2024 Ford Bronco Sport: Rugged Yet Refined

Interior Comfort and Utility

The Bronco Sport's interior punches above its weight, feeling more premium than its pricing suggests. All versions feature an easy-to-clean interior designed for rugged adventures, plus nice touches like automatic climate control and push-button start. The cabin offers plenty of space for passengers, while a fold-flat rear seat enables impressive cargo flexibility.

Clever utility details include a bottle opener, tie-down hooks, and liftgate floodlights that illuminate the rear cargo area for camping trips. Optional extras like a sunroof, wireless charger, and zippered seatback pockets add to the comfort and functionality. It's all perfectly suited for outdoor excursions beyond the pavement.

Exterior and Dimensions

The Bronco Sport strikes a balance between maneuverable size and spacious utility. At 172.7 inches long, it slots below compact SUVs like the Escape while offering generous interior dimensions. There's ample head and legroom for passengers, while the rear cargo area ranges from a minimum of 920 liters behind the rear seats up to 1,846 liters with the 60/40 split bench folded. The Bronco Sport can even swallow two full-sized mountain bikes with the optional Yakima rack. Towing capacity tops out at 2,200 pounds.

Performance

Under the hood, the 2024 Bronco Sport offers two engine choices. Most trims use a 1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder engine making 181 horsepower, while the off-road-focused Badlands trim gets a punchier 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder with 250 horsepower. An 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive system come standard.

Reviewers have found the base engine adequate for most driving, with smooth, quiet operation. The transmission can hesitate at low speeds but otherwise responds quickly to input. For more demanding driving, the Badlands' bigger engine delivers stronger acceleration while the advanced AWD system includes extras like a rear differential lock for serious off-roading.

Fuel Efficiency

Fuel efficiency is a strength of the smaller 1.5-liter engine, which earns an NR Can combined rating of 8.9 L/100 km. Going with the more powerful 2.0-liter engine comes with a thirstier 10.2 L/100 km rating. Both engines take regular 87 octane gasoline. Overall, the Bronco Sport delivers respectable fuel economy for an AWD crossover SUV.

Safety Features

The 2024 Bronco Sport continues its high safety scores from previous model years. It earns top "Good" ratings in IIHS testing along with a coveted 5-star overall score from the NHTSA. All versions come nicely equipped with the latest accident-avoidance tech like automatic emergency braking and blind spot monitoring. Optional extras include adaptive cruise control with lane centering capability.

Pricing

The 2024 Bronco Sport lineup starts at $38,995 for the base Big Bend trim, topping out at $46,550 for the off-road ready Badlands. Newly added for 2024 are the Free Wheeling and Black Appearance packages, offering retro-inspired styling touches. Overall, the Bronco Sport delivers strong value, undercutting rivals like the Subaru Forester and Jeep Cherokee while offering comparable feature content and more attractive styling.

Summary

After gaining traction with adventurous-minded shoppers, the 2024 Bronco Sport plays it safe with minimal changes. New appearance packages join the lineup, including the retro-flavored Free Wheeling trim, but the fundamentals carry over unchanged. That's fine by us, since this little SUV has plenty going for it already.