How We'd Spec It: 2021 Ford Bronco Sport – Car and Driver

The Bronco is again, lastly, and with it’s its crossover-based cousin the Bronco Sport. It is available in 4 of the identical guises as the larger Bronco—base, Massive Bend, Outer Banks, and Badlands—and it additionally will get a limited-run First Version. Sadly, the extra thrilling 2021 Ford Bronco is not on Ford’s configurator but, so we will not construct and worth it. However the smaller and cuter Bronco Sport is, so a number of Automobile and Driver staffers headed over to Ford’s website and constructed their dream Ford Bronco Sport.

Drew Dorian’s $32,240 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Massive Bend

Since this is not the real-deal Bronco, I’ve determined it isn’t smart to get too loopy, so I’ve chosen the Massive Bend mannequin. It is only one rung up from the bottom mannequin within the Bronco Sport’s five-trim lineup, however for a modest $1500 worth bump over the entry-level mannequin, the Massive Bend affords a bunch of further options, together with fog lamps, heated exterior mirrors, tinted rear home windows, push-button begin, SiriusXM satellite tv for pc radio, and two additional cupholders.

A lot of the Massive Bend’s accessible exterior colours are freed from cost, however I went and acquired myself connected to Alto Blue, which prices $395; I additionally choose the lighter Medium Darkish Slate inside coloration scheme. The usual 17-inch wheels look just a little dinky to me, so I’d go for the $595 18-inch rollers. I additionally seen that I can get heated seats, a moonroof, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel as a part of the Massive Bend bundle for $1595, so I’ve so as to add that, too. It contains an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, rear parking sensors, and a wi-fi smartphone charging pad. When all is alleged and carried out, my Bronco Sport Massive Bend tallies up at $32,240, which is not too unhealthy contemplating it has all of the options one might need, plus customary all-wheel drive and good-looking exterior styling. —Drew Dorian

Joey Capparella’s $33,655 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks

I am a sucker for something in brown on brown, so I selected the Bronco Sport’s Outer Banks trim stage. (I even have fond recollections of a household trip on Ocracoke Island within the Outer Banks of North Carolina from after I was a child.) Plus, the Sport is hardly off-road-ready just like the “actual” Bronco, so why trouble paying additional for the off-road Badlands trim stage when this small crossover is already so costly to start with? I did not add any choices, so mine stickers for $33,655. — Joey Capparella

Roberto Baldwin’s $36,749 2021 Bronco Sport Badlands

It isn’t the Bronco. Nonetheless, the Bronco Sport does have quite a lot of options that folks need out of a small SUV with a 4×4 drivetrain. That makes it very best for tenting, snowboarding, randomly driving round on dust roads, and hitting up the mall. If I’ll get an off-roader, I’ll spec it for the life-style that makes for nice advertising materials. With that in thoughts, I went full bore with the Badlands trim stage with the equipment for a primo outside life.

The Cyber Orange paint job means after I step off the slopes or out of the ocean, I will be capable of find my car within the parking zone amongst a sea of grey, black, and silver SUVs. It additionally makes it simpler for rescuers to search out me in case issues go sideways whereas off-roading or driving by way of the slender passes of Tahoe throughout a blizzard. I opted for the 17-inch grey aluminum wheels as a result of the retro styling simply feels proper. Plus I added roof-rail crossbars so I can retailer my surfboards and snowboards on high of the car as a substitute of inside. The Badlands bundle itself pairs the two.0-liter EcoBoost engine with the eight-speed SelectShift transmission, giving barely extra management by way of paddles over my gearing. It additionally comes with all seven G.O.A.T. driving modes, so sand, snow, rocks, rain—regardless of the components throw at me—I am prepared. The entrance 180-degree digicam retains me from driving over one thing I should not and even when I do, the steel bash plates ought to preserve me from destroying the Bronco Sport. I additionally added the Co-Pilot360 driver-assist bundle as a result of being caught in visitors on the way in which again from the mountain has turn out to be routine, and stop-and-go adaptive cruise management would make it a much less terrible expertise. For precise tenting, I added the bizarre Sportz (actual title) SUV tent. Certain, it appears prefer it’s birthing the Bronco Sport, however after a long time of dragging gear from the automobile to the tent and again once more, this looks like a greater possibility. Plus, if I ever improve to a swanky journey trailer, I’ve added the trailer tow bundle with sway management. — Roberto Baldwin

Connor Hoffman’s $37,380 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands

I am not all that hooked on the Bronco Sport, as a result of, properly, there’s the massive four-door Bronco, and that entices me a bit extra. However I perceive the advertising ploy behind the Sport. It is cute but rugged, and it type of suits my way of life completely. For my Bronco Sport, I’ll snag one of many Badlands fashions, which will get the two.0-liter EcoBoost engine and begins at $34,155. Wait, I’d rethink this. Nicely, by no means thoughts, this is not actual, so I will not fear about worth.

I just like the Space 51 coloration on the Sport the most effective as a result of I really like blue-gray exterior colours. Then, I will be deciding on the 17-inch steelies, someway a $300 possibility over the usual 17-inch wheels, and getting 235/65R-17 all-terrain rubber. Moreover, I will be including cross roof rails and the Badlands bundle for $2595, which provides objects similar to a Bang & Olufsen sound system, an influence moonroof, and a wi-fi charging pad.. This fashion I additionally get brown leather-based seats. I will even be including the rear cargo mat ($130) and entrance and rear ground liners ($200) for when issues get messy. All in, I am taking a look at $37,380 for my Bronco Sport, however with that a lot cash I might most likely get a base four-door Bronco with the Sasquatch bundle. — Connor Hoffman

Maxwell Mortimer’s $39,995 (est.) 2021 Ford Bronco Sport First Version

When deciding on my child Bronco, I attempted to think about I used to be one of many many which were ready for Ford’s iconic Bronco to return for years. So why maintain again after I might have all of it? That is why I selected to go along with the absolutely loaded Bronco Sport First Version. Ford hasn’t launched full pricing for this particular mannequin, however we estimate {that a} First Version with no further choices, like this one, would begin at $39,995.

For exterior colours, the First Version trim comes with solely 4 choices, of which I selected the bluish-gray gunmetal hue named Space 51. Aside from the coat of paint you select, almost every part else—save for a number of small choices—on the First Version comes customary: 17-inch black painted wheels, all-terrain tires, hood and facet decals, energy leather-based seats with warmth up entrance, Ford’s Sync three infotainment with an upgraded 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, and the optionally available Superior 4×4 system. Powering my Bronco Sport is identical turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and eight-speed automated—customary on Badlands and First Version trims—that propelled a just lately examined Ford Escape to a 5.7-second zero-to-60 effort, so it’d simply be a sleeper, too. Regardless of being the smaller, much less brutish Bronco variant, the Bronco Sport ought to immediate even essentially the most conservative of parking-lot crawlers to take a street much less traveled. — Maxwell B. Mortimer

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