Ford brings back the Bronco SUV with a dizzying array of options

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  Preproduction versions of the all-new 2021 Bronco family of rugged, all-4x4 SUVs,. They include (left) Bronco two-door in Cyber Orange Metallic Tri-Coat, Bronco four-door in Shadow Black, and Bronco Sport in Rapid Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat. [credit: Ford ]

On Monday night, in a coordinated advertising blitz across ABC, ESPN, and the National Geographic channel, as well as on YouTube and social media, Ford debuted its new Bronco SUV. The company is reviving the Bronco nameplate after a hiatus of 24 years, with new two-door, four-door, and Bronco Sport models on offer, all with four-wheel drive designed for off-road ability.

The two- and four-door Broncos comes in seven different trim levels, with another five trims available for the Bronco Sport, and there's a bewildering array of customization available to suit just about every possible taste. Well, almost every—we're sad to report there are no plans to offer the range as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or battery electric vehicle. So if you were hoping for some electrification, now's the time to head to the comments instead of reading on.

The big Bronco

Whether two-door (starting at $29,995) or four-door ($34,995), the Bronco comes equipped with Ford's 2.3L EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine as standard. That sends 270hp (201kW) and 310lb-ft (420Nm) to all four wheels via a seven-speed manual Getrag transmission. I mean, we say seven-speed, but it's more like a six-speed plus an extra-low 6.588:1 ratio for use when the blacktop has run out and you want to go rock climbing without getting out of the vehicle.

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