2021 Ford Bronco Comes out Kicking!

Just looking at the 2021 Ford Bronco tells you that Ford has come up with something special. And when you start digging into its construction, specs, features, and over 200 factory accessories, you know that “something special” is a ride that every serious off-road enthusiast wants in their garage. Say goodnight Wrangler.

Ford spent a lot of time developing this version of the Bronco. They wanted all the “cool” elements of the early 70s model, integrate technical improvements that have developed, and avoid all the “pain points” in current 4x4 performance and design as identified by thousands of off-road drivers in a year-long survey. The end result is a product that is going to get a lot of rock crawlers, campers, dirt kickers, and adventure drivers excited.

2021 Ford Bronco – The Basics

Odds are you will never see two Broncos that are identical given the amazing array of accessories available. That said, the Bronco comes in both a two door and four door configurations. They have the squared off look of the early Broncos but there are enough curves to qualify the overall look as modern retro. 

There’s no mistaking the 2021 Ford Bronco for anything other than an off-road ride. The front in is “retro aggressive” with a modular bumper that you can remove pieces from to give greater attack angle, and expressive grille and circular headlamps sporting HID bulbs. Wide fender flares decorate the high cut wheel wells and the rear has a clam shell hatch/tailgate. 

The tailgate swings open to allow access to a hidden, second, slide out, load bearing tail gate that can be used as a work service or a convenient platform to reach gear on the roof.

Inside everything looks a bit chunky, just like the old Bronco. A 12” touchscreen dominates the dash. A platform that runs across the top of the dash is designed to provide mounts for GoPro, phone, and other gear and provides a 12V outlet so cables don’t mess up the console. Speaking of the console, if you have the manual transmission you get this big chunky wood gearshift knob and a couple of attractive grab holds to keep driver and passenger inside the ride. Upholstery ranges from cloth, to leather, to a marine grade (waterproof) vinyl.

Powertrain Choices

Let’s go from the bottom up. The Bronco rides on a fully boxed, high strength steel frame. It has an independent front suspension with twin A arms and coil over springs while the rear suspension is a solid axle with 5 links. Clearances on the base models is respectable with 8.3” for the 4 door and 8.7” for the 2-door version. 

The base engine offered in both body styles is a 2.3L EcoBoost turbocharged in-line 4 cylinder that puts out 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. A 2.7L EcoBoost turbocharged V6 is available on the 4 door and this bad boy generates 310 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. A 7-speed (actually six speed with the seventh being a “creeper” gear) comes standard on the 2.3L. Ford’s 10 speed automatic is optional for the 2.3 and standard for the V6.

Four-wheel drive is standard on all Broncos and comes in two different flavors. The standard system is a 2-speed, electronic, shift-on-the-fly transfer case with a 2.71:1 low ratio while the optional system has a has a a 3:06:1 low ratio and adds a 4A mode that automatically goes between 2H and 4H when needed. The Bronco has up to six GOAT modes (Goes Over All Terrain) and includes names like Baja and Rock Crawl.

The Game Changing Package

While the Bronco is an impressive package and pretty much matches the Wrangler trim for trim, Ford has an optional package that blows Wrangler out of the water and it’s called Sasquatch. It’s an appropriate name (big foot) because it features first-in-class 35” Goodyear Territory mud-terrain tires, locking front and rear Spicer differentials, 17-inch black-painted beadlock-capable wheels, high-clearance suspension and fender flares, and Bilstein dampers. This gives the 2021 Ford Bronco off-road capabilities that Wrangler can only dream about. And we haven’t even mentioned the "High Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension" or HOSS. System.

If you are considering buying a new Jeep Wrangler, you really need to check out the 2021 Ford Bronco. They are both priced almost identically and we think you’ll find the 2021 Ford Bronco more functional and just more fun to drive.