We’re Headed to Texas to Drive the 2021 Ford Bronco This Week
The Ford Bronco is upon us. You ready?
The time has come. The 2021 Ford Bronco press preview is upon us, and your friendly neighborhood deputy editor is headed out to get behind the wheel in what is likely the most hotly anticipated vehicle of the year.
My drive time in the Bronco will spread out over the course of two days—one for on-road impressions, one for off-road impressions—and more time than that will be needed to fully shake it down. Still, though: After having driven the new Defender 90, I'm very curious to see how the two-door Bronco will stack up. The Defender was a dream on the highway. If the new Bronco can also deliver a comfortable on-road cruising experience, I'll be impressed. Off-road talents grab headlines, and the Wrangler comparison is obvious, but most people realistically will be using their Broncos to commute and cart around the kids. It's the four-door that's going to find its way to more driveways later this year, and whose success (and higher sale prices) matters far more to the brand.
Along for the ride will be our social media editor Stef Schrader, whose mission is to capture fun stuff that happens during the drive to upload to our Instagram. Give us a follow there if you haven't already. Our full review won't be out until next Monday, but that doesn't mean we can't get you sweet, up-close and personal pictures and videos of the new trucks.
As a reminder, the Broncos come with either a 2.3-liter, 270-horsepower EcoBoost four-cylinder engine or a 2.7-liter, 310-hp twin-turbo V6. Transmission options include a seven-speed (6+1) manual with a crawler-gear ratio of 94.75:1 or a 10-speed automatic with a maximum crawl ratio of 67.8:1 with the 4x4 transfer case, which is optional. There are also two 4x4 systems to choose from, with front and rear lockers offered. Built on a highly modified version of the Ranger pickup's platform, the Bronco also sports goodies like a solid rear axle (a Dana 44, specifically), available front sway bar disconnect for increased articulation, a complex terrain management system, and of course, removable doors and roof panels. If you need any more evidence that Ford is gunning for the Wrangler, the Sasquatch package gives the Bronco 35-inch tires from the factory.
Two-door Broncos will start at $31,490 and four-door Broncos will start at $36,190, including the $1,495 destination charge. There are seven different trims available, depending on what you want. Ford will offer a truly dizzying amount of customization for these things, with hundreds of factory-approved accessories available right out of the gate.
You can expect our review to land on the front page bright and early the morning of Monday, June 28. Until then, these videos of a few development Broncos tackling the Rubicon trail will have to do:
Got a tip? Email me at kristen@thedrive.com.
