For 25 years we, the general public, have been stuck with one option for off road focused hooning. The jeep wrangler has had a monopoly on driving up mountains and through swamps. So much so that the people who drive them have turned owning one into cult like behaviour. A jeep owner will run over a group of people to show that it's “trail rated” then obnoxiously park in the giant pile of snow that builds up in parking lots and while walking away they’ll look you dead in the eyes and go “it’s a jeep thing”. Now however, Jeep owners have more to worry about than having the aerodynamics of a barn.
Starting off, the Bronco will have 6 different trim levels. Base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Badlands and Wildtrak. This year they unveiled the new Bronco Everglades (first ever Ford vehicle to come with a snorkel and winch from factory) and Raptor that will be showing up next year.
In 2022, it's not enough for a vehicle to be really good at one thing. Niche vehicles are starting to disappear as most vehicles need to be really good at everything. The competition is so strong that when it comes down to purchasing a new vehicle, the only sway factor is going to be brand loyalty. Even the fastest and most expensive cars have a counterpart made by someone else. So what has Ford done to ensure the new Bronco is a success? They’ve made it good at everything.
Not only was it designed as a hard-core off-roader, it also features creature comforts that you have come to expect on Ford vehicles. Heated steering wheel, heated and power seats, 360 degree camera and active grill shutters to better aid the engine. For proper off-road hooning it features an electronic locking front and rear axle, impressive break over angles (29 degrees with the 2 door) and High Performance Off Road Stability Suspension (HOSS). The seats are made from similar materials to a wet suit so getting them dirty isn’t an issue.
The Bronco Sport debuted with the G.O.A.T modes but the full-size Bronco is what they were meant for. G.O.A.T stands for Goes Over Any Terrain, which is ambitious to say the least. Featured in the modes are Normal, ECO, Sport, Slippery, Sand, Baja, Mud/Rut and Rock crawl. Each mode switches up throttle response and 4X4 for the best possible traction in whatever condition you find yourself in.
As mentioned earlier, purchasing a new vehicle these days really comes down to brand loyalty. The Jeep Wrangler has, over the years, included more and more creature comforts so the race is officially on. What do you see yourself tackling the Dakar rally in? Jeep, or Bronco?
