The Ford Bronco could reportedly be expanded into a ute, with the off-road pickup tipped to arrive around 2030. The reported ute could arrive around 2030 and be built at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant, where the Bronco is currently produced. However, Ford has not confirmed the model is in development.
A Bronco pickup would revive an idea that Ford has considered before. The company reportedly looked at a modern Bronco ute after the current-generation SUV arrived, but the project was later shelved as Ford shifted its attention towards electric vehicles.
Ford Bronco with a tray?
A Bronco ute would not be completely new territory for the nameplate. The original Bronco was available as a two-door half-cab pickup from 1966 to 1972. Ford has also shown that it is willing to experiment with the Bronco’s design. In 2025, the company revealed the Bronco Roadster Concept, which removed the roof and doors and converted the rear section into an open tray.
That was a one-off concept rather than a preview of a confirmed production model, but it showed how the Bronco’s rugged design could be adapted into a ute. The latest report suggests Ford could now take that idea into production, with the Jeep Gladiator likely to be one of its key rivals.
Read more: All-new 2027 Mahindra Lifestyler ute: Top 5 highlights
Bronco ute could make room for the next Ranger
The reported production plans could also be linked to Ford’s next-generation ute strategy. The Michigan Assembly Plant currently builds the US-market Ford Ranger alongside the Bronco. Reports suggest Ranger production could eventually move to Ford’s Tennessee facility, potentially making room for the Bronco ute in Michigan.
The next-generation Ranger is expected to arrive around 2029, which would fit with the reported timing of the Bronco pickup. It is not yet clear whether the Bronco ute would share its platform or major components with the next Ranger. Ford has reportedly moved away from earlier plans to use a common modular architecture across its pickup range.
What could power the Bronco ute?
Ford has not released any specifications for the reported pickup. The current US-market Bronco could provide some clues, however. It is offered with a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, while higher grades use a 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6.
The flagship Bronco Raptor gets a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 producing 312kW and 597Nm. A future Bronco ute would not necessarily use any of these engines, but the existing Bronco’s off-road hardware and rugged positioning would give Ford a strong base for a lifestyle-focused pickup.
Ford is also reportedly planning an electrified Bronco before the ute arrives, with a hybrid version expected around 2027 as part of a broader update to the SUV.
Is the Ford Bronco ute coming to Australia?
The reported Bronco ute is not confirmed for Australia, and Ford has not announced plans to sell the US-market Bronco here. The Bronco name is, however, coming to Australian showrooms in a different form.
Ford Australia is expected to introduce the Bronco New Energy in 2027. The China-built SUV is being developed through Ford’s joint venture with Jiangling Motors and is unrelated to the ladder-frame Bronco sold in North America.
The Bronco New Energy is a five-seat, monocoque SUV with extended-range electric technology, rather than a Ranger-based off-road SUV or ute. The distinction is important because the arrival of the Bronco New Energy does not mean Ford Australia has confirmed the US Bronco or a future Bronco ute.
Ford is adding more utes
The potential Bronco ute would arrive as Ford expands its pickup range with several new models. The company has already announced the Ford Fathom, an electric mid-size ute expected to launch in 2027. It is set to use Ford’s Universal Electric Vehicle architecture and a reported starting price of US$29,945, which is around $42,000 in Australia before local costs.
Ford has not confirmed whether the Fathom will be sold in Australia either. For now, the Ford Bronco ute remains unconfirmed. If it does reach showrooms around 2030, it could give Ford another distinctive player in the growing lifestyle ute market. For Australian buyers, the bigger question will be whether Ford eventually sees a business case for bringing it here.
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