The affectionately nicknamed “Baby Bronco” is due to debut later this year. Unfortunately, rather than being a pint-sized ORV, the vehicle is presumed to be a crossover sharing parts with the Escape and Focus. While none of us should have been shocked Ford would make this into a lifestyle vehicle, many held out hopes that the Diet Bronco would be more than a city car playing dress-up.
Confirmation that the auto would be unibody certainly took some of the wind out of its sails, but the model is still surrounded by intrigue. Most that stems from wondering exactly how capable the Bronco Jr. will be on a gnarly trail. The rest has to do with what Ford is actually going to call it, as nobody was positive it would hold onto the Bronco moniker.
According to Ford Authority, the vehicle’s official title will be the Bronco Adventurer:
The new naming convention will help identify the smaller Bronco model within the revived Bronco lineup, which will also include the “regular” Ford Bronco model, which will be larger and ride on a body-on-frame platform when compared to the smaller, unibody Bronco Adventurer.
Notably, Ford has yet to file a trademark application for Bronco Adventurer. Previously, it filed an application for Bronco Scout, which many believed will be the name for the smaller Bronco model.
Since it’s utilizing Ford’s C2 platform, expect a batch of four-cylinder engines and front-wheel drive at launch. All-wheel drive is supposed to be an option, though perhaps not immediately. A plug-in hybrid version is also rumored to be in the works.
Thus far, all we’ve seen of the car are some camouflaged spy shots and a handful of leaked images from a Ford dealer meeting in Las Vegas. Aimed at mimicking the original Bronco’s boxy body, the Adventurer is rumored to be one of several models occupying a pseudo sub-brand targeting Jeep. The crossover is also designed to be highly customizable, incorporating a removable hard top and doors that can be stored in the vehicle’s cargo area.
Assembly is claimed to begin in the second half of 2020 at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant.
[Image: Ford Motor Co.]
Not to be confused with the Toyota RAV4 Adventure.
Or the Desoto Adventurer
There’s plenty of high adventure in those flat-black stripes!
I don’t suppose “fake-a** off-roader” would sell very well, as accurate is it is.
Therefore, my suggestions:
1) Bronco Ecosport
2) BroncoCRV Tuscon Edition
3) Bronco Rogue (or Rogue Bronco if they’re feeling daring)
How about Bronco Brougham ?…for the REALLY LOADED UP EDITION…
Bronco Gelding therefore should be the name… a neutered horse er Bronco er offroader!
Wanna bet the “Adventurer” comes across more like a Renegade Sport rather than a Renegade Trailhawk?
^^This, I’m hoping that this new small Bronco Weekend Warrior will be on par with the Renegade, but doubt it will offer up as much as the Trailhawk does
“^^This” <<That is getting old…and stupid.
Maybe, but what that we know about this vehicle would give you that idea? That it’s unibody and based on a car? So is the Renegade.
I haven’t ridden in a trailhawk, but the normal one is a dreadful little thing. My buddy had one as a rental at Fort Bliss and my Sienna rental was better off road. Yes, we tried in both on multiple occasions.
@Art Vandely: So you’re going to rely on hearsay to make a decision on something you haven’t driven/ridden. While I don’t have a Trailhawk, I do have a Renegade Anniversary Edition and it has done well enough for me when it comes to places these things are more likely to experience, like muddy fields at the county fair or an air show after a rain. If you want to read up on the Trailhawk, check out Toasterjeep dot com, the guy bought one of the first Trailhawks released and has since done a small lift and other modifications to it.
As for what about the Bronco Adventurer, I’m using the teaser image as a rough model which suggests a shape not too different from the Renegade and published statements that the Adventurer would be smaller, unibody and MAYBE AWD. While I admit it is speculation on the BA, it is informed speculation.
I get regular ones frequently as rentals too if my flight is later in the day. The interior quality makes me miss my Fiesta ST. I’ve got plenty of time in the non Trailhawk variant to have an informed opinion. I don’t like them. Again, I helped hook up the Renegade mentioned earlier to the HMMWV to pull it’s stuck self out. The Sienna did not get stuck. A 2WD minivan. I have a good friend who cares nothing about cars with a base one (and a bashed fender). It is a great match.
Maybe you are correct and the Ford will not have a trim level that competes with the Trailhawk. Who knows. Bet the lesser version isn’t as miserable though since it will be based on what seems to be a better car (Yes I’ve spent time with the 500L…it is dreadful itself.
If it works for you and you like it, cool. Some of my fondest automotive memories are of a SOHC Saturn SL which 99.9 percent of people who road in felt was a turd +it was, but it was my turd). But I’m not making an uninformed decision based on heresay…I hate them because I’ve spent time in them. I’d get an Accent given the choice.
Also, pretty sure the photo is the teaser of the real Bronco
“I’d get an Accent given the choice.”
— And I wouldn’t.
