Follow us today…
When Ford dropped the new Sasquatch edition of the Bronco Sport Badlands and Outer Banks trims, I was expecting it to be off the leash. Crazy big tires, more power, more rear-biased power distribution, perhaps a lift kit to take the Bronco Sport to 10 inches of minimum ground clearance. Serious stuff, for serious off-road enthusiasts. What Ford actually delivered was a bit less power, a tire that is 0.1” smaller in diameter than what it had previously offered, and a price increase over the prior top trim configuration of $3K.
I wasn’t happy with what Ford said it had done. On paper. Being the skeptic I am, I kept an eye out for the Bronco Sport Badlands trim on my local dealer’s lot. When one appeared, I drove over expecting to validate my disappointment.
Seeing the Sasquatch In Person and Reflecting On the Bronco Sport
Truth be told, I think the Bronco Sport Badlands has ample power. Would I pay a lot more for a bit more power and torque? Probably not. I have a mental block of paying more than $50K for a compact SUV, and anything beyond that is only interesting to me as a tester, not a buyer. So, I’m cool with the same powertrains, even if they have particle filters in some markets that steal a handful of horsepower.
I also don’t personally want a lift kit. 8.8 inches off the ground – minimum – is fine by me. I don’t really get lift kits. The Badlands is already lifted compared to almost every other compact SUV. So, where does the lifting end, and why? 10 inches? 12 Inches? More? How much? Two feet? Let’s be real. If this thing is going to handle safely on the road, it has to have a center of gravity that won’t allow it to barrel roll if you swerve around a pothole. So, although I expected a lift kit, I’m cool with the Saquatch having about 8.7 inches of – minimum – ground clearance.
Bronco Sport Badlands Sasquatch Tires
As with the lift kit, I really don’t want bigger tires than the 29.1-inch 235/65/17 Falken WildPeak A/T3W tires I already have on my Badlands. In fact, I LOVE these tires more and more with each passing mile. They are the best all-around crossover SUV tires I’ve owned or tested, so I don’t know why bigger would help me. I am off-pavement weekly, and I drive this car in snow six months of the year. My needs are real, not imaginary, so big fat mud slingers would only be worse for me personally.
My Impressions After Seeing the 2025 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands Sasquatch
The Bash Bar – In pictures and on video, the Sasquatch’s front bash bar looked bigger than in person. Standing in front of it, I loved it and wished I could add one to my Badlands right now. Ford, please take my money, please take my Ford Pass points! The bash bar won me over instantly, but then I banged it with a closed fist. Beefy. Solid. And removable with a few bolts, by all appearances. What would I bash with this bar? I have no clue, but I’ll find something! A man with a hammer is never short of nails.
The Tires – About half of the total content I create is around tires. I do testing, reviews, and commentary on tires all day long most days. Suffice it to say I have a bit of a tire fetish. At one point, I owned 23 tires for three SUVs. My count is down a bit now, but I still have to walk around tires in the garage, and my shed smells like fresh rubber permanently.
One glance at the new 29-inch Goodyear Territory RT All-Terrain tires Ford switched the top trim of the Bronco Sport over to won my heart. Now, this is a qualified love afair, mind you. I have not driven on them yet. By all appearances, they seem to offer a lot of what the Falken WildPeaks did, but with more sipes. Since I drive my Bronco Sport on some pretty gnarly snow days and down some crazy icy hills, I’ll take all the sipes I can get. The more the better. I’ll live with the tread squirm quite happily.
Then I saw the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol on the side of the tire. Now we’re talking! Severe snow duty tires from the factory? Heck yeah. I’m all about severe snow days in the Bronco Sport.
The sidewall tread is downright vertical on these tires. I like a rugged sidewall on an SUV. If you’re not scuffing up the sides of your tires, you should be in a crossover like the Escape (not that there’s anything wrong with that). On many occasions, my Badlands’ tires have been mud-coated to the rims. A bit more tread on the sides can only be helpful.
Bumpers and Recovery Hooks – I’ve been stuck and needed extraction in a Bronco Sport Badlands, and the front recovery hooks, along with the rear hitch, are very practical. YOU may never need help, but if you’re using these vehicles right, you may end up helping someone else. My Badlands has connection points on its trailer hitch, but the two dedicated hooks on the Sasquatch are better positioned. I lifted the hooks on the Sasquatch, and they are damped, so they won’t rattle as you drive. Smart. Finally, the bumpers are made of real metal with a tough-looking powder coating. Way better than plastic.
In the End, It Was the Price That Sealed the Deal For Me
My ‘23 Bronco Sport Badlands with its Premium Package, Hitch Package, and Falken Tire Upgrade had an MSRP including Destination and Delivery of $45,015. This 2025 Sasquatch with all the same stuff mine has, plus the goodies I just described, was priced at $47,000 even. Would I throw down $2K more for the bash bar and bumpers? But wait, there’s more!
I’d Take the Bigger Screen
For 2025, Ford changed up the infotainment setup. The screen is now bigger, you don’t need an aftermarket dongle for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the HVAC controls are now on the screen. I like all of that except the HVAC control being on the screen. I’d take it over my existing setup for sure.
For comparison, Acton Ford had parked a Badlands without the Sasquatch package. Its MSPR is $43,965, including the Badlands Tech Package. So, it’s an easy $3K difference to upgrade to the Sasquatch. Worth it for me. You will have to judge for yourself if that fits your budget and lifestyle.
Summary – Sasquatch For the Win – Assuming It Drives As You’d Expect
I have not yet fully tested the Sasquatch, and you never really know until you try a vehicle how it will feel. However, I trust Goodyear to make a great tire, and the rest of the vehicle’s key moving parts are basically unchanged since 2021. Based on a trip to my local dealer who helpfully parked a non-Sasquatch Badlands next to the Sasquatch, it is easy to see the upgrades and benefits of the package. Be sure not to miss this new edition when you shop for your Bronco Sport.
John Goreham is a credentialed New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE int). In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on Linkedin and follow his work on his personal X channel or on our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John’s by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ grammar and punctuation software when proofreading and he also uses image generation tools.
Follow us today…
Source: torquenews.com
