Ford Bronco Sport | Review

17 January 2022 Redazione News, Tested

FORD BRONCO SPORT

Words Christian Parodi / Photos Ford Media

They come back. They all do. And therefore, from the shiny platforms of motor shows to reality, it is finally the turn of the Ford Bronco. The sixth generation arrives 24 years after the previous series went out of production in the now distant 1996. In the meantime the world has changed radically, especially the concept and the intended use for off-roaders that have quickly learned to coexist with the most fashionable SUVs, thus becoming capable of responding to the needs and requirements of customers that do not necessarily require the extreme off-road skills that nevertheless remain the core of a vehicle primarily designed for driving conditions that are anything but ordinary.

But an important legacy such as that acquired on the roads and especially far from the asphalt could not be put aside and therefore, despite a modern look that accentuates the boxy lines of the new model, the Bronco intends to maintain its vocation as a multipurpose vehicle that does not give up the incredible off-road capabilities granted by a set-up and mechanics of absolute reference. The battle with the Jeep Wrangler continues and just like its historic rival, the Bronco is available in more than one version, offering for the first time a variant that, at the end of the day, is like a completely different model: the Bronco Sport.

Available with 2 or 4 doors – however removable – the Bronco winks more at the old continent with a variant (the Sport, ed) 40 centimeters shorter and 10 cm narrower, based on the platform of the Kuga with which it shares MacPherson suspension at the front and Multilink at the rear, suitably modified to increase its off-road qualities. The Sport is therefore a 4-door SUV closer to our C-segment than you can imagine if you think of an American off-road vehicle in the most classic sense of the term, with a line that differs from the standard variant especially for the front lamps with round LED main headlights and horizontal daylight running along the entire grille, exactly like the legendary first series of 1966.

Dust, stones, gravel, rocks, the Bronco knows no limits or half measures when it comes to showing off its name and the wild horse portrayed on the steering wheel and seats, but right in the cockpit we find an environment with the utmost attention to the smallest details and designed to simplify spare time thanks to a plethora of solutions such as the bottle opener and the adjustable lights obtained above the load compartment equipped with non-slip and scratch-resistant material, various storage pockets, hooks for towing and a list of more than 200 original accessories useful for personalizing your Bronco and making it a unique adventure companion.

But a vehicle like the Bronco Sport, in addition to the exceptional and singular solutions that underline how free time is now the main objective of a model initially conceived as a duty vehicle, must absolutely demonstrate that it has maintained its capabilities even when the paved road comes to an end. In this case, making use of reduced overhangs and a considerable ground clearance, the Bronco Sport comes with 17” rims as standard, with a shoulder that can even be 70, a very useful aspect when, for example, we decide to make use of the GOAT (literally “goes over any terrain”), the system that manages and distributes traction up to 7 different driving modes, also offering differential locks and reduced gears.

As boxy as more compact than its traditional counterpart, the Bronco Sport is for the moment available with two petrol engines: a modest 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbo Ecoboost of 184 horsepower and the more interesting 2-liter 4-cylinder Ecoboost, turbocharged as well and capable of producing 248 hp and 373 Nm of torque, a power that allows – at least in our Country – not to fall into the trap of the additional ownership tax. Both engines are therefore combined with an 8-speed automatic transmission, which can also be managed via the small paddles on the steering wheel. Taking the Bronco Sport into analysis in the general framework of things, we are facing an off-road vehicle with a unique look and exceptional off-road skills, yet perfectly at ease even on roads designed for European-style SUVs. Not currently being imported by Ford, the only way to buy one from the US is to give a call to Fioravanti Motors (Castelmassa, RO), but the import and registration operations will see the price rise from $ 32,000 circa to at least € 60,000, something which on this side of the ocean implies a real devotion to this iconic model.