Seven trims, and the three that matter on this beach sit within $8,000 of each other. One beach asks the same thing of all of them: air down, pick the sand setting, go. Here is where the money shows up on the sand, and where it doesn’t.
The opinions on this page come from Beach4x4, our rental company in Kill Devil Hills, whose 4x4s run the Carova beach every day of the season. The Beach Test Drive is our drive-before-you-buy program: a new vehicle, this beach, nobody selling. Planned for summer 2027.
2026 prices including the $1,995 destination charge, as Edmunds reported them in June 2026. Ford has not priced the 2027 yet; it adds a 380-hp V6 option on Badlands, Heritage and Outer Banks, and a Filson trim.
The base, the sweet spot and the comfort one
A Bronco is a Bronco: independent front suspension, a top that comes off, a sand setting on every one (Sand on the five-mode trims, Off-Road and Baja on the seven-mode ones). What changes up the ladder is the hardware under it and the money under you. Highway 12 below is North Carolina Highway 12, the two-lane road up the Outer Banks; the drive from Kitty Hawk to the Corolla beach ramp is about 45 minutes of it.
Big Bend
The base
$43,2902026, with destination
32-inch all-terrains, the 2.3-liter turbo four, part-time 4x4, a soft top or hard top, and Sand mode. Five hundred dollars over the Base, and worth it for the wheels and the options it opens.
Aired down, it floats. Four-high, Sand, and it climbs the ramp and runs the soft stuff without a locker in sight. This is the Bronco most people would be happy with on this beach and never know what they skipped.
The same ride as the trims above it through Duck and Corolla: settled, precise, the Bronco’s best trick. Cloth seats and a smaller screen are the giveaways.
The driver who wants a Bronco, the top off and the beach, and would rather spend the difference on the summer.
Badlands
The sweet spot
$50,8852026, with destination
Everything a Bronco can do off-road that you’d use: Advanced 4x4 with an automatic mode, lockers front and rear, the HOSS 2.0 suspension with Bilstein shocks, 33-inch tires, seven drive modes instead of five, Trail Control and Trail Turn Assist. Add the Sasquatch package for 35s and the sway-bar disconnect, which is an option on its own for 2026.
The locker is a backup you’ll rarely touch here, but the softer suspension and the taller tires you feel every minute: the ruts smooth out and the soft spots get shorter. Marine-grade vinyl seats shrug off wet kids.
Slightly softer than the Big Bend over the patched pavement, a little more tire noise on the 33s. Still a Bronco on the road, which is to say easy.
The driver who wants the real off-road Bronco without paying for the one built to jump.
Outer Banks
The comfort one
$50,1852026, with destination
The trim named after this place: the 2.3 with the 10-speed automatic (the 2.7 V6 is optional), 18-inch wheels on 32-inch all-terrains, LED fog lamps, the Mid package comforts standard, and the Sasquatch package on the option list.
The same sand gear as the Big Bend, so it does the same beach: aired down, Sand mode, up the ramp. The 18s give up a little sidewall to the Big Bend’s 17s; nobody will feel it. Add Sasquatch and it has the Badlands’ lockers and 35s with the nicer seats.
The best-equipped Bronco for the 45 minutes up Highway 12: heated seats, the automatic, the quiet. It is the Bronco built for the drive down, with the beach as the reward.
The driver who wants the Bronco with this beach’s name on the fender and comfort for the road trip, and will add Sasquatch if the sand turns into a habit.
What the money buys you on this beach
Carova is soft sand, packed sand, ruts and 45 minutes of two-lane each way. That is the whole test. Here is which Bronco money shows up in it.
What you’d feel
The 33-inch tires and the Badlands suspension, every rut. The seats, for five and a half hours. Trail Control at 10 miles an hour, which is cruise control for the sand and strangely addictive.
What you wouldn’t
Front lockers. 35-inch tires over 33s. Horsepower past 300. Race shocks, which earn their money at speeds this beach doesn’t allow.
What the Heritage Edition buys
Big Bend bones with the Sasquatch and Mid packages standard, in the 1966 look: white grille, white wheels, an Oxford White hard top, at $53,620. On the sand it is a Big Bend on 35s with lockers, which is more than this beach asks; on the road it is the one people wave at.
