The Ford Bronco promises to kickstart a mighty battle among off-road-oriented SUVs. Targeted directly at rivals like the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota Tacoma, the Bronco balances throwback-inspired styling with thoroughly up-to-date powertrains, safety features, and interior tech.
Of the seven available trims, the Badlands is one of the most razor-focused on having the ultimate in all-terrain capability. It rides on its own unique suspension settings and can be powered by one of two torque-rich turbocharged 4-cylinder engines. The base motor even comes standard with a 7-speed manual gearbox, something that’s increasingly rare among trucks and SUVs.
How does the Badlands stack up to the competition? And as one of the pricer Bronco trims, is it worth the extra cost over its less expensive siblings? Let’s take a look at all there is to know about the 2021 Ford Bronco Badlands.
Bronco Badlands Price and Details
The Bronco Badlands 2-door variant has a starting price of $42,095. Stepping up to the longer and roomier 4-door version will cost $44,590. That roughly $2,500 price difference nets you more rear legroom in the 4-door, along with added cargo space behind the second row.
According to Ford’s estimation, total cargo volume in the Bronco Badlands 4-door is 35.6 cubic feet, versus a little more than 22 cubic feet in the 2-door (when both are fitted with the hardtop).
Dimensions
By the numbers, the 2021 Bronco Badlands 2-door measures 174 inches long, 76 inches wide, and approximately 72 inches high. The 4-door Bronco is 189 inches long. So, if city driving (and parallel) parking is a consideration, or should you want to tread more lightly while off-roading, the smaller 2-door could be the better pick.
Engine
As we mentioned earlier, the Badlands trim is available with a choice of two turbocharged 4-cylinder engines. A turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder coupled to a 7-speed manual transmission serves as the base powertrain. This engine’s 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque is routed to an upgraded 4-wheel drive system with seven driver-selectable drive modes, including a Rock Crawl mode.
Optional is a turbocharged 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 paired to a 10-speed automatic. This combo delivers a total of 310 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. Adding the Towing Capability package results in a maximum tow rating of 3,500 pounds with either engine or body-style choice.
Tires
The Badlands rides on 17-inch gray-painted alloy wheels wrapped by 33-inch all-terrain tires. For even more grip – not to mention added visual gravitas – the available Sasquatch Package adds larger 35-inch tires, beadlock-capable wheels, wider fenders, and beefier suspension.
Bronco Badlands Standard and Optional Features
The Badlands trim is something of a mixed bag in that it lets a Bronco buyer keep things relatively simple. You can load it with nearly every available option offered on Ford’s retro SUV.
Step inside, and you’ll find marine-grade vinyl seats with rubberized flooring. The cabin features drain plugs and can be hosed out after a long day of dusty or muddy adventures. If you’d like to upgrade, no problem, leather seats are optional.
But let’s get back to the Badlands’ main focus, which is venturing onto unpaved surfaces.
Standard hardware includes aptly-named full underbody bash plates (to protect the underside of the truck), a heavy-duty front bumper and steel rear bumper, electronic-locking front and rear differential, front stabilizer bar disconnect, 7-mode driver-selectable G.O.A.T (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) system, and suspension settings unique to this trim.
The Badlands is available in 11 exterior colors. The doors and roof are removable and, depending on the design format you choose, there is a choice of a soft top, two versions of hardtop, or a combination of the two.
For 2-door Badlands buyers, there are two available removable hardtops. If you want either of these, plus the choice of a removable soft top, that means stepping up to the 4-door version.
An 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa compatibility serves as the standard infotainment system. This can be upgraded to a 12-inch touchscreen with more advanced voice controls and pinch-to-zoom navigation. Sitting towards the top of the Bronco lineup, the Badlands can be outfitted with all major option packages. These include the Mid, High, Lux, and curiously-titled Sasquatch package.
Additional mud-plugging features include Trail Turn Assist, which uses torque vectoring to allow extremely quick steering reflexes and rapid direction changes, and Trail One-Pedal Drive. This allows the driver to use only the gas pedal during extreme off-road driving. Whenever the gas pedal isn’t pressed, the brakes automatically engage, allowing the driver to focus more on potential obstacles ahead.
Badlands Tech Features
- Intelligent access with push-button start
- Available remote start
- 8-inch digital instrument cluster
- Terrain Management System (TMS) with 7 G.O.A.T. drive modes, include Rock Crawl
- Available Trail Turn Assist, Trail Control, and Trail One-Pedal Driving
- Available pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking
- Available lane-keep system
- Available blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
- Illuminated sliding visor vanity mirrors (driver and front passenger)
- Powerpoints (12V) – two – front center floor console (1) and cargo area (1)
Dual smart-charging USB ports – Type C + Std A, front rowDual smart-charging USB ports – Type C + Std A, second row (back of center floor console)Available 110V AC outlet, the back side of the center floor console
Entertainment Features
- SYNC 4 – 8-inch LCD capacitive touchscreen with swipe capability and enhanced voice recognition
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Amazon Alexa
- AM/FM stereo with 6 speakers
- AppLink with App Catalog
- 911 Assist and FordPass Connect
- SiriusXM with 360L
- FordPass connect
Interior Features
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror
- Ambient Footwell Lighting
- Marine-grade vinyl front and rear seats
- Rubbered flooring with drain holes
- Available leather seats
- Beverage holders, 6 total
- Overhead console with front map lights
- Carpeted floor mats, first row
- Carpeted floor mats, second row (4-Door Only)
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Manual tilt and telescoping steering column
- Front row: Center floor console armrest, glove box, media bin, overhead console with sunglasses storage
- Front row window controls (2-door and 4-door): One-touch up and down feature, controls located in the front area of the front center console
- Second-row window controls (4-door): Located in the back side of the center floor console
Exterior Features
- Standard soft top 4-door
- Available soft top and/or hardtop 4-door
- Standard hardtop 2-door, optional modular hardtop available
- Removable doors and top
- LED fog lamps
- 17-inch painted alloy wheels
- 11 available exterior colors
- Flip-up rear glass
- 150-degree swing tailgate
- Heavy-duty modular front bumper
- Steel rear bumper
- Tow hooks, 2 front and 1 rear
Badlands Seats
- Marine-grade black vinyl seats with drainable interior
- Optional leather seating
- Available heated front seats
- 6-way manual driver seat
- 6-way manual front passenger seat
- 10-way power-adjustable driver seat (4-door only)
- 8-way power-adjustable front passenger seat (4-door only)
- Second-row 60/40 split-folding seatback (4-door)
- Second-row 50/50 split-folding seatback (2-door)
Badlands Optional Features
- Towing Capability package (includes 2-inch trailer hitch)
- Front brush guard
Badlands Optional Packages
Click here to learn about all the new Bronco option packages.
- Mid Package
- High Package
- Lux Package
- Sasquatch Package
Bronco Badlands Tire Size and Options
There are two tire/wheel choices for the 2021 Ford Bronco Badlands. Standard is a set of 17-inch gloss-painted steel wheels fitted with 285/70R17 All-Terrain (33-inch diameter) tires.
Optional are high gloss-painted 17-inch (beadlock-capable with the Sasquatch package) alloy wheels with 315/70R17 Mud-Terrain (35-inch) tires.
Learn About Other 2021 Bronco Models
