Photo: Ford
Available to order from $26,660 excluding destination charge, the Bronco Sport is called by some people “the Bronco that isn’t a Bronco.” But much to the naysayers' dissapointment, Ford has imbued the unibody crossover with proper off-road capability.
Because it’s based on the C2 vehicle architecture of the Escape compact crossover, the Bronco Sport also happens to be - dare I say it - efficient at 26 miles to the gallon (9 liters per 100 kilometers) on the combined driving cycle with the 1.5-liter turbo engine. Yes, that’s right; the entry-level engine is a three-cylinder shared with the Escape!
Level up to the optional 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder, and the combined rating will drop to 23 mpg (10.2 liters per 100 kilometers) according to the Environmental Protection Agency. There is, however, the proverbial elephant in the room that needs to be talked about.
I’m specifically referring to the Escape with all-wheel drive, which averages 28 and 26 miles per gallon, respectively. What is even more curious about these differences in fuel efficiency comes in the guise of curb weight. At 3,551 pounds (1,610 kg) , the three-cylinder Ford Escape with all-wheel drive is heavier than the 3,467-pound (1,572-kg) Bronco Sport.
The thing is, Ford developed the baby off-road SUV to be a tougher cookie than the crossover on which it’s based. The Badlands and First Edition, for example, feature a segment-exclusive drive unit for the rear axle with a differential lock. According to the Blue Oval, “the system can divert virtually all rear-axle torque to either wheel.”
At the front and rear, the independent suspension is optimized for the rough stuff. The Badlands and First Edition mentioned earlier ship as standard with unique tuning for the struts, hydraulic rebound stops, and 46-millimeter-diameter monotube shocks. In extremely tricky situations on the trail, you can also engage Rock Crawl mode.
Looking at the bigger picture, the Bronco Sport wasn’t developed specifically to be as efficient as technically possible. And truth be told, the dime-a-dozen Escape doesn’t hold a candle to the adventure-seeking sibling when it comes to off-road shenanigans.
Level up to the optional 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder, and the combined rating will drop to 23 mpg (10.2 liters per 100 kilometers) according to the Environmental Protection Agency. There is, however, the proverbial elephant in the room that needs to be talked about.
I’m specifically referring to the Escape with all-wheel drive, which averages 28 and 26 miles per gallon, respectively. What is even more curious about these differences in fuel efficiency comes in the guise of curb weight. At 3,551 pounds (1,610 kg) , the three-cylinder Ford Escape with all-wheel drive is heavier than the 3,467-pound (1,572-kg) Bronco Sport.
The thing is, Ford developed the baby off-road SUV to be a tougher cookie than the crossover on which it’s based. The Badlands and First Edition, for example, feature a segment-exclusive drive unit for the rear axle with a differential lock. According to the Blue Oval, “the system can divert virtually all rear-axle torque to either wheel.”
At the front and rear, the independent suspension is optimized for the rough stuff. The Badlands and First Edition mentioned earlier ship as standard with unique tuning for the struts, hydraulic rebound stops, and 46-millimeter-diameter monotube shocks. In extremely tricky situations on the trail, you can also engage Rock Crawl mode.
Looking at the bigger picture, the Bronco Sport wasn’t developed specifically to be as efficient as technically possible. And truth be told, the dime-a-dozen Escape doesn’t hold a candle to the adventure-seeking sibling when it comes to off-road shenanigans.
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