Locking rear differential
• 29-inch 235/65/R17 Goodyear Territory all-terrain tires
• Bilstein rear shocks with position-sensitive damping and piggyback reservoirs
• New front and rear springs to provide additional suspension travel (8.3 inches in the front and 8.7 inches in the rear)

For both the standard Bronco Sport Badlands and the Badlands Sasquatch models there is a new Rally G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) mode that allows the vehicle to be driven on sand at higher speeds via holding gears longer, improving throttle demand, and increasing steering feedback.

Off Road Aides

Another borrowing from the bigger Bronco there is the addition of Trail One-Pedal Drive to the Bronco Sport, which allows the vehicle to be driven with the accelerator pedal alone during rock crawling.

Also available is a 360° camera that have Trail View. When put in Off-Road or Rally G.O.A.T. modes, the camera is activated. The Badlands and Sasquatch Badlands models also have a “Split View” for the camera system that shows the front tires of the vehicle.

On the inside of the 2025 Bronco Sport (all models) are features including a 13.2-inch center display that runs the SYNC 4 system (wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard) and a 12.3-inch digital instrument display. Recognizing that people like to accessorize their vehicles, there is an abundance of “Bronco Bolts” inside and out, fasteners specifically engineered for users who may want to add lightbars up front or mount cameras inside.

When?

The 2025 Bronco Sport Big Bend, Outer Banks and Badlands models will be available at dealers in November. The Sasquatch models will arrive in Q1 2025.