Two Ford SUVs That Share a Badge and Almost Nothing Underneath
Shoppers walk onto the lot assuming one of these is simply the smaller version of the other. That guess costs money, because the two answer completely different questions. One is built around removable doors and a solid rear axle. The other is a five-passenger crossover that happens to wear the same lettering across its grille.
- Three turbocharged engines are offered across the full-size Bronco lineup, compared to two for the Bronco Sport.
- Ground clearance ranges from 7.8 inches on most Bronco Sport trims up to 13.1 inches on the Bronco Raptor.
- Towing tops out at 2,700 pounds for the Bronco Sport Badlands and 4,500 pounds for the Bronco Raptor.
Body Style Is the First Fork in the Road
Every 2026 Bronco Sport is a four-door crossover with a fixed roof and five seats. Nothing comes off. Its bigger sibling flips that script. Base and Badlands trims can be ordered as two-door or four-door models, and Ford builds both with removable doors and a removable roof. Two-door models seat four; four-door models seat five.
Roof choices show how far apart these two sit. Two-door Broncos come with a hard top; four-door Broncos get a soft top; and a dual-top setup can be added to any model. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer any of that, though its safari-style roofline makes up for some of the loss in headroom.
Engine Choices Split the Lineups Fast
Anyone weighing a Ford Bronco vs. Bronco Sport purchase should start with the powertrains, since they don’t overlap by a single cubic inch. Bronco Sport runs either a 1.5L EcoBoost three-cylinder making 180 horsepower and 200 lb-ft, or the Badlands 2.0L EcoBoost four-cylinder making 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft. Both use an eight-speed automatic.
Step up to the Bronco, and the numbers jump. Its 2.3L EcoBoost four-cylinder makes 300 horsepower and 325 lb-ft on premium fuel, the available 2.7L EcoBoost V6 climbs to 330 horsepower and 415 lb-ft, and Raptor gets a 3.0L V6 good for 418 horsepower and 440 lb-ft. Ford still sells a seven-speed manual on Base, Big Bend, Badlands, and Heritage Edition, which is rare air in 2026.
Terrain Hardware Separates Them Further
Both SUVs use G.O.A.T. Modes, Ford’s terrain management system. Bronco Sport runs five modes on Big Bend, Heritage, and Outer Banks, seven on Badlands. The full-size lineup saves its seven-mode setup for Badlands, Stroppe Edition, and Raptor.
Water fording is where the gap gets wide. Ford rates the Bronco at 33.5 inches and the Raptor at 37. Bronco Sport handles 24 when properly equipped. That’s a real difference if you cross creeks, and a meaningless one if you cross parking lots.
2026 Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport Trim Comparison
| Trim | Engine | HP / Torque | Transmission | Ground Clearance | Max Towing | G.O.A.T. Modes | Body / Seating |
| 2026 Ford Bronco Sport | |||||||
| Big Bend | 1.5L EcoBoost I-3 | 180 hp / 200 lb-ft | 8-speed automatic | 7.8 in. | 2,200 lb (Class II pkg.) | 5 | 4-door, seats 5 |
| Heritage | 1.5L EcoBoost I-3 | 180 hp / 200 lb-ft | 8-speed automatic | 7.8 in. | 2,200 lb (Class II pkg.) | 5 | 4-door, seats 5 |
| Outer Banks | 1.5L EcoBoost I-3 | 180 hp / 200 lb-ft | 8-speed automatic | 7.8 in. | 2,200 lb (Class II pkg.) | 5 | 4-door, seats 5 |
| Badlands | 2.0L EcoBoost I-4 | 250 hp / 280 lb-ft | 8-speed automatic | 8.1 in. | 2,700 lb (Class II std.) | 7 | 4-door, seats 5 |
| 2026 Ford Bronco | |||||||
| Base | 2.3L EcoBoost I-4 | 300 hp / 325 lb-ft | 7-speed manual, available 10-speed automatic | 8.3 in. 2-door, 8.4 in. 4-door (11.6 / 11.5 in. w/ Sasquatch) | 3,500 lb (Class II pkg.) | 5 | 2-door seats 4, 4-door seats 5 |
