Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.The Outer Banks and Inner PeaceThe uphill climb of the revived Ford Bronco hasn't been easy. It has played second fiddle to the Jeep Wrangler since its debut in 2021… until now. For the 2nd quarter of 2026, the Bronco sold more units than the Wrangler. It was only by a few thousand, but that matters in the rugged off-roader game. The Bronco continues to be one of the toughest SUVs around, less focused on comfort and pavement manners and more on off-road and summer topless beach duties. It's generally not a quiet ride, but the Outer Banks improves matters.Amos KwonFor 2026, the Bronco adds the 60th Anniversary Package ($4,995) for the Outer Banks trim, but it has to be paired with the rugged Sasquatch Package ($6,465). The 60th showcases a white hard top, 17″ gray alloy wheels, a steel bumper, extra roof sound deadening, red and white detailing, and special "60" badging inside and out. My tester's base price was $48,090. With options, the upgarded V6 EcoBoost engine, and the $1,995 destination and delivery fee, the total price came to $69,065.Exterior & Interior Styling – 9/10Amos KwonThe blocky Bronco can't be mistaken for anything else on the road. The upright square shape, huge fenders, and big tires give it serious road presence. The white paint and the red 60th Anniversary details give it a nice vintage appearance that's not as retro as the Heritage Edition. The Outer Banks with the 60th Anniversary Package is one of the more attractive versions of the Bronco, but the important off-road bits are there, including the steel bumper and recovery points.View the 4 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementIt's the details that matter on the exterior, including the partially bisected headlights with the LED DRL rings, the contrasting silver grille frame, special bucking Bronco logo on the swinging tailgate, and the red coloring on the doors, fender badging, grille lettering, spare tire cover, and wheel caps. The white roof panels complete the look and make the Bronco look more refined than when outfitted with the soft top.Amos KwonThe interior is standard Bronco fare, meaning very SUV-like. The chunky dash looks great, largely due to the carved out center section and the well-shaped vents. The whole cabin is peppered with red bits on the HVAC vents, dash lettering, center console grab handle, and 60th Anniversary badging. The two-tone seats with contrast stitching and "60" debossing in the backrest add refinement. The silver dash trim and contrast stitching also help in this regard.View the 4 images of this gallery on the original articleThe interior is standard Bronco fare, meaning very SUV-like. The chunky dash looks great, and the whole cabin is peppered with red bits on the HVAC vents, dash lettering, center console grab handle, and 60th Anniversary badging. The two-tone seats with contrast stitching add refinement to antherwise utilitarian interior. The silver dash trim and contrast stitching also help in this regard. The interior style befits the Bronco's exterior, and it does a nice job of hiding lower grade plastics while still remembering that this is a rugged SUV first and foremost.Infotainment and Technology – 8/10Amos KwonThe Outer Banks gets twin 12″ screens for instrumentation and infotainment. Both are incredibly easy to read. The interface runs Ford's very responsive SYNC 4 software, and there really isn't a more straightforward system with clean fonts, blocky menus, and quick access withtout the obfuscation of more dressed up systems. Could it use more polish? Sure, it's starting to look a little oversimplistic, but it works well for the Bronco. It doesn't replace physical controls for climate and audio, either.Amos KwonAdvertisementAdvertisementThe instrument cluster is the upgraded fully digital screen. Combo ana-digi versions on lower trims get the 8″ screen rather than the bigger 12″ version found here. The cluster is configurable and also changes based on drive mode. The fonts and numbers are big, and the Bronco Outer Banks makes great use of screen real estate instead of having gobs of wasted space or too much info crammed in to make things busy.View the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleOn the top of the dash, just above the infotainment screen, are what Ford calls "Hero switches". They consist of controls for sway bar disconnect, front locking differential, rear locking differential, trail turn assist, and traction control. The G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) drive mode control knob is located on the center console between the seats. This terrain management system adjusts steering, braking, and powertrain behavior. The technology, suspension, diffs, skid