2021 Ford Bronco Review
2022 Ford Bronco
Price as tested: $49,540
Specs: 2.3 EcoBoost Turbo 4
300 HP / 325 TQ
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Guys who did stuff: Yousef Alvi
This is it…the long awaited Ford Bronco. This is a vehicle that came with it’s own fair share of pomp, circumstance and excitement. It is also a vehicle that came with the burden of taking on foundation of SUVdom…the Jeep Wrangler. It’s an unenviable task to say the least and Ford would have been forgiven if it ‘played it safe’…but they didn’t.
Instead of just throwing a SUV body on top of the Ranger and calling it day, Ford examined everything that makes a Wrangler a Wrangler…and made it better. For example, lets talk about on road performance. The Wrangler has always been a wayward mess on the road and even worst on the highway (see here ), the Bronco, in contrast, rides amazingly well. It’s composed, confident and easy to drive. But that is not even the best part…the best part is the pricing!
The best ‘apples to apples’ build on Jeep’s website, yielded a Wrangler that costs a whopping $9000 more than this Bronco!
“Building a comparable Wrangler, on Jeep’s site, yielded a whopping $9,000 difference! ”
Jeep used to be synonymous with ‘cheap’…yeah not anymore. With the average price of the Wrangler cresting close to $60,000…the ‘everyman’s ute’ has turned into the ‘elitist-mobile’.
Now let’s go ahead and break down this new Bronco:
The Great
The 2.3 EcoBoost is a torque filled gem of an engine. Producing surges of power that doesn’t just cause the Bronco to be ‘kinda’ quick…it IS quick. The 10 speed auto keeps the engine in that meaty torque band and the Bronco flies down the road with a smile on your face!
Another cause to smile is the styling…the Bronco just looks great! Not too nauseating retro but not so futuristic that it looks like a fish…this Bronco is a head turner from every angle! Which doesn’t stop on the inside as well! From the surprisingly ergonomic grab handles to the perfect sized infotainment screen to the physical climate control buttons…the Bronco is just fantastic on the inside.
The Good
Sync 3, is as ever, one of the best infotainment systems offered in a vehicle today.
The steering and the feel from the brakes are stellar. Communicating anything and everything to the driver instantaneously, the Bronco inputs are fantastic!
Even in 2 door guise, the Bronco is surprisingly roomy in the back. Easily swallowing to two child seats with ease.
The Bad
Yes, you can take the doors and roof off. Yes, it comes with a handy toolkit in the glove department to help facilitate your panel free motoring experience…BUT there is a catch.
It’s not a one person operation. Sure you can take the doors off yourself but trying put that back on, requires one to be crossbred with a giraffe. You need to crane your net over the door and line up the hinges exactly….which is hard for a normal human being. Asking for your significant other to assist will get tiresome after the 4th time and after the 5th…your significant other or friend will just stop responding to you.
Doesn’t really end there either…if you get this 2 door version, then you can’t fit the doors in the back. They will only fit in the 4 door! So you have to find a place to stow said large doors and speaking of stowing: Those ‘accessory bags that Ford says are pretty much required for removal’ are not stock. So make sure you pay the measly $350.00 for them to make your life easier.
The Ugly
I got nothing…so here is a cat
Overall:
Buy this. Buy this right now.
