THE REAL DEAL

FORD’S LONG-AWAITED BRONCO IS ABSOLUTELY LEGIT

- AARON GOLD

The 2021 Ford Bronco is easily one of the most anticipated vehicles of our fledgling decade, and we won’t keep you in suspense: Our initial impression after driving the new Bronco is that it absolutely lives up to the hype.

Driven on- or off-road, viewed as a getaway/adventure vehicle, a family truckster, or as a piece of retro automotive art, the Bronco feels like a winner. Indeed, Jeep’s longtime off-road champ, the Wrangler, now has some serious competition, as does our 2021 SUV of the Year, Land Rover’s epic Defender.

We had the Wrangler in mind as we saddled up a Bronco in Austin, Texas, for our first on-road drive. Our trusty steed was a midlevel four-door Black Diamond model with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine, manual transmission, and honest-to-goodness steel wheels. Hey, there were more lavish Broncos available to drive, but we can’t resist a stick and steelies on a vehicle like this.

The Bronco made a positive first impression immediately. For starters, its cabin feels spacious and airy. While the Jeep’s instrument panel and windshield sit so close to you that you can practically inhale them, the Bronco’s dash does a better job of social distancing, and we appreciate the additional room.