Recently, few vehicles have been more anticipated, sought after, and talked about than the Ford Bronco. Some buyers have waited a long time to get their hands on one, and some are still waiting. One of those that was waiting a long time is Consumer Reports. After one of the world’s most well-known and respected reviewers got its hands on a Ford Bronco, here are 7 cool things about the SUV, from features to ride quality.
Ford Bronco hidden Easter eggs
A blue Ford Bronco Badlands is parked outdoors | Ford
The closest competitor of the Ford Bronco is the Jeep Wrangler. The Wrangler is an off-road titan known for its inconspicuous, hidden silhouettes of classic Jeeps throughout the vehicle. Ford’s SUV refused to be outdone by everything the Wrangler does, including hiding things. According to Consumer Reports, the Bronco’s engine-start button looks like one of its headlights. A harder-to-find example includes a Bronco logo engraved into the supplied toolkit for removing the doors. Another is the three generations of Bronco, which appear above the fuel filler under the fuel flap. Lastly, the plastic holding the cargo tie-downs has lassos carved on it, a center console plaque looks like the front fascia and says “Est. 1966” on the windshield.
The Ford Bronco has cool off-road features
2021 Ford Bronco Wildtrak | Allison Barfield, MotorBiscuit
It’s built to drive off-road, so naturally, it comes with unique features for doing just that. Broncos come with a terrain-management system with up to seven different driving modes. These directly impact the SUV’s steering, handling, and powertrain performance. The different driving modes are aptly named “GOAT” modes, which stands for “Goes Over Any Type of Terrain,” not the greatest of all time.
Normal mode is the one most people will use, and you can probably figure out what it’s for. Additionally, Eco mode helps get maximum fuel efficiency; Sport mode has a better gas-pedal response, heavier steering effort, and altered transmission shift points. Finally, the slippery mode is for snow or ice-covered roads and features a less-sensitive gas-pedal and transmission shifting optimized for low-grip conditions.
Off-road driving modes are even more impactful, and there are more of them to boot.
| Ford Bronco off-road driving modes | What does it do? |
| Sand | Four-wheel drive and rear differential lock for driving on soft, dry sand. |
| Mud/Ruts | Provides extra traction for more challenging off-road terrains, like muddy, rutty trails. |
| Rock Crawl | Intended for low-speed, off-road bouldering. This mode uses the rear differential lock feature and activates the front trail camera. |
| Baja mode | Baja mode optimizes the suspension and other systems to improve performance on loose sand and different terrains. |
| Front trail camera | Using the infotainment screen, the front trail camera shows the trail ahead. According to CR, it does a great job of showing the driver what’s ahead, whether it’s objects, terrain, or more. Additionally, there’s a view of the front wheel for placing the tires exactly where they need to go in a challenging situation. |
Consumer Reports
Ford Bronco doors are easy to remove
What would a Jeep Wrangler competitor be without the ability to remove the doors and roof? According to CR, it’s straightforward to remove the doors and roof, but it’s a bit more complicated to put them back on. There are only two bolts per door, which stay attached and don’t fall off after removal, then there are designated handles to lift them off the SUV easily. CR said that it took only 6 minutes and 40 seconds to remove all four doors on its first-ever attempt.
Contrarily, it took about 11 minutes for CR to put the doors back on the first time. Carefully lining up the door hinges can be tricky, especially while not damaging anything. The reviewer said it thinks with practice, the job would only get more manageable and only requires one person. However, since the doors are around 50 pounds, a little bit of help wouldn’t hurt.
Ford’s off-road SUV drives better than the Jeep Wrangler
2022 Jeep Wrangler | Jeep
The Ford Bronco has a more comfortable ride and more responsive handling than the Jeep Wrangler. As an everyday vehicle, it’s better all-around. Many reviewers, including Consumer Reports, note that the Wrangler is better for off-road driving. However, CR’s Bronco tester put it perfectly: “The Bronco offers the rugged styling and 95 percent of the Wrangler’s off-road cred while being much more livable day-to-day.”
The side-hinged tailgate
2022 Ford Bronco Raptor | Ford
One of the new features of many pickup truck tailgates is the ability to swing open to the side. This is already a standard feature on the Ford Bronco, but Consumer Reports calls it disadvantageous. It swings open to the righthand side of the Bronco, which created a few issues for CR. First, parking on the curb means carrying cargo will require walking around the open tailgate. Second, the door needs to be open 90 degrees for the glass rear window to clear the spare tire when lifting up. Finally, the tailgate is more challenging and slower to open than most tailgates because of the gas strut.
CR noted that the Jeep Wrangler has a similar setup, but it’s easier to use overall. Hopefully, this is something that could be easily changed and fixed going forward. After all, we’re still in the early stages of the new Ford Bronco.
Ford Bronco standard active safety features
Retro First Edition Ford Bronco Interior | eBay user ardenq2003
A cool thing about the Ford Bronco is that all models, no matter the trim, come with plenty of safety features. These include forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. More features are available as options, including blind-spot, rear cross-traffic, and lane departure warnings, plus lane-keeping assistance.
Compared to the Wrangler, the Bronco is much better in this department. It doesn’t come standard with any active safety features, plus pedestrian detection, lane departure, and lane-keeping assistance are absent.
Are Ford Bronco SUVs available for a fair price?
New vehicles are being marked up everywhere, and the Bronco is one of the worst offenders. However, just because dealers are asking doesn’t mean they’re getting outrageous prices. Broncos have been spotted for $50,000 over MSRP, but most people won’t pay that much more. According to CR, recent transactions show that 2022 Ford Bronco models are going for about 1 percent over MSRP on average.
Considering it is one of the most popular models on the market with loads of people waiting for theirs, this isn’t too bad. Someone recently found a model on a dealer lot whose sale fell through and got it for MSRP. If you want a 2022 Ford Bronco, be patient, pay attention to availability nearby and online, and you’ll likely be able to get a fair price.
In conclusion, there’s a lot to like about the 2022 Ford Bronco off-road SUV. Notably, its off-road features, Easter eggs, superior driving ability, easy-to-remove doors, and active safety features. Although the side-hinged tailgate could be better, it’s not a complete deterrent. Additionally, those who do their due diligence and want a Bronco should be able to get one at a fair price. Overall, it’s a better everyday driving option than the iconic Jeep Wrangler.
Keyword: 7 Cool Things About the Ford Bronco, According to Consumer Reports