Just like Hollywood, Ford has no qualms about remakes of past hits. Its latest is the 2021 Ford Bronco, which is both a revival of a famous nameplate and a highly capable off-road 4x4. After a 20-plus-year absence, this storied SUV has arrived at Ford dealerships boasting the style and spirit of the original 1966 Bronco. Its strong off-road capability, extensive customization options and modern technology features make it an intriguing rival to the Jeep Wrangler, Toyota 4Runner and Land Rover Defender.
Available in two- and four-door versions, the 2021 Bronco is a body-on-frame vehicle like traditionally defined SUVs and most modern pickup trucks. (Just don't confuse it with the Bronco Sport. That's an entirely different, smaller and less capable vehicle that's based on the Ford Escape crossover SUV.) Power comes by way of a standard turbocharged four-cylinder engine or an optional and more powerful turbocharged V6. It also has cool touches such as an easily removable roof and doors and available rubberized floors with drain plugs — remove them and you literally see the ground underneath.
Not all remakes are good, but Ford has created a blockbuster hit with the new Bronco. Getting your hands on one — and paying a fair price — might be difficult for this inaugural year, but overall this is a great pick for a SUV with loads of rugged character and rock-crawling capability.
We got our hands on a 2021 Ford Bronco First Edition and can't wait to spend 20,000 miles with it as it joins our long-term review fleet. We'll put the Bronco through its paces, check out where it shines and where it comes up short and find out who on the team most excels at cleaning crusted dirt off brushed steel. Check out our experiences with our 2021 Ford Bronco First Edition here.
The 2021 Ford Bronco is a four-wheel-drive SUV available in seven trim levels: Base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Badlands, Wildtrak and the limited-production First Edition. It's also available as either a two-door or a four-door and can be kitted out with a long list of options, ranging from appearance and personalization options to different roofs to off-road hardware, wheels and other accessories. Highlighted features include:
2021 Ford Bronco
2021 Jeep Wrangler
A favorite of off-roaders everywhere, the Wrangler packs tremendous off-road capability right off the showroom floor. Available in two and four-door versions, the Wrangler features all of the modern-day conveniences you expect in a new vehicle, but it leaves a lot to be desired in how it drives on pavement. The Bronco makes fewer on-road compromises yet still offers plenty of off-road ability.
Sporting a mix of versatility, practicality and comfort, the 4Runner offers strong off-road capabilities. With its fixed roof, the 4Runner offers better isolation from road and wind noise than the Bronco. It has more cargo space too. But the Toyota is starting to look and feel a little dated, and its V6 isn't as strong as the Bronco's available turbocharged V6.
When ordered in its off-road-ready ZR2 trim, the Colorado can go pretty much anywhere. With its fully enclosed cab, the Colorado is a comfortable and quiet truck and tackles long distances with ease. An ace up the Colorado's sleeve is its torquey and fuel-efficient diesel engine, but a manual transmission isn't available like in the Bronco.
The 2021 Ford Bronco is both a revival of a famous nameplate and a highly capable off-road 4x4. After a 20-plus-year absence, this storied SUV has arrived at Ford dealerships boasting the style and spirit of the original 1966 Bronco. On top of that, its plentiful off-road features and on-road manners make it a front-runner against the likes of the Jeep Wrangler, Toyota 4Runner and Land Rover Defender.
The Bronco is available in six trim levels (not including a limited and fully loaded First Edition) that range from approximately $30,000 to $60,000. Generally, the four-door is a $2,500 upgrade.
Often specialty vehicles come with sacrifices to on-road drivability. Fortunately, this is not a concern with the Bronco. Thanks to an independent front suspension, the Bronco has tight and accurate steering and an agreeable ride.
Driving on a trail requires driving to a trail, and the Bronco's comfort means you arrive without fatigue. The steering is easy to keep straight. It has none of the float or tendency to wander, making the Bronco far more confident and relaxing at freeway speeds than the Wrangler.
It's functional and intuitively laid out. But more importantly, it just looks cool. A broad horizontal dash dominates the cabin, with strategically placed and rubberized grab handles that your passengers can use to help keep themselves in place.
The Bronco's retro styling vibe doesn't mean it's stuck with AM radio and a cassette deck. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration is standard and includes wireless functionality so you can connect up your phone's apps to the touchscreen without having to use a USB cord. The center touchscreen (8-inch standard, 12-inch optional) reacts quickly to inputs and commands.
The Bronco's cargo gate swings out to the passenger side a bit past 90 degrees and stays held in place with a strut. Shutting the door can take some effort, depending on the angle the Bronco is sitting at and whether you have the full-size 35-inch spare tire that comes with the Sasquatch package. With the hardtop, the rear glass folds up and out of the way easily. The rear of the soft top doesn't seem to move up as far, and it needs to be held in place with a prop rod. Considering how easy it is to fold rearward, this may be an acceptable compromise.
The Bronco gets an EPA-estimated 21 mpg in combined city/highway driving with the four-cylinder regardless of transmission, while the automatic-only V6 gets an estimated 19 mpg combined. When the Bronco's equipped with the Sasquatch package, the figures drop to 18 mpg and 17 mpg for the four- and six-cylinder engines, respectively. These figures are slightly lower than the Wrangler's estimates with comparable engines and equipment, but they're generally better than those for the Toyota 4Runner.
Edmunds saysThe 2021 Ford Bronco is the real deal. It delivers strong off-road performance and technology along with superior on-road refinement versus its rivals. Its wealth of configurations, both from the factory and in accessories, allows owners to tailor theirs as they see fit. Combine all this with fantastic styling and you end up with one highly desirable package.
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2021 Ford Bronco:
The least-expensive 2021 Ford Bronco is the 2021 Ford Bronco 2dr SUV 4WD (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 7M). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $28,500.
Other versions include:
