Ford Bronco Facts for Kids

The Ford Bronco is a famous type of truck called a utility vehicle. Ford made these vehicles from 1966 to 1996. There were five different versions, or generations, of the Bronco. Today, people call them sport utility vehicles, or SUVs.

First generation Ford Bronco

You can think of Broncos in two main groups: the early, smaller ones (made from 1966 to 1977) and the larger, full-size ones (made from 1978 to 1996). After 25 years, Ford brought the Bronco name back in 2021 with a new, smaller SUV that looks a bit like the old ones.

Ford first introduced the Bronco in 1966. It was made to compete with other small four-wheel drive SUVs. These included the Jeep CJ-5 and the International Harvester Scout. The Bronco was built on its own special design, called a platform. Ford wanted the Bronco to be a good choice between the Jeep and the Scout.

However, the first Bronco was a bit too small for what many people in the United States wanted. So, in 1978, Ford gave the Bronco a big new design. It became much larger. This new Bronco used a shorter version of a Ford F-Series truck's frame, called a chassis. This helped it compete with other big SUVs like the Chevrolet K5 Blazer and the Dodge Ramcharger.

The larger, full-size Broncos were made at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan. Later, the Expedition SUV was also made there.