FORWARD INTO THE PAST
Motor Trend|September 2020
THE NEW BRONCO IS MORE THAN NOSTALGIA. IT DELIVERS THE GOODS. ANYWHERE.
JONNY LIEBERMAN & FRANK MARKUS
FORWARD INTO THE PAST

Thunderclouds threaten as our group stands in the middle of Johnson Valley OHV Area, looking at two pre-production 2021 Ford Broncos. One is a Cactus Gray four-door Badlands hardtop, but we can’t take our eyes off the Cyber Orange two-door, Black Diamond, with the removable roof fully removed. It looks utterly fabulous.

A concept car come to life, driven straight off the auto show stand to an off-road paradise known for King of the Hammers. The consensus: Ford is gonna sell a million of these things. The Bronco—especially the papaya-colored small fry—just looks right on.

Design

This new truck, available in two- or four-door styles, resembles the old first-generation Bronco from the ’60s and ’70s without being slavish. The 2021 Bronco is fresh, futuristic, fun. It looks like a kid’s toy you want to pick up and play with.

Size-wise, the two-door is 6.9 inches longer than the equivalent Jeep Wrangler on a 3.6-inch longer wheelbase, while the four-door is an inch longer on a 2.3-inch shorter wheelbase. The Broncos are 2.1 inches wider and 0.7 inch lower, and they offer similar head- and legroom with more shoulder- and hip room in the four-door, less in the two-door. Both Fords accommodate more cargo than the Jeeps—3.9–10.6 cubic feet with the seats up and 5.2–26.4 cubes more with them down, four-door to two-door. So the four-doors are close in size; the Bronco two-door is way bigger and roomier.

The Bronco offers three trim-specific grilles at launch, and each apes the fullwidth one-piece look of the original. The forward corners of each front fender sprout a “trail sight,” which helps locate the corners for the adventurous off-road driver and also serves as a place to lash canoes or kayaks to the roof.

This story is from the September 2020 edition of Motor Trend.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the September 2020 edition of Motor Trend.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MOTOR TRENDView All
MOTORTREND SUV OF THE YEAR 2024 - CERTIFIED FRESH
Motor Trend

MOTORTREND SUV OF THE YEAR 2024 - CERTIFIED FRESH

THERE’S NO REST FOR SUV MAKERS IN THE INTENSE QUEST TO BE THE BEST

time-read
10+ mins  |
January 2024
THE CHEVROLET BLAZER EV IS THE 2024 SUV OF THE YEAR
Motor Trend

THE CHEVROLET BLAZER EV IS THE 2024 SUV OF THE YEAR

Once again, the bow-tie brand shows leadership in the electric vehicle space

time-read
9 mins  |
January 2024
AGENTS OF ZERO
Motor Trend

AGENTS OF ZERO

WE DID IT AGAIN: RUNNING OUR VW ID4 EV OUT OF ELECTRICITY, JUST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS

time-read
7 mins  |
January 2024
THEY LISTENED
Motor Trend

THEY LISTENED

THE NEW TESLA MODEL 3 HIGHLAND FIXES NEARLY EVERYTHING WE HATED ABOUT THE OLD CAR

time-read
9 mins  |
January 2024
2023 Lexus RZ
Motor Trend

2023 Lexus RZ

Lexus says it will make only battery-powered vehicles by 2035, and the new RZ 450e is the brand’s first dedicated EV. This midsize crossover indicates Lexus’ future lineup will have luxurious appeal, but we find this first effort lacking in crucial areas.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2024
2024 Land Rover Defender
Motor Trend

2024 Land Rover Defender

The Defender 130 is a tricky one to judge. On one hand, it potentially improves upon a design and package we previously lauded enough to crown as our 2021 SUV of the Year in the form of the standard Defender 110. The 130 is more than a foot longer than the 110 and has more room for people and stuff, stretching the existing design into a new body style. (The 130’s wheelbase remains unchanged.)

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2024
2024 Kia Seltos
Motor Trend

2024 Kia Seltos

If you’ve been a fan of Kia’s recent styling direction but don’t want to pay top dollar for it, the 2024 Kia Seltos is a great way to get a rolling piece of that design aesthetic at a reasonable price.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2024
2023 Jeep Compass
Motor Trend

2023 Jeep Compass

When asked to identify an off-road vehicle, the average person will point to just about any Jeep.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2024
2024 Hyundai Kona
Motor Trend

2024 Hyundai Kona

The Kona enters its second generation for 2024 with a new design language. It’s larger than the outgoing Kona, too, and its uncommonly ornate (for this class) and unmistakable design is something we’re already seeing in other upcoming Hyundai products. Having really liked the previous Kona, would our judges warm to this one?

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2024
2023 Ford Escape
Motor Trend

2023 Ford Escape

The Escape is one of those SUVs that hasn’t ranked at the top of its class for a long time, but every time we drive one, we’re pleasantly surprised. Although it perpetually feels a little outdated, there’s some inherent goodness baked into the Escape.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2024