2021 Ford Bronco Sport First Edition: A Bronco II for the New \’20s

The tale of the tape

The Ford Bronco Sport First Edition is the ultimate-tier trim of the compact crossover. Just 2,000 were ever built, and most if not all are spoken for. Each one combines the top-tier Badlands trim\’s exterior with the Navy Pier leather from the next-tier Outer Banks trim\’s interior, then adds special badging and decals and a Carbonized Gray grille with black Bronco badge to make the limited-edition Bronco Sport stand above the rest. Four colors are available for the First Edition, including this one\’s Cactus Gray. Base MSRP is $38,160, which was also the as-tested MSRP.

Under the hood is a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbo-four with stop-start, the sole engine available to the First Edition and the Badlands trim levels; a 1.5-liter EcoBoost turbo-three is the only engine available for the rest of the Bronco Sport lineup. Output comes to 245 hrsprs and 275 lb-ft of torque, all funneling through the eight-speed automatic to the full set of Falken Wildpeak all-terrains. Flappy paddles will let you shift your own, and the available G.O.A.T. Modes allow the Bronco Sport to get all the minerals it craves, no matter the terrain.

Aside from the aforementioned Navy Pier blue leather seating, the First Edition features a moonroof for seeing the blue skies above. SYNC 3 with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto plus Sirius XM keeps you informed and entertained, while the volume and climate controls remain analog. Wireless charging resides under said controls, as well as a USB data port for connecting your iPhone or Samsung to the world outside. Another set of USB ports live in the center armrest, and rear passengers get a 12-volt connection to plug in their own chargers.