Used 2023 Ford Bronco Sport

Yes, the Bronco Sport is smaller than the Bronco, doesn’t have the ultimate off-road talents of its big bro, and comes solely as a 4-door model. But they share many styling elements. So the Bronco Sport projects that outdoorsy image, yet at a lower price.

Based on the same platform as the Ford Escape, the Bronco Sport is more for exploring the milder-ness than the wilderness, although the Badlands trim can cope quite well when the terrain gets tricky.

When taking the family on an adventure, some things are crucial. Parents can be reassured that the Bronco Sport has scored highly in crash tests carried out by both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It also comes with many driver assistance features as standard.

The larger 2023 Ford Bronco is reviewed separately.

In this context, GOAT does not mean “greatest of all time.” But the tongue-in-cheek reference is kind of fun. Instead, it refers to the Bronco Sport SUV’s ability to “go over any terrain.” Like a goat.

That’s slightly optimistic, but more possible in the Badlands and Heritage Limited models because of their advanced all-wheel-drive system, which comes with five GOAT driving modes in its terrain response feature. This is an exclusive pairing to the more powerful of the two engines available, a 250-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder unit.

For those seeking average fuel economy that’s better than 23 mpg and aren’t planning on tackling the Rubicon Trail, the turbocharged 3-cylinder engine and its still-effective all-wheel-drive system are found in the lower trims.

This engine makes a relatively modest 181 horsepower, but averages around 26 mpg. And if the stylized ruggedness of the Bronco Sport SUV is the main attraction, not the underlying ability, then this will do the job.

Plastic has a strong presence inside the 2023 Bronco Sport SUV, but not merely to keep costs down. Like the cloth upholstery in the lower trims, it’s meant to be cleaned easily after an excursion through the mud.

The new Heritage model comes with plaid-patterned cloth, while the Heritage Limited has leather seating surfaces. Every version has an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, although higher trims bring navigation and a pinch-to-zoom function.

Rear legroom is 36.9 inches — not as good as a Jeep Cherokee (40.3 inches), but just about acceptable. The Bronco Sport outdoes the Cherokee for cargo space, with 32.5 or 29.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats (the more sophisticated all-wheel-drive system with the 2.0-liter engine takes up extra room) to 65.2 or 60.6 when the rears are folded. Compare that with the Cherokee’s 28.8/54.7 cubic feet.

Retro-inspired design still has its place, as long as the source of inspiration was cool. In the case of the Ford Bronco, cool is an understatement.

The chunky squared-off lines of that classic SUV are echoed on the 2023 Bronco Sport. They make sense from a functional perspective, because it’s easier to gauge where the corners are while driving off-road.

Both the Bronco and this Bronco Sport appear to have sprung from the same pen. Each vehicle has the word “Bronco” spelled out across the grille in upper-case letters. But the Bronco Sport doesn’t have a removable roof or removable doors.

The liftgate’s window opens separately. That’s quite handy for dropping something into the luggage area without having to lift the whole thing.

This year sees the addition of two Heritage models, offering the kinds of pale colors that the old Bronc used to offer, like Robin’s Egg Blue. These are set off with white highlights, including the wheels and roof.

Other new colors this year are Atlas Blue Metallic, Eruption Green Metallic, Peak Blue Metallic, and Yellowstone Metallic. Bronze Smoke Metallic and Velocity Blue Metallic have been dropped.

1. Safari-style roof
The high roof of the 2023 Bronco Sport SUV not only provides generous headroom for passengers, it also allows the installation of an optional interior bike rack that can stow a couple of mountain bikes upright (with their front wheels removed).

2. Roof rack
This humble feature can handle up to 600 pounds — when the Bronco Sport is parked. That’s strong enough for a rooftop tent, which is part of the optional Camp Outfitter bundle.

3. Heritage model
As the more affordable of the two new additions this year, this Heritage trim brings a lot of the cool cosmetic touches inside and out, but starts at $32,650, as opposed to the Heritage Limited’s MSRP of $44,655.

4. Front-facing 180-degree camera
Off-roading can be tough and challenging, and there’s always some obstacle that’s hard to spot. This wide-angle camera takes a lot of the stress out of the experience. It’s standard in the Badlands model.

5. Bang & Olufsen audio
B&O equipment is more often found in luxury cars like Audi or Aston Martin. So to find one in a Ford is a joyful occasion for audiophiles. This 10-speaker/560-watt surround-sound system has been tuned especially for the Bronco Sport. It’s optional in the Outer Banks and Badlands models, standard in the Heritage Limited.

6. Dog Outfitter bundle
Every family member can come along. This optional bundle includes a storable kennel for the cargo area, a cargo mat, and seat covers.

In four out of the six 2023 Bronco Sport SUV trims, propulsion comes from a turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine making 181 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque. The Badlands and Heritage Limited models come with a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine developing 250 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque.

These output figures are achieved with premium gasoline, but regular gas may be used.

Both engines connect to an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive is standard across the lineup. The 3-cylinder engine can tow up to 2,000 pounds, while the bigger unit can handle 2,200 pounds.

1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder engine
181 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
190 lb-ft of torque @ 3,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/28 mpg

2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
250 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
277 lb-ft of torque @ 3,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/26 mpg