Bronco Sport Heeds The Call Of The Wilderness

RPM News Weekly Takes The 2023 Ford Bronco Sport Heritage Limited Edition Through The Snowy Landscape of Hill, New Hampshire

Part Of A Week-Long Test Drive Of The Well-Equipped 4×4 Model

by Rich Taber

The Bronco Sport came onto the scene for the 2021 model year during a wave of retro reintroductions in the automotive industry. Riding on the same unibody platform as the Ford Escape and the Maverick pickup, this 4×4 SUV presents itself as a sporty, lighter weight version of the heavy-duty, body-on-frame Bronco .

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Featured in our video is the top-of-the-line 2023 Heritage Limited trim. Production of this special edition was capped at 1,966 vehicles as a numerical tribute to the original 1966 Bronco. It’s essentially a Badlands trim with nearly all available options and packages.

The contrasting white roof and black roof-rack side rails complement the unique robin’s egg blue exterior. Standard 235/65R17 Falken Wildpeak all-terrain off-road tires mounted on 17-inch Oxford white wheels complete the look.

Those seeking superior off-road capability in a Bronco Sport will want to seek out the Heritage Limited trim. Its all-wheel drive system with G.O.A.T. mode selection dial performs admirably on a variety of terrains such as the snowy roads of Hill, New Hampshire as seen in the video. By the way, G.O.A.T. is a Ford acronym for “Goes Over Any Terrain” – very appropriate.

To that end, the Heritage Limited edition features a twin-clutch rear differential which allowed us to lock the differential to better navigate the more difficult snow covered trails. In addition, the vehicle provides trail control to automatically manage a set speed when driving off-road – especially useful on steep snowy hills.

As equipped, the Heritage Limited can clear 8.8-inch obstacles in its path. Standard metal bash plates provide an added layer of protection to the underbody.

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The 5-passenger interior supports the retro vibe, but still manages to incorporate plenty of today’s desirable winter-ready vehicle amenities including heated seats and a heated steering wheel. Additional niceties include a power moonroof, wireless charging, USB A and C outlets and a display-audio system with 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen surround sound and navigation. The seating is comfortable, but with the vehicle’s off-road suspension, the ride can be a bit jouncy.

For performance, the Heritage Limited trim comes standard with a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, garnering 250 horsepower at 5,500 rpm. This is the same engine found in the Badlands trim. It’s important not to confuse the Heritage Limited with the Heritage trim. All trims lower than the Badlands (including the Base, Big Bend, Heritage and Outer Banks) offer a 1.5-liter EcoBoost as standard.

The 2.0-liter EcoBoost powerplant delivers a solid 277 pound-feet of torque that won’t leave you feeling left behind at a stop light even when towing up to the 2,200-pound rating for the vehicle. A Class II trailer Tow Package comes standard in the Heritage Limited. The EPA rates combined city/highway fuel economy to come in at 23 miles per gallon, which is right on target with what we managed over a week with the vehicle.

What we found very handy is the Cargo Management System. At first glance, it looks like just a removable shelf, but underneath there are two legs folded into the unit that can be used to prop up the shelf, allowing it to extend out over the lip of the tailgate opening and making a useful workspace as you can see in the video. Priced out as a $150 option, it’s the only extra that added to the base price of $44,655. Tuck the shelf away and drop the rear seats to expand the cargo area to 60.1 cubic feet.

Total MSRP for this 2023 Ford Bronco Sport Heritage Limited Edition comes to $46,400 once you add in the Destination & Delivery charge. 

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