Ford’s reborn Bronco is its most anticipated new model in years. The back-to-basics SUV with eye-catching looks is already a hit with the off-road and customizing communities, but how does it stand up in everyday use around the city?
Key Features
- Outstanding off-road specification
- Functional, stylish interior
- Huge fun to drive
Competitors
- Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
What a 2022 Ford Bronco 4-Door Really Costs
| Trim | Canada (CAD) | United States (USD, approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Base | $46,449 | $37,000 |
| Big Bend | $46,774 | $38,000 |
| Black Diamond | $50,699 | $42,000 |
| Outer Banks | $51,249 | $43,000 |
| Badlands | $57,499 | $48,000 |
| Wildtrak | $61,199 | $51,000 |
| Raptor | TBC (at time of writing) | $69,995 |
Bronco was designed from the outset with customization in mind, whether that be from the vast array of factory parts available from Ford dealers or using parts from countless aftermarket suppliers. The Base model is the blank canvas for customizers, starting at $46,449 CAD / roughly $37,000 USD for a four-door with the 2.3-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. Our Badlands test truck sits toward the upper end of a range that is extended for 2022 with the arrival of the race-inspired Raptor model.
You’ll pay for that fun factor in fuel, though. The Sasquatch Package’s increased ride height from long-travel Bilstein dampers, and wider track and fender flares, do nothing to help the Bronco’s already un-aerodynamic profile…
The Badlands edition is already designed for extreme off-roading with seven ‘GOAT’ modes for different terrains, a disconnecting front stabilizer bar, new bumpers, and rubberized cabin flooring with drain plugs. The Sasquatch Package ($4,500 CAD / about $4,995 USD) adds 35-inch Goodyear mud-terrain tires on 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, Dana front and rear electronic locking axles with a 4.7:1 final drive ratio, and uprated suspension.
We tested a 2021 model, but the truck is mechanically unchanged for the 2022 model year, save for the availability of the 7-speed manual transmission with the Sasquatch Package on 2.3-litre Broncos. Our Badlands, finished in ‘Area 51’ blue paint, had the standard 10-speed automatic mated to its optional 330-hp 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6 ($2,250 CAD / about $1,895 USD). The total came to more than $72,000 CAD (roughly $58,000 USD), including options.
Bronco Badlands Interior & Equipment
The Bronco’s interior is a new departure for Ford and features the kind of originality and style that’s most recently been the preserve of Jeep and the other FCA brands. The dashboard is dominated by a huge, 12-inch central screen to run the intuitive SYNC 4 infotainment system. The bright orange accents provide a welcome splash of colour.
You sit upright in comfortable, black vinyl-trimmed seats, in a cockpit designed for off-road use. There are grab handles, mesh map pockets, rubberized, chunky-feeling switches, deep sun visors, seatback grids for Molle straps and a large, covered central storage bin. A bank of blank auxiliary switches sits between the sun visors, pre-wired so that aftermarket accessories like a winch or light bar can plug straight in.
Our test vehicle had the $5,745 Lux Package, which brings creature comforts like a B&O audio system, heated steering wheel, wireless charging and additional driver-assistance tech.
Behind the second row of seats is a deep cargo space that’s accessed from the outside via a two-piece tailgate. The Bronco comes as standard with a black cloth roof, but you’ll want the optional hardtop ($795) for a Canadian winter. It’s nicely finished and provides good insulation but did squeak occasionally.
Performance & Driving Impressions
The Bronco Badlands is a hoot to drive. There’s fantastic, immediate throttle response from the turbocharged motor, accompanied by an entertainingly throaty exhaust note. The steering response and accuracy are excellent, too, and certainly better than any Wrangler we’ve tried.
Combined with adequate ride comfort and surprisingly low noise from the M/T tires, these characteristics make this supposedly off-road-focused machine far easier to live with around town than you might expect. There’s wind noise on the highway, but it’s more a rush than a roar.
You’ll pay for that fun factor in fuel, though. The Sasquatch Package’s increased ride height from long-travel Bilstein dampers, and wider track and fender flares, do nothing to help the Bronco’s already un-aerodynamic profile, contributing to a recorded 15L/100km in a week of mostly urban driving, a little higher than the official figures of around 14L/100km for city, highway and combined use. But you’ll likely be enjoying yourself too much to care.
Takeaway: Is the 2022 Ford Bronco Badlands Worth It?
New vehicles that put a smile on your face every time you get behind the wheel are few and far between, but the Bronco Badlands undoubtedly fits the bill. Its rugged style and responsive driving experience are a winning combination, even for drivers who’ll rarely exploit its true off-road potential. Let’s hope that current supply shortages ease soon so that more drivers can get behind the wheel.
