A few lucky members of the automotive press were recently able to finally drive the 2021 Ford Bronco after months (years, really) of anticipation. Needless to say, 190,000 or so reservation holders and 125,000 order holders, along with the rest of the automotive world, have been very interested to see if the new Ford Bronco can live up to its immense hype, especially after well-documented hardtop issues have plagued production early on. Luckily, judging from the universally positive 2021 Ford Bronco reviews we’ve seen thus far, it appears that it has.
First up, we have Kristen Lee from The Drive, who calls the new Bronco an “off-road God” – high praise, indeed.
“But throughout the roughly three hours of off-roading on three different trails, nothing bested it,” Lee said. “It never failed. It never got stuck. So surefooted and unshakable was the truck that after some time, I felt more and more at ease in spite to myself. I split my time between the First Edition on the rock-crawling trail and a $59,200 four-door, automatic, V6 Badlands Bronco on the milder dirt trail. Both handled the terrain with incredible aplomb. The trucks climbed up and down hills, forded creeks, and splashed through the mud like it was child’s play.”
Alanis King of Business Insider appreciates the fact that the Bronco isn’t just a one-trick pony, but rather, a formidable on-road machine as well.
“The Bronco feels purposefully brutish on the road and off,” King said. “Its suspension absorbs ruts and impacts but doesn’t insulate the driver from them. It feels strong and confident but not disconnected. You buy a Bronco to be one with the terrain without letting its impact turn you into a nauseous bobblehead, not to forget the terrain is there in the first place. The same goes for rough roads.”
Ford was clearly gunning for the Jeep Wrangler as it designed the reborn Bronco, and luckily for the automaker, Aaron Gold from MotorTrend declares it a superior product.
“Ford has a lot to prove here: The Jeep Wrangler makes the on-road sacrifices it does in the name of exceptional off-road aptitude, and the Bronco’s use of an independent front suspension rather than a live axle is bound to earn derision from the Jeepisti. Well, guys, we hate to be the bearer of bad news, but as an out-of-the-box off-roader, the Bronco appears to be every bit as capable as the Wrangler, and moderately easier to use.”
These 2021 Ford Bronco reviews cast a pretty glowing light on the iconic model, but it’s also important to remember that this is just the beginning. As Ford Authority was the first to report, a more hardcore Ford Bronco Raptor (formerly known as the Ford Bronco Warthog) is on the way, and recent photos of prototypes reveal quite a few details about this special model.
Ford Authority also recently spied a new Bronco hybrid prototype for the second time, which is wearing a host of unique and strange features. But that won’t be the only electrified Bronco, it seems, as Ford CEO Jim Farley recently hinted at a possible all-electric version of the model as well. Regardless, it’s clear that the Bronco’s future is bright, and that’s great news for enthusiasts that have been waiting for its return for over a quarter-century now.
We’ll have much more on the Bronco very soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Bronco news and around-the-clock Ford news coverage.
Comments
Send this car to Australia!!!
We have a huge passion for cars and the great outdoors. Ford you are crazy if you don’t see this!!’
Great job Ford! We got another winner!
This is a huge accomplishment for Ford. Initial quality on those first customer deliveries is going to be critical now. With so much attention on the product, every early “glitch” will be magnified in importance by the chattering classes.
And that Raptor version is definitely going to be the answer to Jeep’s announced Wrangler Xtreme Recon model. Speaking as a perspective customer, the competition between the two companies and their products only means good news for me.