Thinking of getting a 2023 Bronco Sport Big Bend… any advice

Like the title says, I’m looking at a 2023 Big Bend. This is my first time getting a nicer car instead of a beater. I mostly drive in the city, don’t take long trips, and need a solid AWD SUV. Anything I should know before I buy? Any issues or things to watch for?

I’ve got a 2023 Big Bend with 11k miles. No major issues, just minor recalls so far, mostly software updates. The newest one is for the wipers, but I haven’t bothered since I live in a desert. Should be an easy fix though.

One thing I’d suggest—swap out the stock Continental tires, they’re not great. A good set of tires makes a huge difference. I added a 2" lift, skid plate, and bigger all-terrain tires for off-roading, but that’s just me.

Also, engine choice—totally depends on what you want. I went with the 1.5L and it’s fine. Saved about $10k, and honestly, it’s plenty quick in sport mode. Way faster than my old ‘07 V6 Toyota.

One thing I regret: I skipped the tow package and now I have a donut spare instead of a full-size. You can technically fit a full spare in the back, but I keep putting it off.

@Finley
Good advice. I ditched my Continentals at 12k miles for winter-rated tires. Also picked up a steel rim and kept one of the old tires as a full-size spare.

If you keep speeds below 70, the 1.5L gets around 35 mpg on the highway. Oh, and swap out the under-engine felt cover for a real skid plate.

It’s a comfy ride, handles well, and aside from the minor recalls, it’s been solid so far.

@Finley
The wiper motor recall is mostly just an inspection. I’ve checked around 30 in the last month, and only one actually needed to be replaced.

@Finley
Tires*

I’ve got a 2022 Big Bend and love it. Plenty of space for a small SUV, and still decent on gas. No issues so far.

If you’re buying new, check for deals on 2024 models. Dealers might be discounting them since 2025s are out, and you could get one for close to the price of a used 2023.

If you’re into extended warranties, Ford has them available online at a lower markup. Granger Ford is one of the places selling them: https://grangerfordextendedwarranty.com/

@Avery
2024 Big Bends are selling for $28k new in my area.

Adi said:
@Avery
2024 Big Bends are selling for $28k new in my area.

Same here, that’s what I paid for mine a few weeks ago.

One thing I always say—get the Ford extended warranty if you can (and buy it online from places like Flood, Granger, or Lombard Ford).

I like my Badlands, and my old 2014 Escape lasted a decade, but I wouldn’t own a Ford without a warranty.

I have that same year and trim, 18k miles on it so far. No issues at all. I get the oil changed every 5k miles and use decent gas. Been on a few long trips with it, too.

I have a 2023 Big Bend. Needed to replace the EVAP purge valve around 46k miles. When they did that, they noticed my coolant was below the minimum level, which made me a little worried about the water pump. But after a top-off, it hasn’t dropped in the last 5k miles, so I’m hoping it was just a one-time thing.

Tires are another thing—I’m at 51k miles and the stock Continentals are almost done. Mostly highway miles.

Watch out for the water pump. I work as a Ford service advisor, drive a 2023 myself, and had to get my water pump replaced at 15k miles (under warranty, thankfully). They’re now on national backorder.

That’s the biggest issue I’ve seen with the 2023s. Other than that, just two minor recalls. Love my car overall, and I got the comfort package, which I really like.

@Emory
The one I’m looking at already has close to 60k miles. Haven’t seen many people with that high mileage. Any idea if it’ll start having more issues as it gets older?

Joss said:
@Emory
The one I’m looking at already has close to 60k miles. Haven’t seen many people with that high mileage. Any idea if it’ll start having more issues as it gets older?

I haven’t seen one with that much mileage yet, but I’ll ask my coworkers and see if they’ve worked on any. I’ll report back if I find anything.

I’ve got a 2022 Big Bend, zero complaints.

Just curious… why not go for a 2025? I hear they’ve made some improvements.

Hadi said:
Just curious… why not go for a 2025? I hear they’ve made some improvements.

Budget mostly. The one I’m looking at is around $21k.

Joss said:

Hadi said:
Just curious… why not go for a 2025? I hear they’ve made some improvements.

Budget mostly. The one I’m looking at is around $21k.

Seems like a good deal. Prices depend a lot on location—I paid $23k for a 2021 a few months ago.

It’s comfortable, the 1.5L has enough power for normal driving, gets good gas mileage, and the AWD is great in snow.

Cargo space is really well-designed. Looks small from the outside but fits more than you’d think.

Mine came with the tow package and Copilot 360 Assistant+, which adds adaptive cruise and lane centering. It’s nice to have, but not a dealbreaker.

A lot of people push extended warranties. I don’t get it. If I bought one for every car, I’d have spent over $10k for nothing. Unless you expect major problems, it’s usually not worth it.

@Skyler
That’s weird… when I bought my ‘24 Big Bend, it came with a 75k mile full warranty. The dealer gave it to me after seeing how much I drive. Didn’t pay extra for it either. Not sure if it’s a Ford thing or just my dealership, but I’m not complaining.

@JessPinkman
Mine came with a 75k powertrain warranty, but third-party ones usually don’t cover much.