2024 Ford Bronco Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Retro design trends have informed automotive styling for decades, and Ford has frequently leaned on its long history. For example, Mustangs have taken cues from the legendary pony car’s past since 1994.

The latest Ford model to visually recall the 1960s is the Bronco. The retro design approach is more successful with the two-door than the four-door Bronco, and at the risk of stating the obvious, the SUV doesn’t look right without the available Sasquatch Package.

The Sasquatch Package is a pricey upgrade that adds a suspension lift, 35-inch mud-terrain tires mounted to exclusive wheels, and other off-roading goodies. Those changes give the Bronco a wide stance, rugged look, and purposeful appearance. It looks ready to go anywhere, anytime, with anyone aboard. Without the 35s, the Bronco’s factory footwear can’t fill the fender flares, making it look a bit awkward.

Sasquatch equipment is standard or optional on most Broncos, so if you’re willing to pay, you can play. Including the Raptor performance model, there are nine versions of the 2024 Bronco to choose from, down from 10 last year when there was a bare-bones base model. It’s gone now, making the Big Bend the standard trim level.

In addition to the nine trim levels, buyers can choose between a two-door and four-door body style and three turbocharged engines. Prices in Canada range from $52,060 to $93,220 for the regular Broncos, while the Raptor comes in at $116,570, including the destination charge of $2,195.

Our test vehicle was refreshingly attainable. It arrived in four-door specification in Big Bend trim with Hot Pepper Red paint, LED signature lighting, a hardtop, the Mid Package (named by someone without teenagers), and the Sasquatch Package. Including the destination charge, this configuration has a Canadian manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $69,780. Fortunately, the Sasquatch Package does not install upholstery composed of hair from a sweaty, stinky, and reclusive beast. Unfortunately, the Big Bend’s marine-grade mildew- and water-resistant upholstery might turn you into a Sasquatch on a broiling hot day. It does not breathe well, so if you get into the Bronco sweaty or damp from rain, you’ll remain that way.

As you marinate in the driver’s seat, you’ll face an 8-inch digital instrumentation display and a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system nestled into a flat dashboard with a BRONCO-stamped panel meant to mimic the metal dash in the original 1960s Bronco. Grab handles anchor each end of the dash, and you’ll use ‘em to hoist yourself aboard due to the Sasquatch’s suspension lift. Ford also thoughtfully equips the Bronco with knobs and buttons for commonly used stereo and climate controls.

Compared to its primary rival, the Jeep Wrangler, the Bronco looks and feels nicer inside. You look out a nearly vertical windshield over a broad expanse of a hood sharply defined by creased fenders and tie-down cleats on each front corner. The square side mirrors are effective, and it’s easy to see down to the ground on the sides of this SUV, but the spare tire hanging on the tailgate blocks part of the view to the back.

The Bronco Big Bend has a standard turbocharged 2.3-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder engine making 300 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. Many Bronco models have a seven-speed manual transmission with a low first gear for rock crawling, or you can get a 10-speed automatic transmission. The maximum towing capacity is 1,587 kilograms (3,500 pounds).

The Bronco's optional turbocharged 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6 engine delivers 330 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. It requires the 10-speed automatic transmission, making it a pricey upgrade over the already satisfying 2.3-litre turbo. Raptors have an exclusive turbocharged 3.0-litre EcoBoost V6 cranking out 418 hp and 440 lb-ft and boasting a higher 2,040-kilogram (4,500-pound) tow rating. A part-time four-wheel-drive (4WD) system is standard in most Broncos, with an advanced system featuring automatic 4WD available as an upgrade. The Bronco also offers hill start assist, and hill descent control (manual transmission only). Numerous G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any Terrain) driving modes are available, but we used Normal the majority of the time.

The Bronco is also available with three off-roading technologies that add significant capability on the trail. Depending on the engine and transmission, those three technologies include: Trail Control (an off-road cruise control system), Trail One-Pedal Drive (the ability to both accelerate and brake using only the accelerator pedal), and Trail Turn Assist (which tightens the turning radius). We’ve used all three when off-roading in a Bronco Raptor, and they work well when taking on challenging terrain.

Our test vehicle’s base engine, automatic transmission, and part-time 4WD system were satisfying. This drivetrain offers good acceleration, clean shifts, and easy 4-Hi and 4-Lo engagement. However, Ford needs to get an electrified Bronco into the lineup ASAP, because this SUV is not fuel efficient.

According to Natural Resources Canada, a Big Bend Sasquatch with this powertrain should get 13.1 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 13.8 on the highway, and 13.4 in combined driving. The suspension lift and big tires add considerable drag to a vehicle that’s already aerodynamically challenged, resulting in a lower highway than city fuel economy rating. Without the Sasquatch Package, our test vehicle would measure up at 12.0 L/100 km city, 11.2 highway, and 11.6 combined.

On the evaluation drive, which included some off-roading, the Big Bend averaged 13.9 L/100 km. It is worth noting that the test model’s Trip B hadn’t been reset since it rolled off the assembly line in Wayne, Michigan; our Bronco had averaged 16.0 L/100 km during the course of its 3,200-plus kilometres.

As expected, the Bronco shrugged at the challenges posed by the more well-traveled trails we visited. We didn’t tackle anything that looked dangerous, though, as it was a very hot day and there wasn’t another vehicle in sight. As previously noted, we have driven the Ford Bronco Raptor in challenging conditions, and thanks to its impressive off-road capability, it effortlessly tackled the obstacles during that experience.

On winding roads, the Bronco’s Goodyear Territory mud-terrain tires (LT315/70) whirred plenty and gripped little, feeling mighty squishy in curves and corners. On the highway, wind noise joined the tire racket. These are not a Bronco’s natural habitat.

