What Changes Can You Expect From the 2027 Ford Maverick?

The 2026 Ford Bronco Sport is a capable, compact SUV built to handle both open-road adventures and off-road trails with exceptional skill. Whether you’re navigating a snowy route or seeking the best views in the wilderness, the Bronco Sport is equipped to take you farther. This compact off-road SUV comes in four hardy trim levels — Big Bend, Heritage, Outer Banks, and Badlands — each prioritizing driver and passenger comfort, no matter how rough it gets out there. We’ll highlight the 2026 Ford Bronco Sport trim levels below to help you discover which trim level makes sense for your adventures in Sumter and beyond. So go ahead and start planning your next road trip or off-road excursion. The 2026 Ford Bronco Sport is ready for every adventure ahead — and it’s waiting for you here at Santee Ford! 2026 Ford Bronco Sport Trim Level Highlights Bronco Sport Big Bend The base trim level is equipped with a 1.5-liter EcoBoost® engine with auto start-stop technology and features standard 4x4 capability with five G.O.A.T. modes (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) to fit different driving conditions you may find yourself in. These five modes are: Normal, ECO, Sport, Slippery, and Off-Road. Big Bend is outfitted with 17-inch Carbonized Gray-Painted High-Gloss aluminum wheels and offers 7.8 inches of ground clearance. When properly equipped, the Big Bend can tow up to 2,200 pounds. Other Big Bend highlights include: 13.2-inch center display with wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ 8-inch cluster display Smoked Truffle easy-to-clean cloth seats Carbonized Gray grille with white molded-in-color BRONCO lettering Black molded-in-color door handles HOSS (High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension) System 1.0 Bronco Sport Heritage Next, the Heritage trim level steps up to all-terrain tires and stands out with Oxford White exterior details, such as: Oxford White-painted roof and wheels Heritage fender badges and Oxford White Heritage Bronco script Oxford White grille with red molded-in-color BRONCO lettering Interior Heritage highlights include: Heathered Navy Pier cloth seating with plaid inserts and Robin's Egg Blue stitching Center console with Navy Pier micro-suede and Race Red stitching Oxford White door ring Navy Pier Instrument panel surround Bronco Sport Outer Banks The Outer Banks trim level upgrades comfort for every adventure with heated front seats and steering wheel, an eight-way power memory driver seat, and dual-zone electronic automatic temperature control. Other noteworthy features include: Ebony/Roast or Platinum Blue premium-trimmed seating Shadow Black-painted roof Outer Banks fender badges Black-painted grille with BRONCO lettering molded in white Body-color door handles Available Sasquatch® Outer Banks Package with advanced 4X4, HOSS System 2.0, and more Bronco Sport Badlands As the top trim level, the Badlands upgrades you to more horsepower, more torque, more ground clearance, and more towing capacity. The Badlands is equipped with a 2.0-liter EcoBoost® engine with auto start-stop technology and brings advanced 4X4 with a twin-clutch rear drive unit and seven G.O.A.T. Modes®, adding the Rock Crawl and Rally modes. You’ll get 8.1 inches of ground clearance as well as 2,700 pounds of towing capacity. Other Badlands highlights include: HOSS System 2.0 Available Sasquatch® Badlands Package with HOSS 3.0, BILSTEIN rear shocks, and more All-terrain tires Shadow Black-painted roof Badlands® fender badges Carbonized Gray grille with white molded-in-color BRONCO lettering Two front D-ring recovery hooks Steel-plated front bumper and underbody protection Dark Space Gray ActiveX®-trimmed seats with perforation 360-Degree Camera with Trail View Rubberized flooring Second-row under-seat storage compartment (passenger seat only) 2026 Ford Bronco Sport Engine Options The 2026 Ford Bronco Sport lineup gives drivers two engine options to choose from: the 1.5-liter EcoBoost® engine and the 2.0-liter EcoBoost® engine, both of which are matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Here’s what each engine has to offer: 1.5L EcoBoost engine with standard 4x4 Standard with the Big Bend, Heritage, and Outer Banks trim levels 180 horsepower 200 pound-feet of torque 2.0L EcoBoost engine with advanced 4x4 Standard with the Badlands trim level 250 horsepower 280 of torque Shop for a New Bronco Sport at Your Ford Dealership in Manning! Ready for a big adventure in the compact, capable 2026 Ford Bronco Sport? Scroll through our current Bronco Sport inventory to discover the trim levels and colors we have in stock today! And whenever you’re ready for a test drive, stop by Santee Ford, your local Ford dealership near Moncks Corner, Sumter, and Florence. Our team is here to answer your questions and help you compare different trim levels so you can find the perfect one for you. Let’s get your adventure started today!

