You Can't Get a New Ford Bronco for Under $40K Anymore

The latest car news, reviews, and features.
There are winners and losers in a new wave of Ford Bronco price adjustments. The Bronco Raptor, for example, is now $10,000 less, bringing it back down to where it was for the 2023 model year. On the other end of the spectrum is the two-door Bronco Base, which went up from $39,890 after destination to $40,990. In turn, the sub-$40,000 Bronco is gone.
Entry-level Bronco pricing has flip-flopped in the last two years, first with the removal of the Base trim and then again with its reintroduction in late 2024. It's still around today, though a $1,000 MSRP increase and $100 uptick in destination fees push it above $40,000. That isn't a huge jump, especially compared to others we've seen recently, but crossing that threshold is what makes this noteworthy.
And if you're about to compare that to the Bronco's roughly $30,000 starting price at launch, just remember: The world isn't the same as it was in 2020. While the COVID pandemic was still ramping up, there was no telling exactly how it would continue to affect the supply chain and the economy at large. The Bronco Base is also slightly better equipped now with a standard 12-inch digital gauge cluster and additional sound deadening.
For the newly adjusted starting price of $40,990, you get a Bronco with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo-four, a seven-speed manual transmission, and a 4.46 rear axle ratio. You can spec the 10-speed automatic for $1,795. There are plenty of off-road upgrades available on the Base, though effectively all of them are locked behind the $8,460 Sasquatch package. That adds a comprehensive list of improvements, from front and rear locking differentials to 35-inch tires, taller suspension, position-sensitive Bilstein shocks, a 4.70 final drive, and a more advanced 4×4 system.
Meanwhile, the Bronco Raptor's new $81,990 base price narrows the gap to the core Bronco lineup. A Ford spokesperson told The Drive that this was the main motivator for the adjustment: 'With the new two-door-only Bronco Stroppe replacing the two- and four-door Wildtrak model as the top off-road package in the base Bronco lineup, we are adjusting the price of the Bronco Raptor to provide customers who prefer a four-door with another high-performance vehicle option. The pricing applies to 2025 model year Bronco Raptor customer orders and dealer inventory.'
With the Wildtrak trim gone, the highest-performance four-door Bronco not named Raptor is the $53,075 Badlands. The two-door, V6-only Stroppe Edition starts at $77,630—about $4,400 less than the Raptor.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

25 minutes ago

• Yahoo

What changes will IndyCar make to new car? Weight reduction, engine formula, more

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – Penske Entertainment executives rolled out its plan for IndyCar's next-generation chassis and engine formula in a private meeting of its team owners midway Saturday at Road America, the series announced in a release. The car, which earlier this month the series confirmed to be on track for the start of the 2028 season, will include between 85 to 100 pounds of weight reduction, house a 2.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 internal combustion engine — the engine originally planned to be rolled out in tandem with the debut of IndyCar's bespoke hybrid unit — and a low-voltage hybrid unit that will continue to evolve off of the current model in use to eventually include 'longer deployment, more horsepower gain and overall improved performance.' Advertisement On-track testing for the car will begin in 2026, with Dallara producing the chassis that, according to the series, will 'feature a look designed to appeal to a new generation of fans while keeping styling cues recognized by all as an IndyCar series car." 'The time has come for a new IndyCar series chassis,' IndyCar president Doug Boles said. 'The DW12 served the series so well, as it provided a combination of phenomenal, wheel-to-wheel racing and critical enhancements to safety. But recent significant updates to the car — from the aero screen to the hybrid power unit — have helped advanced the need for a completely new car. 'We are pleased by what our engineers and Dallara have collaboratively designed and believe it will appeal to the fans and paddock, while also upholding our standards of safety and enhancing IndyCar's on-track competition well into the future." Insider: IndyCar shifts timeline for new car further back, creating complicated future. Here's why Advertisement Also noted in the release, Xtrac, an exclusive supplier for IndyCar since 2000, will continue to provide transmissions for the new chassis. The new car will feature a new gearbox that will shed 25 pounds and that will share components with the future Indy NXT gearbox. Performance Friction Corporation will again be the exclusive supplier of brake system components for the series, as it has since 2017. The new car will also include an ergonomic driver cockpit to improve seating position, as well as an integrated aero screen and a new roll hoop. Renderings of the new car as well as information on its test schedule and additional partners will be announced at a later date. This story will be updated. Get IndyStar's motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IndyCar new car changes: weight reduction, engine formula, hybrid

