Shock 2026 arrival! Ford Bronco for Oz

Ford has all but signed, sealed and delivered a new type of Bronco for Australia.

According to our sources, the Toyota RAV4 mid-sized SUV rival is set to arrive late next year as the belated replacement for the unsuccessful Escape that was dropped in 2023.

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And here’s the really good news for local buyers.

In a Ford-first for Australia, the Bronco SUV will be sourced from China, where it has been recently released there as the Bronco New Energy, rather than from Spain like its Escape predecessor.

This follows in Tesla’s footsteps with the Model Y of supplying models from China in the most cost-effective way possible to ensure a competitive price.

Additionally – and speaking of electrification – an in-vogue range-extender version using a 110kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine and BYD-supplied LFP battery capable of over 200km of electric-only range is part of the package, along with a pure EV option that’s said to exceed 650km (though these are on the more-lenient Chinese CLTC ratings).

Not only do these electrification choices give Ford its biggest chance of success yet in the biggest market segment in Australia, it gives some much-needed New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) credits, since more than 90 per cent of all Blue Oval volume in Australia is for the diesel-powered Ranger ute and its Everest SUV spin-off.

The resulting fines will grow and push prices up even further, so Bronco SUV is great news for Ford as well.

Unsurprisingly, the company’s response is non-committal.

“Ford Australia is always evaluating new models, and Ford Bronco New Energy (as it is called in China) is an exciting addition to the global product, but Ford Australia has no news to share about its product line-up at this time,” a spokesperson said in a statement to CarsGuide.

Unveiled in August, the Bronco New Energy is a joint venture with Jiangling Motors, and is made at the Nanchang facility in Jiangxi. A Basecamp flagship version is also offered.

Though it is car-based, the iconic nameplate, boxy styling, go-off-road look and all-wheel-drive electrified powertrain give the Ford a broad appeal, with GWM Tank 300 and even Mercedes-Benz GLB buyers in the company’s crosshairs.

Of course, it would be far too early to speculate on pricing, but a sub-$50,000 starting point would seem to be on the money. This would end years of criticism about the out-of-touch affordability crisis at Ford, where its cheapest passenger car – the Everest Ambiente – is currently nudging $60,000.

How much this Chinese SUV has in common with the coming Spanish-built version also named Bronco, as a replacement for the discontinued Focus small car, has not been confirmed, though as the brand’s big global SUV gamble, they are believed to share components.

Reports say that the European Bronco may be slightly smaller, and will be built on a variation of the old Focus/Escape/Kuga’s C2 front-drive/AWD architecture, and is expected to include a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrain.

Ford joins the growing chorus of car-makers like Tesla, Mazda (6e), Kia (EV5) and Hyundai (Elexio) that elect to import vehicles built in China, leveraging their government-mandated manufacturing partners to, ironically, help stem the rising tide of Chinese-branded models.