It's no secret that Ford is preparing to revive the Bronco as a rugged SUV that will rival the Jeep Wrangler next year. Thanks to its body-on-frame chassis that also underpins the Ford Ranger pickup, it will be an extremely capable off-roader. This won't be the only version of the reborn Bronco available, however, as Ford is also preparing to launch a new Bronco-inspired crossover that's been nicknamed the "baby Bronco." It's expected to share its underpinnings with the Ford Escape but will look more rugged.

Our spy photographers spotted a camouflaged prototype filling up at a gas station, allowing them to get some good close-up shots of the baby Bronco.

While this is our best look yet at the baby Bronco, the camouflage disguises a lot of the design lines and details. Looking at the prototype, you would think the baby Bronco will have a boxy shape, but leaked photos have shown it will have a rounded hood and profile, a flat roof, and circular LED headlights as a homage to the original Bronco.

We also get a first look inside the baby Bronco, but it's clearly still at an early stage of development since most of the cabin is covered up. However, the steering wheel appears to have been taken from the 2020 Escape and you can also see part of the digital instrument cluster hiding under the covers.

Engine options should carry over from the 2020 Ford Escape that the baby Bronco will be based on, meaning there is likely to be a choice of a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder or a 2.0-liter turbocharged four. In the Escape, the former produces 180 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, while the latter delivers 250 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque.

The baby Bronco could also borrow the Escape's hybrid powertrain. We still don't have a confirmed name, but rumors suggest it will be called either the Bronco Adventurer or Bronco Sport.