FORD Bronco Sport 2021

Body, cabin and cargo space

From the front the Ford Bronco Sport looks more substantial than the Ford Escape on which it is based. The large grille, angular styling and height—10 to 13 cm higher depending on trim!—bolster the impression. However, the newcomer is shorter than the Escape, both in length (-20 cm) and wheelbase (-4 cm).

It won’t matter to front passengers; they even get significantly more headroom. Rear passengers, too, have more room above their head but they pay a price in terms of legroom. There is little room to install a child safety seat behind a tall person, a difficulty compounded by the narrow rear door openings.

The front seats of our Badlands tester looked great with a combination of black and brown leather and suede, contrasting stitching and bucking bronco logo on the backrests. However, after as little as half an hour behind the wheel, the overly short and canted bottom cushions spoiled the comfort. Ford needs to add front tilt adjustment, as found on the vast majority of power seats in the industry.

The driving position posed no problem for our two, dissimilarly sized testers. All controls and functions are simple and easy to access, which is rare seeing today’s fondness for screens. Ford made sure to keep good-sized buttons and knobs for the main functions. Even the rotary gear shift dial is easy to assimilate, unlike a good number of electronic button or lever arrangements used by the competition.

The height of the Bronco Sport allows it to claim a cargo volume comparable to that of the Escape, at least on paper. In reality, the trunk is no longer or wider than that of a subcompact SUV when the rear bench is in place. Four people who head off for a weekend will have to pile up their baggage.

On the other hand, the Bronco Sport has a host of features that enhance its practicality. Standard or optional, depending on trim, that includes a flip-up hatch window, pockets and straps on the front seatbacks, a luggage cover that doubles as a picnic table and even a bottle opener. Badlands trim also comes with a full-size spare in keeping with its off-road pretentions.

Other highlights:

Finish: adequate, on Outer Banks and Badlands models, with contrasting textures and trim, including on seats. More basic on the two less expensive models with a preponderance of hard, dark grey plastics. Our test model displayed more precise fit than on the last Escape we tested.

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Hill-descent control (standard, Badlands; unavailable, other models)
• Front airbags
• Driver knee airbag
• Front side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Five head restraints (adjustable on outboard seats, folding in the middle)
• Rearview camera with lens washer
• Front camera for off-road driving (standard, Badlands; unavailable, other models)
• Rear parking sensors (standard, Outer Banks; optional, Big Bend and Badlands; unavailable, base model)
• Blind-spot monitor system
• Rear cross traffic alert
• Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection
• Lane departure warning with automatic steering assist
• Lane centering system
• Automatic high-beams
• Collision avoidance assistance and adaptive cruise control (bundled in Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package on Big Bend, Outer Banks and Badlands; unavailable, base model)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 5 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick+

Visibility

Visibility is surprisingly good for an SUV, thanks to good-sized side windows and outside mirrors, and reasonably thin roof pillars. The squared-off shape helps to situate the extremities. The lens washer for the backup camera is a great asset in winter.

Headlights: standard on all Bronco Sport models, the LED projector-type headlights received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s top score. They equal or exceed all optimal lighting thresholds, in all directions except left turns.

Mechanical overview

Despite their very different looks and proportions, the Ford Bronco Sport and Ford Escape are closely linked mechanically. It is especially true of the platform, based on that of the most recent European Focus, and the multilink independent rear suspension. The rear suspension is specially tuned for off-roading on the Badlands, with all-terrain tires an option.

The Bronco Sport also shares the Escape’s two gasoline engines. The first, a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder, powers the base, Big Bend and Outer Banks models. Its 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque compare favourably to the majority of compact SUV four-cylinder engines.

The Badlands model gets exclusive access to a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that increases power to 250 horsepower and torque to 277 pound-feel. That engine places the Bronco Sport among the most powerful compact SUV’s on the market.

It is not one of the most fuel efficient, however, whatever the number of cylinders under the hood. Slightly heavier than the Escape and certainly less aerodynamic, the Bronco Sport turns in a combined city/highway consumption rating of 10.1 L/100 km with the 2.0-litre, according to Natural Resources Canada. That’s exactly what we measured on our test of the Badlands, three-quarters on the highway.

According to National Resources Canada, the official combined rating for the three-cylinder is 8.9 L/100 km, which is higher than that promised by several four-cylinder competitors. And that, despite its automatic stop-start system.

The eight-speed automatic transmission comes with a manual mode only with the 2.0-litre on Badlands models. Another distinct feature, its all-wheel-drive system gets a twin-clutch rear-drive unit that allows it to relay more torque to either of the rear wheels depending on grip. The other models transmit a uniform portion of power to the rear when the front wheels lose grip, at start-off, for instance, or in heavy acceleration. The rear axle disengages automatically in normal driving to reduce gas consumption.

All Ford Bronco Sport models offer five driving modes, including a Sand mode. Badlands trim adds Rock Crawl and Mud/Ruts modes plus off-road Trail Control that automatically maintains a set speed, between 1 and 32 km/h.

The Badlands is the only model that can tow up to 998 kg/2,200 lb. That’s good for the segment, but the Escape has a claimed capacity of 1,587 kg/3,500 lb with the same 2.0‑litre turbo engine. The difference is no doubt due to the Escape’s longer wheelbase and lower height, which promote better stability. Three-cylinder Bronco Sport models have a 907-kg/2,000-lb towing capacity.

Driving impressions

The Ford Bronco Sport’s boxy shape, shorter wheelbase than the Escape and increased height have a significant impact on handling. It is secure at cruising speeds but not as stable as the Escape or rivals like the Honda CR‑V and Mazda CX‑5. You can feel it wander and it requires frequent steering corrections. It is worse in side winds, which also increase the noise level in the cabin.

The problem is not the steering, which provides good precision and road feel for the segment. The Bronco Sport has a good grip in curves, and body lean is reasonable and predictable. It is also small enough to be agile in the city.

The Badlands’ off-road suspension, which raises its ground clearance, may accentuate the feeling of instability on the highway. We would have to test another trim to know for sure. However, the ride seemed relatively smooth, certainly smoother than an Escape and likely because of the high-profile tires that equipped our Bronco Sport test model.

As to the engine, the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder powers the small SUV with the same brio displayed on other Ford products we’ve tested. Its smooth, quiet and flexible performance adds much to the driving experience. It pairs efficiently with the automatic transmission, which is well geared and prompt to downshift. The transmission on our test model shifted through the first gears without the jerkiness experienced with the Escape last year. Hopefully, it is due to a long-lasting reprogram, and not just accidental.

Other highlights

Braking: pedal is firmer and easier to modulate than on the Escape tested in 2020. Short, straight stops despite the Bronco Sport’s higher and shorter body.

Driving assistance: lane centering sometimes corrects steering too abruptly; it is easy to disengage it or just keep the warning function. Adaptive cruise control is progressive and reaccelerates promptly as soon as you change lanes.