While the Bronco’s off-road prowess speaks for itself, the midsize SUV also happens to be one of the most customizable models in the segment. Ford has provided drivers with seven diverse trims to choose from for the 2025 model year, from the value-packed Base and off-road-ready Black Diamond Package to the retro-inspired Heritage Edition and the luxurious ––and limited––Stroppe Edition. Each trim offers a wide range of available add-ons and equipment packages, but it’s the sizable list of optional tops that really ups the SUV’s personalized appeal. From hard tops designed to reduce road noise and improve interior comfort to retractable soft tops that bring some convertible appeal to Ford’s popular SUV and more, the Bronco’s range of roof options immediately marks the SUV as a true off-road model. If you’re longing for that wind-in-your-hair feeling, or just want to craft an automotive creation that’s unlike anything else on the road, it might be time to seek out a Ford Bronco for sale in Sacramento. Let’s walk through all the Bronco’s top options for 2025, discuss the pros and cons of the available tube doors, and learn which design is ideal for your unique driving needs.
Soft Tops vs Hard Tops
It’s a debate as old as time, or at least as old as the invention of the modern off-road SUV: soft top or hard top? Each design has its own pros and cons, and while indecisive drivers can always choose Ford’s dual top option, it’s important to know what you’re getting into before you settle on the soft or hard top approach. Soft tops are a little easier for one person to manage due to their lower weight, and also tend to require a lot less storage room when they’re not affixed to the vehicle. The Bronco’s retractable soft top can also be adjusted on the fly, while you’ll have to make a quick pit stop to let the air in by removing the hard top.
The main advantages of the hard top come down to security and comfort. If you regularly store valuable equipment or tools inside your Bronco, the soft top could prove a little too tempting for enterprising thieves looking to make a quick buck. The hard top also acts as a better insulator than the soft top, which means that the Bronco’s climate control system will be a little more effective at maintaining your ideal temperature. Then there’s road noise. A soft top can make it all too easy to hear every clunk, squeal, and speeding vehicle that might pass you as you commute into Sacramento on I-5, but the hard top’s design helps to silence road noise to create a more serene driving experience.
Top
Hard Tops: The hard top roof is offered as part of the standard package when you opt for the two-door Base or Badlands trims, though it’s also available as an optional add-on for the four-door Base, Big Bend, Outerbanks, and Badlands models. Designed with an integrated rear-window defroster and washer, as well as a sound-deadening headliner, the hard top helps to create a quiet, comfortable cabin that’ll serve as a four-wheel drive oasis. The hard top’s biggest selling point might be its modular design with three distinct panels over the front row, second row, and rear cargo area that can be easily removed to create the perfect Bronco for any driving scenario.
The larger middle and rear panels typically require two sets of hands for installation and removal, but the front panel can be easily handled by a single person to create a true open-air driving experience. The front panel is also small enough to be stored in the Bronco’s rear cargo area, which means that drivers can pop it off and on as they see fit when the weather cooperates. Ford also offers some different colored hard tops on various trims, giving every driver the opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind ride.
Retractable Tops (Full Twill Soft/Front Row Twill Soft): If you don’t feel like parking and messing with nuts and bolts every time you want to transform your Bronco, the retractable full twill soft top is here to help. This option adds a couple thousand bucks to the bottom line, but it’s a small price to pay for the ability to combine the utility and off-road prowess of the Bronco with the best aspect of a sporty convertible. Available on the Base, Big Bend, Outer Banks, Badlands, Stroppe Edition, and Heritage Edition, the retractable roof comes in two flavors: a Full Twill Soft Top that can be adjusted to expose the front seats, rear seats, and cargo area, or a Front Row Twill Soft Top that just replaces the front row’s overhead hard top panel.
