2021 BRONCO
Two and four doors plus four-wheel-drive equals off-road fun for all
Off-road enthusiasts have more reasons than ever to be excited. Just look at the myriad choices. In one bold strike, Ford has revealed three different Broncos that represent nothing less than a total assault on the Jeep Wrangler’s enduring category dominance.
The first to arrive is the Bronco Sport— based on the Ford Escape platform— that serves as a somewhat tamer appetizer to the tougher twoand four-door Bronco models that are slated to show up in early 2021.
This duo evokes memories of the original Bronco that broke cover for 1966. Back then, most buyers were rural folk with farms and ranches, while others were avid backwoods fishing and hunting types. The Bronco’s squared-off body with zero front and rear overhang was the very essence of what a minimalist sport-utility vehicle was all about; function ahead of form by a country mile.
Today, Ford still has the same target audiences in its crosshairs, but more importantly it’s aiming at a significant swath of buyers who head off-trail and over the rocks, sand and mud just for the sheer fun of it.
Along with visual cues from the original, the new Bronco’s credentials include standard four-wheel-drive for all trim levels. The base unit has a two-speed shift-on-the-fly transfer case, while an optional version adds an on-demand auto mode that engages two- or four-wheel high range, depending on surface conditions.
Both systems can be had with Spicer-brand locking differentials that provide an extra measure of traction.
The Bronco’s Terrain Management System comes with up to seven modes: Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery,
Sand, Mud/Ruts, Baja and Rock Crawl (the last two are optional).
The Bronco gives the term stripped-down whole new meaning in that you can remove the frameless doors and multi-section roofs from both the two- and four-door models (as you can on the Wrangler). The portals on fourdoor Broncos can be loaded inside protective storage bags.
Since that likely means mud on the inside of the vehicle, the interior can be hosed out, provided you’ve opted for the available rubberized floors with drain plugs plus marine-grade vinyl seat coverings.
The Bronco has up to 11.6 inches of ground clearance and it can ford water up to 33.5 inches deep, but only if equipped with the 35-inch mud-terrain-rated tires and hiked-up suspension (part of the Sasquatch Package).
Engine choices start with a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder rated at 270 horsepower and 310 poundfeet of torque. Optional is a turbocharged 2.7-liter V-6 that produces 310 horsepower and 400 pound-feet.
A 10-speed automatic transmission is standard with the turbo V-6 and available in the turbo I-4. It comes standard with a unique seven-speed manual gearbox, including a low 94.75:1 crawler gear for clambering over— or through — rocks and muck.
Fuel economy figures aren’t currently available, but would likely be similar to the Ford Ranger 4x4’s 21 mpg city, 26 highway and 23 combined since it uses the same turbo 2.3 engine.
Pricing starts at $30,000 for the base two-door and $34,700 for the four-door, including destination charges. Both come with all the basics, except for protective side rails and underbody skid plates, which are critical for traversing the rough stuff.
The standard content levels and option packages increase as you move through the other six trim levels: Big Bend Black Diamond Outer Banks Badlands; Wildtrak and First Edition. The latter rolls in at $60,800, however all 3,500 units have been reserved. That leaves just the Wildtrak ($50,400/$52,900) if you wish to acquire a turbo V-6 Bronco.
Whichever model you prefer, or your wallet can absorb, the two- and four-door Broncos are practically guaranteed to change the off-road game and offer a clear alternative to the previously unassailable Jeep Wrangler’s dominance in this category.gy