Review QuickTakes:
Americans are buying crossovers in droves, and the 2022 Ford Bronco bucks that trend. Revived just last year, the legendary Bronco nameplate is applied on 2-door and 4-door SUVs with legitimate off-roading capability. Two different turbocharged engines are available, paired with a manual or automatic transmission. In addition, every 2022 Bronco has standard four-wheel drive.
Ford
2022 Ford Bronco Configurations
At the start of the 2022 model year, the Bronco comes in six trim levels:
- Bronco — Ford characterizes the base Bronco as a canvas upon which you can unleash customization. Like all Broncos, it has standard four-wheel drive, Goes Over Any Terrain (G.O.A.T.) driving modes, removable doors, and a removable top (hardtop on 2-doors and soft on the 4-door). Other standard features include LED headlights with automatic high-beam operation, heated side mirrors, remote keyless entry with push-button engine start, air conditioning, and cloth seats with front height adjustment. An 8-inch digital information center and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system are standard, along with wireless smartphone mirroring, satellite radio, and connected services. In addition, the base Bronco includes forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking
- Bronco Big Bend — Big Bend trim swaps out the standard 16-inch steel wheels and all-season tires for a set of 17-inch aluminum wheels wrapped in all-terrain rubber. This trim also equips the Bronco with dark-tinted rear privacy glass and remote engine starting and expands the optional equipment menu
- Bronco Black Diamond — Equipped for serious off-roading right out of the factory, the Black Diamond includes black 17-inch steel wheels, upgraded bumpers, full underbody bash plates, rock rails, an electronic locking rear axle, and additional G.O.A.T. modes. A rubber floor is standard, complete with wash-out drain plugs, along with marine-grade, mildew-resistant vinyl upholstery. Ford also installs Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) front seatback storage in the Black Diamond
- Bronco Outer Banks — If a Bronco made for daily driving exists, this is it. Body-color exterior trim, machined-finish 18-inch aluminum wheels, and upgraded signature LED lighting pair with upgraded interior trim, ambient interior lighting, dual-zone automatic climate control, and heated front seats. This version of the Bronco also has a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and rear parking sensors. In addition, Ford’s Trail Control and Trail Turn Assist features are standard for off-roading, and the Outer Banks comes with a standard automatic transmission
- Bronco Badlands — The Badlands is another dedicated off-road trim, based on the Black Diamond. It has signature LED lighting and 17-inch aluminum wheels, plus an advanced four-wheel-drive system, electronic locking front and rear axles, and a front stabilizer bar disconnect system. A connected navigation system is also standard, with a limited trial period to service
- Bronco Wildtrak — The pinnacle of the Bronco lineup (until the Raptor arrives), the Wildtrak blends Outer Banks and Badlands equipment with a twin-turbocharged V6 engine and a standard Sasquatch package including 17-inch beadlock capable wheels and drivetrain and suspension modifications. Ford’s Trail One-Pedal Drive system is also standard on the Wildtrak
Ford
What’s New for the 2022 Ford Bronco?
During its second year on the market, the Bronco lineup will add Everglades and Raptor models. More details about these will be available later, but Ford says the 2022 Bronco Raptor will have a unique off-road suspension, while the 2022 Bronco Everglades will come with a factory-installed winch and snorkel.
In other changes, the Sasquatch Package is now available with a manual transmission, while the Black Diamond and Badlands models get new powder-coated steel front bumpers. A slide-out tailgate option is coming soon for the Bronco four-door, and the four-door Wildtrak will have a standard black soft top in 2022. New paint colors include Hot Pepper Red and Eruption Green.
Ford Bronco Competitors for 2022
The 2022 Bronco’s primary rival is the Jeep Wrangler. Both come in two-door and four-door convertible SUV body styles, and each is designed and engineered for maximum off-roading capability. Some people might also cross-shop the Bronco with the Land Rover Defender and the Toyota 4Runner.
Christian Wardlaw
2022 Ford Bronco Features
Highlights
Tired of allowing Jeep to own the customer base seeking a vehicle for open-air adventuring, Ford has created essentially the same kind of vehicle as the Wrangler but with styling that draws heavily upon the first-generation Bronco of the 1960s and 1970s.
Safety
- Pre-Collision Assist — Standard forward-collision warning system with pedestrian detection
- Automatic Emergency Braking — Standard automatic braking system to help avoid or lessen the effects of a collision
- Blind Spot Information System — Available system* that warns the driver when other vehicles are in the Bronco’s blind spots
- Lane Keeping System — Available lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assistance system*
- Adaptive cruise control — Available cruise control upgrade that maintains a safe following distance to traffic ahead*
Christian Wardlaw
Technology
- Sync 4 infotainment system — Standard 8-inch touchscreen and available 12-inch touchscreen
- Off-Road Navigation — Available feature through the FordPass Performance smartphone app*
- Trail Control — Available low-speed cruise control for use on trails*
- Trail Turn Assist — Available feature can tighten the Bronco’s turning radius when navigating challenging trails*
- Trail One-Pedal Drive — Available feature allows the driver to operate the Bronco at low speeds using only the accelerator pedal*
Powertrain
- 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder, 300 hp
- 2.7L twin-turbocharged V6, 330 hp
- 7-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission
- Standard four-wheel drive
- 17 mpg to 21 mpg in combined driving
Christian Wardlaw
Interior
- Dual-zone automatic climate control — Available feature*
- Marine-grade vinyl upholstery — Available mildew-resistant seating material*
- Leather upholstery — Available genuine leather seating material*
- Heated front seats and steering wheel — Available feature*
- Premium sound system — Available feature with ten speakers*
*Availability is subject to specific trim level selections
