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The new Ford Bronco has been a resounding success for the brand – but there’s always room for improvement. While we may not yet have an electric Bronco, Ford could land an easy electrification layup by offering the Bronco Sport with the Maverick’s hybrid powertrain.  

Does the Bronco Sport have a hybrid engine?

The back end view of a yellow 2023 Ford Bronco Sport Heritage Limited Edition.
2023 Ford Bronco Sport | Ford Motor Company

The Ford Bronco Sport does not yet have a hybrid powertrain option. 

Ford offers the Bronco Sport with a base 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine making 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. If you need more power, you can upgrade to the available 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine. Its 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque give the Bronco Sport extra thrust. 

The Bronco Sport does okay on fuel economy. The 1.5-liter engine can manage about 25 mpg city and 28 mpg highway while the 2.0-liter engine is rated at 21 mpg city and 26 mpg highway.

So far, Ford hasn’t added any other powertrain options to the Bronco Sport. 

The Ford Maverick’s hybrid powertrain would be a great fit for the Bronco Sport 

Close up view of the rear tailgate of the Ford Maverick hybrid in blue.
2023 Ford Maverick Tailgate | Ford Motor Company

The Ford Maverick’s hybrid powertrain is an obvious choice for expanding the Bronco Sport powertrain lineup. 

According to Forbes, the Maverick’s base hybrid powertrain delivers a respectable 191 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque. More importantly, the hybrid system provides outstanding efficiency ratings. Forbes claims the Maverick can achieve 42 mpg city with the hybrid powertrain. 

That kind of fuel economy used to be unheard of for any sort of truck. The Maverick has found its niche, delivering everyday practicality and commute-friendly efficiency. 

It wouldn’t be a stretch for Ford to introduce the hybrid system to the Bronco Sport. After all, the Bronco Sport and Maverick use the same basic platform. And drivers might appreciate a more ruggedly-styled hybrid SUV that can cruise at 40 mpg. 

Electrification is already present in other off-road SUVs 

Ford wouldn’t be the first brand to introduce hybrid power to an off-road SUV. 

Luxury off-road SUV maker Land Rover has been using hybrid systems for years. Toyota recently switched its Sequoia and Land Cruiser to turbo hybrid V6 powertrains as a result of efficiency demands. Even Jeep has jumped into the off-road hybrid fray with its Wrangler 4xe. 

Ford would need to develop an all-wheel drive system for the hybrid powertrain 

A blue Ford Maverick drives down a southern California road with palm trees in the background.
2023 Ford Maverick | Ford Motor Company

Ford would need to develop an all-wheel drive system to go with the hybrid powertrain to keep the Bronco Sport’s off-road credibility. 

The base hybrid Ford Maverick is currently only available with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available, though it requires upgrading to the non-hybrid EcoBoost engine. 

Ford has put time and effort into promoting the all-terrain chops of the Bronco Sport. A front-wheel drive variant would water down the SUV’s rugged identity and undercut Ford’s branding efforts as a result. 

If Ford can develop a decent all-wheel drive system, a hybrid-powered Bronco Sport could be a winner. For now, we’ll have to be content with the Maverick and Escape Hybrid.

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Staff Writer, Producer - SUVs

Scott Prewitt

Scott Prewitt joined the MotorBiscuit team in 2023 as a Staff Writer for the SUV section. During college, he began his career in journalism as Editor in Chief of The Creightonian. After graduating from Creighton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, News and Public Relations, Scott spent time in a local newsroom. He soon found his way to the world of automotive journalism and has been writing about cars since 2017.

A passion for all things automotive began at a young age. Playing Gran Turismo racing games in the early 2000s sparked an interest in cars and Scott began devouring Car and Driver stories when he was in the fourth grade. Since then, Scott’s enthusiasm for autos has grown to become the focal point of his career as a journalist.

By combining the skills that earned him the News Graduate of the Year 2016 and the Omaha Press Club Recognition & Academic Scholarship with a craving for knowledge of automotive industry, Scott covers a wide range of content from breaking news about the latest SUV models to designated off-road and overlanding rigs. His reporting is informed by personal experiences like road trips, intriguing automotive history, and time spent poring over various outlets and YouTube channels. Scott is drawn to car culture because, in his own words,  “these vehicles are a combination of purpose-built engineering and emotive, expressive design.”

The personal aspects of the autos world are of particular interest to Scott, and he is fascinated by the relationship between humans and cars. Years of writing for dealerships across the country and time in the corporate communications world lend to his expertise as a writer here at MotorBiscuit.