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Ford resurrected the Bronco in 2021 with the goal of dethroning the Jeep Wrangler as America’s off-roading SUV of choice. After two years of reviews and criticism from the 4×4 community—much of it revolving around the pros and cons of a solid front axle—the much-anticipated Raptor package now establishes the Bronco as the king of four-wheeling landscape.
The so-called “Braptor” recipe uses many of the ingredients that established Ford’s F-150 Raptor as America’s go-to off-roading pickup. In many ways, the Bronco Raptor more closely resembles an F-150 than its lower-spec siblings: a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 pumps out 418 horsepower and 440 lb- ft of torque to 37-inch wheels through a 10-speed automatic and fully locking front and rear differentials. A disconnecting front sway bar and impressive set of 3.1-inch Fox LiveValve shocks allow for increased wheel articulation.
The Bronco allows owners to customize their drive settings in addition to the seven standard GOAT modes, an obscure acronym that apparently stands for “Goes Over Any Terrain,” though devotees can “Greatest Of All Time” also applies. The Fox dampers can be quickly firmed up or softened with a button on the steering wheel, also aiding steering. Press another button and the exhaust valves open to full flow, bringing up a prompt on the upgraded gauge cluster (also cribbed from the F-150) that states Baja mode is “For off- road use only.” Best to follow that advice, or you’ll piss off the neighbors.
All that extra is paying off. From the driver’s seat of a Bronco Raptor, the gnarliest rock-crawling trails and tallest sand dunes seem pedestrian—select the right GOAT mode, mash the throttle and go. But the biggest revelation is the on-road driving dynamics. Despite the chunky wheels that measure 12.5 inches in diameter, the Bronco Raptor drives more like a sports car than a Jeep. Setting the shocks to Sport drops body roll to almost zero. All-terrain tires from BFGoodrich, rather than mud terrains, indicate how many owners Ford believes will ever go off-roading. After all, the 1 percent or so that do is likely to trade in mud lands anyway—40-inchers should fit in just fine.
Given the attractive dealer markups (MSRP is $68,500), most buyers will likely choose between a Mercedes-AMG G63, Land Rover Defender or Bronco Raptor for their rugged grocery-getter. For those who simply need the best off-roader to leave a Detroit factory, be it for the toughest trails or the most technical mall crawl, Ford has delivered a Bronco that threatens to do it all. other 4x4s that are no longer in use.
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