2027 Ford Bronco Basecamp confirmed as RAV4-slaying PHEV SUV

Ford Australia has confirmed the 2027 Bronco Basecamp will be coming to Australia and New Zealand next year, with the Chinese-sourced mid-size SUV to slot below the Ford Everest when it arrives in the second half of 2027.

Pricing and most of the Bronco Basecamp’s Aussie specifications have yet to be locked it, but one thing is certain: Ford’s new Toyota RAV4-fighter will be offered exclusively as a plug-in hybrid in both the Aussie and New Zealand markets, and could become one of the brand’s most important models.

Following its accidental leakage courtesy of a loose-lipped dealership last month, Ford’s plan to send its Chinese-sourced Bronco Basecamp to Australia has probably been one of the worst-kept secrets of 2026.

Nevertheless, it’s finally official: Australia – and New Zealand – will at long last receive one of Ford’s most desirable nameplates.

The only catch: it’s nothing like the brawny Ford Ranger-derived Bronco 4x4 that’s been selling up a storm in the USA, nor is it the entry-level Bronco Sport that’s also proved popular in that market.

Instead, the Bronco Basecamp that’s headed our way is the product of a joint venture between Ford and Jiangling Motor Company (JMC) in China, where it’s offered both as a fully-electric vehicle and a range-extender EV, or plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

For Australia and New Zealand, only the PHEV has been confirmed.

Built on a monocoque steel platform architecture designed by Jiangling, the Bronco Basecamp will essentially fill the mid-sized gap in Ford’s local showrooms that was left by the departure of the Escape at the end of 2023.

The Escape was a slow-seller in Australia and the late arrival of a plug-in hybrid option did little to boost its fortunes given PHEVs had yet to achieve meaningful market share. The all-PHEV Bronco Basecamp, however, will arrive in the second half of 2027 and take advantage of a dramatic upswing in PHEV demand.

Price is still an unknown variable but the Bronco Basecamp might arrive as the right product at the right time – unlike its unlucky predecessor, the Escape PHEV.

Judging by how other Chinese-sourced PHEV mid-sizers are positioned in Australia, a price starting in the $40K realm and stretching up to the mid/high $60K bracket for the top-tier Outer Banks grade shown here seems realistic.

With Ford’s nemesis Toyota pricing its RAV4 GR Sport PHEV flagship at $66,340 before on-roads, the expectation is that the Blue Oval will leverage its Chinese connection to slip beneath its Japanese rival’s price point.

Other vital statistics still to be confirmed include power and torque.

In China, the hybrid Bronco Basecamp produces 310kW and 600Nm of combined output from its dual-motor layout, with the 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine mechanically decoupled from the driven wheels and acting purely as a generator.

Whether those numbers carry through to Aussie-delivered models remains to be seen, but Ford Australia has said local cars will receive LFP batteries with 49kWh of usable capacity – some 5kWh more than what Chinese market cars receive.

Combined driving range is estimated to be somewhere between 800-900km.

Full specifications won’t be revealed until later in 2027, but some features have been identified for what is likely to be the flagship: the Bronco Basecamp Outer Banks.

Equipped with a 7.5-litre fridge/food warmer in the centre console and a unique campervan-style pop-top glass roof, the Outer Banks grade is pitched as an outdoorsy soft roader for keen campers, rather than hardcore off-roaders.

Other neat campsite features include the built-in “Wild Kitchen” fold-out benchtop in the tailgate, a bevy of cargo hooks in the boot and the ability to offload up to 6600W of power through two household power outlets when parked.

On top of its V2L functionality, another party trick also lurks within the options sheet: a full-sized double bed.

By folding the front and rear seats flat and fitting an inflatable insert that flattens out the lumps and bumps, a specifically-shaped foam mattress can be slid into the Bronco Basecamp’s interior to give up to two adults a comfy bed with which to slumber (presumably) upon.

Pricing for this unusual accessory has yet to be announced.

We’ve got roughly a year before Ford’s new plug-in SUV hits Australian soil, which, given the strong competition in the hybrid SUV segment, could give its rivals a massive opportunity to scoop up market share in the meantime.

Will the Bronco Basecamp arrive after all the heat has gone out of the PHEV market, or will demand for plug-ins still be running hot in late 2027? Watch this space.

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