Ford Bronco 2023 Review – International

When the Ford Bronco is eventually sold in Australia with factory backing – something Ford CEO Jim Farley is hopeful will happen, once demand eases up in North America – it could be pretty expensive. Perhaps $70,000 at the entry level. Perhaps a lot more.

Why so expensive, theoretically speaking? Well, apart from the fact there’s still a massive wait list for the vehicle in the US stretching up to two years, the engineering work and extra labour required to convert the steering wheel from the left to the right side of the car is significant, to put it mildly.

Whether Aussie Broncos are built at Ford's Michigan truck assembly plant in Wayne, Michigan, or remanufactured by Ford’s official Aussie partner, RMA Automotive, in Melbourne, remains to be seen.

Whichever path is chosen, the program will require big investment that will need to be recouped via the sale price.

Much will also hinge on model grades, spec levels and engine types for Oz, but if the local range included the bog-standard two-door 2023 Bronco starting at $US34,890 ($A53,100), prices could be expected to jump to around $70,000 for the base-grade Shorty.

The four-door Ford Bronco Heritage we’re testing here is priced at $US47,595 and a straight conversion to Aussie dollars puts it at $72,440 at the time of writing, which would potentially make this bad boy a $90,000-plus proposition.

Rivals include the Jeep Wrangler (from $81,490 plus on-road costs) and Land Rover Defender 90 (from $88,870), along with the capable GWM Tank 300 from China that features similar off-road goodies like locking front and rear diffs, but is significantly cheaper at $46,990 drive-away.

The five-door 2023 Ford Bronco Heritage we’re testing here rides on too-cool-for-school ‘Oxford’ 17-inch white-painted retro alloy wheels, shod with big 35-inch mud-terrain tyres.

The M/T rubber is part of the Sasquatch off-road pack that comes standard with the Heritage models and includes a rear diff with 4.7 final drive ratio and high-clearance fender flares/wheel-arches.

The exterior paint is optional Azure Grey tri-coat with a white-painted removable hard-top. It’s a head-turning visual combination, not doubt about it, with a hint of Land Rover Defender about it from some angles.

Inside, the six-way manually adjustable heated (but not ventilated) seats are upholstered in cloth with a navy-onyx colour scheme, while the dashboard has a bright white finish that’s bolder than Donald Trump during a presidential debate.

Dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, push-button engine start and a full-size spare tyre slung on the tailgate are standard too.

Other options on our test car include LED signature driving lights, upgraded rubber floor mats and ceiling-mounted auxiliary switches similar to the Ford Ranger Raptor set-up.

Overall, there’s more Bronco options than ripples created by a boulder landing in a glassy lake, with roof tents and ladders, tube doors, bash plates, Bimini rooftops, disconnecting front stabiliser bars, heavy-duty modular front bumpers and countless accessories for the interior.

You can get Dana axles, Bilstein dampers and there’s even a Wildtrak HOSS 3.0 suspension package that adds Fox internal bypass dampers, severe-duty steering rack, tie-rod ends and more.

If you really want to go nuts, just get the bonkers 300kW Bronco Raptor with adaptive Fox dampers.

Given that it’s based on the Ford Ranger ute, the 2023 Ford Bronco should be relatively safe.

The best guide to the Bronco’s crash performance comes from testing conducted in the US, where different assessment regimes operate and have traditionally been less stringent than those in Europe and Australia (Euro NCAP and ANCAP).

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Bronco four out of five stars for frontal impact protection and three stars for rollover protection.

The US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the Bronco with top-rated ‘Good’ marks in five out of six different crash tests procedures, however an ‘Acceptable’ rating for head restraints/seats meant it failed to gain the coveted Top Safety Pick status.

The model we tested had regular cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, electronic stability control and six airbags.

Adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree parking camera and evasive steering assist are available as part of higher-spec packages.

The 2023 Ford Bronco comes with twin digital screens up front, both 8.0-inch in diameter, and while these screens are small by today’s standards, they suit the car’s knock-around vibe.

The SYNC4 operating system is easy to navigate with an intuitive menu system, and you can always jack in your phone. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto work on the Bronco with or without wires, while a wireless phone charger is also fitted to the Heritage model on test.

An analogue speedo with a unique font hugs the left side of the driver’s instrument panel, a digital driver’s display taking up the rest of the space on the right side. It features a vertically aligned tachometer which doesn’t appear to be customisable, which is a bit naff.

There’s no head-up display provided.

There’s a number of different powertrain options available with the 2023 Ford Bronco and the head-turning 4x4 tested here is fitted with a 2.3-litre ‘Ecoboost’ four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine.

It pumps out a fairly healthy 224kW and 441Nm, and while there’s no diesel powertrain, a gruntier 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6 (246kW/563Nm) is offered.

A top-spec 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 (311kW/597Nm) shared with the Ford Ranger Raptor is fitted to the Bronco Raptor.

Our test vehicle’s four-banger hooks up through a seven-speed manual transmission (the seventh gear is a super-low crawler ratio) and a dual-range transfer case, with 2H, 4H, 4L and 4Auto modes.

There are also several drive modes – Eco, Normal, Sport, Mud/Ruts and Sand – that adjust throttle response, ABS parameters and other functions.

A 10-speed automatic transmission is also available.

While the seven-speed manual cog-swapper isn’t as crisp as the Tremec gearbox in the lusty new Ford Mustang Dark Horse, it’s not a bad shifter with a light clutch and a soft and fluffy throw between gates.

