2024 Ford Bronco: A Comprehensive Guide On Features, Specs, And Pricing

Next to the F-series trucks and the Mustang, no Ford model is as iconic and enduring as the Bronco. Introduced in 1967 as an off-road adult toy, the first-gen Broncos are as legendary as they are collectible. With each successive generation, the Bronco grew in popularity and size. For decades, it was the only full-size SUV that mattered and then, ironically, Ford pulled the plug on the Bronco in 1996, just as the massive SUV craze was about to hit the American market.

Ford brought the Bronco back in 2021 as a mid-size SUV, meant to compete with the Jeep Wrangler. The next-gen Ford Bronco, however, is quite a different beast from the Jeep, and is more of an all-purpose vehicle that is as comfortable on the road as off. Taking some styling cues from the classic line-up, the new Bronco is a retro-modern classic that does the nameplate proud. It has been such a hit that dealers can’t keep enough stock on hand to meet the demand.

Ford is almost exclusively in the SUV business these days, producing no less than 10 different SUV and crossover models for 2024, but the Bronco is clearly the best of the bunch. The Bronco has the coolest styling, performs the best off-road, and comes in more configurations than a Rubik’s cube. It’s reliable, safe, reasonably priced, and most of all, one of the most fun vehicles on four wheels anyone could hope to experience.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including Ford, Edmunds, and Car and Driver.

What’s New For 2024?

There is an old adage that says if ain’t broke, don’t fix it and Ford is heeding those words for 2024. Seeing as how they are only four years into the rebooted Bronco it is far too soon for any radical changes. Not much is new for this model year except the 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which was optional in previous years, is now standard on all trims. Also, Ford dropped the base model from the line-up, making the Big Bend trim the starter.

2024 Highlights

• Removable doors and tops
• 2-door and 4-door versions
• G.O.A.T Modes driving system
• Standard 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Available Sasquatch off-road package

Engine Specifications And Performance

Amongst the crop of Ford engines, the 2.4-liter EcoBoost turbo-charged four-cylinder that comes standard on most trims has more than enough power to merge on the freeway or surge up a rocky canyon trail. For a little more power, the 2.7-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V-6 is optional on all trims and standard with the Wildtrak.

At the top of the horsepower mountain is the Raptor’s 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V-6, for those who want to enjoy the great outdoors in the quickest time possible. All engines are paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, and for some weird reason, the seven-speed manual is only available with the 2.4-liter I-4.

Performance Specifications

(Performance specs sourced from Ford)

Towing Capabilities And Payload Capacity

Regardless of engine, number of doors, or off-road packages, all Bronco trims have a 3,500 towing capacity. This is not a tremendous amount, but the Bronco is the toy, not the toy hauler. It’s good enough to pull a utility trailer, a pop-up camper, a couple of quads, or maybe a small fishing boat, which is all that is needed. The Bronco also isn’t a heavy-duty pickup, so the payload capacities are rather modest, ranging from 1,071 pounds in the two-door and 1,243 in the four-door.

(Capacity specs sourced from Ford and Car and Driver)

Off-Road Capability

Most modern SUVs are designed for the suburban soccer mom segment and only pay lip service to the off-road crowd. The 2024 Bronco, on the other hand, was made for tearing up trails and crawling over rocks. All trims deliver power to four wheels and come with big tires and heavy-duty off-road suspensions. Of course, riding high on a soft suspension can lead to some serious brake dive on the road, but on the trail, it smooths things out nicely.

The Bronco is one of the better-handling SUVs when it comes to off-roading, even with the base model. To enhance the experience, there is the optional Sasquatch package that turns a great 4×4 into an amazing one. With 35-inch tires, electronic-locking front and rear axles, 4.7 final drive ratio, Bilstein position-sensitive dampers, and fender flares, this package makes almost any terrain accessible in a Bronco.

(Off-road specs sourced from Ford)

Interior Technology And Comfort

Best Interior Features Of The Year Make Model

• Dashboard rack to mount smartphones
• Tactically-located grab handles
• Power front seats
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Multiple USB ports and power points

The 2024 Bronco was made for splashing through the mud, so its interior features lots of marine-grade vinyl and plastic that won’t get ruined by a fun day in the bog. It also has rubberized floor mats and drainage plugs in the floor to get rid of any excess slop accumulated fording a river. The only downside to these waterproof components is that they look cheap, and if the leather seat option is purchased, it is a stark contrast of luxury and utility.

