2024 Ford Bronco Review, Pricing, and Specs (2024)

Overview

Mud is some of nature's best medicine, and mucking through it in the Ford Bronco comes strongly recommended. The Bronco is Ford's answer to the longtime unchallenged success of the Jeep Wrangler. Like the Jeep, the Bronco comes in two- and four-door varieties, and it features both an optional manual transmission and four-wheel drive. Even the most basic Bronco has plenty of pep from a 300-hp turbocharged inline-four with a 10-speed automatic transmission or an available seven-speed manual. The wilder powertrain is a 330-hp twin-turbo V-6. The Bronco Raptor, reviewed separately, has 418 horsepower but is a different beast entirely. Inside the Bronco is a rugged control room that's easy to clean up. Easy to drive on the street in between campsites, the Bronco proves to be equal parts fun lifestyle vehicle and proper rock-crawling tool, which is why we've put it on our Editors' Choice list again this year.

What's New for 2024?

Aside from Ford dropping the Bronco's base trim, not much changes for the Bronco in 2024. The 12.0-inch infotainment screen is now standard and the Bronco Badlands trim receives a heavy-duty bumper with its bevy of equipment.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

The Big Bend trim is rather spartan, but mid-range trims such as Black Diamond and Outer Banks offer more features. We'd recommend a four-door Black Diamond. For under $50,000, you get standard features such as Ford's G.O.A.T. drive modes, 32-inch tires, a powder-coated steel bumper, additional bash plates, and access to tons of additional factory options.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

Sorry, folks. The Bronco doesn't come with eight cylinders. Instead, there's a standard 300-hp turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder or an optional 330-hp twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6. A 10-speed automatic transmission bolts to both gas engines, but a seven-speed manual is only compatible with the smaller one. Unfortunately, neither engine has an enthusiastic soundtrack. Every Bronco sends power to all four wheels, and its independent front suspension is more sophisticated than Jeep's front stick axle. Other noteworthy options include 35-inch mud-terrain tires, beadlock-capable wheels, electronic locking front and rear differentials, and a sway-bar-disconnect feature. After our first driving impressions, the Bronco impressed us with its on-road refinement. Not only is its steering more precise than the Wrangler's wheel, but the Ford simply handles better overall. Of course, equipped with the largest tires and softest suspension, there's significant brake dive, and its body-on-frame construction isn't kept secret. Still, the Bronco isn't a one-trick pony, and it's capable of conquering truly treacherous terrain.

Towing and Payload Capacity

Both the two- and four-door Ford Bronco models are rated to tow 3500 pounds—the same as the Wrangler.

Ford Bronco MPG

The four-cylinder Bronco with the automatic transmission is the thriftiest variant, with ratings of 20 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway. Upgrade to the V-6 version with the Sasquatch package that includes aggressive, oversized tires, and its fuel economy plummets to 17 mpg both in the city and on the highway. We've run automatic-equipped Broncos with both engines on our 75-mph fuel-economy route, with the four-cylinder earning 22 mpg and the V-6 earning 18 mpg. For more information about the Bronco's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

Available with two or four doors, softtops or hardtops, and removable body panels, the Bronco offers the same open-air possibilities that make the Wrangler an outdoor person's delight. The Ford's interior has a few more innovations than the Jeep too. For example, the Bronco has a rack built into the top of its dashboard that allows smartphones and GoPros to be mounted there. It also has frameless doors that are easy to remove. However, their long side glass can snag the weatherstripping, and they allow extra wind noise to enter the cabin. Still, the extended-wheelbase four-door models have space on board to store all four doors. Since the exterior mirrors are mounted on the base of the windshield, they're still usable when the doors are taken off. When exposed to the elements, the cabin can be protected with the available rubberized flooring and marine-grade vinyl upholstery. Those who want a fancier environment can opt for leather seating surfaces, but the interior's expansive swaths of plastic look cheap on upper trims. Even in the two-door Bronco, there's enough space in the back seat to fit two adults comfortably. The four-door version alone has a third, middle seat in the rear and offers a hair more legroom, but most of its extra length applies to the cargo area, which is more than 50 percent larger than the two-door.

Infotainment and Connectivity

Ford's latest in-dash Sync 4 software powers a 12.0-inch touchscreen that's embedded in the middle of the Bronco's dashboard. The setup allows over-the-air updates and can connect to the cloud and the user's smartphone wirelessly. The infotainment system also supports a host of modern infotainment features that include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot. The unit can also be upgraded with desirable options, such as built-in navigation and a more powerful B&O stereo.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The Bronco is available with a suite of driver-assistance technology, including automatic high beams and parking sensors. It also has equipment that makes low-speed rock crawling and trail driving easier. For more information about the Bronco's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Available forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
• Available blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert
• Available lane-departure and lane-keeping assist

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Ford provides a competitive limited and powertrain warranty that aligns with most of its rivals. However, it lacks the complimentary maintenance that some competitors provide.

• Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
• No complimentary scheduled maintenance

More Features and Specs