The 2021 Ford Bronco’s actual release may be months away, at best, but it’s already becoming clear that the wait will be worth it for those who plan on taking their new SUV off the beaten path. In a recent video uploaded by the Bronco Nation YouTube channel, the off-roader demonstrates its Trail Turn Assist feature, which allows the vehicle to make sharp turns in tight spaces.
If you’ve been into off-roading for a while, you might know this move as “the dig,” which is when a driver locks up the inside-rear tire to turn around a tight corner. It’s not as dramatic as the Rivian tank turn, but the Trail Turn Assist feature looks to be pretty nifty nonetheless.
Using torque vectoring on the rear axle, the Ford is able to pivot on one of its rear wheels to perform a near zero-radius turn. The feature can be activated using the suite of buttons on the Bronco’s dash, which also houses controls for other off-road features, such as the differentials and fog lights.
The Trail Turn Assist video is just the latest tease for what is shaping up to be an impressive list of off-road features for the new Bronco. There are the standards, like a 360-degree camera system and low-speed Trail Control cruise control, but it’s the neat stuff like Trail One-Pedal Drive and Trail Turn Assist that should make the new SUV a formidable off-roader.
The features will be available for both two- and four-door versions of the Bronco as part of the Trail Toolbox package. That’s on top of standard four-wheel drive and manual transmission, which will be available for most trim levels.
All of this tech sounds great, but actually using the features will take some learning. Ford thought of that, too, and will offer “Off-Roadeo” events that will teach owners how to take advantage of the new Bronco’s full capabilities.
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