Bronco Sport
What makes the Bronco Sport so special, and how does it stack up against the competition?
What is the Bronco Sport
Meet the Bronco Sport. The perfect blend between on-road comfort and off-road capability. With 6 distinct trim levels to choose from, there is a Bronco Sport for everyone. Designed to withstand rugged environments and inspire adventure, this special vehicle offers the freedom to explore almost anywhere you can imagine. This weekend, why not plan an exciting family outing? You could go mountain biking through beautiful trails, ski down the slopes, or even take a peaceful kayak ride on the lake. The choice is yours, and the possibilities for fun are endless!
Trim Levels of The Bronco Sport
Below is a list of the available trim levels for the Bronco Sport for the 2023 model year.
Base
Base
Starting at the very attractive price of $35,999, the Base Bronco Sport is the perfect blend of traditional and recognizable Bronco styling, and modern features to make your everyday adventures just a little better.
Highlighted features of this model include 4×4 capabilities, a flip-up rear glass trunk, Ford CoPilot 360, a highly fuel-efficient 1.5L Ecoboost engine, a Terrain Management System with 5 G.O.A.T. modes, and much more! This model is perfect for anyone looking for great value in terms of utility
Big Bend
Big Bend
The Big Bend has a starting price of $38,899 and includes a few comfort features that aren’t available on the Base trim. This makes every adventure a little easier with heated front seats and Rubberized Cargo Floor mats for easy clean up.
Some standout features on the Big Bend trim level are Cloth- Front Bucket seats, Intelligent Access with Push Button Start, MOLLE Straps System, Heated Side View Mirrors, and a few other exciting and seriously useful benefits.
Heritage – New
Heritage – New
New for 2023, the Bronco Sport Heritage is one of two additions that excite. The Heritage trim offers a distinctive style that’s only available on this model while keeping all the features you love about the Big Bend.
The distinct styling starts with the special Oxford White painted roof, the Unique Cloth seats with Heather Navy Pier and Plaid Inserts and special Oxford White Painted Aluminum Wheels. As this is the Heritage trim, you also have the option to equip yours with the new Robin’s Egg Blue exterior paint.
Outer Banks
Outer Banks
If you’re looking for the ultimate in comfort and everyday conveniences, the Outer Banks is probably the trim for you. This level of luxury is even better than the Big Bend trim, and it guarantees that you will look your best while navigating the trail.
The great looks start with 18″ Machined-Face Aluminum Ebony Black Painted Wheels, Shadown Black Roof and Bold Black Grille with white Bronco Lettering. The luxuries continue on the inside with Leather-Trimmed Seats and Front Bucket Seats. Features like Remote Start System, Heated and Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel with Bronco Badge, Cruise and Audio Controls, Zipper Pockets for the front driver and passenger and more, you’ll find all the comfort features you’d ever want.
Badlands
Badlands
When you hear the name Badlands, you know this trim level is serious. What do you picture when you think of Badlands? Perhaps some challenging off-road trails? Well, that’s exactly what the Bronco Sport is built for. With a starting price of $46,149, there is no better Bronco Sport for getting through that tough trail, stream and rocky hill.
Standard with the more powerful 2.0L EcoBoost engine option, this Bronco Sport comes with and can be equipped with features and accessories that are sure to impress any off-road enthusiast. Advanced 4×4 with Twin-Clutch Rear Drive Unit, Metal Bash Plates, Off-Road Suspension, Front Tow Hooks, Ford Trail Control, All-Terrain Tires and the Front 180-Degree Camera with Split View are just some of the upgrades to make trailblazing a breeze.
Heritage Limited – New
Heritage Limited – New
Ford said it best, this is the perfect blend of vintage style and modern capability. This model builds off of the Badlands and adds a host of comfort and cosmetic-related upgrades that make each stand out (literally). The Journey Package is included as a standard feature in the Heritage Limited, enhancing its elegance for your outdoor adventures.
The Heritage comes with three special colour options, including Robin’s Egg Blue, Yellowstone Metallic, and Peak Blue Metallic, all of which are unavailable on all other models in the Ford lineup that aren’t a part of the Heritage model lineup. The Heritage Limited trim is also distinguished by things like Unique Side Badge with Heritage Bronco Script, Upgraded Door Sill Plates, Leather-trimmed seats with Norias interior environment, “Heritage Limited” badge in the centre console, Oxford White door deco spears and more.