plates, etc. combine to make for a truly capable off-roader.Thinking about selling your car? Get an instant cash offer online now. Click here to get started.Comfort, Space, and Usability – 7.5/10Amos KwonAllow me to say that the Bronco is, hands down, more comfortable than a Jeep Wrangler. The cabin is bigger, the seats are better, and the ergonomics superior to the Jeep legend. The standard leather seats are soft and supple. The front seats have balanced cushioning and good bolstering. It's also easier to get into a good driving position than the very limiting Wrangler.AdvertisementAdvertisementIt's the back seats that could use some improvement. The seat cushions are weirdly angled, so your legs get pushed up. Rear legroom is 36.3 inches, a little better than the Wrangler Unlimited's 35.7 inches. Rear occupants can't be six footers sitting behind themselves, and the seating position makes it uncomfortable for long trips. At least ingress and egress aren't as challenging as the Wrangler Unlimited's.View the 4 images of this gallery on the original articleErgonomics are better than the Wrangler's with more intuititve physical climate controls and a center console-mounted window switches rather than ones placed on the center stack. The temp adjustment are done via clearly marked knobs with digital readouts versus the Wrangler's arrow buttons. The front passenger grab handle is a great functional touch that's actually perfectly positioned. In general, the cabin experience is a few levels up in the Bronco, although it's a mixed bag for rear occupants.The roof panels are more challenging to remove and re-install than the ones found on the Wrangler, but they are impressively solid and help keep the Bronco quieter than usual. The removable hard top panels are ideal for four-seasons climates, and they're the only way to go if you want to get through Chicago winters and summers.View the 4 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementFor the most part, the Bronco does just fine on suburban roads in terms of comfort and noise level. The big tires and suspension make it remarkably comfortable and compliant over pavement gaps and bumps. It's far more stable and driveable at highway speeds than the Wrangler, but it's similarly noisy. The hard top and the added sound deadening in the Outer Banks help, but there's still a fair amount of wind and road noise at highway speeds.Driving Experience – 7.75/10Amos KwonThe Bronco V6 might be a heavy monster, but it's surprisingly quick. The 330-hp twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 comes paired exclusively with a 10-speed automatic. It's too bad Ford doesn't offer the V6 with the excellent 7-speed manual transmission, but it is available on a few other trims with the 2.3-liter naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder mill. 0-60 happens in the low sixes for the V6, which is pretty quick for a vehicle that weighs as much as 5,000 pounds for more off-road leaning trims.Amos KwonThanks to an independent front end and steering that's been tuned with care, this big SUV behaves itself well enough for everyday duty. The Wrangler, riding on solid axles at both ends, can't match the Bronco's precision at the wheel—or its composure in a corner. On the highway, the Ford simply remains on center and doesn't require constant correction like the Wrangler does, thereby conserving some energy on the part of the driver.Amos KwonThe EPA estimates that the Bronco with an automatic transmission and four-cylinder engine should deliver up to 18 mpg city and 22 mpg highway. A six-cylinder Outer Banks is actually the most efficient Bronco for city driving, with a 19-mpg estimate, but it gets 21 mpg on the highway. Adding the Sasquatch package (like my tester had) drops the Bronco's efficieny into the teens consistently, unsurprising for an SUV outfitted this way.Final Verdict – 8/10This iteration of the Bronco is one of my favorites, next to the 2.3-liter Badlands with the manual transmission. The Outer Banks strikes the right balance between toughness and civility. It's also quieter inside than most other trim levels thanks to the added sound insulation. The Outerbanks nails vintage look if white wheels and grilles are not your thing. Last but not least, it's good to know that the Bronco Outer Banks with the Sasquatch Package can go from the city to the trail without skipping a beat. I wouldn't call it a comfortable family SUV, but it's a much better daily experience than the Jeep Wrangler.AdvertisementAdvertisementThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Sep 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Reviews section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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