The Ford Bronco at Jay Malone Ford in Hutchinson, MN

The Ford Bronco® isn’t just another SUV — it’s a body-on-frame, removable-door, off-road-capable 4x4 with a personality all its own. At Jay Malone Ford in Hutchinson, MN, we’ve helped families across central Minnesota find the right Bronco for everything from weekend trail rides to hauling boats, ice houses, and side-by-sides. This page is your starting point: what the Bronco is, who it’s built for, and how to figure out which one fits your life.

What is the Ford Bronco?

The Ford Bronco is a body-on-frame 4x4 SUV that returned to the Ford lineup in 2021 after a 25-year break. Unlike most modern crossovers and SUVs, which are built on car-style unibody platforms, the Bronco rides on a dedicated truck frame — the same kind of construction that lets pickups handle real towing, real loads, and real punishment without flexing or breaking down.

It’s available as a 2-door or 4-door, with removable doors, a removable roof, multiple top configurations (hard, soft, or dual), and three turbocharged EcoBoost® engine options depending on which trim you choose. Every Bronco comes standard with 4x4 — not all-wheel drive, but a real 4x4 system with selectable engagement, low-range gearing, and (on most trims) electronic-locking differentials available as part of the Sasquatch™ Package.

The short version: it’s a serious off-road vehicle wrapped in iconic styling, and it’s the most distinctive SUV Ford builds.

What makes the Bronco unique among Ford SUVs?

Ford builds a lot of SUVs — Escape, Explorer, Expedition, Bronco Sport, Mustang Mach-E®, and the full-size Bronco. Most of them are unibody crossovers designed primarily for paved roads, with optional all-wheel drive for added traction. The Bronco is the outlier.

A few things separate it from everything else in the Ford SUV lineup:

• Body-on-frame construction — the Bronco shares its underlying architecture with the Ford Ranger, not the Escape. This makes it more durable in rough use, easier to repair after off-road impact, and better suited for heavy abuse.
• Removable doors and roof — you can take both off in the driveway with a basic tool kit (included). This is a class-exclusive feature among mainstream SUVs, and it changes the experience of driving in summer.
• Real 4x4, not AWD — selectable 4-high and 4-low, with locking differentials available, designed for low-traction conditions where AWD systems give up.
• Trail-ready geometry — up to 13.1" of ground clearance and up to 37" water fording on the Raptor®, with serious approach, breakover, and departure angles even on lower trims.
• G.O.A.T. Modes® — Goes Over Any Type of Terrain. A drive-mode system that automatically reconfigures throttle, traction control, transmission behavior, and (on capable trims) the differentials based on what you’re driving on.

If you want a comfortable, road-focused SUV, look at the Explorer or Escape. If you want a vehicle that lets you do things on the weekend that the Explorer can’t, the Bronco is built for that.

What Bronco trim levels and packages are offered?

The current Bronco lineup spans six retail trims, each with its own personality — from the work-ready Base to the desert-running Raptor.

• Base — the entry point. 2-door or 4-door, 2.3L EcoBoost, manual or automatic, with the option to add the Sasquatch Package for serious off-road capability.
• Big Bend® — the volume seller. Adds privacy glass, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and access to the Black Diamond™ and Free Wheeling™ appearance packages.
• Outer Banks® — the comfort-focused trim. Leather-trimmed seats, power driver and passenger seats, LED headlamps, body-color fender flares, and the optional Lux Package with B&O® sound and adaptive cruise.
• Badlands® — the off-road-focused trim. Standard advanced 4x4, full bash plates, rock rails, marine-grade vinyl seats, washout-capable rubberized flooring, and seven G.O.A.T. Modes.
• Heritage Edition — the throwback. Oxford White-painted hard top, white wheels, retro graphics, and plaid cloth seats inspired by the original 1966 Bronco. Built on the Big Bend platform with the Sasquatch Package included.
• Raptor® — the flagship. 418-hp 3.0L EcoBoost V6, FOX™ Live Valve dampers, 37" tires, Ford Performance components, and the most aggressive off-road geometry in the lineup.

On top of trims, several packages can transform a Bronco’s personality — the Sasquatch Package adds 35" tires, locking diffs, and Bilstein® shocks; the Wildtrak™ Package on Badlands bundles the V6, HOSS 3.0 suspension, and Black Appearance treatment into one option; the 60th Anniversary Package on Outer Banks celebrates Bronco’s six decades with unique colors and graphics.

A note on Stroppe Edition: Ford produces a Bronco Stroppe Edition for the current model year, but it’s available exclusively through Ford’s military sales channel, not through retail dealerships. If you’re shopping at Jay Malone Ford, the six trims above are what we can order and stock.

For a deeper breakdown of every trim, package, and which one fits your needs, see our current model year Bronco overview.

Who should consider a Ford Bronco?

In central Minnesota, we see Bronco buyers fall into a few groups, and they don’t always overlap with what national Bronco marketing assumes.

The lake-and-trailer crowd. If you’ve got a fishing boat on Belle Lake, a pontoon at Stahls Lake, or a side-by-side you tow up north, a Bronco can pull up to 3,500 lbs (4,500 lbs on Raptor) and gives you 4x4 traction at the launch ramp when things get sketchy.

The hunting and ice-fishing crew. Marine-grade vinyl seats, washout flooring (on Badlands), and removable carpet floor mats mean you can throw wet gear, decoys, fish slime, and ice house hardware into the cabin without ruining it. Bronco’s ground clearance handles the rutted approach roads to most McLeod County hunting land just fine.