The Bronco Sport
Starting at $35,999
Top Competitors With The Bronco Sport
The Subaru Crosstrek
The Subaru Crosstrek is in the midst of a generational changeover, getting a complete redesign for the 2024 model year. The Crosstrek has been around since 2017 and has been a staple in the Subaru lineup for those looking to get into a mildly off-road capable SUV. The Crosstrek performs much more like a sedan than an SUV due to its size and handling, which can be seen as a good thing unless you’re looking specifically for an SUV.
The Crosstrek has a standard 152hp four-cylinder engine, which is relatively slow and takes 9 seconds to reach 100 km/h. You can opt for a hybrid version of this engine or a slightly more powerful 182hp 2.5L to increase the acceleration. Though some may not see the benefits of needing more power than the base engine, it should be considered how you need to accelerate onto the highway to merge, or when overtaking someone on a 2-lane road. This is far more cumbersome with a larger vehicle paired with a sub-200hp engine.
Fit and finish in the Crosstrek is good, and sees an improvement moving into the 2024 model. It has a relatively spacious and comfortable interior with additional sound-deadening material to help keep things a little quiet and reduce road noise. After the recent update, the design of this model finally feels up-to-date with modern standards. However, it raises the question of how this update has impacted the fundamental reasoning behind the initial design. It’s good to note that whether you get the base screen or the optional 11.6″ one, they both offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
How Does The Bronco Sport Compare?
Which direction is it heading?
While the 2023 and 2024 Crosstrek both share many similarities, it’s hard to tell which direction this vehicle is heading in. It still has the lacklustre engine options, a somewhat simple and cheap feeling interior design, and ditches the manual transmission for the refresh. The Subaru Crosstrek seems more devoted to providing a sense of utility rather than serious performance, but at this price point, you expect there to be some things missing.
No matter which trim you decide to go with for the Crosstrek, you are very limited in terms of optional equipment and packages. For options, you can choose which colour exterior you want, and you are shoehorned into taking whichever interior colour that trim gets. Your only real options are accessories such as bike racks, roof boxes, and cargo organizers which are quite restrictive in terms of customization. However, the Bronco Sport has revolutionized this by offering a massive range of customization options for almost every part of your vehicle, from the front to the back. There are next to no limitations for those looking to build their dream Bronco Sport.
The Subaru Forester
The Forester is like the big brother to the Crosstrek in many ways. It is a similar style SUV and shares many good and bad characteristics. Unlike the Crosstrek, the Forester saw a refresh the previous year and sees no change for the model year 2023. It shares the modern look that Subaru is going for with their newer generations of vehicles, taking some inspiration from their sportier models such as the WRX and BRZ.
Performance is still no strong suit for Subaru, with a standard 182hp four-cylinder engine that goes 0-100 in around 8 seconds. Not the best. But this vehicle offers more than performance, which is the main draw to a Subaru. This vehicle comes in a plethora of trim levels, similar to the Bronco Sport, with a special Wilderness Trim that aims to up the capability in, you guessed it, the wilderness.
Interior size, space and quality are about what you’d expect at this price point and from Subaru. Plenty of room to haul your gear to the campsite and back, and designed to take a beating. This means no high-quality leather or chrome buttons in sight. A design choice that enhances interior visibility, which can be extremely beneficial for off-roading, is the low hood height compared to some SUVs with higher hoods that need to be looked over.
How Does The Bronco Sport Compare?
Almost too similar to the Crosstrek.
A lot of the drawbacks that the Crosstrek faced are present in the Forester. It still has plenty of limitations in terms of customization and design. You won’t find any interior colour choices except on the Limited trim, which can be equipped with a lighter colour in case you don’t plan on getting it dirty. The upside of the Forester over the Crosstrek is the increase in trim levels to choose from which offer a little more diversity in choice, and the increase in size is useful for those who pack their car to the brim frequently.
If you’re not utilizing all the interior cargo space of your current car, perhaps cargo capacity is not as crucial as you thought. However, it’s worth mentioning that the Bronco Sport offers even more cargo space than the Forester, which can come in handy in case you ever require additional storage. Therefore, if you need a car with more storage, the Bronco Sport might be the better option. The Bronco Sport is by far the better performer in many ways as you can get the option Turbo Four Cylinder with 245hp to get you from A to B faster than your friend in the Forester.
The Toyota RAV4
If you’re basing this comparison on strictly an SUV in the $30,000 price range, the RAV4 can be considered a competitor. This SUV has been around for many years and offers some of the great tech that Toyota has to offer. The infotainment system has had a slight refresh for 2023, helping modernize some aspects of this SUV.
For 2023, there are more hybrid models available than gas only, and both have slightly lacklustre performance. The Hybrid slightly increases 0-100 times but not enough to be competitive with the comparable four-cylinder found in the Bronco Sport. Fuel economy on the other hand is relatively competitive at 6.7L per 100k in the front-wheel drive RAV4 estimated, but sees slightly higher fuel usage in real-world testing.
