The Ford Bronco has been around since the 1960s, coming onto the scene to compete primarily with the Jeep CJ — essentially the predecessor to the Wrangler. Some rivalries really are a tale as old as time, aren’t they? They both essentially ushered in the mainstream off-road vehicle segment in North America, with simple designs and genuine offroad chops. Fast forward to today and we’re met with a sea of crossovers that purport to be rugged but very few can actually deliver on that promise, at least not in the way the 2025 Ford Bronco Heritage Edition can.

It’s the real deal

This 2025 Ford Bronco Heritage Edition with the Sasquatch package is the furthest thing from a poser.  There are lesser Broncos if you want the look but you’re a pavement warrior. There’s a Bronco Sport, which is essentially a cooler version of the Escape, and can even now be had with a Sasquatch package of its own.  But those are built for the asphalt and snow; this one is made for all that plus mud, rocks, gravel, and anything else you can throw at this big Bronco.

The Sasquatch pack is where the do-it-all nature really comes from. We’re talking big 35-inch mud tires mounted on 17-inch wheels to help you crawl over the biggest of boulders or plow through gallons of mud. The wheels are aided by a heavy duty offroad suspension with a mild lift, and both higher and wider fender arches to ensure the wheels and the suspension have the clearance needed to get the job done.

On the mechanical side, you have locking differentials front and rear along with a 4.71 final drive ratio and an electronically disconnecting rear sway bar to further increase suspension travel. This is meaty stuff, and although I easily cut through some snow this time around, I remember the Bronco never skipping a beat while offroading out in Moab, where lesser vehicles would fall to their knees.

Oozes cool

The proverbial Bronco you’re picturing right now is probably a certain white one, but put that aside. This Heritage Edition trim is where it’s at. The robin’s egg blue paint with the removable white roof, white wheels, grille, and pinstriping looks so fresh in a sea of black and grey cars and crossovers. Coupled with the wide fender flares and enormous Goodyear Territory mud tires, this spec draws attention the same way a supercar does, except it’s more of a people’s champ than something to envy. The bucking horse logo and classic Ford lettering out front go well with the spare tire mounted out back, giving you all the old-school-cool vibes you can handle. I’m duly impressed with how far Ford went with both the Heritage and Sasquatch packages.

The interior doesn’t take away from the aesthetic in the least, with an old school, blue plaid-like pattern on the seats, net pockets on the doors, and the white trim on the dash with Bronco lettering. There’s even a bucking horse Bronco logo in gear shifter, and more Bronco lettering in the grab handles. The 12-inch infotainment screen has been standard since 2024, and the software behind it and on the accompanying 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster is responsive. Ford does a good job with their graphics, with animated Broncos that change as you flip through the different drive modes, of which there are many. Talk about details.

The Goat

Surrounding the 4WD selector is the GOAT ring. It stands for “Goes Over Any Terrain,” which is a fun way to denote the Bronco’s drive modes and capabilities, and allows you to flip through the various drive modes to suit whatever conditions might be lurking under those massive tires. With the aforementioned animations, it’s a fun experience. Can you tell Ford is passionate about this thing?

Luckily those aren’t the only physical controls. The infotainment and climate control both feature a full array of switchgear. There’s also roof-mounted auxiliary switches that you can use to control aftermarket accessories, like lightbars or a winch. All of those controls are also weather-resistant, able to withstand some inclement weather in case you’re caught in the rain with the removable doors and/or roof off. The rubberized floor even has drain plugs. The tailgate is split, with a swing-out base and lift up glass that has to be done in order, otherwise it won’t open. Space is plenty, although the lifted suspension means it’s a tad more cumbersome to climb in or throw a carry-on back there.

Let’s roll

The Bronco is surprisingly comfortable on road despite all the off-road hardware. The big sidewalls are squishy and the added suspension travel ensures you never get absolutely rocked by a pothole. The Bronco even handles surprisingly well, leaning into a corner but then holding its position better than you’d expect. The downside to all this is really the tires, because they produce tons of road noise that easily makes its way into the cabin. The faster you go, the louder they get — as does the wind noise, on account of the very vertical windshield and multi-piece removable roof. It’s damn near impossible to have a regular conversation at highway speeds; I reckon a soft-top Miata is quieter than this thing. Still, the Bronco in this spec isn’t meant for long road trips It’s meant to be knee deep in mud, facing the sky at a 30-degree angle.

Ford’s optional 2.7-litre EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 pumps out 330 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission. There’s enough grunt here for the Bronco to feel peppy but not particularly quick — perfect for a vehicle of this nature. Different drive modes will shuffle between two- and four-wheel-drive, but either way fuel economy will be dismal. My stint came out to 17.1 L/100 kilometres; I blame the tires.

Doing the Bronco’s Heritage justice

It’s obvious this isn’t just a sticker package. The 2025 Ford Bronco Heritage Edition with the Sasquatch package is a bona-fide off-roader that leans into its past from an aesthetic perspective while providing most modern amenities and genuine capability. It doesn’t have every luxury out there; for example, there’s no adaptive cruise control even though it’s pretty standard fare industry-wide, the seven speaker audio system is OK at best, and there’s no heated steering wheel or heated rear seats on this spec. It’s also hard not to notice those things missing at roughly $72,600 as-tested, but this Bronco is a niche vehicle with a pretty defined focus. If your venn diagram overlaps with this Bronco, chances are you’ll be mighty happy. And even if you thought you weren’t the type, off-roading one might change your mind.