Above the screen are what Ford calls “hero switches,” controls for off-road functions like the available stability bar disconnect, locking front differential, locking rear differential, Trail Turn Assist, traction control and the hazard lights. The central touchscreen - measuring either 8 or 12 inches, depending on trim level and equipment - uses Sync 4, quickly becoming one of my favorite non-luxury operating systems for its clear graphics and ease of operation. The Bronco’s interior layout keeps important controls within easy reach, and those controls are mostly well laid out, clearly labeled and intuitive. Also, if you take the doors off in a four-door Bronco, you can bag them up and take them with you.Ģ021 Ford Bronco | photo by Evan Sears Highly Functional Interior The design gives the Bronco a bit of a Snidely Whiplash or pretentious barista handlebar mustache, but it also means that if you want to drive around with the doors off, you aren’t put in the same spot as Wrangler owners: either not having side mirrors at all or purchasing aftermarket replacements. While the doors are removable, the Bronco’s side mirrors are not attached to the doors. There’s a QR code on the bags that took me to Ford’s YouTube page, where I could search for an instructional video there, as well. Ford has storage bags for the removable parts, and instructions for removal are accessible via the digital owner’s manual in the center display or online. The doors are cleverly designed for easy removal by a single person, as are the roof panels, but the rear portion of the roof is best done as a two-person job. The doors and roof are removable, revealing thick roof pillars that hold standard side-curtain airbags. The new Bronco is longer and wider than the current Wrangler, and can be shorter or taller depending on trim level and equipment. In a Bronco first, however, the new model can also be had as a family-friendlier four-door. Retro details like its grille design and round headlights are a nod to the iconic first-generation Bronco, as is the availability of a two-door model. The Bronco looks big and bulky in person (in a good way), and its aggressive styling, particularly on Sasquatch-equipped models, hints at its abilities. The Wrangler limits all the really good stuff to the Rubicon trim.Ģ021 Ford Bronco | photo by Evan Sears New Old Looks Unlike the Wrangler, however, Ford has made the optional Sasquatch Package - adding 35-inch mud-terrain tires, an off-road suspension and more - available on all trim levels. The Bronco is available in seven trim levels, and like the Wrangler, each trim has varying levels of off-roading intent: The 2021 Ford Bronco has two very small and simple aims: first, to live up to the iconic Bronco name (the part that isn’t associated with police chases) and, second, to challenge the Jeep Wrangler’s position atop the heap of off-roading SUVs. Related: 2021 Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport First Impressions: More Capable Than Expected? (Per our ethics policy, pays for its own airfare and lodging at such automaker-sponsored events.) (The earlier launch of the Bronco Sport, a smaller vehicle on a separate, unibody platform, has probably made confusion worse.) But the proper body-on-frame Bronco is finally rolling off assembly lines, and I traveled to the Texas Hill Country to drive it both on- and off-road, including at the first Bronco Off-Roadeo about an hour outside of Austin. The 2021 Ford Bronco is one of the most hotly anticipated vehicles in recent memory, and pandemic-related delays have only made the waiting worse. Versus the competition: The only area where the Bronco might lack compared with its competitors is in built-up brand equity and positive name recognition, given that the previous Bronco was last sold in 1996. The verdict: With solid on-road manners and tons of off-road capability straight from the factory, the Ford Bronco should be among the top choices of any shopper looking for a vehicle to take them off the beaten path.
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