The Ford Bronco has been a resounding success since its resurrection in 2021. Taking advantage of the recent trend of nostalgic nameplates and off-road vehicles like the Land Rover Defender, GMC Hummer, and Toyota Land Cruiser, the Bronco has kept so much of its original 1960s charm but with a unique personality that separates it from others wearing the blue oval badge.

To expand its appeal to a wider audience, the Bronco is available in a vast array of trims and model specs. You can choose between two- and four-door models, manual and automatic transmissions, multiple powertrains and engines right up to a 418-hp V6 in the Bronco Raptor, and many off-road focused models like the one we’re testing here, the Bronco Everglades.

Dressed in Eruption Green paint, Everglades is a wetlands warrior that pays tribute to the Everglades National Park, located in Florida, a 1.5-million-acre wetlands preserve featuring shallow rivers, grassy landscapes, deep marshes, and an extraordinarily diverse array of animal species that would make National Geographic salivate.

To conquer this domain, the Bronco Everglades is equipped with a factory-installed WARN winch that utilizes a 100-foot synthetic line to pull up to 10,000 pounds, helping you or your friends get unstuck. This makes it a capable support vehicle right out of the box. There’s also an added air intake snorkel and 35-inch mud terrain tires to tackle those deep waters. It’s a hardtop-only model with a reinforced heavy-duty front bumper, rubberized cabin flooring, and a Sasquatch sighting map on the side fender, which alludes to the popular culture of mythical sightings of Bigfoot in the forests and swamps in Florida.

With the winch attached, this is one of our favourite Bronco specs. The front end is mighty aggressive and bold, commanding a great deal of road presence and curb appeal when spotted. It looks even better than the current crop of Jeep Wranglers if you ask us, and right up there with Defenders and Land Cruisers.

The Everglades is a four-door only model and comes exclusively with the 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost motor that produces 300 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque with premium fuel, or 275 hp and 315 lb-ft with regular fuel. That power is routed through a 10-speed automatic transmission and a selectable four-wheel drive system.

The 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine is a decent unit with sufficient power levels but it suffers from notable turbo lag. It takes a second to fire into high gear but the 10-speed makes the most of the meaty torque range. It doesn’t eagerly hunt for the top gear and our meagre city and highway average of 13.6 L/100km isn’t exactly stellar, but it’s not bad for a vehicle with the aerodynamics of a square brick. But the loud and brash noises from the V6 are distracting, vibrating excessively under acceleration as it jolts to life and rumbles its way forward.

As expected, the Bronco is not the most comfortable daily driver, and we have the highly capable but noisy 17-inch mud-terrain tires to thank for that. There is slightly less cabin noise than the Jeep Wrangler but the wind pummeling and leaking through the front and side glass will make your occupants think that the air vents are having an existential crisis. After an hour you do get accustomed to the noise but start cruising at triple-digit speeds and not even the spectacular Bang and Olufsen speakers can drown out the auditory maelstrom.

The Bronco delivers that same kind of wobbly ride as the Wrangler – such are the constraints and penalties of their inherent designs. However, the Bronco’s front wheels wander less thanks to its independent front suspension, and it is easier to keep the vehicle straight without veering into the neighbouring lane. As a result, the Bronco’s on-road mannerisms and handling characteristics are significantly better than the Jeep. The ride is busy and brittle, typical of a high-riding off-roader with a body-on-frame construction and a solid rear axle. Expect to bounce around when the wheels attempt to negotiate bumps, and you will feel like a ragdoll at times, but it’s deceptively stable and composed at speed.

The interior is focused on durability and an open concept that doesn’t stray too far from the Jeep formula: flat dashboard, wide seats, large center console, and a large steering wheel. The dashboard isn’t as flat or shallow as the Wrangler, and the Bronco’s cabin feels somewhat airier and more expansive. Plenty of Easter Eggs can be found in here as well, like the American flag nestled into the gear shifter, or the drive mode dial that is labelled G.O.A.T., or goes over any terrain. This was Ford’s code name for the original Bronco.

Ford has nailed down its infotainment unit. The menus on the substantial 12.0-inch screen are swift, clean, and concise, with barely any learning curve. Those accustomed to swiping and pressing with their smartphones will have no issue adapting to this interface, and it’s just as good as the Volvo unit that utilizes a similarly user-friendly Google operating system.

While it won’t increase your chances of spotting a Sasquatch, the Bronco Everglades will ensure your muddy wetlands adventure carries on without a hitch thanks to its factory-installed winch, snorkel, and mud-terrain tires. The resurrection of the Bronco nameplate doubles down on the nostalgia factor but Ford has backed it up with proper off-roading hardware and an old-school personality to match. Its powertrain may be rough on the ears and the ride may be rough on the back, but there are few off-roading options out there with this kind of pedigree and capability. 

Specifications:

Model: 2024 Ford Bronco Everglades
Paint Type: Eruption Green Metallic
Base Price: $77,210
Price as Tested: $77,210
Engine: 2.3-litre turbocharged inline-four
Horsepower: 300 hp @ 5,700 rpm (with 91-octane fuel)
Torque: 325 lb-ft @ 3,400 rpm (with 91-octane fuel)
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Engine & Drive Configuration: Front engine, 4WD
Observed Fuel Consumption (L/100km): 13.6
Tires: 35-inch LT31570R17 BSW Mud-Terrain