Car and Driver - Tested: 2021 Ford Bronco Manual Brings the Fun

[rugbysecondrow]

Over the past year, it seems all the articles have focused on the 4 door and the 10 speed. Glad to see the 2dr and 7spd getting some love and reviews.

Can't wait to get my 2 Door MT Black Diamond...looking forward to some modern tech with OG spirit.

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[asurfer11]

Having taken ownership of my Bronco two days ago, I can say I 100% agree that:
- I love the antimatter blue, I was a little bit worried about it being too dark but it is so beautiful that it outweighs that fear
- The manual is great and the 2.3L has never left me feeling like it is underpowered

great to hear! My 2DR BL manual scheduled for production 8/16.

 

[asurfer11]

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a37183884/2021-ford-bronco-black-diamond-by-the-numbers/

You'll give up some features for the manual transmission, but it's well worth it.

The pony liked it. Well, she licked it, which is a sign of affection, right? Perhaps she recognized the 2021 Ford Bronco's badge and presumed it was a new member of the herd.


Getting equine approval seemed important for a truck named for a horse, which is why we swung by a stable during our week of testing. Several riders brought their mounts over to scope out the two-door Bronco, although they demonstrated their interest in a less mouthy manner, peering in the open roof and commenting on the truck's retro looks and easy-to-clean interior. Equestrians are big on easy-to-clean interiors.

It's not just horse people who are drawn to the new Bronco. Everywhere we went in this dusky Antimatter Blue steed, someone waved us down to get a closer look. Many of the interested parties told us they had one on order. If you're aiming to up your popularity around town, we suggest making the rounds in a Bronco. It's a lot easier than being rich or having a good personality.


Speaking of which, the Bronco lineup has seven distinct personalities, ranging from the minimalist base model to the maximalist First Edition. No matter which you choose, you can make your pony more or less outdoorsy, off-road focused, or luxurious with various packages. Unless, of course, you need three pedals.

If your perfect Bronco comes with a seven-speed manual gearbox, you're going to have to give up a large chunk of the Ford option sheet to get it. You're limited to the Black Diamond and Badlands trim levels. The 2.7-liter V-6 is off the table and so is the off-road-oriented Sasquatch package with the big 35-inch tires. You'll have to wait for the 2022 model to pair the big tires with the stick.

The $37,545 Black Diamond trim with a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four and manual transmission strikes us as a sort of sweet spot in the vast lineup. We took one for a bit of trail-riding to see if we'd miss the extra tire and engine displacement offered by the higher trim levels.

Continued...

Excelletn article and it confirms my choice for a 2DR manual. Thanks for posting!!

 

[asurfer11]

Over the past year, it seems all the articles have focused on the 4 door and the 10 speed. Glad to see the 2dr and 7spd getting some love and reviews.

Can't wait to get my 2 Door MT Black Diamond...looking forward to some modern tech with OG spirit.

Agree brother! The 4DR is getting too much attention the past few months. The 2DR is way more beautiful to look at!!!

 

[Efthreeoh]

Agree brother! The 4DR is getting too much attention the past few months. The 2DR is way more beautiful to look at!!!

That's because it's the only configuration Ford can build

 

[Lagrange 6g]

Your link is broken, here's a corrected link: Continued...

Got me

 

[LOSTXGOLD]

Of course it’s meant for off road and isn’t about 0-60 times. I test drove a 2 door Badlands with the 2.3 and manual this weekend at Bob Tomes Ford in McKinney, TX. Loved everything about that Bronco except it felt like an 8.5 second 0-60 truck to me, not 7 like the article states but I didn’t time it. Props to Ford on the really smooth shifting but mine will be getting the v-6 engine.

I may need to go check that one out, I’m here in Garland, TX.

 

[Waiting for 4th Bronco]

Having taken ownership of my Bronco two days ago, I can say I 100% agree that:
- I love the antimatter blue, I was a little bit worried about it being too dark but it is so beautiful that it outweighs that fear
- The manual is great and the 2.3L has never left me feeling like it is underpowered

We have the same build except I am getting velocity blue and you already have yours. 11/28 reservation

 

[MacMarauder]

Nice to see the manual getting some love, there are so few left these days. Hopefully with the competition between Bronco and Wrangler neither company will want to be the first to drop it.

Also great pictures in the article, has me considering Anitmatter Blue again which was the first color I gravitated to in build and price.

 

[_jeff]

Thanks, I had fixed it just a minute ago.

Updated....

I take my high five back, I just clicked on your link...lol

Kinda walked right into that one

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