The 2025 Ford Bronco Big Bend is worth considering before spending more on an Outer Banks or a heavily optioned off-road build. It retains the Bronco’s removable-roof and four-wheel-drive layout while offering useful comfort equipment. The buying decision is less about whether Big Bend is “basic” and more about which transmission, roof, seating material and capability packages you actually need.
This guide accompanies our 2025 Big Bend video. The description identifies the model but does not confirm a VIN or full option list. Canadian 2025 manufacturer specifications and dated reference labels are used below, without assigning every option on a reference vehicle to the Bronco in the video.
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The Canadian 2025 Bronco lineup includes Base, Big Bend, Outer Banks, Badlands, Heritage Edition, Stroppe Edition and Raptor. Big Bend is a four-door, five-passenger choice in this range. The similarly named Bronco Sport is a separate vehicle and should not be used as a substitute in a Bronco trim or towing comparison.
This guide focuses on Big Bend versus Outer Banks, keeping the four-door body consistent. Outer Banks adds cabin and exterior equipment; Sasquatch is a separate off-road package available on more than one trim. Black Appearance, Black Diamond and Sasquatch do not mean the same thing, even when two vehicles share dark wheels.
Engine and transmission
Ford Canada’s archived 2025 Bronco specifications list the Big Bend’s 2.3-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder at 300 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, with those output ratings based on premium fuel under SAE J1349. A seven-speed manual is standard and a ten-speed automatic is available. The Canadian reference label prices the automatic at $1,495.
The manual’s layout includes a crawler gear, so “seven-speed” should not be read as seven conventional road gears. The automatic changes how the driver operates the vehicle and enables remote start in the listed configuration. Compare the transmission you want directly: using Big Bend’s manual starting price against an automatic Outer Banks exaggerates the equipment-price difference.
The 2.7-litre V6 discussed elsewhere in the Bronco range is not the engine in this Big Bend reference. If V6 power is a priority, compare an eligible trim and its separately priced engine option rather than assuming that any Big Bend package adds it.
Four-wheel drive and package choices
The September Big Bend record has a 3.73 rear axle with open front and rear differentials. Its Black Appearance Package adds styling items and 32-inch LT265/70R17 tires on 17-inch gloss-black wheels. It is not a locking-differential package; the label makes that distinction particularly clear.
By contrast, Ford Canada’s 2025 performance information identifies Sasquatch with 35-inch tires, electronic-locking front and rear axles, a 4.70 ratio and high-clearance fender flares. Black Diamond is another capability-oriented option, with protection and equipment differences. Ask for the actual package list rather than judging axle or underbody equipment from a photograph.
That distinction can keep the purchase focused. A driver who wants the appearance and removable roof may not need to pay for the most extensive off-road configuration. A buyer planning difficult terrain should evaluate the required hardware directly, not assume the Big Bend name or a drive-mode selector supplies every available feature.
Towing and payload
The 2025 Ford Canada towing guide lists a 3,500-lb maximum for the Big Bend 2.3-litre with either transmission when properly equipped. Trailer Tow Prep is not the same as an installed hitch receiver. Ford requires the dealer-installed OEM towing equipment for trailers over 2,000 lb.
The receiver specification is 3,500 lb with 350 lb maximum tongue load. Check the particular vehicle’s payload and axle limits as well as the trailer rating. Roof accessories, passengers, luggage and tongue weight all use capacity; extra physical storage space does not cancel a weight limit. Verify the wiring and trailer-brake requirements before making a towing plan.
Fuel economy
Natural Resources Canada rates the 2025 2.3-litre Bronco 4WD automatic at 12.9 L/100 km city, 10.9 highway and 12.0 combined. The manual is rated at 12.9 city, 11.0 highway and 12.1 combined. The Canadian automatic Big Bend label confirms the 12.0 combined figure. NRCan 2025 data.
