Why You Can Trust CNET 2021 Ford Bronco buyers can take their SUVs to Off-Roadeo driving school
Ford wants to help Bronco buyers get hooked on the great outdoors, because there's nothing sadder than a clean 4x4 SUV.
- North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year (NACTOY) Awards Juror
We all know the cliche: Some guy or gal buys a capable off-road SUV and then never once takes it off the tarmac. Ford doesn't want that to happen to its upcoming 2021 Bronco, so the automaker is creating four new Bronco Off-Roadeo off-road schools where enthusiasts and owners can test and experience all that their vehicles have to offer.
The all-new "Bronco brand" will actually include three models -- the revived Bronco two-door, a new four-door model and the small and rugged Bronco Sport unibody crossover -- and will be, according to Ford, "the only domestic brand of SUVs with standard 4x4." All three will also boast so-called Built Wild capability -- Ford's off-road design and technology principle that's analogous to Jeep's Trail Rated badge.
"Authenticity counts with Bronco," said Ford's Bronco Consumer Marketing Manager, Mark Grueber regarding the Off-Roadeos. "We'll have four off-roading and outdoor adventure playgrounds built for all different skill levels with experiences designed to build confidence and inspire Bronco owners to get out in the wild for years to come."
Ford will open four Bronco Off-Roadeo locations across the United States sometime next year. The specific locations have not yet been announced.
"We're targeting what I'll call epic locations," said Grueber when asked for a hint. "These are just going to be absolutely beautiful locations out in the wild and we will have some diversity across the US in terms of location to make it easier if a customer wants to choose one that's closer to where they reside. And we'll be able to show off the Bronco in different off-roading terrains as well; that's another reason we're [choosing] to have multiple locations across the US."
We don't yet know where in the US these Bronco Off-Roadeo experiences will be or how much they'll cost.
To help build excitement, Ford is also connecting with Bronco fans by offering a wide range of Ford-licensed Bronco merchandise on its Amazon storefront, tempting buyers with Bronco Off-Roadeo's off-roading and outdoor experiences and spotlighting the Bronco Nation independent online community.
$100 reservations for the new Bronco models will open on Ford's website alongside their debut at 8:00 p.m. EDT on July 13 across Disney network channels. (We'll also be covering the reveal right here on Roadshow.)