Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. We research rather than test, and commissions never change our rankings. This site is reader-supported: those commissions pay for hosting, research and keeping every guide up to date, so if a guide helped you, buying through our links is an easy way to support it. How we rank · Full disclosure
Your rig: · this is your owner hub.
The Bronco Sport is a unibody five-seat SUV introduced for 2021 and built in Mexico, not a smaller body-on-frame Bronco. Ford calls its drivetrain a 4x4 system, but it uses a power transfer unit and a clutch-type rear drive unit rather than a two-speed transfer case, so there is no low range. Badlands adds a 2.0L turbo engine, a twin-clutch rear drive unit that can lock, and 2,700 lb of towing. Its largest recalls are fuel-injector campaigns shared with the Escape's 1.5L engine.
At a Glance
| If your Bronco Sport is a… | What its 4x4 does | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|
| Big Bend, Outer Banks, Heritage or Free Wheeling | 4x4 with a single-clutch rear unit; no low range | Snow, rain and gravel roads |
| Outer Banks with Sasquatch Package | Adds 4WD Lock and a twin-clutch rear unit that can lock | Light trails on the 1.5L |
| Badlands | 2.0L turbo, twin-clutch rear unit, 4WD Lock, Rock Crawl mode | Rougher trails and more towing |
Generation and Model Years
IIHS lists the Bronco Sport as introduced in the 2021 model year and applies most of its crash ratings to 2021–2025 models. Ford's 2025 specifications describe a five-door, five-passenger unibody SUV assembled at Hermosillo Stamping & Assembly Plant in Mexico, in Big Bend, Outer Banks, Badlands, Heritage and Free Wheeling trims, with Sasquatch packages for Outer Banks and Badlands. The full-size Bronco, by contrast, is a body-on-frame SUV with a solid rear axle built in Michigan. IIHS applies some of its ratings through the 2026 model year.
4x4 System by Trim (2025)
| Trim | Power transfer unit | Rear drive unit | 4WD Lock | G.O.A.T. modes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bend, Outer Banks, Heritage, Free Wheeling | Air-cooled, disconnectable driveshaft | Single clutch | No | Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, Off-Road |
| Outer Banks Sasquatch Package | Air-cooled, disconnectable driveshaft | Dual clutch, diff-lock capable | Yes | Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, Off-Road |
| Badlands | Water-cooled, disconnectable driveshaft | Dual clutch, diff-lock capable | Yes | Adds Rally and Rock Crawl |
How it works: Ford's spec sheet lists a power transfer unit (PTU) at the front that feeds a disconnectable driveshaft running to a clutch-type rear drive unit (RDU), which sets how much drive reaches the rear wheels. Ford describes the dual-clutch RDU as having diff-lock capability, meaning it can tie the two rear wheels together much like a locking differential. What the system lacks is a two-speed transfer case: Ford lists an 18:1 crawl ratio for every trim, against 57:1 or more in the full-size Bronco's low range, so there is no extra gear reduction for slow, steep terrain. Trail Control with Trail 1-Pedal Drive is standard on Badlands and optional with the Outer Banks Sasquatch Package.
Engines, Clearance, Towing and Payload (2025)
| Spec | 1.5L trims | Badlands 2.0L |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.5L EcoBoost inline-3 | 2.0L EcoBoost inline-4 |
| Output | 180 hp, 200 lb-ft | 250 hp, 280 lb-ft |
| Max towing | 2,200 lb | 2,700 lb |
| Payload | 912–934 lb | 914–917 lb |
| Ground clearance | 7.8 in standard, 8.8 in optional | 8.1–8.7 in |
| Approach angle | 22.1°–24.1° | 30.0°–31.2° |
| Water fording | 17.7 in standard, 20.6 in optional | 23.6 in |
| Spare | Tire mobility kit standard | Full-size spare |
Ford rates output on premium fuel; 87 octane is the minimum for both engines. Ford's 2023 towing guide gave lower figures for the 2023 model: 2,000 lb for the 1.5L and 2,200 lb for the 2.0L, each needing the Class II Trailer Tow Package, so check the towing guide for your model year.
Factory tires for 2025 are 225/65R17 all-season on Big Bend (all-terrain optional), 225/60R18 all-season on Outer Banks (235/65R17 all-terrain optional), and 225/65R17 all-terrain on Badlands, with 235/65R17 all-terrain optional.
What Differs Between Trims for Fitment
There is one body style, so most body accessories fit every Bronco Sport of the same model-year range. What changes is the wheel and tire package (17-inch or 18-inch wheels), the rear drive unit, and roof hardware: Ford fits Badlands with heavy-duty roof rails that have tie-down holes, while other trims get standard rails with available crossbars. Its 105.1-inch wheelbase and 74.3-inch body width are unrelated to the full-size Bronco's, so racks, bumpers and lift kits are not interchangeable between them.
