It certainly stands out, but is it worth what Ford is charging?
The Ford Bronco Sport launched three years ago, just as the full-size Bronco was set to make its return as a long-awaited Jeep Wrangler competitor. Ford had a simple goal: use the legendary Bronco name to help sell a small crossover based on the Escape platform. The idea was a success, so much in fact that Ford moved nearly 100,000 Bronco Sports in 2022, which is not far off the number of big Broncos sold that year.
Ford hasn’t made any sweeping updates to the Bronco Sport since its induction, but there have been a few special editions introduced to keep buyers interested. The 2023 model year saw the introduction of Heritage Editions with 1960s styling, while the 2024 model adds a Free Wheeling Edition that channels the 1970s. CarBuzz had a chance to sample a 2023 Bronco Sport Heritage Limited to find out if Ford’s retro crossover is a worthy option in a crowded segment.
Exterior: Heritage Style
Ford says the Heritage Edition, which is also available on the bigger Bronco, is meant to hark back to the 1966 original. That explains the ’60s-inspired pastel colors and white wheels. The Heritage Limited we tested is restricted to only 1,966 units for the Bronco Sport, exclusively for the 2023 model year. For 2024, only the base Heritage will be available. Buyers can only choose three colors on the Limited: Robin’s Egg Blue (pictured below), Yellowstone Metallic, and Peak Blue. The standard Heritage comes in more hues: Shadow Black, Hot Pepper Red, Alto Blue, Carbonized Gray, Cactus Gray, while the Robbin’s Egg Blue is retained at a $995 up-charge.
The Heritage styling may not appeal to everyone’s tastes, but we happen to like the cutesy design when paired in the fun, retro colors. Robin’s Egg Blue would look perfect on the beach, especially when paired with the Oxford white grille, wheels, and roof. A side note about those wheels – they may look like steelies, but they are actually 17-inch Oxford White-painted alloys.
Interior: Throwback Tech?
Though we like the Heritage Edition’s retro exterior, the throwback technology inside is less appealing. All Bronco Sports ship with an eight-inch touchscreen powered by last-generation Sync 3 infotainment software. Not only does this screen look tiny next to competitors, but it also lacks important features in Sync 4, such as wireless Apple CarPlay. A 360-degree camera is also not available. Spending a week with the Bronco Sport also reminded us of the buggy nature of Sync 3 that was ironed out in the latest version; our screen froze numerous times, requiring a full reboot.
Like the big Bronco, the Bronco Sport’s cabin is designed to be “rugged,” meaning it has lots of hard plastics and wipeable surfaces. Some areas feel cheap as a result. The leather quality is pretty high, at least, with heated front seats that feature a neat plaid pattern in the perforation.
Practicality: Cargo Management
The Bronco Sport has a nicely sized cargo area offering up to 32.5 cubic feet of space behind the second row and up to 65.2 cubes with the seats folded. That area features rubberized material that is easy to wipe down if it gets dirty. Ford sells a Cargo Management System for just $195; it’s a shelf that can be configured multiple ways including a table and trunk divider. Since the rear glass can be opened independent of the trunk (a rare crossover feature), it’s easy to throw a small item onto the cargo shelf in a hurry.
Other neat touches in the cargo area include a bottle opener, four bag hooks, two outlets, and a tailgate light. Ford clearly designed this area for activities such as tailgate parties or camping.
As with the cargo area, the rear seat features numerous innovations designed to accommodate items. For example, there are two pockets on the sides of both front seats that are perfect for smartphones. Those pockets are even close enough to the rear outlets so passengers can charge their devices without holding them in their hands. Additional zippered pockets are built into each seatback to store larger items, and there are Molle strap points below them to hang things.
Performance: Baby Off-Roader
Since it is based on the same platform as the Escape, you should temper your expectations for the Bronco Sport’s off-road abilities. That being said, this is not just a mall crawler with the Bronco name on it. Power comes from a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine punching above its weight class with 181 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque. The Badlands, which the Heritage Limited is based on, gets a 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost motor producing 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. With the larger engine, the Bronco Sport scoots to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds.
All trims send power to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission with G.O.A.T (Goes Over Any Terrain) drive modes providing surprising capability when the road ends. It’s not the most comfortable crossover on the market, but it doesn’t sacrifice much in the pursuit of light off-road prowess.
Fuel economy isn’t excellent, though, with the three-pot only managing 25/28/26 mpg city/highway/combined and the four-cylinder performing worse at 21/26/23. This is a decently fun crossover to drive, but the absence of an efficient hybrid model may limit its appeal.
Pricing: Nostalgia Isn’t Cheap
2024 Bronco Sport pricing has recently been released, and since the 2023 Heritage Limited is limited in numbers, our opinion on it may not be the final word. In short, we believe the $44,655 starting price is too high given the lack of features and luxury found inside. Buyers who want the larger four-cylinder can still get it on the 2024 Badlands for $38,390, albeit without the retro touches. Ford will continue to sell the 2024 Heritage Edition model with the three-cylinder (based on the Big Bend trim) for $33,700, a more palatable amount in our opinion. 30 dollars more will get you the Free Wheeling Edition, which includes retro stripes on the exterior and the seats.
Pricing for the base Bronco Sport starts at $31,230 for 2024, jumping above the $30,000 mark for the first time since the model’s introduction. There is no shortage of crossovers available in this price range, including the Mazda CX-50, Subaru Forrester, and Toyota RAV4 to name a few. Those competitors may not match the Bronco Sport’s off-road chops, but each is available with its own dirt-ready variant, and the RAV4 has electrified options, too. Buyers who want a Bronco with more on-road focus at a cheaper price will enjoy the Bronco Sport, but we’d wait until Ford gives it a tech update before buying.
