Before You Buy

Ford Bronco: Buy Score, Reliability & Ownership Costs

Midsize Off-Road SUV · SUV

MSRP Range$42,790–$83,080
An orange 2026 Ford Bronco SUV with the doors removed, parked on a dirt trail in daylight, shot candidly at a three-quarter angle.
Engine2.3L turbo 4-cylinder, 2.7L turbo V6, or 3.0L turbo V6 (Raptor)
DrivetrainFour-wheel drive, standard
Fuel Economy15-19 mpg city, depending on engine
Towing CapacityUp to 3,500 lbs (4,500 lbs, Raptor)

Our Verdict

Based on Ford's brand-level reliability data, ownership costs, and longevity signals.

Consider
68/100

Buy Score™

Pros

  • iSeeCars shows better-than-average 5-year value retention (42.6% depreciation vs. a 46.3% category average)
  • Widest range of genuine off-road hardware (locking differentials, Sasquatch package, Raptor trim) of any vehicle in this comparison set
  • Strong enthusiast community and aftermarket support
  • Removable doors/roof options not offered by most rivals

Cons

  • No model-specific RepairPal score exists yet; Ford's brand-level rating (21st of 32) and independent trackers both point to below-average reliability
  • Owners commonly report a 'no-start'/stalling condition tied to ignition module failure
  • Fuel economy (as low as 15 mpg city on the Raptor) is among the worst of any vehicle reviewed on this site
  • Base 4-cylinder trims start well above $40,000 before options

Can this car reach 300,000 miles?

Unlikely

RepairPal doesn't yet publish a Bronco-specific score, so this leans on Ford's overall brand rating (3.5/5.0, ranked 21st of 32 brands). Independent trackers report a below-average reliability score for recent Bronco model years, and owners commonly report a 'no-start'/stalling issue tied to ignition module failure.

First-Time Buyer Friendly

40/100

Livable, but the complexity or running costs here reward buyers who already have some ownership experience.

Reliability Timeline

What tends to need attention, and when — based on Ford brand-level reliability data.

RoutineModerateMajor

30,000 miles

Oil changes, tire rotations
Watch for hard-start or stalling symptoms — a commonly reported ignition-module issue

60,000 miles

Brake pads
4x4 drivetrain component inspection, especially on vehicles used off-road

100,000 miles

Spark plugs and turbo components

150,000 miles

Suspension and steering components, more so on off-road-driven examples

200,000+ miles

No strong track record yet at this mileage for the current generation, which launched for MY2021

What It Actually Costs to Own

iSeeCars shows the Bronco holding its value better than the midsize-SUV category average, which helps offset above-average fuel and repair costs — genuine off-road capability comes with a genuine ownership-cost premium.

Estimated Annual Fuel Cost$2,200
Estimated Annual Insurance$1,600
Estimated Annual Maintenance$500
Estimated Annual Repairs$775
Estimated Annual Registration$210
5-Year Depreciation~43% of purchase price

Full Specifications

Engine2.3L turbo 4-cylinder, 2.7L turbo V6, or 3.0L turbo V6 (Raptor)
DrivetrainFour-wheel drive, standard
Fuel Economy15-19 mpg city, depending on engine
Towing CapacityUp to 3,500 lbs (4,500 lbs, Raptor)
Warranty3 yr/36,000 mi basic, 5 yr/60,000 mi powertrain

Check for open recalls before you buy

We don't yet have a live recall feed wired up for the Ford Bronco, so we won't guess at a number here. Before you buy any specific Bronco, run its VIN throughNHTSA's free recall lookup tool— it takes about 30 seconds and confirms whether that exact vehicle has any open, unrepaired safety recalls.

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Sources: Ford brand-level RepairPal score (3.5/5.0, ranked 21st of 32 brands) and annual repair cost ($775) — no Bronco-specific figure is published: repairpal.com/ford/bronco and repairpal.com/reliability/ford (live lookup, 2026). 2026 MSRP ($42,790-$83,080), seven trims, and engine/towing specs: truecar.com and ford.com 2026 Bronco pricing pages (live lookup, 2026). 'No-start'/stalling ignition-module complaints and below-average independent reliability score for recent model years: cherishyourcar.com and autoreliabilityindex.com Bronco pages (live lookup, 2026). iSeeCars 5-year depreciation (42.6% vs. a 46.3% midsize-SUV category average): iseecars.com Bronco resale-value page (live lookup, 2026).