At 20,000 km, those ratings represent 2,400 litres for the automatic or 2,420 litres for the manual. That small certified difference is not a strong reason by itself to choose a transmission. NRCan lists the 2.3-litre Sasquatch configuration at 13.2 combined, so do not carry the non-Sasquatch rating over to a materially different build.
Interior, seating and roof choices
The Canadian 222A Big Bend reference includes the Mid Package, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, a power outlet and Ford Co-Pilot360. These are meaningful everyday features. The standard seat specification is cloth with manual front adjustment, and carpet flooring is listed in Ford Canada’s equipment information.
The reference vehicle changes that specification: grey/black vinyl seats are a $1,815 option, with rubberized flooring listed on the build. Do not describe all Big Bends as having this washout-oriented interior. If easy cleaning matters, verify the seat and flooring lines rather than assuming the appearance package includes them.
Its black-painted hardtop is also extra, priced at $2,945 with sound-deadening headliner on the September label. Check how you will store removed panels and whether the roof arrangement works with your parking and storage space. This is a practical ownership question, not a claim that a hardtop eliminates wind or road noise.
Infotainment and driver assistance
The 2025 Canadian specification includes a 12-inch SYNC 4 touchscreen, a 12-inch digital instrument display and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Big Bend’s equipment includes blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, lane keeping, pre-collision assistance with automatic emergency braking and rear parking sensors.
Those systems do not make the vehicle autonomous. The Outer Banks 314A comparison adds a 360-degree camera and adaptive cruise control through its separately priced High/Lux group. They are not automatically included because a Bronco has a large screen, heated seats or the Sasquatch package.
Pricing in CAD
These original Canadian 2025 label figures were checked on October 28, 2026. Prices exclude destination, excise, paint, other options and sales taxes. All rows use the four-door 4×4 body. The first three comparison amounts retain the 2.3-litre engine; the final row explicitly adds the V6 and an equipment group. Dates differ, so the amounts are historical rather than a current price list.
| 2025 four-door configuration | Historical amount (CAD) | Label date | Equipment distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bend 222A, manual | $53,565 | September 24, 2025 | Base before the automatic option; Mid comfort equipment, cloth/manual front seats. |
| Big Bend 222A, automatic | $55,060 | Same September label | Adds $1,495 for the ten-speed automatic; appearance, roof and vinyl options remain separate. |
| Outer Banks, base 2.3L automatic | $61,290 | July 17, 2025 | Base before the label’s separately priced V6 and 314A group; power front seats and tube steps. |
| Outer Banks 314A, 2.7L automatic | $67,785 | Same July label | $61,290 + $3,800 High/Lux + $2,695 V6. Camera/adaptive cruise and different engine; not a trim-only premium. |
On these dated records, the comparable 2.3-litre automatic base amounts differ by $6,230. The September Big Bend then adds $1,815 vinyl seats, $2,945 hardtop and $1,215 Black Appearance. Including its automatic, $100 excise and $2,295 delivery, the complete label totals $63,430 before taxes. Comparing that optioned total with another trim’s bare base would be misleading.
Competition and which Bronco makes sense
Big Bend is the specification to examine when its included comfort features are sufficient and you want control over the costly options. Outer Banks deserves a comparison when power seating and additional cabin equipment matter. For serious off-road use, price the hardware you require on each candidate instead of assuming the more expensive comfort trim is automatically more capable.
The Jeep Wrangler is a relevant alternative for a removable-roof SUV. Compare the actual doors, roof, transmission and towing equipment. Our 2026 Bronco Big Bend review and 2026 Outer Banks review offer separate newer-model perspectives, not replacement 2025 prices.
Frequently asked questions
Is the automatic standard on Big Bend?
No. The Canadian reference label lists it as a $1,495 option.
Does Black Appearance add locking differentials?
Not on the documented build: its front and rear differentials are listed as open.
Are vinyl seats and a painted hardtop included?
No. Both are separate paid options on the September 2025 reference label.