2025 Ford Bronco Sport Sasquatch: Smaller Off-Roaders Are Great

Maryville, Tennesse—Since Ford revived the Bronco name in 2021, the Dearborn-based manufacturer has been trying every possible way to steal sales from its archrival, the Jeep Wrangler. In order to attract customers drawn by the “ready-for-adventure” image, each purchase of a new Bronco—or Bronco Sport—comes with a day of off-road driving at one of five Off-Roadeo centres.

The catch, at least for Canadian enthusiasts, is that you need to cross the U.S. border and drive a great distance before reaching one of these centres designed to showcase the off-road potential of Ford’s rugged SUVs. Last year, my colleague Dominic Boucher had the chance to take part in one of these driving days at the Nevada Off-Roadeo behind the wheel of a Ford Bronco equipped with the Sasquatch package.

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This time, Ford invited a few members of the automotive press to the newest Off-Roadeo centre, in Maryville, Tennessee. And even though the trails were wide enough to accommodate the midsize Bronco, it was behind the wheel of the smaller 2025 Bronco Sport that our driving day unfolded.

What is Sasquatch?

The 2025 model year brings a few updates for the compact crossover, including a Sasquatch package that gives the SUV enhanced off-road capability. But what exactly is Sasquatch? Just like its “big brother,” the Ford Bronco Sport can be fitted with this specific package that makes the vehicle more agile once the pavement disappears. The keen-eyed will have noticed the bull bar—mounted directly to the chassis up front—or the 29-inch Goodyear all-terrain tires on unique 17-inch black wheels. But the Sasquatch badge goes well beyond these two visual tweaks.

There’s also an 850-watt engine cooling fan, pre-wiring for auxiliary accessories with roof-mounted switches, hooks on the front fenders for securing gear on the roof, a revised off-road suspension with Bilstein rear dampers, and even high-clearance fender flares. That’s not all: the bumpers are now made of steel for better impact resistance, while the recovery hooks—used when the vehicle gets bogged down—are now more prominently positioned. Previously, they were mounted lower.

Inside, the Bronco Sport Sasquatch also adds something the other models don’t have: seven G.O.A.T. modes (for “Goes Over Any Terrain”) instead of the usual five. In addition to Normal, Eco, Off-Road, Sport and Slippery, the Sasquatch adds a Rally mode for faster-paced sections and a Rock-Crawl mode for rocky trails.

Of course, to access this robust equipment list, buyers must shell out $4,495—a significant amount of money, especially if the owner never ventures off the beaten path. But that’s another story.

Tackling Trails Like a Ballet Dancer

Off-Roadeo participants in Maryville were first invited to listen to the wise advice of instructors Corey and Darren, two off-road veterans who have seen it all. Corey, for instance, spent nearly twenty years at Land Rover repairing the brand’s 4x4s. Proof? As we drove past his house, no fewer than three old Land Rover LR3s and an even older Discovery were parked out front. He also admitted he often takes his family on off-road adventures.

Friendly and approachable, the pair began by teaching us the basics of off-road driving on a short course near the base camp. That’s when we realized our cruising speed wouldn’t exceed 10 mph (just over 16 km/h). Unlike the larger Bronco with its higher ground clearance and more robust components, the Bronco Sport requires a more careful driver aware of obstacles. In other words, finesse is key when negotiating rocks and ruts. The 360-degree exterior camera proved extremely useful at times, that’s a fact.

It’s worth noting that the forest trail we used, once a horse path, was barely altered for this off-road centre. The landowners reached an agreement with Ford to use this rugged terrain for tourism purposes. According to the instructors, a skilled off-road driver could probably complete the 9-mile course in Normal mode, but for the sake of the exercise we used Off-Road mode, which disables traction control and tweaks other drivetrain settings. Rock-Crawl mode was also called upon a few times, particularly to take advantage of the limited-slip rear differential when things got tricky.

To make it through, it was essential to place the front tires precisely on top of the tallest obstacles to maximize ground clearance. Deep ruts were to be avoided. To protect the Bronco Sport’s mechanical components, skid plates are fitted under the vehicle, but avoiding rock contact also required careful driving. By keeping the left foot on the brake pedal and the right foot on the accelerator, we found it easier to control our approach speed and reduce suspension compression, thus maintaining maximum clearance.

As is often the case in off-road events, some obstacles proved tougher than others, requiring the instructors to get out and guide us. After a full day outdoors and nine miles of pure off-road driving, none of the vehicles suffered damage or punctures, thanks to the instructors’ advice. While the 2025 Bronco Sport Sasquatch impressed us, it also forced participants to drive with precision—usually not the first thing that comes to mind when describing an off-road day.

The instructors also shared what every off-road enthusiast should carry in their vehicle. A pair of traction boards is a good start for overly deep obstacles. A chainsaw (ideally electric if kept inside the cabin) can be useful if a fallen branch blocks the trail. However, the ultimate tool is the recovery strap which, when properly anchored to another vehicle, can work miracles in pulling you out of a jam.

What About an Off-Roadeo Centre in Canada?

To wrap things up, Ford officials revealed that the brand is currently scouting for a location in Canada to build a sixth Off-Roadeo centre, likely in the region with the highest Bronco sales. At this time, we won’t hold our breath for an official announcement, but even this hint, shared just before our departure, is encouraging news for Canadian Bronco fans. The only drawback, of course, is the sheer size of our country, especially if Ford opens only one of these offroad-focused centres.