Every Bronco, bottom to top
Starting price, the off-road gear that matters here, and our take. Trims and prices change every model year; the note under the table says which year and when we looked.
| Trim | Starts at | Off-road gear | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | $42,790 | Part-time 4x4, 2.3-liter turbo, manual available, Sand mode | Fine on the sand; most people spend $500 more |
| Big Bend | $43,290 | 32-inch all-terrains, 17-inch wheels; Sasquatch optional | The baseThe base, in practice |
| Outer Banks | $50,185 | 32-inch all-terrains on 18-inch wheels, no lockers unless you add Sasquatch | The comfort oneThe comfort trim named after this place |
| Badlands | $50,885 | Advanced 4x4, lockers front and rear, HOSS 2.0 Bilstein suspension, 33-inch tires, 7 drive modes | Sweet spotEverything you’d use here |
| Heritage Edition | $53,620 | Sasquatch standard: 35-inch tires, lockers, lifted suspension; the retro paint | Badlands money for the look |
| Stroppe Edition | $71,990 | Sasquatch, HOSS 3.0, the Baja livery | A collector’s Bronco |
| Raptor | $81,990 | 418 hp, 37-inch tires, Fox Live Valve shocks, 13.1 in. clearance | Built for a desert, not a beach |
2026 model year, starting prices including the $1,995 destination charge, as Edmunds reported them on June 28, 2026. Equipment by trim from Ford. The 2027 Bronco adds a 380-hp 3.0-liter V6 option and the Filson and RTR trims; Ford had not priced it when we looked (October 2026).
Watch a review, not ours
Build Your Own walks every 2026 Bronco trim from Ford’s order guide, Base to Raptor, in eight minutes. Their video, their opinions. It is here because it is the best one we found; we make nothing from it.
2026 Ford Bronco trim levels and standard features explained. Build Your Own, on YouTube. Model year shown: 2026. Plays from YouTube when you press play; YouTube’s terms and cookies apply then.
Every Bronco version in one checklist
Ford sells the Bronco in seven versions, two body styles and a stack of packages. Here is all of it on one sheet: the hardware first, the tops second, then the packages and editions worth knowing. 2026 model year, starting prices including the $1,995 destination charge as Edmunds reported them in June 2026; equipment from Ford’s 2026 order guide and technical specifications.
Every Bronco has part-time four-wheel drive with a low range and removable doors. 4A is the Advanced 4x4 automatic mode, which lets the truck pick four-wheel drive for you on wet pavement. Scroll the table sideways on a phone.
| Version | Starts at | Engine, as it comes | Manual | 4A auto mode | Rear locker | Front locker | Sway-bar disconnect | Tires, as it comes | 35s (Sasquatch) | Rock rails | Suspension | Sand mode | On this beach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basetwo or four doors | $42,790either body, same price | 2.3 turbo, manual | ✓ | ○1 | ○1 | ○1 | — | 30-in. all-seasons, 16-in. steel | ○1 | — | HOSS 1.0 | ✓ | Fine aired down; the steel wheels and all-seasons are the weak spot |
| Big Bendfour doors only | $43,290four-door only | 2.3 turbo, manual | ✓ | ○2 | ○2 | ○2 | — | 32-in. all-terrains, 17s | ○2 | ○2 | HOSS 1.0 | ✓ | The base in practice: 32-inch all-terrains and Sand mode |
| Outer Banksfour doors only | $50,185four-door only | 2.3 turbo, automatic | — | ○1 | ○1 | ○1 | — | 32-in. all-terrains, 18s | ○1 | — | HOSS 1.0 | ✓ | The comfort trim named after this place; Big Bend sand gear on 18s |
| Badlandstwo or four doors | $50,885either body, same price | 2.3 turbo, manual | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ○3 | 33-in., 17s | ○1 | ✓ | HOSS 2.0 Bilstein | —4 | Everything you’d use here, standard |
| Heritage Editionfour doors only | $53,620four-door only | 2.3 turbo, manual | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | 35-in., 17-in. white wheels | ✓ | — | HOSS 2.0 Bilstein | ✓ | Badlands money for the look, with Sasquatch thrown in |
| Halo models: fun to read about, not what this beach needs | |||||||||||||
| Stroppe Editionfour doors only | $71,990four-door only | 2.7 V6, automatic | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 35-in., 17s | ✓ | — | HOSS 3.0 Fox | —4 | A collector’s Bronco on race shocks |
| Raptorfour doors only | $81,990four-door only | 3.0 V6, 418 hp, automatic | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 37-in., 17s | —5 | ✓ | HOSS 4.0 Fox Live Valve | —4 | Built for a desert, not a beach |
- The Sasquatch package: 35-inch tires on 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, lockers front and rear, 4.7 gears, HOSS 2.0 Bilsteins and, on trims that lack it, the 4A automatic mode. About $8,460 on the Base, $6,345 on the Badlands.
- On the Big Bend the rear locker, the 4A mode, rock rails and steel bumpers come in the $4,495 Black Diamond package, and Sasquatch on a Big Bend requires Black Diamond first.
