Event: Ford Bronco Sport Off-Roadeo
Experiencing the Bronco Sport in the Wild
When Ford debuted the all-new Bronco Sport in 2021, it said it was “Built Wild.” The question was how many owners actually planned on getting wild and going off-roading? Or was Ford merely selling an aspiration, since the country was still deep into the pandemic and people were getting a bit restless staying home? The Bronco Sport has been a success with its first full year of 2022 seeing 99,547 sales, and through August 2023 it is running at a 23.6% sales increase compared to last year.
Regardless the owner’s ambitions, fate smiled brightly on Ford as their timing was perfect to launch the Bronco Sport, which has been a hit.
Leaving the Pavement: Bronco Off-Roadeo
Ford hosts Bronco Sport Off-Roadeo programs in Austin, Texas; Gilford, New Hampshire, and where we went through the program—Moab, Utah. There is also a similar program in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the full-size Bronco. The purpose of this program is for Bronco Sport owners to broaden their appreciation of what their midsize SUV can do, taking it beyond a daily driver and bread-and-egg-getter.
The program is complementary for original owners (see the above link for details) and Ford can advise which program to attend, as it depends on your off-roading interest and what type of off-roading you may do in the area you live. The highly trained instructors encourage any level of expertise and have tailored the route and instruction for all levels to enjoy.
The Off-Roadeo Program Vehicle: Bronco Sport Badlands
The Bronco Badlands has a 2.0L 4-cylinder gasoline engine with 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. Mated to an 8-speed automatic with a manual mode, paddle shifters and driver selectable drive modes. The on-road modes are Normal, Eco, Sport and Slippery, and the off-road has Mud/Ruts, Rock Crawl and Sand settings. When scrolling through the drive modes, the 6.5-inch LCD information screen displays a different animation graphic for each mode, such as green leaves for Eco and red checkered flags for Sport. Cute, but fun.
Ford calls the off-road modes G.O.A.T., as in Goes Over Any Terrain, which affect the steering sensitivity, shift points, throttle response and traction control. The Badlands is available with two-wheel drive, but for this program the four-wheel drive models were used—for obvious reasons!
Ford is proud of the off-road capability, saying the “Bronco Sport has the toughness and smarts to help turn off-road novices into 4×4 pros.” It does this with a suspension built to take on rugged terrain, including rock crawling.
Ford’s Trail Control technology enables a cruise control-like setting, up-to 20 mph forward and 6 mph in reverse, for vehicle-controlled throttle and braking, letting the driver stay focused on navigating the trail. Another helpful feature is the 180-degree off-road camera that automatically comes on when in the off-road modes.
Hitting the Dusty (and Rocky and Rutted) Road
Departing the host hotel, the Red Cliffs Lodge, we drove on scenic Route 128 for 15 miles alongside the Colorado River Canyon, catching glimpses of rafters. We veered off the improved road onto Bureau Of Land Management (BLM) land to begin our full day of traversing rocks, ruts and dirt. Our route began on the Dome Plateau Trail, where the lower portion went through pinion pine and juniper forests. We passed sandstone cliffs and several canyons on the dirt trail, with sections that were sandy, rocky and bumpy. The washboard sections spotlighted the Bronco Sport’s suspension capabilities.
Much of the 35 miles of trail was purpose-built and curated by the Off-Roadeo team. It was designed to be manageable with stretches of dirt and gravel surfaces that became significantly more challenging when it was time to climb and crawl over much more demanding surfaces. Most speeds were less than 25 miles per hour on the open sections, but with the crawling segments, well, we were truly crawling.
We learned how to climb a steep rock outcropping using traction boards (rigid or flexible devices) used to get a vehicle unstuck when in mud, snow, sand, or in our case, climbing rocks. The trail was varied in degrees of difficulty to the extent it would push the comfort level for novices, but not be boring for the more experienced. The instructors/trail guides repeatedly stressed safety, environmental responsibility and their credo of Tread Lightly.
The outbound section culminated with lunch overlooking the backside of Arches National Park, where we were able to view Sand Dune Arch and Delicate Arch, the latter of which is on the Utah license plate. The views were spectacular, providing a scenic and remote location for outdoor dining!
Bronco Off-Roadeo Owner Experience
For some Bronco Sport owners this will be an introduction to driving off-pavement, while others will have more experience. Each market offers a different driving experience, with Ford saying that those opting for Moab “might have been driving on Mars.” The terrain was stark, but in a beautiful way with crags, canyons, cliffs and even petroglyphs. Our instructors took the time to explain specific soil types, including some that are so sensitive they shouldn’t be walked on.
Jason Hyde, Ford Bronco Sport marketing manager, told us “the Bronco Sport Off-Roadeo program is a confidence builder as many owners don’t really understand what their vehicle is capable of. We have heard some great feedback from those that have gone through the program, including a surprise and delight factor because they wanted to get behind the wheel and try trails, many seeing this as a gateway into off-roading.” Jason went on to say, “Bronco Sport owners are more likely to go off-road than other vehicle lines.”
Bronco Nation
All original Bronco and Bronco Sport owners are given complementary membership in Bronco Nation, a community that allows Bronco enthusiasm and ownership to go to the next level. It is not required to become a member to attend the Bronco Sport Off-Roadeo, but this is a key resource for the community Ford is creating around the Bronco brand.
Some videos that capture some of the fun.
Observations: Ford Bronco Sport Off-Roadeo
The importance of connecting the Bronco Sport off-road capability with sales was stressed by Hyde, who said “95% of Bronco Off-Roadeo participants said it exceeded their expectations and 90% of them said they would recommend the program to other owners. It is important to educate our owners, but community is a big part of this, too. Ford wants to be seen as being a resource for the information they need as they continue their interest in off-road vehicles.”
If you are in the market for a great-looking compact crossover that is off-road capable, then the 2023 Ford Bronco Sport should be at the top of your list. The Bronco Sport is a nostalgic reminder of the first Bronco models from the mid-1960s, with the updated version offering all the convenience and safety features of a modern, rugged, freeway-capable, versatile vehicle.
The interior is well-appointed and more upscale than might be expected. The exterior design will be recognizable wherever you drive. There are functional and practical features, such as a bottle opener, rear seat storage system, rubber floor covering, interior cargo tie-down systems, the flip-up rear hatch glass window, positionable LED spotlights and many more.
Author’s Note: Getting There
Rather than flying, I proposed to Ford that I drive a 2023 Mustang Mach-E to-and from South Orange County, California to Moab, Utah, a 1,796 mile trip. They were all for it as it generated these two stories, posted on Clean Fleet Report, of the Mach-E driving review, and a proof-of-concept story of driving an all-electric vehicle on such a lengthy road trip, proving it was not only conceivable, but very doable. Check them out if you want to see where Ford is excelling in electric vehicle design, development and technology.
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Story by John Faulkner. Photos by John Faulkner and Ford.
[See image gallery at cleanfleetreport.com]
Disclosure:
Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.
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