2025 Bronco Sport spied testing

[RushMan]

I was watching an older episode of Long McArthur's YouTube Live streams from about 4-5 months ago. The host, Tim Bartz, was at a dealer's meeting in Las Vegas. He said that he couldn't reveal what the Ford reps told them, but the 2025 refresh would leave no doubt that the Bronco Sport was a true off-roader.
I interpret that to mean it will not be a mall crawler or soft roader as some of the media has labeled the Bronco Sport and similar AWD cars (RAV4 and the various Subaru's).
So just some ideas of my own, not hinted or suggested by Tim Bartz:

Beyond just a revised and taller suspension with greater travel, I'd suggest that a manual transmission option, and/or 2 speed transfer case to enable a high crawl ratio would be the ticket for those wanting to take the BS to more challenging off road locations.
I suspect a hybrid or EV option could also give that level of off-road performance.

Sponsored

 

[Bucko]

Manual transmission....can they do that with a rotary wheel selector?

 

[RushMan]

Manual transmission....can they do that with a rotary wheel selector?

There's no reason not to return to a conventional shifter. The dash could be rearranged to avoid space conflict. Move everything up wards, get rid of that mid dash bin.
Again, these are just my ideas for the 2025 refresh.

 

[AmazingSieve]

I was watching an older episode of Long McArthur's YouTube Live streams from about 4-5 months ago. The host, Tim Bartz, was at a dealer's meeting in Las Vegas. He said that he couldn't reveal what the Ford reps told them, but the 2025 refresh would leave no doubt that the Bronco Sport was a true off-roader.
I interpret that to mean it will not be a mall crawler or soft roader as some of the media has labeled the Bronco Sport and similar AWD cars (RAV4 and the various Subaru's).
So just some ideas of my own, not hinted or suggested by Tim Bartz:

Beyond just a revised and taller suspension with greater travel, I'd suggest that a manual transmission option, and/or 2 speed transfer case to enable a high crawl ratio would be the ticket for those wanting to take the BS to more challenging off road locations.
I suspect a hybrid or EV option could also give that level of off-road performance.

I would assume it has a true low then. That has been a consistent knock on the car and a favorite criticism. Yea the AWD/4WD is good but it doesn't have a low gear so its not an off roader.

 

[RushMan]

I would assume it has a true low then. That has been a consistent knock on the car and a favorite criticism. Yea the AWD/4WD is good but it doesn't have a low gear so its not an off roader.

That is one possibility to establish the Bronco Sport's reputation as a true off roader.
There is yet another possibility here that I didn't mention.

The 8F35 transmission was actually a redevelopment of the 9 speed transmission that was co-developed with General Motors. Bring back the missing gear set and adjust the gear ratios to include another Low gear. While Ford utilized the 8 speed, GM continued to use it as a 9-speed. A recent article that I read said that GM will now revert in 2024 models to the 8-speed version of the co-developed trans. (https://fordauthority.com/2023/12/gm-follows-ford-in-ditching-its-9-speed-automatic/).
When I was learning to drive, automatic transmissions had not only P-R-N-D-L,
but P-R-N-D-L1-L2

That's right, 2 low gears.
So even an automatic can be created for a greater crawl ratio without sacrificing streetability.

 

[AmazingSieve]

That is one possibility to establish the Bronco Sport's reputation as a true off roader.
There is yet another possibility here that I didn't mention.

The 8F35 transmission was actually a redevelopment of the 9 speed transmission that was co-developed with General Motors. Bring back the missing gear set and adjust the gear ratios to include another Low gear. While Ford utilized the 8 speed, GM continued to use it as a 9-speed. A recent article that I read said that GM will now revert in 2024 models to the 8-speed version of the co-developed trans. (https://fordauthority.com/2023/12/gm-follows-ford-in-ditching-its-9-speed-automatic/).
When I was learning to drive, automatic transmissions had not only P-R-N-D-L,
but P-R-N-D-L1-L2

That's right, 2 low gears.
So even an automatic can be created for a greater crawl ratio without sacrificing streetability.

That would be very cool and I am interested to see that. I also like how Ford quite clearly is listening to consumer and youtube reviews on the car. I'm also interested in the factory lift because if they offer that for my '22 as a kit, I will be buying that. Love the car, fits my needs really well just needs to be taller.

 

[rocks]

I wonder how many more parts will be deleted.

 

[Bucko]

There's no reason not to return to a conventional shifter. The dash could be rearranged to avoid space conflict. Move everything up wards, get rid of that mid dash bin.
Again, these are just my ideas for the 2025 refresh.