Though Ford touts the Broncos as a four or five-seater, it’s primarily a front-row ride. The back seats in the two-door version are fairly cramped and can’t be considered comfortable for grown adults. The four-door variant has a little more room in the back but it’s still not riding in style for people over six feet tall. Again, the Bronco is not a luxury SUV, but rather a serious off-road toy, so things like seating for seven and hardwood accents are completely unneeded.

Technology

As was previously mentioned, the 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system is standard on all trims for 2024. Powered by Fords Sync 4 software, allows it to wirelessly connect smartphones as well as access the cloud. It is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible and acts as a wireless hotspot with a subscription. It also comes standard with a seven-speaker AM/FM stereo, including a subwoofer.

Included is a rear view camera with back-up assist grid lines, 911 assist, plus AppLink catalog and SirusXM radio. There are many tech options like the voice-controlled built-in navigation system and the powerful B&O sound system. There is a convenient rack on the dashboard that can mount smartphones or GoPro cameras, and there are multiple USB ports as well as power points located throughout the cabin.

Interior Dimensions

Safety And Reliability

The 2024 Bronco scored well in all the crash test metrics and features oodles of safety features, it has some decent size to it, so drivers and passengers are well-protected in this vehicle. The latest-gen Bronco has been around since 2021, and they are all still running strong, which points to an incredibly reliable vehicle as well. It’s built Ford tough, which means it’s not only a runner, but difficult to take down.

Driver Assistance Features

The Bronco has several driver assistance technologies to make it safer on the road, like perimeter warning sensors and automatic high-beam headlamps, but it also features some off-road assistance. The AdvanceTrak with roll stability control makes it easier for low-speed rock crawling and trail driving. Additionally, there is a tire pressure monitoring system and a trailer sway control system.

• Available forward-collision warning
• Available automated emergency braking
• Available blind-spot monitoring
• Available rear cross-traffic alert
• Available lane-departure and lane-keeping assist

IIHS Crash Testing

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

(Source: NHTSA)

• Recalls (NHTSA): 0
• NHTSA Investigations: 0
• NHTSA Consumer Complaints: 0
• Awards: 0

Warranties

Five years, 60,000 miles would be great, but Ford’s 3 year, 36,000-mile warranty on the 2024 Bronco isn’t bad. The EcoBoost engine has been around long enough to work the kinks out and Ford’s are generally reliable, so this is probably a non-issue. Also, if something was installed wrong or if there is a bum part, it will manifest itself within the first couple of years. The only real bad part about the Ford warranty is that it doesn’t come with any complimentary maintenance.

2024 Ford Bronco Versus Its Competitors

The new-gen Bronco has removable tops and doors, like the Wrangler, and it was specifically designed to compete with the Jeep. It was also made primarily as an off-roader, with secondary daily driver and family SUV functions, so its immediate competitors are the Jeep Wrangler, the Toyota Land Cruiser, and the Land Rover Defender. The off-road mid-size segment is making a strong comeback, after years in the shadows of the monster luxury SUVs and soccer mom crossovers.

How The Ford Bronco Compares To The Jeep Wrangler

• 	2024 Ford Bronco	2024 Jeep Wrangler
  Model	Bronco	Jeep Wrangler
  Engine:	2.3-Liter Ecoboost Inline-four	3.6-Liter V-6
  Torque	325 LB-FT	260 LB-FT
  Transmission	10-speed auto/seven-speed manual	6-Speed Manual / 8-Speed Auto
  Driveline	4WD	Four-Wheel Drive
  Towing Capacity	3,500 pounds	2,000 pounds
  Horsepower	300	285

​​​​Like the Ford Bronco, the Jeep Wrangler is a legendary 4×4 nameplate, with an iconic history that stretches back to the mid-20th century. Unlike the Bronco, however, the Wrangler hasn’t updated its style very much, from the CJ and even Willys days, with the 2024 model receiving a mild refresh. The Bronco certainly has some cues from its early days, but has a very modern look, while the Jeep still looks like it could be full of G.I.s storming Tripoli, during WWII. There’s an argument for either one, but it really comes down to a matter of choice.

