Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.The Ford Bronco is what I like to call "Good-Bad." It objectively does not drive like anything you'd want to get to work in on Monday morning, but it does so in such an entertaining way that I, and millions of others, are willing to let Ford off the hook for it. In so many ways, the Bronco's flaws make it what it is: a giant, fun Tonka truck. After a week with it, these are the features that stood out to me the most.The Bronco Is At Its Best At Its WorstChase BierenkovenYou want to order the least Bronco you can. Loaded-up models like this Bronco Stroppe clear $55k or more and don't add much more to the experience. Get a cheap, impractical configuration like a base Bronco with two doors and a manual. Spec this car like you would a weekend toy, because that's what the Bronco is, and you're rewarded. It bounces all over the road, it can't get more than three miles per gallon, and it won't fit your kids in back, but that's the fun part. The Bronco is a selfish car, in a way, and you'll be rewarded for picking up the most useless one you can.AdvertisementAdvertisementThese cars already feel like big plastic toys, and trying to outrun that can, in my opinion, lead to some serious cash spent where it just won't help. Nothing in the Bronco trim structure, besides the hardtop, can remedy the SUV's inherently poor, loud driving experience. Instead, treat it like an experience, not something to live with.The Removable Roof Is GeniusChase BierenkovenLike its chief competitor, the Jeep Wrangler, Ford has offered the Bronco with a removable hardtop since the model's 2020 launch. It's an excellent decision, and while it's nowhere near as quiet as fully covered SUVs in its class, like the 4Runner, the Bronco is also way more fun. Like a convertible, it's best experienced with the roof stowed. These fit nicely in the trunk of even this two-door car, leaving you with room for passengers or other items.Of course, soft top models offer a very similar experience, but they also introduce further compromises in noise, especially at highway speeds. It's best to skip the soft top for this reason, as the hard roof offers an extremely similar experience without as much compromise.The Bronco Is Too Fast For Its Own GoodChase BierenkovenEarlier I said the best Bronco is a cheap stick-shift one, but most of the ones you'll find on dealer lots are optioned with the big 2.7-liter turbocharged V6 under the hood; the Bronco makes an astounding 330 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. It is way too much for the standard non-Raptor chassis. The SUV is horribly under-braked, and its big all-terrain tires make that lack of grip even more apparent. The Sasquatch package can amplify this, with even larger 35-inch tires further equipped for grip off-road rather than for grip when stopping on pavement. This is, in its own very silly way, fun. It's sort of like telling a big, excited dog "RUN" while you're holding the leash.AdvertisementAdvertisementThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.