The turbocharged engine moves the Bronco swiftly once on boost, and while there is a bit of low-end turbo lag, needing to reach 3000rpm before the turbo really starts huffing, it’s not chronic.

Disappointingly, towing limits are very low for US versions, at just under 1600kg, which is far less than the Ford Ranger (3500kg). Expect that to be addressed for Australian models.

As it turns out, the 2023 Ford Bronco isn’t very fuel efficient. Ford reckons this particular vehicle is good for 17mpg (13.8L/100km), averaged across city and highway driving.

We managed to get 17.2mpg (13.6L/100km) but this result isn’t something to crow about, considering around 350km of the 450km we covered was on smooth US highways and expressways.

Expect to see a hybrid option like the GWM Tank 300 in due course.

The 2023 Ford Bronco isn’t too bad to drive, which is no surprise given it’s based on the same hay-hauling, mud-slinging – but class-leading – ladder-frame chassis as the Ford Ranger ute.

As an everyday vehicle, commuter, runabout and long-distance hauler, the Bronco is surprisingly easy-going and flexible.

But there’s a caveat – this is comparing it to its direct rival, the Jeep Wrangler, over which the Bronco feels more composed and balanced on the road, despite the lifeless steering.

On faster, flowing mountain passes in the Appalachian ranges, the Bronco proves fairly stoic in a dynamic sense, and even on big 35-inch mud-terrain hoops (315/70R17) it feels predictable and has reasonable road-holding and body control through corners, not wallowing too sternly on its outside wheels.

It’s also reassuring to know the stability control and ABS have been specifically calibrated for the ultra-chunky tyres.

There is some tyre noise but it isn’t as loud and droney as the mud-terrain tyres’ deep tread patterns would imply – nor as monotonously relentless as in some rugged Wranglers.

There’s also a fair bit of wind noise generated around the Bronco’s oversized wing mirrors at highway speeds, but it’s par for the course in this segment.

The Bronco’s cabin isn’t as quiet as the GWM Tank 300 (which rides on road car tyres in Oz), but the interior was suitably hushed most of the time – impressive given it had removable roof panels, although we did notice the extra sound insulation option is standard on Heritage models.

Overall, the Bronco proved to be more refined and easier to drive than expected. But take that with a grain of salt as expectations were pretty low and US roads are well maintained.

We didn’t get a chance to drive the 2023 Ford Bronco Heritage off-road this time, which is an opportunity missed.

But considering the hiking boots it wears, impressive approach (43.2 degrees), departure (37.2 degrees) and breakover (29 degrees) angles, not to mention 292mm ground clearance, and the Bronco should be able to keep pace with the Jeep Wrangler on challenging off-road terrain.

Our test vehicle also features locking front and rear diffs for extra traction in tough conditions and a low-range transfer case with 4L gearing, not to mention a seventh ’crawler’ gear ratio on the manual gearbox that allows for super-slow-but-tractable propulsion.

The soft brake pedal feel will be good for off-roading and Ford’s terrain management software, or G.O.A.T modes (Goes Over Any Terrain), leverages individual brakes to improve traction.

With a wading depth of up to 925mm, Ford isn’t messing around with the Bronco and we’re very much looking forward to putting it through the grinder in future.

The Blue Oval has done a great job with the 2023 Ford Bronco interior – from the moment you get in it’s manifestly clear the US car giant has looked at what its competitors have done and listened to what customers want when finalising the cabin design.

Lots of grab handles, side steps, big buttons and big dials are all welcome, and everything is clearly labelled and thoughtfully positioned.

That’s except for the window and mirror controls, which are on the central arm rest support – it’s a bit of a stretch to use them.

The dashboard feels oddly tall and the flat bonnet means the view of the road ain’t amazing. The two-tone ice white/grey dash finish on our test Bronco that matches the dramatic exterior won’t be to everyone’s taste.

Overall, the cabin has a rugged, robust look and feel, and the twin screen set-up works well for the most part.

The Bronco feels narrower than it looks but passenger space is pretty good up front and reasonable in the rear. I had a short snooze in the back seats during a drive to the great state of Virginia, suggesting that either: a, tiredness was extreme; or b, the cushioning was ultra-comfy… Pretty sure it was the former.

There’s USB-A and USB-C ports up front and in the rear and the roughly 580-litre boot is pretty spacious, swallowing up loads of luggage Tetrissed-up in there, floor to ceiling.

The tailgate lifts up manually, with the top glass section opening separately – but only after the lower section is open first.

Presuming it does make it Down Under, the bucking Ford Bronco is likely to generate similar levels of interest the Mustang did when it returned to active duty in Australia back in 2015 – lots!

Even if the pricing is egregious, Ford will probably sell every car it can import – whether directly from the factory or remanufactured here in Australia – because the Bronco is such an off-road icon.

It’s also a pretty good all-rounder and its Aussie connection through its Ford Ranger cousin will add a little more pride to the purchase.

Like the Mustang, the Bronco is the kind of car that makes you feel good when you drive it. You’re constantly reminded of its heritage and capabilities through neat little touches in the cabin.

The sooner Ford can bring it to Australia, the better, we reckon.

2023 Ford Bronco Heritage at a glance:
Price: $95,000 est (plus on-road costs)
Available: To be confirmed
Engine: 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 224kW/441Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed manual
Fuel: 13.8L/100km (US EPA Combined)
CO2: 322g/km (US EPA Combined)
Safety rating: 'Good' (IIHS 2022)