The weekend adventurer. If your idea of a good Saturday is heading west to the Black Hills, north to the Iron Range, or out to the Boundary Waters, the Bronco is set up for that. Tops come off, doors come off, and the cargo area swallows tents, kayaks, and coolers.

The everyday driver who wants something different. A lot of our Bronco buyers don’t off-road every weekend. They drive to work in Hutchinson, run kids to practice, and want a daily driver that doesn’t look like everything else in the parking lot. The Bronco does that, and the optional automatic transmission, heated seats, dual-zone climate, and SYNC® 4 with a 12" touchscreen make it perfectly comfortable as an everyday vehicle.

How does the Bronco perform in Minnesota?

Minnesota is a Bronco-friendly state, and central Minnesota in particular plays to the vehicle’s strengths. A few things worth knowing if you’re weighing a Bronco for Hutchinson, Litchfield, Glencoe, Waconia, or anywhere in McLeod County.

Standard 4x4 means snow isn’t a problem. Every Bronco comes with a real 4x4 system, and most trims include G.O.A.T. Modes with a Slippery setting that retunes the throttle, traction control, and transmission shift behavior for snow and ice. Pair that with a good set of winter tires and the Bronco handles the worst Hutchinson winter days without drama.

Cold-weather features are available across the lineup. Heated front seats are part of the Mid Package on Big Bend and up, and a heated steering wheel is standard from Outer Banks up. An engine block heater is an inexpensive option (highly recommended for January starts), and remote start comes with the automatic transmission on Mid Package and higher.

Body-on-frame construction handles gravel and dirt roads. If your daily commute includes gravel between Hutchinson and Silver Lake, or you live on a dirt road between Glencoe and Stewart, the Bronco’s truck-style frame and skid plate options stand up to washboards and frost heaves better than a unibody crossover.

Towing is real. 3,500 lbs covers most fishing boats, small ice houses, utility trailers, and side-by-side trailers. The Raptor steps up to 4,500 lbs. Bronco isn’t a heavy-duty tow vehicle — if you’re pulling a fifth-wheel camper or a stock trailer, you want an F-150 or Super Duty — but for the trailers most central Minnesota families actually own, it’s plenty.

What should I know before buying a Bronco in central Minnesota?

A few things we tell every customer who walks in asking about a Bronco:

Decide between 2-door and 4-door early. The 2-door is shorter, lighter, more iconic, and a better off-road vehicle — but it’s genuinely tight for adult passengers in the back, and getting kids into car seats requires some flexibility. The 4-door is the right choice for most families. For the current model year, the 2-door is only available on Base and Badlands.

Think about how often you’ll really off-road. If the answer is “a few times a year,” Big Bend or Outer Banks is plenty. If the answer is “every weekend, and I want lockers,” you want Badlands or any trim with the Sasquatch Package. We see a lot of buyers spec up to Badlands and use 5% of its capability — nothing wrong with that, but know that’s what you’re paying for.

Pick a top configuration that matches your life. The hard top is quieter, warmer, and more secure. The soft top is faster to take down and lighter. The dual-top option (now available as a soft-top add-in to the hard top on more trims) gives you both. If you’ll only take the top off twice a year, just get the hard top. If you live for those summer days when the doors and roof come off, the soft top makes that easier.

Test drive at highway speeds. The Bronco is a body-on-frame SUV, and on the highway it doesn’t drive like a Highlander. There’s more wind noise (especially with a soft top), more tire noise (especially on 35" tires), and a slightly truck-like ride. None of that is bad — it’s part of the character — but you should know what you’re signing up for. We’ll happily set you up with a long test drive that includes a stretch of US-7 or MN-15, not just a loop around the lot.

Why buy a Bronco from Jay Malone Ford?

Jay Malone Motors has been family-owned and operated in Hutchinson since 2005. We were voted Best Place to Buy a Vehicle, Best Auto Mechanic, Best Place to Buy Tires, and Best Auto Body Shop in Hutchinson — and we’ve built our reputation on treating customers like neighbors instead of transactions. That’s the “Your Dealer for Life” promise, and it shapes how we sell vehicles.

If we don’t have your exact Bronco on the lot, we’ll find it. We don’t charge a vehicle locator fee. We don’t mark up vehicles for being in demand. If you want a 4-door Badlands in Marsh Gray with the Sasquatch Package and the Lux Package, and we don’t have one in stock, we’ll search the network and pull one in for the same price we’d sell anything else on the lot.

We service what we sell. Our Ford-certified service department keeps your Bronco running, whether that’s an oil change, a 30,000-mile service, or warranty work years down the road. Buying local means service is local too — you’re not driving to the Twin Cities every time something needs attention.

We’re going to be here. The dealership is run by Jay Malone (owner, 2021 Hutchinson Business Person of the Year), Jake Malone (operations), and me — Jordan Malone-Forst. We’re not a flip-and-leave operation. The Bronco you buy this year is one we’ll still be servicing in ten years, with people you’ll recognize behind the counter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find Your Bronco at Jay Malone Ford

Whether you’re looking for a daily driver with personality, a weekend adventure rig, or a family SUV that can actually do something on the weekend, the Bronco probably has a configuration that fits. Come see one in person at our showroom on Highway 7 in Hutchinson, take a real test drive, and we’ll help you figure out which trim and package combination matches the life you actually live.

If you’d rather start online, browse our Bronco inventory below or get a head start on financing — both take just a few minutes and we’ll have your numbers ready when you walk through the door.