2021 Ford Bronco Sport: The $28K 'Baby' Bronco Is Built for Off-Roading, Too (2024)
Twenty-four years after galloping off into the sunset, the Ford Bronco is back, and this time around it's brought company. Now officially a "family" of vehicles, the iconic nameplate now graces a rough-and-tumble larger model plus a tagalong little sibling: the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. Sharing its unibody bones with the road-going Escape crossover, this isn't exactly the second coming of the Bronco II—but don't be fooled into thinking Ford's just repackaged the Escape as a cynical cash grab. There's a lot more to this trucklet than that.
If the bigger Bronco is aimed at the Jeep Wrangler, consider the Bronco Sport as Ford's answer to the Jeep Cherokee—a modern CUV that needs to offer better-than-average off-road capabilities because of its historic reputation—though the Jeep Compass is also analogous in size. To build a proper foundation, Ford extensively modified the Escape's C2 architecture by shortening its wheelbase to 105.1 inches and fitting proprietary knuckles, which help give the Bronco Sport's base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks trims more than 7.8 inches of ground clearance (make that 8.8 inches with the optional 29-inch A/T tires on the Badlands trim).
This is obviously a unibody crossover with four-wheel independent suspension, but the twin-tube shocks up front and 46-mm monotubes in the rear have been tuned with off-road performance and wheel articulation in mind (7.4 inches front, 8.1 inches rear); further, the higher-trim Badlands and First Edition Bronco Sports get a special front strut setup and hydraulic rebound stops to smooth out the ride on rough trails.
Approach, breakover, and departure angles on the Badlands model with the bigger tires are 30.4 degrees, 20.4 degrees and 33.1 degrees respectively.
The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport comes standard with all-wheel drive, a full-time system whose forward traction is enhanced by a battery of gadgets and gizmos that appear to outflank the standard offerings on every other crossover in its class, short of maybe the Cherokee Trailhawk. The twin-clutch rear axle can send 100 percent of the engine's power to either wheel and mimic a locking differential.
Meanwhile, the 8-speed automatic transmission has an 18:1 crawl ratio when the Rock Crawl driving mode is selected—let's take a second to appreciate that a unibody crossover has a rock crawl mode and bash plates to back it up—one of seven selectable terrain modes that modify powertrain and steering behavior depending on conditions. Ford claims it put a lot of thought into transmission and differential cooling to prevent overeager drivers from burning out the AWD system in a tight spot.
It's also got Trail Control, Ford's off-road low-speed cruise control system where all you have to do is steer, and an optional front-facing trail camera with a washer. That's an option that you'll currently find only on the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator. Lower-trim Bronco Sports can safely ford 17.7 inches of water, while Badlands and First Edition models can cross 23.6 inches without ruining anyone's day—though any water that makes it into the cabin can be drained via in-floor plugs.
Where the Bronco Sport does borrow copiously from the Escape is its engine options: a 1.5-liter turbo three-cylinder making 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque, or a larger 2.0-liter turbo-four with 245 horse and 275 torque. Ford says that four-pot, which is only available on the two higher trims, will give the Sport the best power- and torque-to-weight ratios in its class, though its curb weight hasn't been announced yet.
Wrapped in a quadrangular body (172.7 inches long, 82.2 inches wide, 70.2-71.4 inches high depending on tires) with an upright roofline, the 2021 Bronco Sport will have the most cargo space in its class, with accommodation for two mountain bikes side by side with the rear seats folded, and easy access via a flip-up rear window. Other outdoor hobbies are equally supported by Camping, Snow, and Water packages, or by over 100 official accessories that will be available a la carte at launch.
And once unloaded, the Bronco Sport can assume the role of mobile base camp; its roof rack is designed to support a tent, an available cargo area partition can fold out to form a table and the lift gate has an integral bottle opener and LED flood lamps.
Within are seats trimmed in dirt- and food-resistant upholstery, with zippered seat-back pouches, military-style MOLLE webbing, and a new F-150-esque storage compartment under the second row. An eight-inch touchscreen displays Ford's Apple- and Android-compatible Sync 3 infotainment system, which on upper trims can optionally feed a Bang & Olufsen 10-speaker sound system. Standard Ford Co-Pilot360 safety equipment includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, and lane keep assist. Things like radar cruise control, evasive steering assist and speed limit sign recognition are extra.
