If you just bought a new Ford Bronco or Bronco Sport or are thinking about getting one, there’s a cool, complimentary deal the auto manufacturer has for its owners: Bronco Off-Roadeo.
Bronco Off-Roadeo is a hands-on experience for owners to get to know their new Ford Bronco—at no cost to them. There are multiple locations throughout the United States, with Bronco Off-Roadeo Tennessee being their latest add.
Since 2021, over 50,000 people have attended a Bronco Off-Roadeo across Utah, Texas, Nevada, and New Hampshire. I got a sneak-peak invite to experience Bronco Off-Roadeo Tennessee’s robust new program the day before it opened to the public in early October. My day-long driving-school adventure was informative, in-depth, and fun.
Bronco Off-Roadeo Tennessee’s Directive
The Bronco Off-Roadeo Tennessee site becomes the fifth such venue in the nation. That means all Bronco Off-Roadeo spots are now within 500 miles of more than 80% of Bronco and Bronco Sport owners. This picturesque place is situated on a working farm outside of Knoxville, Tennessee, with approximately 1,000 acres on hilly and lush forested land.
“The Tennessee location adds to the diversity of terrain with forested trails that complement the Las Vegas desert, Texas hill country, Moab red rocks, and New Hampshire mountains,” said Bronco Off-Roadeo Manager Kelsey Gerken. “We want to make sure as many Bronco owners as possible have the opportunity to attend and our new Smoky Mountains location delivers another convenient location and unique Tennessee feel and experience.”
“One of our guiding principles is to advocate for a responsible approach to off-road driving and general outdoor recreation,” said Greg Nikolas, the program director for Bronco Off-Roadeo Tennessee. “We approach this from a technique [rather] than technology perspective. The better the technique, the more you performance you can draw from the technology.”
Nikolas’ goal is to make the day as interactive as possible. This includes getting people out of the vehicles to see the best lines to take on trails, and not just talk “to” their owners, but to have a conversation with them.
Learning by Doing
At Bronco Off-Roadeo Tennessee, they have a 1:6 instructor-to-driver ratio where they cover a variety of terrain. “The entire day is built around the concept that one element feeds into the next and giving us the opportunity to recognize the fact that people learn differently and need to see, hear, and feel what is happening,” Nikolas said.
New Bronco owners can learn things including:
- Bronco vehicle features
- Off-roading skills
- On-board technology
- Vehicle recovery
- Trail etiquette
- How to tread lightly
Note: Ford is now extending the eligibility of 2022 model-year Bronco and Bronco Sport owners so they can attend a Bronco Off-Roadeo course through the end of 2024.
Non-owners and Bronco fans can also buy a four-hour off-road session with instruction as part of a Half-Day Adventure at Bronco Off-Roadeo Tennessee or any of the other four locations. People of all skill levels can do this. The best part? A Bronco or Bronco Sport will be provided for you to use for the experience, so you don’t have to bring your own.
Bronco Off-Roadeo Tennessee offers a central pavilion for classroom instruction, group gatherings, and a place for meals. Directly from there, attendees drive onto nearby trails, learning how to use their Broncos with expert instructors every step of the way. Here, drivers can safely learn to push their boundaries while navigating though varied terrain and tree-lined sections, while seeing sweeping views of the Smoky Mountains.
2024 Full-Size Badlands Bronco with Sasquatch Package
I spent most of my time piloting a full-size 2024 Badlands Bronco wrapped in eye-catching Velocity Blue Metallic paint and equipped with the Sasquatch package. This stock 4x4 boasted a 2.7-liter Ecoboost V6 engine mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Standard off-road ready equipment includes things like full steel underbody skid plates, two front-and-rear recovery points, rock rails, and more.
The Sasquatch package steps up off-road capability by adding front and rear lockers, 17” beadlock alloy wheels, and mud-terrain tires. The total package of what I drove is $60,075, excluding destination and delivery.
Our Bronco Off-Roadeo Adventure Begins
We started our day with a classroom session learning about the program and what our day would entail. We then split into groups, with ours named Alpha 1.
With a lead vehicle, a handful of middle rigs, and a tail gunner, we wound our way through tight tree-lined hills, gullies, and other close-in areas. Each Bronco had handheld radios and communicated along the way as obstacles came up.
“This is a good time to engage a locker or switch the driving mode to slippery,” said one of the instructors as we happened upon a messy, muddy scramble section leading us up a narrow chute. Recent rains pelted this area at the same time Hurricane Helene slammed into Tennessee’s southern neighbors.
What remained by us were downed trees and sections of the trail boasting deep mud holes, exposed boulders, and gnarly tree-rooted ledges.
Two teachers accompanied our group, each giving valuable pieces of advice. They explained what each of the top dash-mounted “hero” buttons on the full-size Broncos do. They answered questions like: Why would you want to disconnect your sway bar? What does a front or rear locker do and how to they work? What is Trail Control?
Both instructors offered continual education to help us navigate through tricky sections. These included cresting up-and-over a steep and gradual climb after a slick, hairpin left turn, methodically moving over a lengthy boulder field, and more.
Not only were they helpful over the radio, but they were also excellent spotters. They ensured everyone cleared challenges unscathed. The Bronco’s digital inclinometer also came in handy as a visual aid. It measured my Bronco’s angles when we climbed steep inclines and extreme descents (reaching up to 25º), and off-camber sections.
Manual Mode
I drove the full-size in both D and manual modes, but preferred the manual mode, especially after finding the right rev points to smoothly shift its transmission.
While other vehicles shift manually by moving the entire shifter either forward or backward to change gears, the Ford Bronco has a small minus and plus button on the shift knob’s top left side. Those must be individually pressed for it to change gears.
The buttons took some getting used to when I quickly wanted to change gears for rapidly changing conditions. However, once you learn the button’s locations, it becomes intuitive.
Additionally, the manual numeric notation on the brilliant full-color driver’s display is small. It was difficult to see what gear you were in (M1, M3, and so on), so I went off the Bronco’s engine noise to shift accordingly as I do with the manual transmission 4x4s I have at home.
Recovery Session and Education
After getting a quick lap in an open field with the Bronco Sports, we went through vehicle recovery training. Instructors did quick demos of different types of straps, recovery boards, hard and soft shackles, and what a snatch block does. They talked about rated recovery points and why gloves were important to wear during a vehicle recovery, too.
In short, the Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo program delivers solid expertise, a great education, and an all-around fun time when one attends an event, especially at their latest location in Marysville, Tennessee.
It’s worth making the effort to visit here, or any of the other four locations to learn about your new Ford Bronco if you just scooped one up. You’ll be properly equipped for years of adventures to come after you do.
Current Bronco Owner Off-Roadeo Eligibility
Ford extended the Off-Roadeo eligibility for its current Bronco and Bronco Sport owners so they can visit a Bronco Off-Roadeo location. Model year 2022 Bronco, Bronco Sport Badlands, and Bronco Raptor owners have until December 31, 2024, to make a reservation.
Owners of 2023 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and Bronco Raptors have until June 30, 2025, and 2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and Bronco Raptor owners have until mid-December 2025 to check out a facility.
Arm yourself with proper education and have fun while doing so, it’s an ideal combination of Bronco know-how before your adventures carry you to places far and near.
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