Apologies to these on the lookout for the primary drive evaluate of the Bronco you’re occupied with. That one is coming sooner or later. As an alternative of main with the primary dish, Ford gave us a bit Bronco appetizer with the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport.
For many who might have missed Bronco-palooza through the large reveal, know that the Bronco Sport is the crossover-based little sibling of the truck-based Bronco 2-Door and 4-Door. The Bronco Sport shares its unibody platform with the Ford Escape (and by extension the Focus bought in Europe), however don’t mistake it for a half-hearted model play. Placing the “Bronco” title on a Ford product appears sure to assist increase gross sales, however Ford has not sullied the title with a poorly executed product. If you happen to have been frightened concerning the Bronco Sport simply being a boxy Escape, fear much less.
The Bronco Sport is considerably smaller than the Escape, measuring 8.4 inches shorter in general size, 1.3 inches shorter in wheelbase, 3.0 inches narrower and as a lot as 5 inches taller. One have a look at the outside design ought to take away your head even farther from Escape Land. The design clearly borrows from the massive Bronco, attaining a extra convincingly rugged look than Jeep’s Cherokee or Compass. Styling parts just like the spherical LED lights, safari roof, “Bronco” grille and particular Bronco badging fulfill the requisite branding parts, whereas the boxy silhouette, sidewalls filled with chunky tires, out there steel-look aluminum-alloy wheels and truck-like hood again up the adornment with substance. The Bronco Sport could also be a crossover, nevertheless it seems to be genuinely cool within the flesh.
Against this, there isn’t any telling the Escape and Bronco Sport aside beneath the hood. The bottom engine in most trims (Base, Massive Bend, Outer Banks) is Ford’s 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder that produces 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. Go for the Badlands or First Version, and also you get the stronger 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder with 245 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed computerized transmission handles shifting for each engines, and all-wheel drive is customary gear. Fashions with the larger engine (Badlands and First Version) get a torque-vectoring rear differential that may ship all rear axle torque to a single rear wheel if want be. It has a locking operate, which you’ll activate by urgent a button by the G.O.A.T. modes dial (that is “Goes Over Any Terrain,” by the best way).
Our first flip behind the wheel is on street in a Bronco Outer Banks, probably the most luxuriously outfitted Bronco Sport with the 1.5-liter engine. From the second you step inside, it seems like a bit truck – an impression that was intentional, in response to designers. The A-pillars are additional again and the windshield extra upright in comparison with the Escape and different crossovers. You sit in an upright place and gaze over a protracted, straight hood with two massive energy bulges that trace, fairly disingenuously, at a giant engine beneath. Little ridges sit on the perimeters of that hood to present you a sign of the place the perimeters of the automobile are, good for tight off-roading.
The truck vibe is not only a matter of appearances, although. Even the Bronco Sport’s controls have a truck-ish really feel to them. The steering has a touch of play/liveliness, making for a small truck feeling on the street. The large brake pedal has that heavy suggestions we are inclined to affiliate with full-size vans just like the F-150. This little crossover is really attempting its greatest to masquerade as a critical off-roader in a pint-size package deal. It’s charming and totally different on this class of largely homogenous driving experiences. No person will mistake it for an Escape from the driving force’s seat.
The one place the place the Bronco Sport’s “Escape-ness” reveals via is inside design. There’s clearly shared switchgear and a typical structure (their middle consoles from HVAC controls to armrest are almost an identical), however there are key variations. A lot of them for the higher. The air vents are larger, straddling the shared touchscreen, liberating up area for a useful shelf for a telephone or one thing else small. There are additionally nifty touches just like the rubberized, graspable adjustment prongs on these air vents and the sturdy-feeling G.O.A.T. Modes dial. So it is paying homage to the Escape, nevertheless it’s additionally tremendous useful and match for the automobile.
Many will purchase the Bronco Sport and by no means depart the pavement. For them, the 1.5-turbo is a stable companion. It’s peppy, however not particularly fast, and the three-cylinder doesn’t sound half dangerous beneath load. The transmission simply melts into the background, which is simply as nicely for a automobile like this — it neither frustrates nor wows. There’s an additional bounce and stiffness to the on-road experience you don’t get in different crossovers this measurement. It’s not a lot as to be uncomfortable, however you may inform there’s an off-road-tuned suspension beneath, and it makes popping round city that little bit extra enjoyable and concerned. That doesn’t translate into corner-carving prowess, because the Bronco Sport is a bit sloppy while you begin to push. An Escape has each superior experience consolation and higher dealing with (the longer wheelbase can also have one thing to do with that), however that is to be anticipated.
