Overview
Mud is some of nature’s best medicine, and mucking through it in the Ford Bronco comes strongly recommended. The Bronco is Ford’s answer to the longtime unchallenged success of the Jeep Wrangler. Like the Jeep, the Bronco comes in two- and four-door varieties, and it features both an optional manual transmission and four-wheel drive. Even the most basic Bronco has plenty of pep from a 300-hp turbocharged inline-four with a 10-speed automatic transmission or an available seven-speed manual. The wilder powertrain is a 330-hp twin-turbo V-6. The Bronco Raptor, reviewed separately, has 418 horsepower but is a different beast entirely. Inside the Bronco is a rugged control room that’s easy to clean up. Easy to drive on the street in between campsites, the Bronco proves to be equal parts fun lifestyle vehicle and proper rock-crawling tool.
Where This Vehicle Ranks
What’s New for 2024?
Not much changes for the Ford Bronco in 2024. The 12.0-inch infotainment screen is now standard and the Bronco Badlands trim receives a heavy-duty bumper with its bevy of equipment.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The base two-door Bronco starts around $37,000, but moving to higher trims gets expensive quickly. That starting price has increased by over $6000 since the Bronco launched for the 2021 model year. Here’s a little trick for those handy with a wrench: Buy the base model (with however many doors you prefer) and add your own tires, suspension, and aftermarket lights to your heart’s desire. Keep in mind, that base engine is a four-cylinder but 300 horsepower is definitely more than sufficient. If you’re not into the project-car life, we’d recommend a four-door Black Diamond. For under $50,000, you get standard features such as Ford’s G.O.A.T. drive modes, 32-inch tires, a powder-coated steel bumper, additional bash plates, and access to tons of additional factory options.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Sorry, folks. The Bronco doesn’t come with eight cylinders. Instead, there’s a standard 300-hp turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder or an optional 330-hp twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6. A 10-speed automatic transmission bolts to both gas engines, but a seven-speed manual is only compatible with the smaller one. Unfortunately, neither engine has an enthusiastic soundtrack. Every Bronco sends power to all four wheels, and its independent front suspension is more sophisticated than Jeep’s front stick axle. Other noteworthy options include 35-inch mud-terrain tires, beadlock-capable wheels, electronic locking front and rear differentials, and a sway-bar-disconnect feature. After our first driving impressions, the Bronco impressed us with its on-road refinement. Not only is its steering more precise than the Wrangler’s wheel, but the Ford simply handles better overall. Of course, equipped with the largest tires and softest suspension, there’s significant brake dive, and its body-on-frame construction isn’t kept secret. Still, the Bronco isn’t a one-trick pony, and it’s capable of conquering truly treacherous terrain.
Towing and Payload Capacity
Both the two- and four-door Ford Bronco models are rated to tow 3500 pounds—the same as the Wrangler.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The four-cylinder Bronco with the automatic transmission is the thriftiest variant, with ratings of 20 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway. Upgrade to the V-6 version with the Sasquatch package that includes aggressive, oversized tires, and its fuel economy plummets to 17 mpg both in the city and on the highway. We’ve run automatic-equipped Broncos with both engines on our 75-mph fuel-economy route, with the four-cylinder earning 22 mpg and the V-6 earning 18 mpg. For more information about the Bronco’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Available with two or four doors, softtops or hardtops, and removable body panels, the Bronco offers the same open-air possibilities that make the Wrangler an outdoor person’s delight. The Ford’s interior has a few more innovations than the Jeep too. For example, the Bronco has a rack built into the top of its dashboard that allows smartphones and GoPros to be mounted there. It also has frameless doors that are easy to remove. However, their long side glass can snag the weatherstripping, and they allow extra wind noise to enter the cabin. Still, the extended-wheelbase four-door models have space on board to store all four doors. Since the exterior mirrors are mounted on the base of the windshield, they’re still usable when the doors are taken off. When exposed to the elements, the cabin can be protected with the available rubberized flooring and marine-grade vinyl upholstery. Those who want a fancier environment can opt for leather seating surfaces, but the interior’s expansive swaths of plastic look cheap on upper trims. Even in the two-door Bronco, there’s enough space in the back seat to fit two adults comfortably. The four-door version alone has a third, middle seat in the rear and offers a hair more legroom, but most of its extra length applies to the cargo area, which is more than 50 percent larger than the two-door.
Infotainment and Connectivity
Ford’s latest in-dash Sync 4 software powers a 12.0-inch touchscreen that’s embedded in the middle of the Bronco’s dashboard. The setup allows over-the-air updates and can connect to the cloud and the user’s smartphone wirelessly. The infotainment system also supports a host of modern infotainment features that include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot. The unit can also be upgraded with desirable options, such as built-in navigation and a more powerful B&O stereo.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
The Bronco is available with a suite of driver-assistance technology, including automatic high beams and parking sensors. It also has equipment that makes low-speed rock crawling and trail driving easier. For more information about the Bronco’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
- Available forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
- Available blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert
- Available lane-departure and lane-keeping assist
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Ford provides a competitive limited and powertrain warranty that aligns with most of its rivals. However, it lacks the complimentary maintenance that some competitors provide.
- Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
- No complimentary scheduled maintenance
Specifications
Specifications
2022 Ford Bronco Everglades
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $54,595/$56,835
Options: navigation, $695; slide-out tailgate, $600; towing capability, $595; front row top panels and door storage bags, $350
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 138 in3, 2264 cm3
Power: 300 hp @ 5700
Torque: 325 lb-ft @ 3400 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axle
Brakes, F/R: 12.2-in vented disc/12.1-in vented disc
Tires: Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT
LT315/70R-17 113/110S M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 116.1 in
Length: 198.9 in
Width: 79.4 in
Height: 78.7 in
Passenger Volume: 104 ft3
Cargo Volume: 36 ft3
Curb Weight: 5296 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 7.1 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.7 sec @ 85 mph
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 8.8 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 4.0 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 5.5 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 99 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 196 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.70 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 15 mpg
75-mph Highway Driving: 17 mpg
75-mph Highway Range: 350 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 18/18/17 mpg
2021 Ford Bronco Wildtrak
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $50,970/$58,420
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, iron-and-aluminum block and aluminum heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 164 in3, 2694 cm3
Power: 330 hp @ 5250 rpm
Torque: 415 lb-ft @ 3100 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axle
Brakes, F/R: 12.2-in vented disc/12.1-in vented disc
Tires: Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT
LT315/70R-17 113/110S M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 116.1 in
Length: 189.5 in
Width: 79.3 in
Height: 75.3 in
Passenger Volume: 104 ft3
Cargo Volume: 36 ft3
Curb Weight: 4971 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.2 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.0 sec @ 92 mph
100 mph: 19.1 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.7 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.2 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.2 sec
Top Speed (gov): 100 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 189 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.71 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 15 mpg
75-mph Highway Driving: 17 mpg
Highway Range: 350 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 17/17/17 mpg
