Specifications of Ford Bronco Sport 1.5 EcoBoost (181 HP) 4x4 Automatic
General characteristics of Ford Bronco Sport 1.5 EcoBoost (181 HP) 4x4 Automatic
The Bronco Sport's interior balances itself between rugged utility and creature comfort. There's plenty of little storage spaces to keep items out of the way of bouncing around when the going gets rough. The dashboard is shallow, giving more breathing space in the cabin and housing an eight-inch SYNC 3 infotainment system that comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The base model is basic but comfortable. Moving up the trim levels opens up features such as heated leather seats, a 10-speaker B&O sound system, a 6.5-inch digital instrument screen, a power moonroof, and rubberized floors.
The seating is comfortable, and there's enough room for two adults to be relaxed in the back and use the 36.9 inches of legroom. The driving position is upright, and the forward view excellent for when terrain starts getting tricky. Upper trim levels get a front view camera, which helps even more in tight spots.
Being an adventure vehicle, the Bronco Sport needs to be versatile and capacious. Maximum cargo space is generous enough to drop in two mountain bikes with the rear seats down, or a weekend's camping gear for the well prepared. Standard models come with 32.5 cubic feet of storage space behind the rear seats, while models equipped with the 2.0-liter engine have 29.4 cubic feet. Drop those seats and you unlock 65.2/60.6 cubic feet, respectively, although equipping the sunroof diminishes this to 60.1 cubes on 2.0L models. Ford is also bragging that the Bronco Sport comes to market with over 100 factory-backed and aftermarket accessories, including four lifestyle accessory bundles for snow sports enthusiasts, water sport enthusiasts, cyclists, or dedicated campers. These include a Yakima roof-top tent and numerous racks and carriers to clip onto the standard roof rails.
There are plenty of small crossovers around that boast all-wheel-drive and off-road ability on the market. But few can tackle much more than a dirt track or a mild hiking trail. The Bronco Sport is the real deal and knows its market. Off-road, its compact footprint and outright ability make for an agile and competent vehicle when things get rough. If all someone wants to do is go off-roading, the Bronco Sport is an option, but it will have limitations for the hardcore enthusiasts. For those that seek adventure and have a destination in mind, the Bronco sport will serve them admirably. It will reach that out-of-the-way hiking spot, bike trail, riverbank, or ski slope. What's more, it will do it with a level of comfort that means you won't reach far-flung destinations feeling like you've been beaten up.
The Bronco Sport manages to be off-road ready but comfortable where competitors can leave passengers feeling like they're being tossed around in a tin can. It's agile and rugged but has finesse and style to go with it. Most importantly, it can satisfy younger people who need their weekend escape vehicle to be a daily driver as well.
The Bronco Sport starts at a pocket friendly $26,660. It comes with 17-inch wheels, five drive modes, the 8-inch touchscreen with Ford Sync 3, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, WiFi hotspot availability, and Ford's CoPilot 360 safety system. The four additional trim levels are aimed at different demographics. Big Bend is advertised as adventure-ready and adds things like rubberized mats, zippered seat pockets and MOLLE straps on the rear setbacks, folding second-row seats, a carbonized front grille, Intelligent Access, and push-button start with a price of $28,160. The Outer Banks trim adds comfort and style to that with 18-inch aluminum wheels, a Shadow Black roof, ambient lighting, 6.5-inch digital instrument panel, heated sport bucket seats, a remote start, and more for a base MSRP of $32,160. The Badlands trim is the serious off-roader's choice. It upgrades to the 2.0-liter Ecoboost engine, twin-clutch rear diff, seven drive modes, paddle shifters, front camera, and front tow hooks, rubberized flooring, and more, but only adds $500 to the asking price.
Only 2,000 first edition models will be produced, each loaded with extras such as 24-inch all-terrain tires, leather seats, a heated steering wheel, moonroof, 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. It tops out the range at $38,160.