There is no doubt that the Toyota RAV4 is a larger SUV than the Bronco Sport and its previous two competitors. The RAV4 has a much larger cargo room, but this also means it is more cumbersome in maneuvering and handling. The base model comes with very basic features and materials, so it is often recommended to upgrade to a higher trim level in order to access more desirable features.
How Does The Bronco Sport Compare?
Increased agility and fun factor.
Being that the Bronco Sport is a smaller SUV, it handles far better. This is not only true for on-road driving in parking lots and city streets but for off-road adventures as well. The Bronco Sport, especially the Badlands trim, gets you far more in terms of actual off-road dedicated upgrades in contrast to the Trail AWD trim for the RAV4.
Since you’re considering the Bronco Sport, that means you find the off-road capabilities beneficial to your lifestyle. Whether you go camping or take on a new off-road trail every weekend, the Bronco Sport can handle any task you throw at it with ease. The Bronco is packed with standard and available tech, some of the best in the automotive industry, especially in the off-road community. The lower Big Bend trim can be equipped with the Black Diamond Off-Road Package which grants you Underbody Protection, Graphics Package #1, and 17″ Carbonized Grey-Paimted Low Gloss Aluminum wheels paired to a capable set of all-terrain tires.
The Jeep Compass
The Jeep Compass got a redesign for the 2022 model year and gained some amazing upgrades bringing it into the modern era of SUVs. Even though they kept a lot of the older Compass’s style, they found a way to update the little details and make it more modern. For 2023, the Jeep Compass comes with 7 trim options ranging all the way up to the Trailhawk Elite for those looking to take their off-road adventures to a new level.
All trim levels of the Jeep Compass share the new engine and transmission combo, a 2.0L turbo inline-four mated to an 8-speed auto transmission. This is plenty enough to get you around town in a zippy manner. This comes with 200hp, and in a vehicle this size, that is enough for everyday use. The cost of these vehicles can add up quickly depending on the additional add-ons and features you choose, which can be on top of the already high starting price. However, this is the trade-off you make for the level of capability you get.
The interior has seen some much-needed updates, especially in the screen and centre console area. There is good room for storage and passengers, enough to fit an adult comfortably behind the driver as long as they don’t have their seat pushed all the way back. This Compass comes standard with an 8.4-Inch screen and there is a larger optional 10.1-Inch screen. Of course, the Compass offers things like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well.
How Does The Bronco Sport Compare?
Nice but not very exciting
Jeep has produced some exciting models over the years, particularly in their performance segments such as the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and Wrangler 392. However, the Compass cannot be considered in the same league and is unlikely to even be on the radar of those who are interested in such models. While the Trailhawk models do offer some off-road capabilities, true off-road enthusiasts would not consider the Compass as a serious contender. The engine provides enough power for city driving, but it may feel slow when merging onto highways or overtaking on two-lane roads.
The Bronco Sport offers a more powerful and zippy four-cylinder engine option, while the standard engine, with less power, still outperforms the Compass. There are many exciting features of the Bronco Sport, such as its heritage and customization options that allow you to make it your own, as well as its limitless possibilities for off-road adventures. Overall, the Bronco Sport is a well-rounded compact SUV that offers everything the Compass does, and more.
MOTORTREND
“An impressive off-road performance, quiet and comfortable on-road, and a stylish and usable interior.”
Final Thoughts
While the Bronco Sport is the younger sibling to the renowned big Bronco model, it isn’t meant to compete with the likes of a Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, or Land Rover Defender. Instead, it has learned a lot of tricks from the Bronco that have cascaded down to some trim levels, allowing it to punch way above its weight class. Available features such as front and rear cameras, breadcrumb navigation, and advanced 4×4 make off-road exploration a breeze, whether you’re climbing a curb in a supermarket parking lot or blazing a new trail at the cottage.
The Bronco Sport is a highly refined SUV in its segment, offering plenty of features. Its level of customization is unmatched by any of its competitors unless you’re cross-shopping it with a Cayenne. You can choose to customize everything from the splash guards on the front and rear to the roof and roof rail design, down to the graphics packages and array of floor liners and mats. Not to mention, you have tons of exterior paint options, and most trim levels give you the choice of multiple interior colours as well.
If you’re interested in learning more about the 2023 Bronco Sport, please do not hesitate to reach out to one of our Ford Brand Specialists who can provide more detail in person, and over the phone. Head to our website to browse our current inventory, or come into our store to Experience the Yorkdale Ford Difference today!
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