2021 Ford Bronco Sport Review

2021 Ford Bronco Sport Comes With Solid Off-road and Composed On-Road Abilities

The smaller sibling of the off-road-ready Bronco, the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport hit the roads last year boasting robust off-road capabilities, refined powerplants, poised handling, a wide range of safety tech, and an easy-to-use infotainment system. A practical alternative to the Jeep’s smaller vehicles, it possesses the proper credentials for genuine off-roading. However, if you seek ultimate performance on beaten paths, the range-topping Bronco Sport Borderland is the most capable off-roader in the lineup.

Trim Levels and Powertrain Choices

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport is available in five variants – Base, Big Bend, Outer Banks, Badlands, and First Edition. The latter is a limited edition model featuring all the best features of Badlands and luxuries from the Outer Banks variants.

The Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks variants carry a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine churning out 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. The Badlands and First Edition are powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder mill pumping out 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. Both powerplants mate to an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

The standard 1.5-liter engine is an excellent choice for everyday driving, offering peppy performance in city driving. Similarly, the highway cruises feel energetic, and transmission shifts are smooth. However, this three-cylinder engine is a bit unrefined at higher rpms.

If you truly want inspiring and confident driving at highways as well as off the road, the four-cylinder mill is the best choice. The brawnier engine revs smoothly, giving you self-assurance to conquer any terrain.

2021 Ford Bronco Base Model

 

 

2021 Ford Bronco Outer Banks

 

 

2021 Ford Bronco Big Bend

 

 

Ride and Handling

The polished driving dynamics of this baby Bronco give it the required stability around corners. The steering wheel feels light, and the short wheelbase allows you to easily park and move the SUV in tight spaces. The brakes offer decent stopping ability, and the suspension has the capability to absorb most bumps and dips. However, the ride comfort drops a tad for Badlands due to its heavier-duty springs and shock absorbers.

Off-Road Performance

There is no denying the Bronco Sport is an outstanding off-roader, particularly the Badlands edition featuring various skid plates, equal to 8.8 inches of ground clearance, and sharp approach and departure angles (30.4 and 33.1 degrees, separately), giving you the ability to maneuver it over rocks and obstructions effortlessly.

The suspension is fine-tuned for uneven paths, and the locking rear differential and various traction control settings allow you to keep a firm grip on uneven landscapes. Features like the low-speed cruise control system, forward-facing camera, front tow hooks, steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, and 28.5-inch-tall all-terrain tires are there to help you cruise effortlessly on bumpy roads.

While the Badlands is a competent off-roader for most adventures in the wild, we highly recommend opting for a truck-based utility vehicle for regular off-roading trips.

Towing Capacity and Fuel Economy

While the 2021 Bronco Sport is capable of hurling up to 2,000 pounds in its normal setting, the Badlands and First Edition come with a little better 2,200-pound towing ability.

The EPA-estimated fuel economy of the models featuring a three-cylinder engine stands at 25 mpg in the urban area and 28 mpg on the highway. The more powerful four-cylinder mill for the Badlands and First Edition are thirstier at 21 mpg city and 26 highway. On a real-world test conducted by Car&Driver, the Sport delivered an astonishing 33 mpg on the highway.

Interior

As you enter inside, the 2021 Bronco Sport welcomes you with eye-catching styling and a wide range of facilities. The interior space is ample with various tidy elements. Although it is shorter than the Escape in wheelbase, the rear-seat legroom is respectable.

At the rear, you feel the baby Bronco is more spacious due to raised roofline. You can even keep two mountain bikes in the cargo thanks to the 32.5 cubic feet of room with rear seats standing and 65.2 cubic feet when folded flat. You may also choose to outfit a slide-out table that you can use as a desk, a 400-watt power inverter, and LED lights.

Furthermore, the Badlands boasts washable, rubberized flooring and upholstery that is effortless to wash, and there is a storage box placed beneath the back seats.

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Infotainment and Connectivity

The off-road-ready SUV comes equipped with an 8-inch display supporting Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment software. The menus are straightforward, and the touchscreen is highly responsive. It is good to have buttons and knobs to adjust different functions inside, such as audio and climate control.

The infotainment system also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, allowing you to make calls and send texts seamlessly while driving. Generally, the infotainment system is one of the best you can find in any compact SUV.

Other standard facilities include Bluetooth, four USB ports, a six-speaker stereo, and a Wi-Fi hot spot. The optional infotainment features comprise navigation, satellite radio, HD Radio, two additional USB ports, a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo, and wireless device charging.

Safety

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has rated it ‘Good’ in all its examinations. In addition to the Good rating in the headlight illumination test, the SUV earned a ‘Superior’ ranking for its standard front crash prevention systems, as well. Overall, the Bronco Sport received the 2021 Top Safety Pick+ award – the premier honor the IIHS offers to vehicles.

Unfortunately, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) did not crash examine Bronco Sport yet.

The standard safety tech that enabled it to receive the highest safety award from IIHS includes a rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning lane keep assist, and automatic high-beam headlights.

If these features aren’t enough, you can pay extra to add rear parking sensors, a forward-view camera system, adaptive cruise control, and road sign recognition.

Price and Verdict

The entry-level 2021 Ford Bronco Sport costs $26,820, while the Big Bend and Outer Banks go for $28,320 and $32,320, respectively. The Borderlands demands a hefty $32,820.

Being a rugged SUV, we cannot compare it with soft-roaders like Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Nissan Rogue. The ute comes with natural off-road features that blend well with its stable on-road performance, energetic powertrains, and host of safety systems. Indeed, its fun-to-drive nature makes it worth consideration.