The 2022 Ford Bronco Sport is a compact SUV that is capable of doing both hardcore off-roading and family SUV requirements pretty easily. Being based on the same platform as the all-new Ford Bronco, this 5-seater SUV comes with the versatility of a proper SUV, which the former lacks. The exterior design feels very rugged, and the car also comes with reasonable tech and features as standard.
Even though the performance from the base motor is not going to excite anyone out on the open road, it has more than enough grunt to conquer the Wrangler-dominated terrains without putting in much effort. The 4WD drivetrain is offered with all four trim configurations, however, if you want the most capable off-road performance, the Badland trim is the one to go for. Competing with the likes of the Mazda CX-5 and Volkswagen Tiguan, here are 10 things you need before buying the 2022 Bronco Sport, which comes at a starting price of $28,165.
10 Performance Is Not Going To Excite Gearheads
The 2022 Ford Bronco Sport comes with a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder motor producing 181 hp and 190 lb-ft of torque. This motor comes mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and the power is put down through the 4WD drivetrain. The performance is a bit lethargic and the motor does feel coarse higher up the rev range.
If you want a bit more pep, we would recommend the 2-liter turbocharged inline-4 motor that comes with the top-of-the-line Badlands trim. This motor is capable of putting out 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque, and that helps this off-road spec SUV to do the 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds and the quarter-mile in 14.5 seconds. The performance feels pretty adequate on the Wrangler trails as well as on the open roads.
9 Fuel Efficiency Is Superb
The fuel efficiency put out by the 2022 Bronco Sport turned out to be pretty decent, especially when compared to its biggest rival, the 2022 Wrangler. This compact SUV could do 25 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway if you get the trims that come with the three-cylinder motor. With a 16-gallon fuel tank capacity, 448 miles of highway range is decent, too.
The more powerful and off-road-ready Bronco Sport Badlands managed 21 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. The highway range of 416 miles is also offered. Even though the rivals offer much lower gas mileage in comparison to the Bronco Sport, they beat it when it comes to the tank range, due to a much bigger fuel tank capacity.
8 Many Safety And Driver-Assistance Features Are Standard
It comes loaded to the rafters with safety features such as ABS, airbags, traction control, stability control, side-impact beams, rear camera, parking sensors, and many more. Apart from that, Ford Co-Pilot360 is standard across the lineup and that adds all the driver-assistance features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, etc.
There are a few more optional driver-assistance features and packages on offer too. With superb build quality on offer coupled with many safety features coming in as standard, the Bronco Sport received a 5-star rating in the NHTSA crash test and top safety pick+ title from the IIHS for the small SUV segment.
7 Not Very Spacious
Like the outgoing 2021 model, the interior space is not going to impress any prospective buyers out there. However, it is not all bad. Get into the front row, and you would be pretty happy with the supportive seats and the excellent headroom and legroom on offer. There are no ergonomic issues and everything falls where it is supposed to be. The wide armrest is supportive as well.
Being a 5-seater SUV, the rear seat should occupy three passengers, and that is where the Bronco Sport falls short. The shoulder room is very disappointing, and the third rear seat passenger is a tight fit. The legroom is one of the worst of the segment and the tall passengers are going to feel quite claustrophobic. The cargo capacity of 29 cu ft is disappointing too.
6 Interior Quality Is Acceptable At Best
In comparison to the Jeep Wrangler, the 2022 Ford Bronco Sport comes with a cabin that feels a bit more premium and sophisticated. There are no major rattles or squeaks to report either, which the Wrangler always has. However, the interior quality is still not quite good for the price and there were a few fitment issues as well.
The dashboard and door cards come covered in hard plastics and don't feel very upmarket, especially when compared to the other regular compact SUVs like Mazda CX-5 and Volkswagen Tiguan. The buttons and knobs are a bit cheap and flimsy and don't feel like they will last the lifetime of the car. However, the leather-wrapped steering wheel feels superb to touch and hold.
5 Infotainment And Audio System Are Decent
The infotainment duties are handled by the 8" SYNC3 infotainment system which comes with enhanced voice recognition, Applink, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and many other connectivity features. The entertainment features like SiriusXM radio, audio streaming, steering mounted audio control, and many more are standard across the trims too.
The interface is very polished, and there's nothing to complain about regarding the display quality either. There are no major stutters while operating the system, and the menu is not very cluttered. When it comes to the audio system, the optional Bang & Olufsen audio system turned out to be the best of the segment.
4 Ride Is A Bit Firm
Being a capable machine off-road, the 2022 Ford Bronco Sport comes with a beefy suspension system, which turned out to be quite stiff in calibration. Even though it makes its presence felt in some treacherous off-road situations, the on-road ride quality is a huge disappointment and would be one of the biggest deal-breakers for family buyers.
Even when compared to the Jeep Wrangler, the Bronco Sport turned out to be the worst of the lot in terms of ride quality, throwing the passengers around when met with potholes while driving through slow city streets. If you expect the car to have a flat ride quality while on the open highways, that would be a wrong expectation. The same harsh ride quality is retained on the highways, and the vertical movement and body roll are on the higher side. Hence, this is not the car to choose if you want to go for cross-country road trips.
3 Handling Is Decent For An SUV
With a curb weight of 3,467 lbs, the 2022 Ford Bronco Sport turned out to be the lightest offering of the segment. This coupled with the stiff suspension setup means that the Ford Bronco Sport does take the corners with no major issues and the drivers are not going to be afraid of it toppling over, unlike when driving the rivals.
When met with a sharp corner around a winding road, the Bronco Sport manages to take it reasonably well with reasonable precision and body control. Even though the steering is vague and lifeless, like the Jeep Wrangler, it is incredibly precise in operation. However, it is far from a driver's car, and there are no two ways about it.
2 Exterior Looks Great
The rugged-looking exterior of the outgoing 2021 model has been carried forward unchanged in this 2022 iteration as well. Offered for sale at a base MSRP of $28,165, the 2022 Bronco Sport comes in 11 exterior colors, multiple alloy wheel designs, and a long list of exterior options, all of which make the car even more stunning.
Even if you don't opt for any options, the car looks striking when viewed from the front, with LED DRLs, LED headlights, and the boxy design making it pretty handsome. The Bronco embossing and the chunky bumpers are onboard too. The side and rear profile look pretty appealing too, even though the futuristic design lovers may not love this butch-looking SUV.
1 Off-Road Is Where It Shines
All the trims of the Ford Bronco Sport come with a capable 4WD drivetrain system, and that makes it one of the most capable offerings of the segment. Both the engines have decent low-end grunt and tackling the tricky situation is pretty easy. The gearbox is well-calibrated and the correct gear is provided all the time.
However, if you want the best off-road performance, we would recommend the Bronco Sport Badlands trim as it comes with an enhanced drivetrain, more ground clearance, beefy shocks, and upgraded dampers. The 17" wheels dig in pretty well and even when met with thick slush, the car is pretty capable of pulling itself out with no issues.