I guess that’s harsh…the Renegade is at least a pretty good use of space. I just don’t see any reason to think the Ford competition will be worse given similar cars are going to be the basis and nobody has actually driven or seen one yet and my Fiesta ST given more ground clearance and sidewall would do fine in the scenario you listed. They are just tall cars.
Once these Broncos are yearlings, you’ll be able to pick them up for canner prices.
How about Colt?
Ya know a “Baby Bronco”?
Foal?
The term “colt” only describes young male horses and is not to be confused with foal, which is a horse of either sex less than one year of age. Similarly, a yearling is a horse of either sex between the ages of one and two. A young female horse is called a filly, and a mare once she is an adult animal.
Wikipedia
What’s wrong with “Pony”? A name Ford has had a lot of success with
Heck, I was just going by Webster’s.
All that horse talk reminds me of the old joke, ” You hear about the les.bian filly who wasn’t getting any sleep? She kept getting woken up by night mares!”
And no doubt all the mares were driving Subaru Foresters…
But somebody lese might still own the Colt nameplate: Dodge.
Too bad the Pinto name has a bad reputation. Bringing back the Maverick name which was still used in South America until a few years ago would be good branding.
The average age of the US population is 38. Nobody under 60 remembers what caused the bad reputation. Maybe it’s time to rehabilitate the name.
Since no one has a memory let’s go with Edsel
Bronco II. Duh.
If it is Bronco II, there should be a co-branding promotion with Builders Square II.
As the “big” Bronco is based on the Ranger, shouldn’t it be a Bronco II?
Little Bronco = Bronquito.
A group of them would be Bronquitis.
It doesn’t have to be capable on a gnarly trail, it needs to have more appeal than the EcoSport and that will be enough to be a win.
In my heart, I wish this would be something like an updated take on the Honda Element.
I know that wouldn’t quite do justice to the Bronco moniker, but the actual product likely won’t either.
Horrid name.
“Adventurerererererererer”
Scout or Maverick would have been infinitely better.
There are plenty of old Mercury model names available. How about Bobcat, or Lynx? Mountaineer might be too much. If you want to tag it for its probable main use, there was a Mercury Commuter in the 1950s.
Yeah they are never getting Scout, Navistar still renews that trademark and it was upheld when Honda tried to use it for the vehicle known as Pilot, or when Case tried to use it on a Side by Side Utility vehicle. Scout emblems and decals are still made, with the original tooling no less, by Scout Light Line Distributors under their license from Navistar.
@EBFlex: “Scout” may still be owned by International Harvester or whomever their parent company is today. Maverick does sound like a good idea, though. Problem is that a maverick is a young cow.
“a maverick is a young cow” or a young James Gardner.
@LouBC- Learn to spell- James Garner
“Horrid”? I think the overuse of that word is getting a little out of hand. So this name causes great horror in you? I doubt it.
and it’s not even the real name of the vehicle unless we’re talking about Yamaha (golf carts) or Winnebago. I checked again and the name isn’t registered. Wildtrak was just filed 7/22/19 as a vehicle name, so that’s a possibility. Bronco Sport and Bronco Scout are there too. If it was going to be Adventurer, it would have been registered by now. I see the other names and it has to be one of those. Right now, my bet is with Wildtrak. Second would be Bronco Scout or Bronco Sport. There are other names that look like trim levels like Bronco Outer Banks and Bronco Big Bend. Badlands and Adrenaline are there too. Scout and Sport could be trim levels as well.
My speculation is based on fact. Not rumors. If they settled on a name, it would have been filed by now. It would be one of the published names.
Cool, they have a name. Now how about an actual product?
Um, it’s coming.
I vote Bucky.
And I thought it would be the Bronkette..
.I guess that we really shouldn’t expect much from the latest crop of ‘marketing geniusses’ and executives.
Bronkette? Chick car
New name proposal: Ford Bro. Admittedly, this would work much better if this were actually just a shorter/smaller Bronco.
Ford can save a ton of money by combining their order for Bronco badging, just need to order it by the letter.
Pinto, Maverick or Stallion.
None were a flash in the pan. OK, maybe one.
I’d go w/ Stallion altho Stallion sounds senior to Bronco.
Front wheel drive, small motor… the Bronco Gelding.
For targeted marketing demographic: the Bronco Prancer.
For your wife, who won’t stop insisting that you get her one: the Bronco Nag.
I want one with leather, crystal shift knob, and dual moonroofs. It’ll be the Eddie Munster Edition.
Will this ‘thing’ have a 3 cylinder or 4 cylinder motor, and will it be made in Turkey or India. ? I think Ford is keeping the most important details for us to find out later.
It is going to be an Escape with more ground clearance so I’d expect the same 1.5, 2.0 and eventually 2.5 4cyls available in it. The only thing I expect to be different in the power train is the final drive ratio because of the larger diameter tires.
How about calling it the Pinto. or the Aspire since it aspires to be a Bronco.
Bronco MTV – Mall Terrain Vehicle