- New for 2026: the Badlands’ front stabilizer-bar disconnect is an option on its own and included with Sasquatch; it was standard on earlier Badlands.
- The seven-mode trims (Badlands, Stroppe, Raptor) run Normal, Eco, Slippery, Off-Road, Sport, Rock Crawl and Baja; the five-mode trims have Sand instead. Off-Road and Baja do the sand job.
- 37-inch tires standard; Sasquatch is not offered on the Raptor.
Tops, by version
Two-door Broncos come with the hard top; four-doors come with the soft top and offer the hard top. The doors come off every one of them.
| Version | Soft top | Hard top | Both tops (Dual Tops) | Roof rails | Steel bumper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basetwo or four doors | ✓a | ✓a | ○b | ○ | — |
| Big Bendfour doors only | ✓ | ○ | ○b | ○ | ○2 |
| Outer Banksfour doors only | ✓ | ○ | ○b | ○ | ○c |
| Badlandstwo or four doors | ✓a | ✓a | ○b | ○ | ✓ |
| Heritage Editionfour doors only | ○b | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ✓ |
| Halo models: fun to read about, not what this beach needs | |||||
| Stroppe Editionfour doors only | — | ✓ | — | — | ✓ |
| Raptorfour doors only | — | ✓ | — | — | ✓ |
- Two-door: hard top standard, no factory soft top. Four-door: soft top standard, hard top optional.
- The Dual Tops add-in ships the soft top alongside a hard top; four-door only.
- A steel front bumper comes in the 60th Anniversary package.
Hard tops come molded in Carbonized Gray or painted (body color or Shadow Black) depending on the trim; the Heritage top is Oxford White, the Stroppe’s Atlas Blue. Roof rails require a hard top.
Packages worth knowing
The option sheet is long. These are the six that change how a Bronco feels on this beach or on Highway 12, with our take under each.
- Sasquatch packageBase, Outer Banks and Badlands: optional. Big Bend: optional after Black Diamond. Heritage and Stroppe: standard. Raptor: not offered.
35-inch tires on 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, electronic lockers front and rear, 4.7 gears, HOSS 2.0 position-sensitive Bilsteins, wider fender flares, and the 4A automatic mode on trims that lack it. About $8,460 on the Base, $6,345 on the Badlands.
On the sand you feel the 35s aired down and the extra clearance. Nice. Not needed; a Big Bend on its 32s does the same beach, and the Badlands already has the lockers.
- Black Diamond packageBig Bend only, $4,495.
The old Black Diamond trim as a package: the 4A automatic mode, a rear locker, steel bumpers, bash plates, rock rails, washout flooring and 17-inch steel wheels on 32-inch all-terrains.
The cheapest way to a rear locker on a Bronco, and the floor that hoses out after a sandy week.
- Dual TopsFour-door Base, Big Bend, Outer Banks, Badlands and Heritage: optional, with a hard top.
The black cloth soft top delivered in the vehicle alongside the hard top you ordered.
Hard top for a March drive down Highway 12, soft top for July.
- Hard topsFour-door Base, Big Bend, Outer Banks and Badlands: optional. Two-doors, Heritage, Stroppe and Raptor: standard.
Three removable panels with a sound-deadening headliner, a rear defroster and a washer. Molded-in Carbonized Gray on most trims; painted tops optional on Outer Banks, Badlands and Raptor.
Quieter at 55 on Highway 12 than the soft top. The two front panels come off at the beach in a minute.
- Front stabilizer-bar disconnectBadlands: optional on its own, included with Sasquatch. Stroppe and Raptor: standard. Not offered on the rest.
Push a button and the front sway bar lets go for more wheel travel at a crawl.
Rock gear. Sand does not flex you; leave it connected.
- Trailer towEvery trim: dealer-installed hitch and wiring; Raptor: tow package standard.
A 3,500-pound rating on the 2.3 and 2.7 (3,460 on a four-door Badlands V6); 4,500 on the Raptor.
Enough for a small boat to the Whalehead ramp, not for the camper.