Recall History (NHTSA)
NHTSA lists 32 vehicle recall campaigns that include a 2021–2026 Bronco Sport as of September 2026. Several of the biggest also cover the Escape (same 1.5L engine) or the Maverick:
| NHTSA campaign | Filed | Bronco Sport years | Problem | Units (all models) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25V467 | Jul 2025 | 2021–2024, 1.5L | Fuel injector can crack and leak fuel in the engine bay | 694,271 |
| 22V859 | Nov 2022 | 2021–2023, 1.5L | Same cracked-injector fuel leak (earlier campaign) | 521,746 |
| 24V267 | Apr 2024 | 2021–2024 | Control modules may miss a low 12-volt battery, risking loss of drive power | 456,565 |
| 22V191 | Mar 2022 | 2021–2022, 1.5L | Oil separator housing can crack and leak oil | 345,451 |
| 25V019 | Jan 2025 | 2021–2023 | 12-volt battery can degrade and fail suddenly | 272,817 |
| 25V788 | Nov 2025 | 2025–2026 (with Bronco) | Instrument cluster may fail at startup | 229,609 |
| 21V922 | Nov 2021 | 2021–2022 | Rear brake linings made incorrectly, lengthening stops | 114,666 |
Ford reopened the battery-monitoring fix under 25V158 for 48,041 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under 24V267. The Bronco Sport's recall list is separate from the full-size Bronco's, apart from shared campaigns such as 25V788. Check a VIN on NHTSA's site for open campaigns.
Bronco Sport Owner Pages
- Is bronco sport 4wd
- Problems & Maintenance
- Mod Priorities
- Best Lift Kits
- Ford accessory fitment hub
Check for Open Recalls
Look up open NHTSA recall campaigns for this model by year. This calls NHTSA's free, public recall API directly from your browser — nothing is sent to us.
Choose a year and select “Check Recalls”.
Data from NHTSA's public recall API — this lookup is not the official record and 4x4 & Overlanding is not affiliated with NHTSA. Always confirm current recall status at nhtsa.gov/recalls using your vehicle's VIN before assuming a vehicle has no open recalls.
Toyota, Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, Jeep and Ram are trademarks of their respective owners. 4x4 & Overlanding is an independent publication and is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by any vehicle manufacturer.
Sources
- Ford — 2025 Bronco Sport Technical Specifications — Unibody construction, Hermosillo assembly, trims, engines and outputs, 8-speed automatic, PTU/RDU 4x4 layouts by trim, 4WD Lock, G.O.A.T. modes, 18:1 crawl ratio, tires, ground clearance, approach angles, fording depth, payload, towing, dimensions, roof rails, Trail Control availability.
- Ford — 2023 RV & Trailer Towing Guide — 2023 Bronco Sport towing: 2,000 lb (1.5L) and 2,200 lb (2.0L) with the Class II Trailer Tow Package.
- IIHS — 2021 Ford Bronco Sport 4-door SUV ratings — The Bronco Sport was introduced for the 2021 model year; rating applicability through 2025–2026.
- Ford — 2026 Bronco Technical Specifications — Full-size Bronco comparison: body-on-frame, Michigan assembly, low-range crawl ratios of 57:1 and higher.
- NHTSA — Recall 25V467 — 2021–2024 Bronco Sport and 2020–2022 Escape 1.5L fuel injector leak, 694,271 units.
- NHTSA — Recall 22V859 — 2021–2023 Bronco Sport and 2020–2023 Escape 1.5L fuel injector leak, 521,746 units.
- NHTSA — Recall 24V267 — 2021–2024 Bronco Sport and 2022–2023 Maverick low-battery detection, 456,565 units.
- NHTSA — Recall 25V158 — Re-repair of vehicles fixed incorrectly under 24V267, 48,041 units.
- NHTSA — Recall 22V191 — 2021–2022 Bronco Sport and Escape 1.5L oil separator housing, 345,451 units.
- NHTSA — Recall 25V019 — 2021–2023 Bronco Sport and Maverick 12-volt battery failure, 272,817 units.
- NHTSA — Recall 25V788 — 2025–2026 Bronco and Bronco Sport instrument cluster failure, 229,609 units.
- NHTSA — Recall 21V922 — 2021–2022 Bronco Sport and Escape rear brake linings, 114,666 units.
- NHTSA — Datasets and APIs (Recalls API) — Recall campaign counts by model year and each campaign's reported number of potentially affected units, retrieved September 28, 2026.
- NHTSA — Recalls lookup by VIN — VIN lookup for open recall campaigns on a specific vehicle.