2022 Ford Bronco

Posted on Feb 1, 2022 in AUTO REVIEW

absolutely AUTO REVIEW | By Steve Kursar –

The 2022 Ford lineup brings back one of the iconic nameplates for the automaker and does so in spectacular fashion. Ford Motor Company took its time bringing back the legendary 4×4, and it was worth the wait. The all-new Bronco will not disappoint anyone who is looking for a true off-roading machine that will look good and handle well whether you’re on a tough rock-crawling expedition or just heading to the Galleria.

The original first-generation Bronco appeared in dealer showrooms back in 1965 and was a very basic 4×4, with a simple, boxy two-door design. The Bronco was introduced long before the SUV craze took over American car buyers, but it was popular with a niche group of owners. That original design played a huge part in influencing the design of this newest Bronco generation.

A base 2022 Bronco comes with an MSRP price tag of 28,500, about $1,000 less than a base Jeep Wrangler. All Broncos are available as two or four-door models and with two engine and two transmission options.  The base engine is a 300 hp, 2.3 liter Ecoboost in-line four-cylinder that can be mated to the seven-speed manual transmission or an optional ten-speed automatic transmission.  That seventh speed on the manual is actually a super-low geared crawl gear that’s engineered to get you safely through an extreme rocky trail.

For an extra $1,896, you can outfit your Bronco with the more powerful engine available, a 330 hp, 2.7 liter Ecoboost V6 that can only be mated to the available ten-speed transmission.  Both powertrains get understandably mediocre EPA estimated fuel economy numbers with the four-cylinder model getting 20 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway and the V6 getting 17 mpg for both city and highway.  But, don’t even contemplate getting a Bronco if saving gas is your big priority, because the Bronco is built for fun and should be driven with that in mind.

There are six trims offered, each with interesting names like Sasquatch and Wildtrak. Just know that every Bronco is built to take whatever trail you decide to drive.

The newest Ford Bronco is exactly what it should be and kudos to Ford for getting it right.  Whatever trim you choose, it’ll put a smile on your face every time you get behind the wheel whether you take it out to get dirty or you keep it shiny.