Special editions
Paint, graphics and seats on top of a trim you already know from the tables above, plus the two factory specials. The 2027 Bronco adds a 380-horsepower 3.0 V6 option on Badlands, Heritage and Outer Banks and new Filson and RTR trims; Ford had not priced it when we looked.
| Edition | Built on | Price | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heritage Edition | Big Bend, four doors, with Sasquatch and the Mid package standard | $53,620 | The 1966 look: white grille with red FORD lettering, Oxford White painted hard top, 17-inch white wheels, heritage side graphics. The 10-speed is new with the 2.3 for 2026. |
| Stroppe Edition | Badlands, four doors, with the 2.7 V6, Sasquatch, HOSS 3.0 and the Lux package standard | $71,990 | The Bill Stroppe Baja-racer livery in Oxford White and Code Orange with an Atlas Blue hard top; the heavy-duty modular front bumper. Two-door dropped for 2026. |
| Raptor | Badlands hardware, four doors | $81,990 | 418-horsepower 3.0 V6, HOSS 4.0 with Fox Live Valve shocks, 37-inch tires, 13.1 inches of clearance, lockers front and rear, the disconnect. |
| Free Wheeling | Big Bend | +$2,495 package | 1970s reflective side stripes, a silver grille with red accents, marine-grade vinyl and cloth seats. Looks only. |
| 60th Anniversary | Outer Banks, with Sasquatch | +$5,995 package | Wimbledon White painted hard top and grille, a steel front bumper, leather seats with Alpine inserts; Ruby Red or Wimbledon White paint. |
| Wildtrak | Four-door Badlands | package, price not published | Back for 2026 as a package: the 2.7 V6, Sasquatch, HOSS 3.0 with Fox internal-bypass shocks and the Black Appearance look. Built from late March 2026. |
The beach checklist
What the Carova sand asks of a Bronco, and what it does not.
- You need
✓Four-wheel drive with a low range. Every Bronco has it.
✓Tires you can air down to 18 to 20 psi, and a gauge and a compressor in the back. Any of these tires will do it; the all-terrains do it better than the Base’s all-seasons.
✓The Currituck County beach parking permit in season, to stop or park on the sand; the Currituck 4x4 beach guide has the dates.
- Nice to have
○A rear locker, for the one soft spot a summer that bites. Badlands and up, or Black Diamond and Sasquatch below it.
○32-inch all-terrains or 33s. More sidewall to air down, more float.
○The soft top, or the two front hard-top panels off at the ramp.
- Skip for sand
—The front locker and the disconnect. Rock gear; it stays switched off here.
—35s and 37s over 33s. A little more footprint aired down, which the 33s do not need here. Buy them for the look.
—The V6s and HOSS 3.0 and 4.0, except in your ears and over the washboard in Corolla. The beach limit is 35 miles an hour, 15 within 300 feet of any person.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need lockers for this beach?
No. Four-wheel drive, tires aired down to 18 to 20 psi and a little momentum get a stock 4x4 up and down Carova every day. A rear locker is a nice backup in the softest spots. Front lockers, 37-inch tires and desert-racing shocks are built for places that aren’t this one.
Is the top trim better on sand?
Usually not in any way you’d feel at beach speed, which is 35 miles an hour and 15 near people. The top trims buy horsepower, 35-inch or 37-inch tires and shocks tuned for speed over rough ground. What you’d feel here is the ride on Highway 12, the seat, and whether the tires float, and the sweet-spot trim has all three.
Can I try one on this beach before I buy?
Yes. The Beach Test Drive, our drive-before-you-buy program planned for summer 2027, puts shoppers in new Broncos, Wranglers, Gladiators, Silverados and Rams for five and a half hours on the Carova sand, the whole family along and no salesperson. Until then, Beach4x4, our rental company in Kill Devil Hills, rents 4x4s for this beach by the day or the week.
What about the Outer Banks trim?
It is the comfort trim with the local name: leather, the big screen, 18-inch wheels. It has no lockers unless you add the Sasquatch package, and it comes up this beach fine either way. If the name is the point, it’s a good Bronco. If the sand is the point, the Badlands is the one.
Sources
- Edmunds, 2026 Ford Bronco pricing guide (June 28, 2026)
- Ford, 2026 Bronco order guide (April 1, 2026)
- Ford, 2026 Bronco technical specifications
- Ford, Bronco off-road features and equipment by trim
- Ford Authority, 2026 Bronco lineup prices (October 2025)
- Bronco Nation, the 2026 two-door Bronco and package prices
- Bowen Scarff Ford, guide to the Bronco G.O.A.T. modes
- Kelley Blue Book, 2027 Ford Bronco adds new trims (October 19, 2026)
Prices on this page are the makers’ published starting prices on the dates shown and change with every model year. Dealers in The Beach Test Drive program sell to its drivers at the factory invoice, which is a different number; that program explains it. Opinions on how each trim feels are ours, drawn from the published equipment lists and from running four-wheel drives on this beach.
Related: Which 4x4 for the beach? All the comparisons · The Beach Test Drive, summer 2027 · The Ford Bronco on OBX sand · Best tires for sand · How to air down · Beach driving setup