Earlier today, Ford announced pricing and specs for the first Ready to Rock Ford Bronco SUV. But it also hinted it wasn’t done with the 2027 changes just yet. We’ve seen the two new versions it promised, but we haven’t seen the “new engine” yet. Or have we?
It’s a new engine we think might take over where the Wrangler 4xe left off – sort of, anyway. This would fulfill one of CEO JIm Farley’s promises far earlier than we had expected.
Ford Bronco Getting A New Engine, And It Could Be Electrified
2026 Ford Bronco 60th Anniversary PackageFord
“Two new series join the family, a new engine, and a handful of standard features get reshuffled across the trim ladder,” Ford says in its press release. The two new series are very different, and include the fun, hardcore, but budget-friendly RTR, as well as the luxury upscale Filson edition. But while they both have unique tunes on their engines, neither mill is new to Bronco.
What about a hybrid? Jeep offered the Wrangler as a plug-in hybrid with the 4xe model. It was quite successful until federal incentives ended, and Jeep eventually put a stop to it. We don’t expect Bronco to get a plug, but even a mild hybrid setup could make a difference for buyers at the pump.
Ford CEO Jim Farley has already made it clear that the Bronco will get electrification. “We’re going to have an all-hybrid lineup,” he said on a podcast earlier this year. “So, Bronco, everything you can buy at Ford will have a hybrid. We’ll also have [extended-range EVs] for towing.”
The Ford Bronco is available with three engines right now: a 2.3-liter four-cylinder, a 2.7-liter V6, and the 3.0-liter V6 in the Bronco Raptor. Horsepower ranges from 300 with the four-cylinder, to 418 in the Raptor. There isn’t much room to fit a new engine in the middle, and as much as we’d love a Bronco Raptor R with a 3.5-liter V6 or a 5.0-liter V8 to go after the Wrangler 392, it doesn’t seem likely.
That’s why a hybrid makes sense. It might fill in the middle, but it does it with something completely different. It’s an engine designed to satisfy buyers who want the capability and image of the Bronco without the gas bill. And with gas prices near a record high, now is pretty much the perfect time.
Could Ford Use An Existing Hybrid Or Something New?
2025 Ford Bronco Heritage 2.3L Turbo EcoBoost I4 EngineBring a Trailer
Ford already offers a version of the Ranger with a plug-in hybrid system, at least in parts of the world. Ford had said that the PHEV model and its 30 miles of electric range would not come to the US because only its South African plant can build it.
That could change if Ford wants to bring a Bronco hybrid to the US. Though it could be looking at other possibilities, including the 3.3-liter V6 hybrid that it sells in the police package Explorer. Ford didn’t have enough capacity to sell that system in the civilian Explorer after 2024, though, so it might not work either.
Then there are the wild possibilities. An all-new hybrid system based on the 2.3 or some other engine that could then make it to other Fords, including the Ranger. Or the 2.5-liter system from the Maverick, though it would need serious beefing up for Bronco. The last wild possibility could be the 2.0-liter four-cylinder from the 2027 Lincoln Corsair. That system comes from China, but delivers 305 hp and has twin-motor AWD.
Ford is also planning to give the RTR and Filson their own unique tunes, but Ford clearly calls those calibrations, not new engines. The Bronco RTR 2.3 doesn’t get extra power, but it does get anti-lag. Ford hasn’t yet announced figures for the Filson. However, we’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge that Ford still might consider an engine with a different tune a “new” engine. If Filson comes back notably different from Raptor, the Blue Oval marketing machine could go into overdrive trying to sell it. While hybrid seems more likely, this is also a legit possibility.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Gas isn’t getting any cheaper, even if the NHTSA is backing down fuel economy rules. Buyers want hybrids, especially in vehicles that are already hard on gas, like the Bronco.
Ford has already confirmed it will happen. We’re now wondering if it will happen in a month or two instead of a year or two or more. If the company wants to grab some attention with its popular off-roader amid expensive gasoline, it’s hard to imagine a better time than now.