| Big Bend | 2.3L EcoBoost I-4 | 300 hp / 325 lb-ft | 7-speed manual, available 10-speed automatic | 8.4 in. (11.5 in. w/ Sasquatch) | 3,500 lb (Class II pkg.) | 5 | 4-door, seats 5 |
| Outer Banks | 2.3L EcoBoost I-4, available 2.7L EcoBoost V6 | 300 hp / 325 lb-ft, or 330 hp / 415 lb-ft | 10-speed automatic | 8.4 in. (11.5 in. w/ Sasquatch) | 3,500 lb (Class II pkg.) | 5 | 4-door, seats 5 |
| Badlands | 2.3L EcoBoost I-4, available 2.7L EcoBoost V6 | 300 hp / 325 lb-ft, or 330 hp / 415 lb-ft | 7-speed manual, available 10-speed automatic | 10.5 in. (11.6 / 11.5 in. w/ Sasquatch) | 3,500 lb (Class II pkg.) | 7 | 2-door seats 4, 4-door seats 5 |
| Heritage Edition | 2.3L EcoBoost I-4, available 2.7L EcoBoost V6 | 300 hp / 325 lb-ft, or 330 hp / 415 lb-ft | 7-speed manual or 10-speed automatic | 11.5 in. (Sasquatch standard) | 3,500 lb (Class II pkg.) | 5 | 4-door, seats 5 |
| Stroppe Edition | 2.7L EcoBoost V6 | 330 hp / 415 lb-ft | 10-speed automatic | 11.5 in. | 3,500 lb (Class II pkg.) | 7 | 4-door, seats 5 |
| Raptor | 3.0L EcoBoost V6 | 418 hp / 440 lb-ft | 10-speed automatic | 13.1 in. | 4,500 lb (tow pkg. standard) | 7 | 4-door, seats 5 |
Horsepower and torque based on premium fuel per SAE J1349, and are independent attributes that may not be achieved at the same time. Towing requires the noted equipment. Specifications from ford.com, August 2026.
Fuel Economy Swings Hard Toward the Smaller SUV
Ford rates the 1.5L Bronco Sport at 25 city, 30 highway, and 27 combined mpg with standard 4×4. The Badlands and its 2.0L land at 21 city, 27 highway, and 23 combined. Adding the Sasquatch package to an Outer Banks drops the 1.5L to 23 city, 26 highway, and 24 combined.
Ford lists the 2026 Bronco as not yet EPA rated at the time of release, so there aren’t official numbers to quote yet. Curb weights tell you enough anyway: roughly 3,458 pounds for a 1.5L Bronco Sport versus 4,332 pounds for a base Bronco.
Cargo Space Isn’t the Slam Dunk You’d Guess
A four-door Bronco with a hard top holds 35.6 cubic feet behind the second row and 77.6 cubic feet with those seats folded. Bronco Sport counters with 32.5 cubic feet behind the second row on 1.5L models and a maximum of 65.2 cubic feet. The Bronco Sport Badlands drops to 29.4 and 60.6.
Two-door Bronco buyers give up plenty. Figure 20.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 52.0 cubic feet total, less usable room than the smallest Bronco Sport.
Matching the Badge to Your Weekly Mileage
Ask yourself what happens on a normal Tuesday. School pickup, a grocery run, and maybe a gravel road to a trailhead? Bronco Sport Big Bend or Outer Banks covers all of that while sipping fuel. Hauling a boat, climbing a rutted access road, or itching to drive with the doors off? Then the full-size Bronco earns its keep, and Badlands hits the sweet spot for most trail-minded buyers.
Compare Both Broncos in Person at Gates Ford Lincoln
Spec sheets only take you so far. We keep both the Bronco and Bronco Sport in our Richmond lot, so you can climb into each one back-to-back and feel the difference in ride height, cabin size, and visibility. Our team will walk you through which trims pair with the Sasquatch package, what the Class II Trailer Tow Package adds, and whether that manual is worth chasing. We’ll set up test drives in both and help match trims to your budget. Shoppers from Lexington, Nicholasville, and across central Kentucky come to us for exactly this kind of comparison.
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