Ford Bronco Sport Gets Black Diamond Off-Road Package And New Driving School

Nov. 15, 2022 6:00 AM ET by Gerhard Horn Off-Road / Comments

Bash plates, grippier tires, and some cosmetic upgrades bring the humble crossover closer to its big brother.

Ford is introducing an all-new off-road package for the Bronco Sport. It's called the Bronco Sport Black Diamond Off-Road Package and is available on the Big Bend and Outer Banks trims.

The Black Diamond Package adds four steel bash plates, covering vital off-road and powertrain components. The only other practical addition is a set of high-profile 225/65R17 all-terrain tires to provide extra grip. The rest of the upgrades are purely cosmetic. They include 17-inch Carbonized Gray low-gloss aluminum wheels, a matte black hood graphic with the Bronco horse logo, and lower bodyside graphics with Bronco lettering on the front doors. Best of all, there's no wait time - the package is available to order at your local dealer.

Some may find it odd that Ford is adding this package to the Bronco Sport, but in our experience, it's more than capable enough for most. By now, several videos have surfaced showing that the Bronco Sport is anything but soft, primarily thanks to the GOAT System.

Many Bronco Sport customers aren't even aware of what the car is capable of, which is why Ford started the Off-Roadeo program. Launched in July 2021, the Off-Roadeo program was only open to Bronco or Bronco Sport owners who purchased the Badlands and First Edition trim.

Now Ford is opening the doors to all Bronco Sport owners and order holders, starting with the 2023 model year. You receive complimentary Bronco Off-Roadeo adventure access and trail guide instruction if you have a car or a verified order.

The four existing Off-Roadeo experiences consist of curated trails you can complete in a day. Each of the four locations - Horseshoe Bay, Texas; Mt. Potosi, Nevada; Moab, Utah; and Gilford, New Hampshire - has been designed for all skill levels, and an expert is on hand to guide newbies through.

"For adventurers who want to get more from their Bronco Sport, we're enhancing the ownership experience by offering more trail capability with the new Black Diamond Off-Road Package, plus an included opportunity to learn what their SUV can do at Bronco Off-Roadeo," said Mark Grueber, Enthusiast Vehicle Marketing Manager. "Today, nearly 90% of Bronco Sport customers that attend Off-Roadeo are likely to go off-roading again, and 97% of customers are more knowledgeable and confident doing so, furthering our goal of getting into the wild."

Ford has not yet provided pricing for this new package, but we don't expect it will be too extreme. What dealers will ask for it may be another issue altogether.