Yahoo

27 minutes ago

• Yahoo

Denny Hamlin wins Busch Light Pole Award at Pocono

Denny Hamlin won Busch Light Pole qualifying at Pocono Raceway and will lead the field to green for Sunday's The Great American Getaway 400 (2 p.m. ET, Prime Video, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The all-time Cup wins leader at Pocono put down a hot lap of 172.599 mph in his return to on-track action after missing Mexico City last weekend due to the birth of his son. It is the 44th pole of his career. Advertisement RELATED: Starting lineup | At-track photos: Pocono Chris Buescher (172.325 mph) will join Hamlin on the front row. Carson Hocevar (171.825 mph), John Hunter Nemechek (171.789 mph) and Cole Custer (171.638 mph) rounded out the top five. Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell and Daniel Suárez completed the top 10 in Sunday's starting lineup. William Byron crashed on his qualifying lap coming off Turn 2 and suffered significant front-end damage. Bubba Wallace and Josh Berry did not put down qualifying laps due to respective mechanical issues. Brennan Poole and the No. 44 team were not allowed to qualify after failing pre-race inspection three times. Also, Cody Ware crashed in practice and did not qualify. Advertisement PRACTICE Before crashing on his qualifying lap, Byron put down the fastest single lap in Saturday's practice session at 170.758 mph. Bubba Wallace (170.032 mph), Chase Elliott (169.885 mph), Tyler Reddick (169.766 mph) and Chris Buescher (169.667 mph) rounded out the top five. The No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports driver also topped the board in five- and 10-lap averages at the 2.5-mile Pennsylvania circuit. Christopher Bell's No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota suffered a mechanical issue before hitting the track in Group B's 25-minute session and only put down three laps, landing 13th on the practice board. This story will be updated.

Yahoo

37 minutes ago

• Yahoo

Schools can now directly pay college athletes after landmark $2.8 billion settlement

College athletes will undergo yet another historic change. U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken approved the $2.8 billion settlement in the House v. NCAA case on Friday, which allows schools to directly compensate student-athletes. Advertisement Under the new agreement, each participating Division I school can distribute up to $20.5 million annually to athletes, with that cap increasing over the next decade. The NCAA logo at the Division I Men's Golf Championships in 2025. NCAA Photos via Getty Images Moreover, it will provide $2.8 billion in payback to former athletes dating back to 2016, addressing past restrictions on NIL, to some extent. Judge Wilken's approval in court also addressed concerns regarding roster limits that would've likely impacted walk-on athletes. The settlement introduces the 'Designated Student-Athletes' tag, which is intended to allow those impacted by roster changes to return or transfer without worrying about being penalized. Advertisement NCAA President Charlie Baker discussed the settlement in a lengthy open letter. 'Many looked to April's hearing about the House settlement as a culmination of sorts, but the court's final approval of the settlement in fact marks a new beginning for Division I student-athletes and for the NCAA,' Baker wrote. 'For several years, Division I members crafted well-intentioned rules and systems to govern financial benefits from schools and name, image and likeness opportunities, but the NCAA could not easily enforce these for several reasons. 'The result was a sense of chaos: instability for schools, confusion for student-athletes and too often litigation. Sometimes member schools even supported that litigation — some of which spurred hastily imposed court orders upending the rules,' he continued. The NCAA logo is shown on signage before the Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship held at University Nexus Center on March 30, 2025 in Utica, New York. NCAA Photos via Getty Images Baker additionally acknowledged the challenges ahead involving more change, noting: Advertisement 'Going forward, the defendant conferences will be responsible for implementing several elements of the settlement, including the design and enforcement of the annual 22.5 percent cap (approximately $20.5 million in year one) for financial benefits a Division I school may direct to student-athletes,' he outlined. 'In addition, the court maintains jurisdiction over the implementation of the settlement, and the plaintiffs will continue to track progress.' Baker hailed this as positive, adding, 'The defendant conferences are also responsible for launching and enforcing a series of rules regarding the third-party NIL contracts student-athletes may enter into. With these reforms, along with scholarships and other benefits, student-athletes at many schools will be able to receive nearly 50 percent of all athletics department revenue. That is a tremendously positive change and one that was long overdue.' Baker concluded by pointing out that 'change at this scale is never easy.' Changes are set to take effect beginning on July 1.