The following leg of our journey would present the place the Bronco Sport excels: an off-road course common by Ford full of not-insignificant obstacles. It’s right here that we swapped right into a First Version trim, which has all of the Badlands off-road goodies, plus each luxurious choice out there. The blue “Navy Pier” leather-based seats are good, however much more spectacular are the torque-vectoring rear diff, further transmission and rear-drive coolers, all-terrain tires, distinctive Badlands suspension and all the opposite off-road goodies. Ford’s spec sheet is spectacular. Badlands fashions get 8.8 inches of floor clearance; stellar method, departure and breakover angles; further underbody protections and a Jeep-sinking 23.6-inch wading depth. Mix this with the highly effective four-cylinder and two further G.O.A.T. modes (Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl), and also you’re left with a bit crossover that punches far larger than you’d anticipate it to.
We climbed up and down steep hills of free rock, sand and boulders, all of the whereas swapping between the right G.O.A.T. mode — by altering the all-wheel-drive torque cut up, transmission shift factors, traction management/stability management settings, throttle tuning, brake tuning, and steering weight, every off-road mode does certainly make the Bronco Sport drive noticeably totally different for the precise goal at hand. The entrance digicam (solely on Badlands and First Version) proved itself worthy because the Bronco Sport scampered up and over blind crests with sharp turns on the high. Not one of the large rocks or deep ruts have been a clearance situation for the Badlands or First Version, however the different Bronco Sport trim ranges experience an inch decrease and might be heard scraping alongside rocks and bottoming out within the extra extreme sections.
Ford additionally arrange an autocross-like sandy course the place we received to really feel the torque-vectoring differential do its factor. It acted shortly and considerably improved the dealing with on this floor. Energy sliding round a hairpin or large sweeper was simple, and assuming you’re in the appropriate mode, the Bronco Sport lets you might have all of the sideways enjoyable you need with out digital nannies getting in the best way. Most homeowners might by no means race their Bronco Sport round within the sand, however they’re lacking out in the event that they don’t.
The extra doubtless Bronco Sport use case is as a every day driver and weekend journey companion. For these functions, it’s completely suited. You get important tech like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility customary within the 8-inch touchscreen. Plus, the Ford Co-Pilot 360 suite of driver help techniques comes with each Bronco Sport.
Then, there are the options that weekend mountain climbing and tenting warriors will like. The flip-up rear hatch glass is a superb design alternative that deserves to be on extra SUVs and crossovers. Enormous liftgate floodlights, MOLLE straps for fast merchandise entry, in-vehicle dual-bike storage functionality, rubberized easy-to-clean mats in every single place and huge raised roof rails make life that a lot simpler within the wilderness. You may trailer as much as 2,000 kilos price of no matter behind you in most trim ranges (the Badlands trim provides an additional 200 kilos), and there can be a large variety of equipment out there at launch. That this little crossover has extra off-road functionality than it’ll doubtless want is simply icing on the cake.
Your choices are restricted on this bizarre subset of a category beforehand owned totally by Jeep. The Compass is Ford’s closest competitor by way of measurement and off-road functionality, however a Jeep Cherokee is in the identical value ballpark, too. From a seems to be, tech and on-road driving perspective, the Bronco Sport has a definite benefit.
In a manner, the Bronco Sport is choosing up the place the unique, extra rugged Escape left off and turning the dial all the best way up. As crossovers turned extra car-like over time, the Escape went with it. The most recent technology is the softest one but, which Ford actually did on goal to make room for the Bronco Sport. The Escape is perhaps all of the crossover many of us want, however we are able to’t assist however need the Bronco Sport. It’s dearer, however the finish product is well worth the premium. Even when the massive Bronco 2-Door and 4-Door has gotten the lion’s share of consideration, the excellent little Sport nonetheless deserves to bear the Bronco title.
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