From its inception in 1965, Ford Motor Company’s Bronco has become an automotive icon. After World War II, Ford was one of America’s largest car manufacturers, but it was looking for new ways to expand its business. The prominent off-road vehicles of the time were capable, but they were not comfortable rides, so Ford found a niche in the market that needed to be filled. It looked to invent a truck that was multi-purpose. Thus, the Bronco was born. It was a family vehicle that rode smoothly, both on and off of the road. Since 1965, six generations of the Bronco have been released. The latest generation was launched in 2021, some 25 years after the previous generation was discontinued. Finally, the Bronco is back after being away for so long. With it came a whole slew of models and new additions. One of those was the smaller and more family-friendly Bronco Sport, and the 2022 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend has proven to be a rather popular model.
Revising a Classic
The sixth generation of the Ford Bronco features new changes and some revisions to the old classic. One of those features is the body of the vehicle. The Bronco Sport is a slightly smaller size than the other Bronco models. However, it has a safari top, which means that the roof panel has the back portion raised for a curvy look and more space. On top of the new body, it comes in 11 beautiful colors. The Bronco Sport has a two-tone design, with gloss black at the top. It meshes well with the color variations such as Oxford White, Area 51, and (my personal favorite) Cyber Orange. No matter what color is chosen, rest assured you will be riding with style.
An addition that is new to the Bronco Sport is that it now comes with a keyless entry system. With the Big Bend, locking yourself out of your car or misplacing your key is a thing of the past! The Bronco Sport has an available digital touchpad on the front driver door. To unlock the door, simply push in the vehicle combination. This system comes with a code that can be changed. There is a bit of a complex way to do this with the touchpad itself. However, it can also be done with the interior infotainment touchscreen. The keypad also has the ability to lock the car from the outside, unlock certain doors, or lock doors.
While the keyless feature is available on multiple Bronco models, the Bronco Sport Big Bend does come with its own small unique features, mainly in the form of quality of life additions. These include fog lights, flood lights on the liftgate, defrosting mirrors, and more! Most of these features are meant to synergize with the SUV’s off-road capability. Outside of camping, these features are immensely useful in on-road situations too. Extra lights mean extra vision, and that’s never a bad thing. Overall, the Big Bend is an upgrade to an already amazing off-road vehicle.
Off-Road Potential
The 2022 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend is a vehicle built for any region of the world (except bodies of water, of course). It may not look like it, but it is versatile off-road and more. First up, the Big Bend comes with a four-wheel drive powertrain standard. Even without the extra additional features, this is already something that diversifies the Big Bend’s driving potential. Having power distributed to both sets of wheels ensures that muddy or snowy terrain will not be a challenge for the Ford Bronco Sport.
On top of that, the Bronco Sport is equipped with High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension (HOSS). This features specially tuned dampers and coil springs with added articulation. The HOSS suspension is designed for off-roading in comfort by reducing pitch and roll in rough terrain. As a result, the driving is smooth as butter. Steering is a lot more precise, and kickback is heavily reduced. The Big Bend can’t make sharp turns like a high-performance sports car, but it can come pretty close to it. Ford describes it as “like surefooted wild horses running in the desert.”
Lastly, the 2022 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend features GOAT modes. No, it does not stand for “Greatest Of All Time,” but it is not far from it. The acronym stands for “Goes Over Any type of Terrain” This versatile feature has five modes for most terrain surfaces. These are Sand, Slippery, Sport, Eco, and Normal. With the shift of a nob, the tuning will alter, fitting whatever environment you’re in. The best part is that GOAT modes come standard on all Ford Broncos. The feature is not gatekept by a paywall, which is always nice for consumers.
Practical Design
Speaking of mud, the Big Bend is expected to see a lot of it. However, mud attracts mud. The Big Bend’s interior has been designed to keep the mud on the wheels, not in the cabin. The cargo mat is rubberized, making it easy to remove and clean. The upholstery on the seats is also made to be simple to clean. Going camping and off-roading no longer means spending hours cleaning a big mess or hiring a detailer. Parents also benefit from an easy-to-clean car. If mud, grime, and dirt are no match for the Big Bend, then neither are sticky fingers and ice cream stains!
An off-road vehicle needs a bit more than great suspension; it has to have the power to be able to dig itself out of massive holes. So what are the engine specs of the 2022 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend? It comes standard with a 1.5L EcoBoost Turbo I-3 engine. This engine is quite efficient for its power, getting 25 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway. This means that it gets above-average gas mileage, which is always a great benefit to have. Moreover, the Bronco Sport produces 181 hp and 190 lb-ft of torque. It is safe to say that this SUV won’t just be relying on its struts and springs when going off-road. It has the power to make sure it can climb out of whatever situation it may find itself in.
A New Age of Performance
If you’re not satisfied with 181 hp, how about 250 hp? A 2.0L EcoBoost Turbo I-4 engine is also an available engine option. Unfortunately, it is only available on the top Wildtrak trim, so you will have to upgrade from the Big Bend. However, there is a massive difference in engine performance. Instead of 190 lb-ft of torque, it has 277 lb-ft. The 2.0L engine greatly beefs up the specs of the Bronco Sport. Although not a necessity in the slightest, it is great for those who want an enhanced SUV. It transforms the vehicle from above-average to outright incredible.
The engines of the 2022 Ford Bronco Sport are not just for off-roading either. On top of the horsepower, the Big Bend has the capability of towing 2,000 lbs. While this may be useful on the road for towing trailers, once again, it synergizes so well with its off-road potential. It’s able to carry jet skis or boats on the next camping adventure! Wherever you are going and whatever you are doing, the Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend can handle it.
