Ford Bronco Sport Review

The all-new Ford Bronco Sport is what many refer to as the “baby Bronco.” It’s smaller than the two-door and first-ever four-door Bronco, which will arrive later on, but it’s still just as rugged and equipped for the trails with standard 4x4 across the lineup. The Bronco Sport’s design also includes made-for-the-trails approach and departure angles, up to 8.8” of ground clearance, water-fording capability, obstacle protection, and segment-first trail technologies. It also features liftgate floodlamps that illuminate up to 129 square feet to help you see when the adventure ends after sundown.

“Bronco Sport has the toughness and smarts to help turn off-road novices into 4x4 pros,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford chief product development and purchasing officer. “Bronco Sport embraces the needs of outdoor enthusiasts — every inch of it was designed and engineered with weekend adventurers in mind.”

While it is the smaller sibling of the Bronco, it still offers a spacious interior and that’s thanks to its safari-style roof that enables class-leading headroom and a cargo area that’s high enough to hold two 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes!

There are several different trim levels to choose from, but we had the chance to check out the most off-road capable Badlands model. The Badlands and First Edition models both pack an advanced 4x4 system with a class-exclusive twin-clutch rear-drive unit with a differential lock feature to allow greater off-road performance.

To continue learning more about the all-new Ford Bronco Sport, keep reading below!

Even the base Ford Bronco Sport makes an impression, combining classic Bronco styling and capability with an unmistakably modern design. Its upright design and safari-style roof contribute to the small SUV’s adventurous silhouette. Peaked front fenders, a flat bodyside, contrast-color roof, and the one-piece grille and two round headlamps that’s bisected with a bar displaying the Bronco nameplate help complete the design.

Other Bronco Sport exterior design details include the flip-glass rear window, low-load floor cargo area, and overlanding-ready roof rack with capacity to make roof-top tent camping easy. The 600-lb. static load capacity means you can set up camp wherever you stop! When you find the perfect spot on the trails to camp but the ground is wet or cold, the safari-style roof can support you, your rooftop tent, and your gear. The elevated campsite also helps you protect your food and belongings from animals that want a piece. While driving, the safari-style roof can support a 150-lb. dynamic load. You can throw all your camping gear up there, or your kayak, skis, or bikes.

As Ford likes to say, the Bronco Sport is purpose-built for adventure from front to back, top to bottom.

As for the interior of the all-new Bronco Sport, it’s designed with durable surfaces and creative cargo areas like under-seat storage and an available Cargo Management System that offers an innovative slide-out working table. The vehicle offers seating for five with impressive first- and second-row headroom thanks to its upright design and the safari-style roof.

To make post-adventure cleanups painless, the Badlands and First Edition series offer washable rubber flooring throughout the cabin and cargo area that can take a beating. They also feature easy-to-clean cloth seating surfaces and silicone-sealed control switches. If you have wet, icy, or muddy gear, there’s space under the second-row seats for that. The seats lift up and give you a spot to hide those items. There are also cool zippered seatback pockets for additional stowage. Adding to the excitement of the Badlands model, the available Badlands Package includes even nicer features for the interior like an auto-dimming rearview mirror, wireless charging pad, and a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel. Plus, a power moonroof and a 10-speaker B&O Sound System. The Badlands model is also available with power outlets behind the center console and in the cargo area. With 400W of total power, you can plug in an air compressor to pump up your bike tires, charge your phone, or even start up a coffee pot!

Thanks once again to the safari-style roof, the cargo area is impressive. It has enough height to accommodate two standing 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes with the available Yakima dealer-installed interior bike rack accessory. You can also fold the second-row seats flat to expand your cargo area. It offers a max cargo capacity of 65.2 cubic feet. There’s also a built-in bottle opener in the cargo area, making it even cooler!

The Bronco Sport is also smart in addition to being rugged. The vehicle features a SYNC 3 infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen. It offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s also USB ports for charging, and a wireless charging pad is available.

The all-new 2021 Ford Bronco Sport starts from $26,820 for the base model. The off-road ready Badlands series that we had the chance to take a look at starts from $32,820.

Competitors for the Bronco Sport include the Jeep Renegade, Jeep Cherokee, Kia Seltos, Subaru Crosstrek, Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road, Honda Passport, and others.

If you’re seriously interested in the Bronco Sport, be sure to do additional research on the vehicle and also take it for a test drive before purchasing it to make sure it’s a good fit for you!

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport delivers the 4x4 off-road capability that made the original Bronco legendary. The vehicle was tested in extreme conditions to make sure it can take on the most rugged terrain.

The Badlands and First Edition models are powered by the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine that produces 250 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torque for high-speed off-road performance. Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks models feature the 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine with 181 horsepower and 190 lb.-ft. of torque. Both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. All models also feature an independent front and rear suspension engineered and performance-tested in demanding environments across North America. 4x4 is standard across the lineup, and you do have an advanced 4x4 system with the Badlands and First Edition models.

The Badlands model that we had the chance to take a look at is the most off-road capable Bronco Sport and it offers a ground clearance of 8.8 inches with the optional off-road tires. You’ve also got 23.6” of water-fording capability with those tires. The Badlands series also has standard steel bash plates and tough fenders so that when the going gets tough, the Badlands barely notices. The features help protect the underbody of the vehicle. And you can travel with confidence down murky trails with standard front tow hooks on Badlands models.

There’s also Trail Control technology that furthers the Bronco Sport’s off-road prowess. The available feature enables a cruise control-like setting of up to 20 mph forward and 6 mph in reverse for vehicle-controlled throttle and braking, allowing the driver to stay focused on the trail. Another awesome off-road feature is the available front off-road camera with lens washer which helps provide better visibility of the trail ahead.

You have the 4x4 off-road capability and trail technologies backing you, but you also have the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite of advanced driver-assist technologies as standard across the lineup. It includes impressive systems to help keep you and your passengers safe, such as pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking featuring pedestrian detection, forward collision warning and dynamic brake support, a rearview camera, blind spot information system with cross-traffic alert, and much more! There’s even more advanced technologies available, such as intelligent adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go.

We absolutely are impressed by the Bronco Sport! It’s truly an off-road machine for being a small SUV and all of the thoughtful touches from the inside out make it even more special. The most off-road ready Badlands model that we had the chance to check out is not only rugged, but stylish and comfortable with features that will make you want to turn every day into an adventure.

We gave the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport an SUVs.com deal score rating of 90/100. What are your thoughts on the Bronco Sport? Let us know in a comment on our YouTube channel!