Produced by the roof experts at Bestop, the Sunrider retractable top is specifically engineered for the Ford Bronco. This bespoke approach offers a number of advantages when compared to your aftermarket roofs, specifically when it comes to fit. The retractable top provides a tight fit tailored to the Bronco’s factory doors and rear tailgate. The Front Row Twill Soft Top is probably one of the Bronco’s most practical options, and can be easily adjusted between the open and closed position with a simple flip. By replacing the standard hard top front-row panel with the Front Row Twill Soft Top, drivers will also free up a little cargo space that would otherwise be used for the front-row panel and take advantage of the SUV’s full 36 cu.ft. of cargo volume.
Dual Tops: If you can’t decide between the soft and hard top options, Ford has you covered. Many Bronco trims are available with a Dual Top option that sees the Bronco graced with both versions. This approach is perfect for Sacramento drivers who might want a warmer hard top option for the winter months while still enjoying the soft top when the temperature starts to rise. The Bronco will typically ship with the hard top, but the soft top can be easily swapped in with minimal labor or tools.
Bimini Soft Tops (Canvas/Mesh): If you’re gearing up for a weekend full of off-road fun or a trip to the beach, the Bronco’s canvas and mesh Bimini tops could be the perfect choice. These tops are among the most affordable roof options for the Ford Bronco at less than $500, and while they might not be the perfect choice for year-round use, they’ll certainly earn their keep if you’re trying to turn your Bronco into an all-in-one adventure rig.
The Soft Canvas Bimini top provides superior sun protection and can help to keep the interior nice and dry, while the Mesh Shade Bimini top is mildew-resistant, improves airflow, and lets the driver and passengers soak up some moderate rays while they explore the lesser-known corners of Northern California. Both tops are easy to install thanks to a set of hook-n-loop fasteners and J-hooks that allow the mesh and canvas roofs to be easily installed without breaking out the power tools.
Doors
Tube Doors: Few features define an off-road SUV quite as well as a set of tube doors. While a robust four-wheel drive system, all-terrain tires, and other off-road components are certainly essential, a good set of tube doors can give a vehicle a distinctive, rugged look that goes a long way towards setting it apart from the crowd as you cruise around Sacramento’s off-road hot spots. Both the two- and four-door versions of the Ford Bronco are available with optional tube doors designed to replace the standard factory-installed doors. The doors can easily be affixed to the Bronco using the door frame’s standard hinge points, and they offer a number of advantages in off-road scenarios.
The ability to improve airflow is one obvious benefit, and can be a godsend on a warmer day, but it’s the boost to visibility that really seals the deal. Keeping an eye on off-road obstacles can mean the difference between a successful day on the trail and one that ends in an expensive repair or the dreaded call to a recovery service, but the tube doors allow drivers to get a great view of their surroundings from right behind the wheel. The doors can also withstand their fair share of abuse from branches, shrubs, and other off-road debris. The Bronco’s high-strength, two-inch steel tube door features a stylish black powder-coat finish and includes paintable handle covers that can be matched to your Bronco’s specific hue.
While they can help to up the Bronco’s sporty appeal, there is one drawback drivers should be aware of when selecting tube doors. The tube doors don’t provide the same level of protection that a traditional set of doors can offer, especially in the event of a crash. For this reason, Ford recommends only using the tube doors in off-road environments. This would be a bigger issue if not for the fact that Ford has made the Bronco’s tube doors very easy to quickly install or remove. Taking a few extra minutes to swap out your standard doors for the tube doors isn’t a very high price to pay when you consider the sort of utility they can provide.
A Grander Adventure Awaits in the Bronco
The Ford Bronco has only been back on the market for a few years, but it’s wasting no time when it comes to upping the bar in the off-road market. Drivers haven’t had many ready-made off-road options since the original Bronco ended production in 1996, and that lack of competition has led to a bit of stagnation in the adventure-ready segment. There’s no doubting the athletic ability of other midsize models, but comfort and the overall driving experience have long been relegated to the backseats in a bid to build a better off-road SUV. The Bronco delivers a well-rounded ride that prioritizes both comfort and utility while offering the sort of customization potential that’s long defined the segment. With a half-dozen optional tops and a set of tube doors to choose from, the Ford Bronco can be equipped to handle whatever sort of conditions you might find yourself in while earning plenty of style points along the way.
