Ford Bronco - Can A Bare-Bones Manual 4 Cylinder Still Do Bronco Stuff?

Would you take this Bronco or a Wrangler?

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#FordBronco #Bronco #BroncoOffroad

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Yes, this is about as opposite a spec as you could get from the Bronco we previously tested a couple months ago, but yanno, it’s still q uite a bit of fun!

Under the skin we have a 2.3L turbo 4 cylinder which only makes 275hp and 310 lbft. And yes, of course, this is the base engine so it makes less power HOWEVER it’s still more power than you get in a 4Runner.

In this 4 cylinder you also get better fuel economy. The EPA rates about 18 mpg for Black Diamond 2.3L manuals which is what we have here, but in our week of testing we’ve been getting back over 20…and that’s WITH all the time it spends stationary for filming and photos, and the offroading we id at Road Ameica

Yes, it’s surprisingly efficient for something so heavy, AND it makes more power than a 4Runner with a big 4liter V6

But don’t be fooled, this thing is not quick. 0-60 is closer 8 seconds than it is 7

But to be honest that’s ok, because I’m not really expecting my 4x4 offroader that’s shaped like a rubiks cube to be fast…I just don’t really care!

Power is one thing, but to live with something like a body on frame 4x4 is another so let’s chat about what it’s like to live with in the environment that it’ll spend 90% of its life…on the road

Of course the closest competitor to this thing is the Jeep Wrangler so that’s what we’ll compare it to in our minds here

There are pros and cons here.

A pro is that you have a more traditional rack and pinion steering rack with an electronic power steering system

This works with the independent front suspension to give you a better sense of road feel and what the front tires are doing

The Jeep uses a solid front axle which is beneficial for rock crawling and offroad articulation, but isn’t as pleasant on the road. The Wrangler also, to my knowledge, is the only modern passenger vehicle to use recirculating ball steering.

The result on the Jeep is that it’s a little less refined on the street to the point that Jeep can’t or hasn’t fitted lane keep assist where Ford has done in some Broncos

Then there’s ride refinement. The suspension is relatively stiff. These aren’t the Bilstein dampers, but even still they are pretty stiff and you get a good amount of shutter over small to medium road imperfections, especially from the solid rear axle. The ride is liveable, but I think the 4Runner has both the Wrangler and Bronco beat on ride quality

And then finall there’s cabin refinement, and again let’s think about what this is. It’s a ladder frame 4x4 that’s shaped like a brick and is designed to have almost all the body work come off

So if you’re expecting Rolls Royce level cabin isolation and quiet…no

But that’s the charm and a HUGE reason why you get something like this. In the winter it sucked becuase you’re dealing with the squeaky roof all the time, but in the summer when you can take the roof off or the doors off THATS when this makes its stand

So ultimately, on the road, this is totally liveable if you’re willing to make some compromises for the character. The ride is perfectly adequate, the driving dynamics are solid, the power isn’t going to set your heart on fire, but honestly it’s enough and for the big bump in MPG I’ll take it. The only thing I might change is the manual. It’s a good throw and a nice pedal box, and I did have fun driving it, but the 10 speed suits what I’m looking for from this vehicle a little better…and we’ll get into that more now as we head into the forest at Road America..\

17 inch steelies, i saw someone paint them white which was really cool
General grabber AT tires which did fine on the offroad course
This thing doesn’t have keyless entry
You have the punch code ford thing, but I have to take the key out of my pocket
Towing package tho about 3500 lbs