Ford’s all-new Bronco – RODEO DRIVE

Ford’s all-new Bronco – 

RODEO DRIVE

It’s safe to assume Ford’s many new Bronco customers will never use their 4×4 SUVs in a challenging environment. However, the Bronco Off-Roadeo offers people a chance to experience the Ford Bronco without signing a lease or damaging their vehicle. This motorized dude ranch is not limited to city slickers, but to anyone who wants to spend a day learning the art of off-road driving in the comfort of a 2021 Bronco while enjoying a scenic landscape. It’s an off-road driving course that “will welcome you into the world of Bronco, celebrate the great outdoors and adventure-seeking lifestyle that comes with it, and ultimately inspire you to Learn It, Love It and Live It,” according to the Off-Roadeo website. And we couldn’t have said it better.

The Bronco Off-Roadeo is available in four locations across the United States: Moab, Utah; New Hampshire; Nevada; and Texas. Each site offers Bronco owners and guests the chance to learn the art of traversing photogenic landscapes while driving Ford’s latest thoroughbred. The Texas-based Bronco Off-Roadeo is located at the Grey Wolf Ranch near Horseshoe Bay, TX. This venue opened in the spring of 2021 as an exclusive for Ford Bronco owners. However, this summer the Bronco Off-Roadeo opened its online registration to anyone wanting to sign-up for the 10-hour, one-day adventure course, with – happily – meals provided.  

MY (FIRST) BRONCO RODEO: GPS guided me through the twisty maze of Texas’ farm road network to arrive at the Grey Wolf Ranch early in the morning. The entrance was hard to miss, thanks to a Bronco arch welcoming guests to the ranch. Once parked, I walked down the hill to the newly constructed Bronco Off-Roadeo welcome center. It was a cloudless day in August…in Texas. The morning breeze chilled the beads of sweat starting to form on my head as I walked up. 

The staff and instructors provided five-star hospitality as they walked us through the day’s events. Once everyone was signed in, Bronco instructor Corey Rice gave a brief but informative lecture on the basics of off-road driving and how to set up a Ford Bronco for specific terrain. This lecture included instructions on how to use the Broncos G.O.A.T modes, Hero Switches, and explained its Trail Turn Assist and Trail Control settings. 

Next came an exciting decision to make: choosing our horse for the dusty trail. At the course, entrance was a small herd of 2021 Ford Broncos for us to pick. The selection of vehicles offered a party platter of trim levels, colors, and equipped options, in both two-door and four-door Broncos. Everyone spread out to find the Bronco that spoke to them. The one that I gravitated to was a Carbonized Grey two-door hardtop Bronco Base sitting on 35-inch wheels. “That’s the one I would buy” I thought to myself while making a bee-line towards the driver-side door handle. 

This particular base Bronco was optioned with the 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 producing 310-hp and 400 lb.-ft of torque, a welcomed upgrade from the standard single turbocharged 2.3-liter I4 producing 300-hp and 325 lb.-ft of torque. It also had the Sasquatch Off-Road Package, a $4,995 add-on. For your money, you get a Bronco with 17-inch high-gloss black aluminum wheels wrapped in 35-inch all-terrain tires. In addition, Ford’s Advanced 4×4 terrain management system offers front and rear locking differentials with Trail Turn Assist. 

The well-equipped base model’s interior included satellite radio, an infotainment screen and power windows, and the hardtop is fitted with a sound-deadening headliner. The Dark Space Gray with Black Onyx cloth seats did remind me of an airport shuttle but offered manual lumbar support with plenty of cushion for comfort. The key features in the cabin were the row of ‘Hero Switches’ located in the center of the dash and the G.O.A.T mode selector dial resting just below the ten-speed automatic gear shift. According to Ford.com, a Bronco optioned similarly to this one would retail around $39,920. 

AN OFF-ROAD CONVOY: The Bronco Off-Roadeo experience takes you through a set course that’ll test your knowledge of maneuvering through rugged terrain. Driving instructors lead the way as you follow in your Bronco, in convoy. Each vehicle had a radio, allowing drivers to listen to the instructor and communicate back with questions or concerns. The whole trip feels like an expedition as you traverse dry river beds littered with slick rocks, up and down dusty hills with jagged stones, and through thick Texas brush. It is challenging and fun, while still comfortable; you get to do this with the A/C set to arctic.

The varied terrain gave us plenty of opportunities to try out the Bronco’s G.O.A.T modes. These modes differ depending on trim level, with higher-end models offering up to seven. For example, the base Bronco I was driving does not offer a Baja mode; however, it does have a Sport mode with a two-wheel-drive setting (close enough). In one section of the course we were allowed to feel the Bronco’s torque and acceleration on a Baja-inspired trail with red sand straightaways and rooster tail-sprouting turns. 

Longtime fans of the Ford Bronco may miss the V8 sound, but the twin-turbo 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 makes up for that with speed and turbo spooling. The Bronco is agile for its boxy size and sprints to a full gallop when you kick the throttle, making quick use of its 310-hp and 10-speed automatic to blaze a trail; there’s nothing but dust clouds behind it.

FORD BRONCO HERO SWITCHES: Located at the top center of the dashboard, the  Ford Bronco’s Hero Switches provide the driver with Trail Turn Assist, the option to lock front and rear differentials, traction control, and hazard lights. Locking the front and rear differentials on the fly adds a level of luxury and convenience to off-roading. In just one example, I was struggling to drive up a hill. Failing to keep steady throttle control meant the Bronco was losing traction and slipping. While stopped on a steep incline near the hill’s summit, the instructor suggested I lock the front differential and try again. 

Once the front differential was locked at the push of a button, the Bronco pulled itself up and over the hill like a mountain goat with my mouth fully ajar in genuine amazement. After a few hours, fatigue started to set in, and I switched on the Bronco Trail Control feature, a low-speed all-terrain cruise control. Once engaged, drivers set the desired speed limit (usually under 10 mph) and focus only on steering while the Bronco handles the rest.

My favorite feature of the new Ford Bronco is its class-exclusive Trail Turn Assist, used for making tight turns on narrow trails. Trail Turn Assist works by locking the rear inside wheel while turning. You can hear the wheel lock-up with a mechanical spring noise, similar to the sound of pulling a handbrake, as you begin turning. The sensation is smiling-inducing as the Bronco whips itself around tight bends like a barrel racing horse. 

FORD’S BRONCO IS EASY TO LOVE: True love sometimes means overlooking specific details. While there is no question that the 2021 Ford Bronco performs beautifully off-road, no vehicle is perfect. New Bronco owners may discover a learning curve in getting used to certain things on this truck. For example, the Bronco’s electronic steering feels numb, offering next to no road feel. One has to guess what the front wheels are doing, and leaning out the driver-side door to look is also a challenge because the chunky square side mirror is in your line of sight. The Bronco’s A-pillars also take some getting used to, as the first few minutes driving the Bronco it felt as if I was watching a widescreen movie. The good news is that these minor annoyances will dull over time as you get used to driving the Ford’s new Bronco. 

The Bronco Off-Roadeo driving course is an excellent hands-on weekend adventure for anyone looking to learn more about their new Bronco, waiting for their pre-ordered Bronco to arrive, or still riding the fence on whether or not to buy one. It’s an opportunity to experience Ford’s latest horse while exercising proper off-road driving techniques. It provides a real-world taste of the lifestyle and environment the new Bronco was designed to thrive in – a test-drive opportunity that goes above and beyond circling the block.