As far as off-road performance goes, the vehicles are fairly identical. Either one is going to deliver mud-slopping, rock-pounding fun and have similar power at the base level. The Wrangler does have a 396 V-8 option, something the Bronco line-up is sorely missing, but that’s only available in the expensive top trim. The 2024 Wrangler starts at $33,890, which is about eight grand less than the base model Bronco, so it is a better value. Once either of these vehicles starts getting equipped with all the fun 4×4 goodies, their prices are about the same.

How The Ford Bronco Compares To The Toyota Land Cruiser

• 	2024 Ford Bronco	2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
  Engine:	2.3-Liter Ecoboost Inline-four	2.4-liter turbo inline-four hybrid
  Torque	325 LB-FT	465 LB-FT
  Transmission	10-speed auto/seven-speed manual	8-speed automatic
  Driveline	4WD	Four-wheel drive
  MSRP	$39,190 – $90,035	NA (est. $55,000)
  Towing Capacity	3,500 pounds	6,000 pounds
  Horsepower	300	326 Horsepower

The Toyota Land Cruiser is another off-road icon, like the Bronco, which has gotten a recent reboot. From its humble beginnings as a solid 4×4, the Land Cruiser became a super-expensive status symbol that was basically unattainable for most people and sales tanked. Toyota paused the Land Cruiser in 2021 and came back with a more wallet-friendly redesign for 2024. The new Land Cruiser, again like the Bronco, has styling cues from its classic roots, with an updated look. The Toyota still packs far more luxury than the Ford, so it’s certainly more comfortable on and off the road.

Head-to-head in off-road capabilities, the round goes to the Bronco by default, because nobody has actually test driven a 2024 Land Cruiser yet. Expected to hit dealers in the spring of 2024, the Land Cruiser has some impressive off-road equipment, but until it is tested in the real world, the Bronco is the better choice. The other area where the Bronco excels in this battle of the legends is in the starting price. The Land Cruiser is expected to start in the mid-$50,000 range, which doesn’t sound wallet-friendly, but compared to the $93,350 base model price of the 2021 Land Cruiser, it’s a steal.

How Much Does A 2024 Ford Bronco Cost?

At just over 40k, the Bronco Big Bend trim is priced right, but it is a little stripped down. For a few bucks more, the Black Diamond trim comes with all the off-road goodies anyone could hope for. Any trim above that doesn’t offer much more, and the prices escalate unnecessarily. There is no justification for the $71,580 Heritage Limited Edition, when as similarly awesome Black Diamond can be had for nearly 30 thousand less. The top tier Raptor is cool in theory, but at nearly six figures, it’s hard to recommend, especially since a far superior F-150 Raptor can be had for aroud the same price.

2024 Ford Bronco Price

(Source: Ford)

Fuel Economy

The biggest advantage four and six-cylinder engines have over V-8s is fuel economy, but all of that goes out the window with turbocharging. An engine’s horsepower is ultimately decided by how quickly it can consume fuel and turbochargers accelerate an engine’s consumption. It’s great that the Ford EcoBoost engines can produce so much power with so little displacement, but they are not eco-friendly. The 2024 Broncos are gas-guzzlers, but great performance always comes at a cost.

GAS/HYBRIDS

(Annual fuel cost sourced from Edmunds)

Is It Worth Buying A 2024 Ford Bronco?

The Ford Bronco is one of the most iconic nameplates in off-roading history and the new-gen has some decidedly killer style and swagger. However, there are better mid-size SUVs that offer just as much style and more refinement at a cheaper price. That’s not to say that the Bronco is terrible, because it is a perfectly capable ride that will bring joy to any buyer, but there are better options out there.

The 2024 Bronco’s X-factor is that the SUV is a legend. The Kia Telluride, Mazda CX-90, and the Toyota Grand Highlander all have more to offer except a history and name. There are two-door performance coupes that blow away the Ford Mustang in every measurable way, but not a single one of them is a Mustang. The same goes for the Bronco, in that it’s a legendary ride that hits all the key points, so a 2024 is worth buying.