Remember our story on the 2-inch suspension lift kit that allows the Bronco to accommodate 37-inch tires? The two-door prototype and demonstrator we’ve talked about doesn’t feature an internal combustion engine, but a teeny-tiny electric motor.
Doug DeMuro had the opportunity to review that very Bronco, and as expected, the Blue Oval didn’t allow him to drive “the first real Jeep Wrangler competitor in years.” Nevertheless, the automotive vlogger did go over the quirks and features of the 4WD utility vehicle with a Ranger-based chassis.
The first thing that Doug talks about is how easy it’s to remove the doors because they’re frameless and thanks to the pillar-mounted side mirrors. Only the four-door Bronco has room for the doors in the cargo area whereas the two-door option is too small for that.
Opening the driver’s door, Doug is much obliged to report that no floor mats are featured, only drain plugs that are available on several trim levels. Hosing the floor may not be an inspired choice, though, because water may spray on the air conditioning buttons or the touchscreen if you’re not careful.
Throughout the interior, you’ll also find a fair number of exposed screws and bolts featuring Ford Bronco or Bronco lettering to bring the point home. The rubberized buttons on top of the dashboard are also important to mention. They govern the lockers, traction control, and pretty curiously, the hazard lights button is also featured. There’s also Trail Turn Assist, an off-road system that uses torque vectoring to reduce the turning radius by 40 percent.
As for getting to the rear seats, well, you’d better deny that opportunity because it’s a nightmare. A tall guy won’t have problems with headroom, but legroom isn’t up to snuff in the two-door Bronco. Shorter adults won’t find a problem with that, but hey, don’t forget that the four-door Bronco is the better choice for rear passengers.
As far as optional extras are concerned, Doug is particularly interested in the slide-out tailgate tray. This prototype doesn’t have it, but it does feature an integrated bottle opener. On an ending note, Doug suspects “a V8 is coming” even though the Ford Motor Company has clearly said that an eight-cylinder powerplant doesn't make sense.
Not that long ago, chief engineer Eric Loeffler and global program manager Jeff Seaman had a chat with Muscle Cars & Trucks. According to them, “CO2 implications” and “federal requirements” are to blame. Fret not, though; a plug-in hybrid with Coyote V8-rivaling horsepower is under development.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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