Ford Bronco Is Creeping Up on Jeep Wrangler Sales

Thanks to the CARB rule, the Ford Bronco may become the nation’s best selling off-roader over the Jeep Wrangler.

The California Air Resource Board (CARB) has always had a large hard in the automotive retail business. Back in the 70s, they’re a huge reason why muscle cars lost their, well, muscle and overall pizazz. In today’s market, even with most cars running cleaner than they’ve ever ran before, CARB still has a tight grip on the way a manufacturer can build and sell a car in the states.

Currently, CARB has firm rules set in place for automakers to offer zero-emissions options by 2026. In regards to Ford versus Jeep, CARB is heavily brow beating Stellantis. Stellantis’ performance heavily depends on the 14 states that abide by CARB regulations, while Ford is assessed on a nationwide basis. Due to that difference in assessment, Stellantis made the decision to stop selling non-EV vehicles to those 14 states, making a Jeep less accessible to more people.

Yes, a dino-fueled Jeep can still be special ordered in one of those states or a prospective buyer can travel to a state that doesn’t have the same restrictions, though it definitely makes the choice between a Wrangler or a Bronco that much easier if a Bronco is readily available while a Wrangler is not.

With many Jeep dealerships only being able to offer the 4xe Wrangler, Bronco sales have seen a steady increase in sales. In the first quarter of 2023, Ford saw a 38% increase (or 32,430) units sold compared to the first quarter of last year. For the sake of comparison, the Wrangler’s sales actually dipped by 17% or 37,971. The difference is only 6,000 units, but it’s enough to make Stellantis a little sweaty on the brow.

Though, since the Wrangler 4xe does remain the most popular PHEV in America, not all hope is lost for America’s favorite off-roader. As of right now, Ford doesn’t offer a hybridized version of the Bronco, so depending on how well all or partially-electric off-roading takes off as the grip of internal combustion on Americans loosens, Jeep may still hold the crown.

Kristen Finley

Before she was old enough to go to school, Kristen Finley spent a majority of her childhood rebuilding rusted Chevy Novas with her dad. Once high school and college came around, she was still actively rebuilding cars, though she found out she had a second greatest love: writing and photography.

Now, in her last year of college, she's pursuing a bachelor's in Journalism and Media Studies from California State University, Monterey Bay after receiving her AA in Communications. She has been writing for three years, and as her school newspaper's automotive expert, she started and solely maintained the weekly automotive section detailing posts on car care, safety tips, features, and news. She covers stories for Mustang Forums, Dodge Forum, JK-Forum and more.

Finley can be contacted at krisfin95@gmail.com

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