In this morning’s episode of Bronco watch, we have a few new photos of the upcoming Bronco Sport out in the wilds of western Utah and Nevada. A few weeks back we saw the Bronco Sport just outside Mesquite, so it seems Ford is still actively testing in the area. Shawn sent us these photos, noting he was recently traveling through the state and happened upon two test mules running in convoy. Specifically, it looks like these were spotted on Interstate 80, just west of Salt Lake City.
While the last spy photos we posted showed the Bronco Sport from the front, this time we can get another look at the car’s rear. If you missed these completely undisguised photos, of course we already have seen what the smaller Bronco’s going to look like. Even with the camouflage, though, we get a good look at the roof arrangement here as well as the tailgate and the taillights.
The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport will carry some styling cues from its bigger brother, including the two-tone roof. This one’s based on the Ford Escape, but as we’ve already covered this little crossover will have a much more rugged, boxy appearance. No removable roof here, but there is a split-opening glass and tailgate mechanism like Ford used to have on their older SUVs. As for the taillights, Ford seems to be keeping with the blockier aesthetic instead of going for a thin and sleek look, as most modern crossovers have done.
Turbo power under the hood
It’s still open to interpretation exactly how much power the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport will have, but we’re pretty sure which powertrains you’ll find under the hood. Like the Escape, the range should start with a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine making around 180 horsepower. From there, we may even get a 2.0-liter EcoBoost option making 245 horsepower, which would put it well out ahead of all its competition, including the Jeep Renegade.
Also like the Escape, we should see an eight-speed automatic transmission.
We really don’t have long to wait before the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport and its big brother finally reveal themselves to the world. We may see one or the other as soon as June, while both are slated to go into production near the end of 2020. Stay tuned for more updates!
