2021 Ford Bronco Sport Preview
Ford has a new entry in the hyper-competitive compact SUV segment with the Bronco Sport. Available with all-wheel-drive only and with styling complemented by the all-new dedicated off-road Bronco, the Bronco Sport is designed to be a more practical way to engage in outdoor activities on weekends while providing a high degree of usability in urban environments during the weekdays. To emphasize that nature, the Bronco Sport can accommodate two mountain bikes standing up in the cargo area with the back seats folded down.
Bronco Sport buyers have five trims to pick from: the base model, mid-range Big Bend, well-equipped Outer Banks, off-road-oriented Badlands, and the limited-production First Edition. The high-end Badlands and First Edition versions get a 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine making 245 horsepower while the Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks trims get a 1.5-liter version generating 181 horsepower. Both engines are paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission.
In keeping with the attraction of the Bronco name, the Badlands and First Edition versions come equipped with features typically reserved for fully dedicated off-road vehicles such as a twin-clutch rear-drive unit with a differential lock feature, which is similar to a traditional mechanical locking differential. Also, there is a Terrain Management System with seven different modes: Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, Sand, Mud/Ruts, and Rock Crawl.
Also, there are four steel bash plates and optional frame-mounted front tow hooks which can individually withstand static loads up to 100 percent of the gross vehicle weight. Furthermore, the Badlands gets 28.5-inch all-terrain tires while the First Edition has 29-inch all-terrain off-road tires that sport deeper treads for better traction off the beaten path. All Bronco Sports come with independent front and rear suspension.
Customers who plan to use the Bronco Sport extensively for outdoor activities likely will not be disappointed with the effort Ford has made to cater to them. With a flip-glass rear window, a cargo area with a low-load floor, and an overlanding-ready roof rack that’s capable of making roof-top tent camping possible, outdoors-types should be pleased. Owners can opt for liftgate LED floodlamps to check on equipment in the dark or for monitoring bottle-opening when utilizing the built-in bottle opener in the cargo area. In addition, there is an optional slide-out working table for preparing gear.
Standard features include Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system with an 8-inch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite of driver-assist technologies, such as forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, blind spot information system, cross traffic alert, as well as a lane-keeping system. Options include adaptive cruise control, navigation, and a front off-road camera with lens washer that can provide better visibility when on trails for spotting obstacles. For further off-roading prowess, optional Trail Control allows the Bronco Sport provides an off-road “cruise control” to ensure speeds stay constant when venturing in rough terrain.
With its bold styling and high amount of outdoor-oriented equipment, the Bronco Sport will likely be received very well by its target audience. But the appeal of the Bronco Sport just isn’t on the trails, it’s on city streets where its size will be desirable and will allow drivers to steer with ease. We’re looking forward to trying the Bronco Sport and finding out firsthand the experiences it can give.
