The venerable Ford Bronco is a revamped version of the much-loved original SUV. Chunkily styled, the new Bronco arrives in two or four -door formats with 4X4 capability. In terms of the looks, Ford have done a wonderful job when it comes to keeping the retro styling cues with a modern twist.
The Bronco Sport is front -engined with four-wheel drive and powered by a 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine with 245 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque. The other models – Base, Badlands, Big Bend and Outer Banks – have the 1.5-litre EcoBoost engine that produces 181 hp and 190 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are mated to an 8 -speed Select Shift automatic transmission with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. The Bronco comes in number of special editions as mentioned plus the Wild track, Sport heritage and Black Appearance package version with different exterior, interior and equipment packages,
We tested the new Bronco Sport Free Wheeling edition based on the Bronco Sport’s Big Bend trim level, The Free Wheeling’s adds the iconic red, orange and yellow five-colour reflective graphic stripes on the Ford Freewheeling series Bronco’s from the 1970s and early 1980s. These bold accents are a breath of fresh air in an auto market that now favours usually drab monochrome color schemes. The funky colorful pop-art look is offset by 17-inch high-gloss black wheels with red accents; a silver-painted grille with two-tone Bronco badge; black roof, mirrors, and bumpers; orange accents on the dash; and the exterior and multicolor graphic hues in the seat inserts and contrast stitching.
The engine on this model is the turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine making 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. Ford’s High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension (H.O.S.S.) is also part of the spec. There is also the advanced 4×4 system with twin-clutch torque vectoring on the rear axle. They also come with the Bronco’s G.O.A.T. (“goes over any type of terrain”) modes, including Sport, Eco, Slippery, and Sand. The 2024 Ford Bronco Sport starts at $38,995 to $46,550, while the Free-Wheeling version starts at $41,995 plus options, delivery, and taxes.
Interior wise there is a modern well integrated cabin with comfortable seats and good ergonomics. The exterior red orange and yellow stripes are carried over to the seatbacks, where they add a great dash of contrast and color and certainly brighten up the interior. I also like the hits of red trim accents around the dash display and the door panels as well as the Ochre stitching on the seats. Creature comforts abound with such features as heated seats and steering mounted climate controls directly under the eight-inch touchscreen. AM, FM, Sirius satellite radio, and navigation. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is standard.
The Ford Co-Pilot360 driver assist technologies are standard on all models, with collision avoidance. Other neat touches include Engine Auto Stop and Start function. Interior legroom and general spaciousness is particularly good in all areas. Moving to the rear, the Bronco has folding rear seats also to increase the amount of cargo space. There are 900 litres of cargo space with all seats in place. Folding the rear seatbacks increases capacity to 1,840 litres.
On road performance is good with a smooth ride, The automatic engine stop-start feature activates at red lights and stop signs saves fuel and engages well. Overall, the Sport offers good handling and acceleration when needed. The brakes are also highly effective. Up to seven driving modes are available that will help the driver take the Sport just about anywhere. Standard modes include Normal, Eco, Sport, and Slippery & Sand. Mud, rut, and rock crawl modes are also available. Ford also offer the Trail Control Tech mode which operates like cruise control for rough surfaces.
Fuel economy is rated at: (Standard) 1.5-litre EcoBoost turbo – 9.3L/100km city/8.3 Highway/8.9 combined. The 2.0-litre EcoBoost turbo offers 11.1L/100km city/8.9 Highway/10.1 combined. The tow rating is up to 1,000 kilograms, enough for a small boat or trailer.
To sum up the Bronco Sport Freewheeling Edition adds even more flair and pizazz to an already desirable SUV for die-hard Bronco aficionados and new buyers looking for a cool practical SUV; Not a lot of complaints, the back seat is tight for tall people and the price can be steep for the upmarket models. The Free-Wheeling package is a unique and rare limited edition run that will be highly collectible in the future .Highly recommended if the cool factor is important to you and you can pull off that wacky color scheme!
2024 Ford Bronco Sport Freewheeling Edition: price as tested with options, destination, and delivery – $49,210.
More info at: www.ford.ca
2024 Ford Bronco Sport Freewheeling Edition: Even more Retro!