Ford
Like the larger Broncos, reservations for the Bronco Sport open the second the public reveal wraps up, and it can be secured for a $100 deposit against the $28,155 starting price. The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport will arrive at dealers by the end of 2020, by which time we'll surely know if the Bronco Sport can show up the Jeep Trailhawks like Ford intends.
This is obviously a unibody crossover with four-wheel independent suspension, but the twin-tube shocks up front and 46-mm monotubes in the rear have been tuned with off-road performance and wheel articulation in mind (7.4 inches front, 8.1 inches rear); further, the higher-trim Badlands and First Edition Bronco Sports ...
For the Excitement. Bronco® Sport Big Bend® with optional equipment shown. Always consult the Owner's Manual before off-road driving, know your terrain and trail difficulty, and use appropriate safety gear.
The specific lifespan is a mystery as there are many factors that are bound to influence how long will a Bronco last. With proper maintenance and care, the new Bronco should last anywhere from 150,000 to 200,000 miles or more.
The larger the tires, the better your Bronco will perform off-road! Well, more-or-less. Oversized tires allow you to crawl over tough obstacles like dips, ruts, and rocks.
Which 2024 Ford Bronco Sport Trim Is Best? Yes, it's pricey, but we'd recommend the Bronco Sport Badlands, preferably with the Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package. The Badlands has more off-road capability than the rest of the lineup, but even if you're not planning on hitting the trails, this is still the one to buy.
The Ford Bronco Sport comes available in four trim levels, Base, Big Bend™, Outer Banks™, and Badlands™. As a modern-day reiteration of a classic model, the Ford Bronco Sport trim levels all come equipped with 4×4 capability, H.O.S.S.
All-Wheel Drive is standard on every model, and standard towing for the New 2024 Ford Bronco Sport is rated at up to 2,000 pounds. When equipped with the available 2.0L turbo four-cylinder engine, the Ford Bronco Sport can tow a maximum of up to 2,200 pounds.
The Ford Bronco Sport is a smaller SUV overall than the Ford Bronco and has a smaller engine, too. Therefore, its tow ratings are slightly lower than the Ford Bronco at a maximum of 2,200 pounds1 with the two highest trim levels and the Class II Trailer Tow Package.
However, with acceleration or hill descent, the Sport will shift into 2nd or 3rd and will not hold gears as it would with a true manual transmission. The L button holds the vehicle in lower gears and is recommended to be used on hilly or mountainous roads, or when towing a trailer.
Ford is recalling more than 456,000 Bronco Sport SUVs from the 2021–2024 model years and Maverick pickup trucks from the 2022–2023 model years because the engine may lose power while driving. If this happens, drivers may not be able to accelerate or keep up with traffic, which could cause a crash.
The power makes the Bronco Sport an eager off-roader and allows good use of intelligent traction modes. On the road, however, the braking and steering are not up to par. Stopping from 60 mph took 127 feet, which is more than average for a small SUV, but worse is the lack of feel and response from the brake pedal.
1980 – 1983 Ford Bronco. The third-generation Ford Broncos have had their fair share of criticism due to their underpowered engines, specifically, the carburetor. ...
The Bronco is widely regarded as a more comfortable on-road vehicle that's better suited for families or individuals in urban areas. This is because Ford's suspension system is much softer than Jeep's, resulting in a far less bumpy riding experience.
Offering more capability than the Black Diamond, the Badlands has Bilstein position-sensitive monotube shocks, stabilizer bar disconnect, front and rear locking differentials make this the most capable Bronco you can get.
The very capable 2023 Ford Bronco Big Bend is a rugged SUV with a long history of supporting off-road enthusiasts who crave the best of power and performance. Under the hood, it boasts an available 2.7 L EcoBoost engine that delivers a rumbling 330 horsepower and up to 415 pound-feet of torque.
Were it my money on the line, I'd drop a few extra grand for the four-banger. Even if I never went off-road, it would be nice to have the extra power and the off-road features. But if that's cost prohibitive, and if you need to do anything too difficult off-pavement, the Outer Banks Bronco Sport will work nicely.
So it inherently lacks the smooth ride you get from rivals such as Honda CR-V or Mazda CX-5. For instance, the Badlands suspension that's been tuned for dirt and rocks often gives a bumpy ride over various road surfaces. And since the Bronco Sport has an upright design, there is wind noise at most speeds.
Just turn the knob and the system automatically turns on and disperses power to all four wheels for maximum traction. Now, no matter where your adventure takes you, the system will adjust to the changing road conditions, adjusting torque and transferring power to the front wheels when wheelslip is detected.
Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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