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The Ford Bronco first stands out from most of those to me with its styling. You’ve heard me moan about blob-like SUVs that don’t differentiate themselves.

I have yet to turn my head when I see one drive by and not know what it is.

Styling is distinctive and a bit of a retro throwback to the boxier original Bronco II.

Inside, you’ve got some really great standard features including the excellent Sync3 infotainment system on an 8-inch touchscreen. Co-Pilot360 includes blind-spot alerts, forward collision warnings, auto high beams and automatic emergency braking.


The mix of physical buttons to touchscreen is to my liking. Though the steering wheel gets a little busy.

The seats are really comfortable and adjustable and these are the standard cloth seats. I like them a lot. And if you venture into the back, or are the one that gets chauffeured around then you’re in luck, because it’s spacious.


Maybe most impressive here are the storage options. This really makes hauling around people and cargo really easy. If you’re like me, you like to be organized and I really appreciate the Bronco Sport’s ability to do that. And I like how the tailgate allows flexible access for stowing your cargo.


So we know it’s got the chops for chores, but does driving on the road feel like a chore? In a word, not at all. That’s three words.

Of course, the Bronco Sport rides on Ford’s unibody C2 scalable platform, which also underpins the Escape, the Focus everywhere but the US, the Lincoln Corsair and the new Maverick compact truck among others.

There are two engine options on the Bronco Sport. The base model gets a 1.5-liter inline 3-cylinder (181 hp/190 lb. ft torque) that’s turbocharged or this upgraded 2.0-liter EcoBoost (250 hp/280 lb ft torque).

I kind of wish I’d had the base engine to test it. I’ve driven with it in the Escape and wasn’t as impressed as I’d hoped, but I’m definitely picky and like a little more power and giddy up. It did a decent enough job with the base Escape, but since this one has all-time all-wheel drive and is at best 200 pounds heavier than the Escape, I’m betting it feels a little less enthusiastic. But you’ll have to let me get back to you on that.


The 2.0-liter EcoBoost, however, feels like plenty of get up and go. I like some power when I’m off-roading for sure, so this Badlands should also fare pretty well in something like sand dunes, but getting onto a freeway quickly or maneuvering out of a sticky traffic situation is easy with that kind of power.

Fords G.O.A.T. modes are available for when are face with different driving scenarios.

Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Sand come standard on all models. You also get Mud/Ruts and a Rock Crawl mode on the more off-road minded Badlands trim.

As a package, the Bronco Sport is a solid and easy driver. The ride is ridiculously comfortable without having that floaty feeling. Full stop. The steering feels fine, not too loose and wobbly especially on center.

The brakes are actually kind of grabby so feel substantial enough for the extra grunt from the 2-liter engine.

Overall, there’s a lot to like about the Bronco Sport on the road not just off it. You can configure your Bronco Sport in a lot of different ways depending on what you use it most for.

After the base model, who’s price starts at about $27,000, there are three trim levels available. The Big Bend (graphic: $28,320) adds a rubberized cargo floor and keyless entry to get your adventure party started. The Outer Banks (graphic: $32,320) trim is more refined with leather seats and more aesthetic creature comforts such as fancy wheels, a sunroof, and a heated leather wrapped steering wheel.


This is the Badlands, which is the most expensive at almost $33,00, but this is the one that will really take you off the beaten path with those extra off-road modes and tow hooks.

If a new Bronco Sport looks appealing to you, I wouldn’t recommend trading in your old Bronco for it, that’s something you should hang onto, but if you head to KBB.com and check out the value of say your 2018 Ford Escape SEL that you’ve taken great care of, you could trade it in for almost half of a new Bronco Sport.


Just because everyone’s talking about how much it can do off-road, don’t think that the Bronco Sport isn’t every bit as worthy on road too. It is. And bonus, if you do get a hankering to take it off-road, well, chances are you’ll leave everyone else in that competitive set in your dust.

00:00 2021 Ford Bronco Sport
0:25 Competitors
0:45 Exterior
1:05 Interior
2:58 Driving Impressions