Test review 2023 Ford Bronco V6 Ecoboost (EU)

After World War II, Americans fully rediscovered the joys of off-road driving, with an undisguised cult of the holy Jeep Willys – which, by the way, was also built under license under the ‘Ford GPW’ name. The American auto giant saw its chance and launched the Bronco in 1966.

As a kind of avant-garde SUV, the Ford Bronco was built on a robust chassis, while its bodywork and interior were more refined than those of a normal off-road vehicle – although here entry was also limited to two (small) doors. In three decades, four generations of Broncos would see the light of day, until the model was simply retired in 1996.

It was replaced by the (larger) Ford Expedition, which was more luxurious and in line with the wishes of customers at the time. However, the Bronco with its distinctive vertical grille never lost its popularity with the public … In fact, the temptation was so great that in 2021, a quarter of a century after its retirement, Detroit decided to reintroduce the Ford Bronco and it is no longer only sold in the United States, but also outside its borders.

The new Ford Bronco will finally come to Europe in 2023. And to Belgium.

Bodywork and dimensions Ford Bronco

Currently, only us Europeans are entitled to the five-door model Ford Bronco – at home There is also a shorter wheelbase three-door. Measuring over 4.80m in length, at least 1.93m in width and 1.85m in height, it makes a robust companion that does not go unnoticed.

Its simple shapes and bulging eyes immediately catch the eye in an environment where designs are often too contrived, while car enthusiasts familiar with the original Ford Bronco—who seem to be more numerous in our country than you might imagine—easily recognize the family connection. on the original form. For other interested parties, the name is in all caps on the net…you couldn’t make it more obvious.

In Europe, you can order the new Ford Bronco both as a civilized exterior banker (identifiable by its side running boards) and as a rough terrainer, which not only comes with BF Goodrich big-stud tires, but also has a specific Bilstein suspension with increased suspension travel: 240mm front and 261mm rear, compared to 200 and 215mm for the outboards.

Interior and trunk Ford Bronco

Behind the wheel of a Frod Bronco, you are naturally high and dry. A vertical windshield and large side windows improve all-round visibility, while the contours of the nose are hard to judge compared to, say, a Jeep Wrangler because the front fenders extend almost to the hood.
And the front “eyes”—formally designed to hold large objects on the surface, like kayaks or canoes—also make maneuvering easier by serving as standard.

To make the most of the nice weather, you can also remove all three roof panels (two over the front seats, one over the back seat) and hardtop (including the rear window) to make your Ford Bronco a true convertible. This process was only supposed to take 8 minutes…but the truth is, it takes a little longer.

Not to mention the right wrenches you need to undo all the roof elements, the number of people to lift (at least two), and the space to store them. You can even technically remove the doors; Then they are placed in the luggage compartment, each in its own shell. Stripped that way, the Ford Bronco looks like a sand buggy. CAUTION: This configuration without doors is legally prohibited on public roads with us.

Specifications and performance Ford Bronco

While Americans can also claim the 2.3 EcoBoost four-cylinder (with seven-speed manual or ten-speed automatic transmission) and 3.0 V6 EcoBoost (with ten-speed automatic transmission), Europe only gets a Ford Bronco 2.7 V6 EcoBoost paired with a transmission. Ten-speed automatic.

On the road, the Ford Bronco moves confidently, even if it suffers from a certain amount of inertia due to its large size and weight (between 2.2 and 2.35 tons). The 563 Nm of torque from the V6 – maximum up to 3,100 rpm – ensures flexibility, but 335 hp doesn’t sound like much for this heavy lad.

However, we appreciated the overall smooth operation of everything and the fairly successful management of the ten-speed automatic. We’re less pleased with the way you have to operate this box manually—with an old-fashioned plus-and-minus button on the side of the lever—and the feel of the brake pedal, which is still a bit spongy.

The Badlands’ transmission is more sophisticated, with a locked front differential (as opposed to the always open differential on the outer banks) as standard and an automatic 4WD mode. The terrain management system—which manages the transmission, differential, and driver-assistance systems—is also a bit more comprehensive on this version: with Rock Crawl mode and Baja mode, for example.
For more challenging obstacle courses, the Ford Bronco Badlands is also equipped with a fully detachable front stabilizer bar and specific reinforcements on the bottom of the vehicle.

driving behaviour Ford Bronco

As far as the chassis is concerned, the Ford Bronco can really handle anything—road bumps or speed bumps as a joke—but there’s generally somewhat rustic shock absorption. In other words, the solid rear axle will bounce happily on a less good or bad road surface, while the front derailleur on asphalt that isn’t pool flat will ‘float’ a little more than a true SUV.

Still, the Ford Bronco does no worse than the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited—its killer competitor—and certainly drives better than its last year predecessors. All our grievances disappear like snow in the sun, as soon as we leave the beaten path. Because it’s only when the terrain gets really tough that Ford’s Bronco—a name from the rodeo world, referring to a wild horse—develops its full potential.

sandAnd mud / cracks or slippery: The Terrain Management system does not care and turns every driver into a seasoned specialist in the terrain … even if you do not have the slightest experience of all-wheel drive. With its fat tires (in rough terrain), generous ground clearance (261mm in rough terrain and 237mm on the outer banks) and short fenders, the Ford Bronco is unstoppable. Not even through the 80cm deep water features!

In addition, the gearbox is equipped with a reduction gearbox that allows driving at a walking pace and in which the torque of the V6 engine is transmitted to the axles to the maximum. In the pristine Ardennes woods, our playground for this test, the Ford Bronco rides like a king, almost silently—with the V6 running close to idle—and with a dignity that belongs to true off-road vehicles.

Belgian price Ford Bronco

So the Ford Bronco comes to Europe with a five-door, powered by a 2.7 V6 engine and offered as Outer Banks and Badlands. In either case, the equipment is very spacious, with leather / leatherette upholstery as standard, heated and electrically adjustable front seats, two-zone automatic climate control, a ten-speaker multimedia navigation system, a 360-degree camera system … and much, much more. .

The towbar is an option (1,200 euros), but fortunately Ford has made it collapsible, so that the departure angle is not affected. The Bronco can hang up to 1250 pounds of tow on this hook (or even more if the trailer is hitched).

This is certainly a sweet toy for off-road enthusiasts, but the fact remains that the Bronco, with its €76,700 price tag for the Outer Banks version and €80,700 for the Badland version, leans more towards luxury than utilitarian. and/or familial. And then we didn’t even mention the fuel consumption, which is always well above 12 l / 100 km, or the CO2₂Emissions over 300g/km, which would cost this American (very) dearly in our tax system.

Ford Bronco – Verdict AutoGuide

Ford is well aware of these shortcomings and remains very cautious about the number of vehicles destined for Europe. The exact number remains a secret Buzz Bath With increasing pressure on customers.

But anyway, we’re not going to see more Broncos than festivals on our roads anytime soon. To the lucky (or future) owners reading this: Do us a favor and take your Ford Bronco off the road every now and then. Or go on an adventure with her. Because that’s when his true talent comes out.