Nevertheless, during the daily drive, the Bronco is a delight when traveling on-road. It’s easy to park, blasts over speed humps and bumps like they’re not even there and frees the driver from concern over curbed wheels and crunched air dams. Pop out the roof panels, lower the windows, and even take off the doors if you want to. And if it rains, so what? The Bronco’s marine-grade vinyl and plastic interior panels are ready.

Overall, driving a Ford Bronco is great fun at best and different in a good way at worst, no matter the situation. However, like other SUVs similar to it, and in particular the Jeep Wrangler, it’s an acquired taste. As long as you expect an unrefined, loud, truck-like experience, you’re more likely to love the Bronco for the true off-roader that it is.

Our lifted Big Bend Sasquatch did not have the Bronco’s optional running boards, tube steps, or hoop steps, so getting in and out took a little more effort, especially for shorter people. But that’s true of the Bronco’s rivals, too.

Once aboard, a Ford Bronco is comfortable in both the two-door and four-door body styles. You can legitimately carry four adults in the two-door, and nobody will complain about anything but the loading and disembarking process.

Naturally, the Bronco four-door is even roomier inside, and it feels appreciably larger than a Wrangler. Also, there isn’t a rollbar located directly in front of the rear-seat passengers like there is the Jeep, so they won’t bounce and hit their heads on anything when you’re on a trail. As previously mentioned, the Bronco’s marine-grade vinyl upholstery doesn’t breathe well, so it traps moisture. If you’re wet from rain or sweat when you get in, chances are you’ll still be damp when you exit. Cloth seats are available in the Heritage Edition, providing a great reason to choose that model. Ford should offer a stain- and water-resistant fabric upholstery option across most of the Bronco lineup.

Bronco two-door models have a standard hardtop with two removable roof panels over the front seats. The four-door has a standard fabric soft top, with the hardtop an option. Add it to the four-door, and you get two removable front roof panels and a large single-piece rear removable panel. Available storage bags protect the panels when they’re stowed in the cargo area. Bronco owners can remove the top completely and also take off the doors. Or they can mix and match configurations for the open-air driving experience that suits them best. Ford also offers different kinds of tops for the Bronco, as well as tube-style door replacements providing a little bit of extra protection.

Interior storage space is good, and the test vehicle’s MOLLE panels on the front seat backs provide strap attachment points to customize storage solutions.

Swing the Bronco’s tailgate open to the right, lift the two-door hardtop’s back window, and you’ll find 634 litres of cargo space. Fold the back seats down, and this version of the Bronco offers 1,509 litres of cargo volume. With the standard soft top, the larger Bronco four-door is more accommodating at 1,084 and 2,350 litres with the rear seat backs up and down, respectively. Add the optional hardtop and those cargo volumes drop to 1,008 and 2,197 litres.

For the 2024 model year, Ford makes a 12-inch touchscreen version of its Sync 4 infotainment system standard in every Bronco. It includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, FordPass Connect services, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a seven-speaker stereo system. As you move up the trim-level ladder, Ford installs a connected navigation system and a premium sound system from Bang & Olufsen with 10 speakers.

We had some trouble with the Bronco’s Sync 4 technology. For several days, it kept dropping the Apple CarPlay connection each time we got in and started the engine, rather than automatically reconnecting and relaunching. Also, the voice recognition system delivered a hit-and-miss performance, and we had some trouble streaming music from Pandora and Apple Music. Frustratingly, none of these issues proved consistent or predictable.

Our lightly equipped test vehicle didn’t have much in the way of technology. There is a short learning curve to use the 8-inch digital instrumentation panel, but even after you’re up to speed on how the steering wheel controls work, they can be fussy and distracting to use while driving.

There’s also a complimentary Bronco Trail App. Download it to your smartphone, and you can access maps and information for about 1,200 trails across North America. Run Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and you can access the app through the Sync 4 touchscreen display.

Ford equips the Bronco Big Bend with a handful of standard safety features. They include forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights, and a backup camera with guidance grid lines. A post-collision braking system brings the Bronco to a stop as soon as possible following a collision, and a 911 Assist system can speed rescuers to the scene after an accident during which the airbags deployed.

Our test vehicle’s Mid Package added the full collection of Ford Co-Pilot360 technologies including lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors. These extras make the Bronco easier to maneuver and generally safer to drive, and adaptive cruise control, front parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system are also available as options.

Overall, we found this basic package of driving assistance systems to include everything you really need and nothing you don’t. During testing, the systems operated as expected, though we did prefer driving the Bronco without the lane-keep assist system activated.

In crash tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) posts favourable ratings for the Bronco four-door, except for its headlight performance, which gets a Marginal score. Test results from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are incomplete, lacking side-impact scores. However, the Bronco four-door earns a four-star frontal-impact rating (out of five stars) and a mediocre three-rating for rollover resistance.

While our test model’s $69,780 price tag without options can buy plenty of SUV, from a base Acura MDX to a top-shelf Volkswagen Atlas, that’s something of a bargain in a Ford Bronco four-door equipped with the Sasquatch Package.

With that money, you’re paying for the look, the capability, and the feeling you get when you’re driving it. Whether or not you think that’s a cost-effective use of your resources, especially when you factor in the ownership costs related to fueling this beast and replacing the giant balloons wrapped around each beadlock-capable wheel is a decision only you can make.

We’re fans of the Ford Bronco because it brings joy to the daily drive. But it isn’t cheap to buy or to own, and we can’t help but think Ford has missed an opportunity by failing to offer a hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain option. As Jeep has proven with the Wrangler 4xe, a plug-in hybrid could expand the Bronco’s appeal without diminishing its capabilities.

Note: Images show a US model.