Crisp mornings, cozy sweaters, and pumpkin spice lattes on the way to work: fall is officially here. But as temperatures drop and the weather shifts, your Ford feels the change too, and regular maintenance is the best way to protect it. October is also National Car Care Month, named by the Car Care Council to highlight the importance of preventative maintenance. It's the perfect reminder to give your Ford some TLC before colder temperatures and winter driving conditions set in. A seasonal service visit can catch routine maintenance needs early and make sure your vehicle is ready for the upcoming season. Ready to get started? Here are five essential fall car care tips to help your Ford handle the season with confidence. 1. Get Your Battery Tested Cooler mornings are settling in across South Carolina, and it impacts your Ford's battery. Colder temperatures mean it has to work harder, which drains its power faster. Now is the time to have a technician test the charge and clean the terminal connections so you’re not caught with a dead battery later on. If your battery is a few years old or you've noticed slow starts, October is a great time to have it inspected and tested before the first real cold snap. 2. Tire and Brake Inspection Your tires and brakes do the heavy lifting in everyday driving, and that matters even more on wet or icy roads. Cooler air can lower tire pressure, so we recommend having a Ford-certified technician check your PSI, tread depth, and overall tire condition to keep you driving safely. A brake inspection helps identify worn pads and other maintenance needs early, helping your Ford maintain safe, reliable stopping power when you need it most. 3. Fluid Top-Offs & Oil Changes October is a great time to check your engine oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and coolant levels so your Ford keeps running smoothly as temperatures change. Regular oil changes are key to keeping your engine running like it was designed, so follow the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual to stay on track with oil changes and other routine services. When it's time for your next oil change, schedule your visit to our Ford Service Department in Manning. We’ll get you in, out, and back on the road quickly. 4. HVAC & Defrost Check Before temperatures drop, test your heater and defroster blower to make sure you'll have a comfortable cabin and clear windows on chilly mornings. In addition to keeping you comfortable, your HVAC system also dehumidifies, ventilates, and defrosts your Ford's interior. A weak defroster can make it hard to keep your windows clear during foggy, rainy, or snowy fall weather, which affects your visibility on the road. 5. Check your Lights Fall and winter mean shorter days and more commuting in the dark. Check your headlights (high/low beams), brake lights, and turn signals to make sure they're working properly. Schedule Your Seasonal Auto Service and Repairs at Santee Ford! At Santee Ford, we believe vehicle maintenance should be simple. Our Ford-certified technicians provide honest, efficient service to drivers throughout Sumter and the Midlands region of South Carolina. Whether your Ford needs an inspection, new tires, brake work, or more extensive repairs, our local service team is ready to help. When you bring your Ford to us, you can count on transparent pricing and genuine OEM Ford parts that help ensure quality, fit, and lasting performance, all backed by a team that treats your vehicle with the care it deserves. Don’t forget to check our Ford service specials in Manning before scheduling your next appointment to save more!

You’ve just found the perfect new Ford and can’t wait to drive it home. You’ve chosen to go the financing route, but now you’re faced with the question: How much should I put down on my new Ford? We’re here to help you answer that question — and make the financing process seamless and stress-free! How Much Should I Put Down? When you finance a vehicle, the down payment is an amount of money you pay upfront that partially covers the vehicle’s cost. Making a down payment on a car lowers the amount of the loan, so the bigger the down payment, the smaller the loan. Kelley Blue Book recommends putting 20% down or more, if you can. As an example, if you choose a vehicle that costs $35,000, the recommended down payment would be $7,000. NerdWallet also recommends making at least a 20% down payment on a new car, and at least a 10% down payment on a used car. Why Make a Larger Down Payment? There are several benefits of making a down payment, and a large down payment can help you even more. Besides having a smaller auto loan to pay off, here are some of the additional benefits that a down payment can offer you: Boosts Your Chance of Financing Approval A bigger down payment gives shoppers with zero or poor credit a better shot at financing the vehicle they want. A significant down payment indicates that you’re less of a risk to the lender. While approval is not guaranteed, you have a greater chance with a larger down payment. Lowers Your Monthly Car Payment A bigger down payment results in a smaller monthly car payment. In fact, according to NerdWallet, every $1,000 in the down payment can lower the monthly car payment by $15-$18. Reduces Your Loan-to-Value Ratio A down payment can also reduce your loan-to-value ratio (LTV). LTV compares the amount you're borrowing with the value of the vehicle, and the amount you can borrow is limited. LTV limits vary per lender, so you may have to make a higher down payment in order to be approved. Keeps You From Becoming Upside Down Being upside down on a car loan means that you owe more than the vehicle is worth. According to NerdWallet, a new vehicle can lose about 20% of its value in the first year. Making a down payment that’s less than 20% could result in being upside down — a situation you don’t want to find yourself in. What Can You Use for a Down Payment on a New Car? You can choose to make a down payment simply with cash, but be careful that you don’t jeopardize your savings. While making a large down payment can be helpful, Kelley Blue Book warns against using emergency savings to make the down payment bigger. It’s important to have money on hand for the unexpected, so you don’t want to wipe your savings out. The good news is that paying cash isn’t the only way to make a down payment — you can also use the value of your trade-in, if you have one. Curious how much your vehicle is worth? Value your trade on our website today! No matter what you drive, you can count on Santee Ford for a fair trade-in offer that you can apply to your next car, truck, or SUV purchase! Buy or Lease Your New Car With Santee Ford Ready to upgrade to a new Ford near Sumter? Whether you want to finance or lease your next vehicle, let’s start the process today! Check out our payment calculator to estimate your monthly payment, and don’t forget to ask us about the latest new Ford specials to see if you can save even more on your Ford of choice. Our Ford finance team will go over your options with you and help you find a payment plan that makes sense for you. Whether you still can’t decide how much to put down or have questions about your car’s trade-in value, feel free to contact us — we’re happy to help. Whenever you’re ready, stop by our Ford dealership in Manning for a test drive or to trade in your car!