Skip to main content

Ford’s new Bronco isn’t a sales hit, it’s a sales home run for Ford. But with that sales success, Ford is finding that demand is much greater than supply, especially for the base Wildlands trim of the Bronco. So, at this point the company has found a clever solution to help buyers. Ford is paying buyers $2,500 to NOT buy a Wildlands Bronco.

Ford is offering a bonus for ditching options, too

For a while, the Wildtrak version has been sold out. The Wildtrak is the $52,000 high-speed off-road runner Bronco. But Ford now offers buyers $2,500 to, instead, buy one of the other trim levels. The Badlands, Big Bend and Outer Banks versions cost more. Some of the parts for the upper-level version are apparently in short supply, so Ford is offering buyers $2,500 to NOT buy options like the color-matched hard top or the Sasquatch suspension package, according to a new report from The Drive.

Though the new bonus is a shocker, Ford is doing what it can to meet demand for the hot SUV. Some owners, according to The Drive, have waited more than 900 days after ordering their Bronco to receive their new SUV. At that point, a $2,500

What is the difference between the Bronco Wildtrak and the Badlands?

2022 Ford Bronco Wildtrak driving off-road through the snow, it's worth over $50,000
2022 Ford Bronco Wildtrak | Ford

Right in the middle of the 10 different versions of the Bronco SUV sit the Badlands and Wildtrak trims. The Badlands starts at $45,095, and either come as a two-door or four-door Bronco. The Wildtrak comes standard with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine, while that’s an option on the Badlands. The Wildtrak also gets the 10-speed automatic standard, while the Badlands comes standard with a seven-speed manual with a crawler gear.

Both of these versions of the Bronco get the advanced four-wheel drive as well as 17-inch wheels. They also get the G.O.A.T. modes for the suspension tuning. Either one, though, is an off-road monster.

What’s the cheapest Ford Bronco you can buy?

A 2023 Ford Bronco without doors ripping through the desert with no manual transmission.
2023 Ford Bronco Raptor | Ford

The cheapest new Ford Bronco you can buy is simply the base Bronco. It starts at $32,295 and comes with the basics, like steel wheels and the 2.3-liter base engine. Sure, you can add the 2.7-liter engine and upgrade the 4×4 to a full-time system, but with those expensive options you’re adding nearly $10,000 to the base price. But even on this base version, you can remove the doors and the roof.

The most expensive Bronco is the Raptor version. It has everything you’d ever need to tackle, well, the badlands.

Related Yes, You Can Buy an Electric Vintage Bronco Like Ben Affleck’s From Gateway Bronco

Yes, You Can Buy an Electric Vintage Bronco Like Ben Affleck’s From Gateway Bronco

Best in SUVs
Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.