WORDS FRANK MARKUS
PHOTOGRAPHS STEVEN PHAM46mm-diameter monotube shocks
greatly increase the oil capacity and
hence the heat dissipation of these shocks
when running fast over rough terrain.
The electric power steering is
programmed to match the different drive
modes and to provide added damping
in rock-crawling modes to prevent the
kickback such conditions can cause. All
of this helps assure the Bronco Sport
can deliver the off-road credibility its
name, boxy mien, and round headlamps
promise.
See, if the big Bronco is to be Ford’s
Wrangler, then other vehicles borrowing
its name also must be able to sling sand
and climb rocks—just as Jeep’s Trail
Rated variants of its crossovers also
must live up to those expectations.
Therefore, there will be no front-drive
or low-ground-clearance Bronco
Sports—no BINOs (Broncos In NameOnly). And among the broader Bronco
family, you can expect the Badlands trim
to be the most capable off-roader, like
Jeep’s Trailhawk or Rubicon variants.The Escape and Bronco Sport are
proportioned very differently. The
Bronco Sport is 7.8 inches shorter in
length on a wheelbase that’s 1.6 inches
smaller, and the vastly boxier stepped
“safari roof ” towers 4.2 inches above the
Escape’s to preserve people and cargo
space. This presents a very different
command-of-the-road seating position
and affords 6 percent more overall
passenger space, thanks to surplus head-
and legroom front and rear. Cargo space
shrinks just slightly, to 32.0 cubic feet
with the seats up and 65.0 with them
down, versus the Escape’s 33.5 and 65.4.
As far as trim level packaging goes,
the first step above the base model is Big
Bend (matching Escape SE), then comes
Outer Banks (sporty luxury, with extra
body-color trim and the option of a black
roof ). At the top is the Badlands model,
which can have a black or gray roof
treatment. There will also be 2,000 fully
loaded Badlands-based First Edition
models featuring unique graphics and
trim in 2021. All get standard Co-Pilot
360 safety gear, which can be upgraded
to include lane centering assist and
intelligent active cruise control (which
can follow posted speed limits). LED
headlamps are standard on all to achieve
that vaunted Good rating from the IIHS.Even basic models carrying over the
Escape’s all-wheel-drive system get
passive air cooling for their power takeoff
unit, via a scoop built into the aerody-
namic underbody tray to keep things cool
during prolonged operation in sand and
gravel. Top Badlands versions get water
cooling for the power takeoff. Note that inSEPTEMBER 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 35