Bad News RVers: Ford Bronco Sport Not Recommended For Flat Towing

The new Ford Bronco is still a hot topic in the off-road realm. The smaller Bronco Sport debuted at the same time, but hasn't garnered the same attention despite conquering the same trails at Moabas its bigger sibling. One thing it won't conquer, however, is the open highway behind a big motorhome. That is, at least without some measure of significant aftermarket modification ahead of time.

Whereas the standard Bronco is engineered from Ford for flat towing behind an RV, the Bronco Sport doesn't get the same attention and is not recommended for such use. Motor1.com asked Ford point-blank on the issue, and here's what a spokesperson had to say:

"We did not engineer Bronco Sport for flat towing, as our research shows relatively few customers plan to tow Bronco Sports versus Bronco owners. However, we are always listening to our customers and are open to their feedback on desired future capabilities."

For those a bit confused right now, flat towing is where you tow a vehicle with all four of its wheels on the ground. You most often see it with larger RVs, as many adventure travelers aren't keen to drive around a ginormous home-sized vehicle for short errands once they reach a camping destination. As such, smaller vehicles are often favored by the #RVlife crowd, though Ford obviously feels differently this time around.

Gallery: 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

32

What prevents the Bronco Sport from being flat towed? Even with an automatic transmission in neutral, flat towing any vehicle can cause excessive wear and damage to transmissions and possibly other driveline components that require lubrication from engine-driven pumps. On the standard Bronco, placing its transfer case in neutral effectively disconnects all driveline components. That capability doesn't exist on the Bronco Sport, meaning some measure of aftermarket lubrication or significant driveline disassembly would be needed.

Ford does say it's "listening" to customers, and a recent decision to include a manual transmission for the Sasquatch Package on the Bronco suggests executives really are listening. For now though, motorhome travelers wanting a Bronco runabout will have to forego the Sport model.