Sporting a new Bronco

November 11th, 2021

After discontinuing the Bronco following the infamous “OJ” fifth generation in 1996, Ford revealed a Bronco concept in 2004 evoking a modernized interpretation of the original generation. Despite continued teasing of a potential return, only now after a 25-year hiatus, has Ford brought back the iconic model. Timing couldn’t be better as America is in the middle of a renaissance of body-on-frame off-road-ready SUVs.

Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks

Similar to the 1980s lineup, there are two different variants: the Bronco and the smaller Bronco Sport. I drove the Bronco Sport and was impressed. As the natural successor to the Bronco II (1984-1990), the 4-door-only Sport is based on the Ford Escape, which contributes to its car-like driving experience. While Ford knocked it out of the park with the larger Bronco, the Sport is arguably equally as important. The compact SUV market is the hottest automotive segment and having only one entry per automaker simply is not enough anymore. Creating two unique personalities on the same chassis enables Ford to reach two different segments of consumers while saving on the cost of producing two completely different models.

Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks

Since the Sport hit the streets first, it has led to some confusion with some “non-car people” assuming that the Sport is the actual Bronco. This isn’t the worst thing for Ford. Jeep has been selling the Compass and Renegade for years now by cashing in on the brand’s off-road heritage, despite neither of the Fiat-based models being particularly strong off-pavement. Ford is not only coming for Jeep, but also for import brands, which continue to provide a number of competitive entries in the segment.

You can’t Escape the underpinnings of the Bronco Sport – which is both good and bad. It is great because it lends the Sport car-like handling and a more comfortable ride height. However, the interior hard plastics from the Escape take away from the Sport’s “Bronco” cache. Luckily, I drove an Outer Banks trim level which was equipped with upgraded leather and suede trimmed seats.

Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks rear seat

A personal complaint with recent Fords is that while their interiors are still rugged, the brand no longer dominates its American competitors on the styling front. In fact, I would argue that the dash already appears a bit dated. Given that many competitors’ interior designs are giving luxury brands a run for their money, Ford could have done more here. That said, the tasteful “Bronco” emblems throughout the cabin along with intelligent packaging combine to make up for much of this deficit.

With import competitors like Kia offering so much value for the dollar, it would have been nice to have seen more tech and a standard power liftgate in the Sport. The infotainment screen appears as if it is slid up on the dash and could be slid back down to where a storage compartment is housed. Unfortunately, it is just a cubby. It looks like Ford is saving the space to add the larger vertically aligned infotainment screen during a mid-cycle refresh in a few years. However, it would have been more impressive if it were available now. Ford most likely assumed that their more tech-savvy buyers would be willing to spend more and purchase a Mach-E instead. Or perhaps, offering the larger screen only on the recently refreshed Edge is supposed to attract buyers to Ford’s most senior 2-row crossover offering.

Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks interior

At only 173 inches long, the Sport is about a half foot longer than the original 4-door Jeep Cherokee, putting it on the small end of the compact SUV segment. The VW Tiguan is about a foot longer. However, the boxy design enables the Sport to feel much larger than it is. While it lacks the comfort and luxury of the larger and pricier Edge, the Sport provides a well-designed interior that makes it a usable and efficient crossover. At the end of the day, regardless of what people think they “need,” the Sport really fits the requirements of most drivers.

Getting behind the wheel, the car-like Sport is much easier to live with than its truckier big brother. It also doesn’t have the premium fuel requirement. The driving position is excellent, and handling is commendable for a boxy SUV. Beyond a thick C-pillar, visibility is quite good for this class. Acceleration is more than adequate from the Eco-Boost turbocharged base 3-cylinder engine. Unfortunately, you have to step up to the top-of-the-line Badlands trim to get the 4-cylinder which boasts a sub-6 second 0-60 MPH acceleration time. Parking the lower and narrower Sport is also quite easy.

Overall, the Sport has excellent packaging, and while the lack of tech gizmos might make it feel a bit dated, there is a charm and appreciated simplicity to the analog feel of the controls. Afterall, many buyers will be drawn to the Sport more for its Bronco lineage than anything else. Ford created a balanced winner in the Sport - it manages to be a lot of things while having its own personality. In a sea of look-alike crossovers, the Sport successfully blazes its own trail.