Ford is tapping into its rough-and-ready Bronco heritage for its new family SUV that’s been designed and developed right here in Europe. Revealed as part of Ford’s ‘Ready, Set, Ford’ plan, this new Ford Bronco model will be large enough to carry five passengers and their luggage over rough terrain, but will do so with a more European-friendly hybrid powertrain. Crucially, this model will not replace the existing Kuga in Ford’s line-up, but be larger and more off-road capable. It’ll do this with a more overtly rugged design, with similar boxy styling and high levels of ground clearance to Broncos sold overseas. Ford Europe’s general manager of passenger vehicles Christian Weingartner told us: “The Bronco has a very unique DNA, and that's all around capability when it comes to off-road driving. The vehicles are out there in that territory of off-roading. They tend to be a bit larger and pricey. We can democratize it, but we wouldn't necessarily go for a four-metre vehicle and then make it a Bronco. It will be in the upper half of that portfolio.” However, this will not be a full-blown body-on-frame off-roader in the same vein as the US-market Bronco; it’ll still run on a road-biased monocoque-style chassis and therefore have more car-like proportions. This means the nose will be a little longer than the US variant’s, and it’ll integrate more aero and pedestrian-friendly proportions. If it does have a decent amount of off-road capability, though, it could have a significant USP against typical rivals. With no competitive Land Rover product, and the Jeep Compass still to spawn any serious off-road variants, it could fill in a void for customers in this segment. Its hybrid powertrain will also offer a more European feel to the driving experience and help it overcome ever tighter emissions standards as part of the EU7 overhaul. Inside, expect a rugged and versatile interior, with tough materials and adjustable seating arrangements. Even if off-roading is not a key concern, the notion of being able to do so will still give the Ford an edge over a Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and hybrid-powered C-segment SUVs from the Stellantis conglomerate that include the Vauxhall Grandland, Peugeot 3008 and Citroen C5 Aircross. Ford has not announced pricing yet, but we expect it to cost from around £42,000 when it finally enters production in Ford’s Spanish plant in 2028.
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