In recent years, the Bronco has proven to be a consumer favorite. With all its standard and available off-road equipment, it is truly the only car in its class on a par with the . It also shares the same shape, plus you can remove the doors and windows for more exciting off-road adventures.
The Ford Bronco Sport is a little less rugged, but even the base SUV has standard all-wheel drive with selectable terrain modes. It’s also a little smaller than the Bronco, but that’s not the biggest difference between the two. When it comes to cut variety, the Bronco has the Bronco Sport beaten by a long shot.
, the 2023 Ford Bronco Sport has six trim levels available. The Bronco Sport Base has a 181-hp turbo-three engine, plus some useful convenience features and a well-appointed safety suite. The Big Bend and Heritage trims offer a few technology packages, and the latter is the first trim with off-road tires as standard.
The Bronco Sport Outer Banks has a more elegant interior with ambient interior lighting and leather seats. The Bronco Sport Badlands comes standard with the only other optional engine, a turbocharged four producing 250hp and 277Nm of torque. Both engines are mated to the same eight-speed automatic transmission.
Both the and Limited have a special off-road suspension and multiple drive modes for the 4WD system. In addition to adaptive cruise control, these models feature a trail-optimized semi-autonomous driving mode. All Limited models include a towing package, which allows your Bronco Sport to tow 2,200 lbs.
Here are all the ways you can configure your Ford Bronco
To begin with, the Ford Bronco has four more trims than the Bronco Sport. The Base model is probably a better value than the smaller Sport because it has standard off-road tires and a 300hp engine. The Black Diamond model features a lockable rear differential, rubber floor with drain plugs, and easy-to-clean vinyl seats.
Black Diamond, Base, Big Bend, Outer Banks, Heritage and Badlands finishes can all be optioned with the . This package adds things like Bilstein shock absorbers, 35-inch tires, high-performance off-road suspension, and lockable front and rear differentials. The Wildtrak trim already includes this package, as well as full-time 4WD and a 330hp twin-turbo V6 engine.
The Bronco Everglades comes with a larger bumper, roof rails, a Warn winch and a standard snorkel. Because it also has the Sasquatch package equipped, this Bronco has a maximum wading tolerance of approximately 33.5 inches. The Heritage Limited Edition builds on its Heritage trim with some technology and interior upgrades.
It’s an off-road machine with frame upgrades and 37-inch tires, plus all of Wildtrak’s standard equipment. Under the hood is a twin-turbo V6 capable of 418 HP and 440 Nm of torque.
So many options, but is that a bad thing?
In addition to all trim levels offered, most Bronco trims give you the choice of a two- or four-door model. Combined with all available package upgrades, there are several ways to customize the Base Ford Bronco as well. Still, we can understand why some drivers might not be thrilled with the Bronco’s overwhelming list of options.
Things can get confusing if you’re just a casual shopper who only participates in some light off-roading. We suspect that even the most avid Bronco lovers can’t list all the features for every matching set-up. For fans of the one-size-fits-all approach, the Ford Bronco Sport is the better choice of the two.