Not a betting person, but if I was, I'd side on the "it won't happen". Too much engineering and then assembly time to produce/build; they'd pass that cost onto the vehicle price, and most likely not enough demand.

Good idea though, I like it, but my wife does not drive manual vehicles. It would have to be drivable by both in this household to get purchased, or I have to sell my toy. That's not gonna happen.

 

[rocks]

There's no reason not to return to a conventional shifter. The dash could be rearranged to avoid space conflict. Move everything up wards, get rid of that mid dash bin.
Again, these are just my ideas for the 2025 refresh.

The mid dash bin will be eliminated with Sync 4 and a bigger screen.

 

[RushMan]

The mid dash bin will be eliminated with Sync 4 and a bigger screen.

That would make good sense. Longer term it would save Ford money by not having to upgrade/patch two or more versions of SYNC.

 

[Bucko]

That would make good sense. Longer term it would save Ford money by not having to upgrade/patch two or more versions of SYNC.

But others like that (sync and the bin).

 

[RushMan]

Not a betting person, but if I was, I'd side on the "it won't happen". Too much engineering and then assembly time to produce/build; they'd pass that cost onto the vehicle price, and most likely not enough demand.

Good idea though, I like it, but my wife does not drive manual vehicles. It would have to be drivable by both in this household to get purchased, or I have to sell my toy. That's not gonna happen.

I asked myself, would I trade in for the '25 if they do make it more off-road capable?
Probably not. I don't intend to do any off road adventures beyond some dirt and gravel roads. My interest in the Badlands is primarily for the 2.0 liter engine, such as I have in my '17 Escape.
I stopped driving stick some years ago, about 10 years after I shattered my kneecap and arthritis made driving a stick difficult. That was one consideration, and the other was the increase in traffic density in my commute to work. There used to be 1 or 2 traffic signals on the route. Now there are 5 and instead of a 20 minute commute, it is 45 minutes or longer, with the last 5 miles in stop and go. That was rough on the clutch and my knee. I'm retired now, so only drive that route to my doctor and dentist. I stay away from that route during rush hour when I can.

 

[Mark S.]

When I was learning to drive, automatic transmissions had not only P-R-N-D-L,
but P-R-N-D-L1-L2

That's right, 2 low gears.
So even an automatic can be created for a greater crawl ratio without sacrificing streetability.

The "L1" and "L2" (sometimes labeled simply "1" & "2") on older cars equipped with an automatic transmission did not change the gear ratio. The settings equated to:

L1 = Hold the transmission in 1st gear.
L2 = Use only 1st and 2nd gear.

We don't have L1 or L2 options on our transmissions, but we DO have a button on the shifter labeled "M" or "L" (depending on trim). Badlands and First Edition trims have the "M" button--for MANUAL--which allows the driver to manually select any gear* using the paddle shifters on the steering column. All other trims have an "L" button--for LOW--which holds the transmission in the lower gears (similar to the L1 and L2 options on older cars), although the owner's manual isn't specific about which gear(s).

* You can select any gear you like using the paddle shifters, but the computer will not allow you to downshift to a lower gear while you are moving that would necessitate exceeding maximum engine RPM. In other words, you can do whatever you like with the paddle shifters when the transmission is set to manual mode, but the computer will not allow you do certain things that will break something.

 

[Barry S.]

I've seen news reports that literally thousands of EV's are sitting on dealer lots. Consumers don't want them. The government can pass all the directives they want to. When it's all said and done, it's the consumer that will make the ultimate decision às to the future direction of the motor vehicle market.

 

[coopny]

Sync 4 is pretty much inevitable for the mid-cycle refresh. Sync 3 launched in 2015. Sync 3 is fine, it's a far more capable system than MyFord Touch (Sync 2) was and far less buggy, but automakers have ambitions of improving the stock radio experience for people who aren't using Android Auto or Apple Carplay.

Offering Sync 4 doesn't necessarily require a dashboard redesign either. They have offered Sync 4 in 8 inch APIMs (design of older cars - brains of the APIM are on the back of the touchscreen) for the F150/F250/Explorer/Edge before. They would merely have to change the APIM under the dash in the BS and they could chug along with the same eight inch screen.

They could redesign the dash to accommodate a larger Sync 4 screen, which might involve moving or loss of the little cubby below the radio... but they could also split the difference and make the display screen stick slightly more off the dash, and they could use a different arrangement for climate & radio controls too. Another option is to make climate controls part of the screen, which is done at least on the 2024 Escape PHEV:

I don't think they'll go for the giant 14"+ Sync 4A screens they're shoving into some pricier Fords like the expedition. And my guess is on the mid-cycle refresh, they just change the APIM to Sync 4 and leave the radio display & controls the same.

Sponsored