2024 Ford Bronco Everglades - For when you want to drive with the gators!

 I have to hand it to Ford. I think there are more special editions of the Bronco than any other model they sell. I count nine - Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Heritage Edition, Badlands, Everglades, Wildtrak, Heritage Unlimited Edition, and Raptor. There are also five versions of the Bronco Sport!

For whatever reason the 4WD craze has lasted longer than many, including me, thought it would. It does not appear to be waning. You may think that it is gender driven, you know the macho men conquering wild America. Believe it or not I see a lot of women in 4X4s. In fact when I was driving a different 4X4 a woman, probably in her 50s, told me I needed to take it out and get some mud on it. 

I have no idea how capable this '24 Bronco Everglades is off-road. Even though there is an off-road park near where I live I never felt the urge to muddy up the Bronco. Like the vast majority, I just tackled the urban jungle.

As an urban vehicle, an every day driver, the Bronco was fine. This is no bare bones, open the doors and hose it out Bronco. It was very nicely appointed. (As an aside, years ago I worked at a place that had an old CJ5 for road service calls. No carpet, not even rubber mats. I drove it through a huge puddle and got soaked because the floor drain plugs were missing!)

 

About the only complaint I had with the interior was that it was too high to easily get into but not high enough to need a step. Once I got in there I was nice and cozy. 

I will fault Ford for their digital owner's manual. I do not find them user friendly. If I want info on say the radio I have to know the exact term Ford uses. If I Google something I don't have to spell it correctly, or know the exact name, I can enter car music thing and Google knows what I mean. I wonder how well the digital manual will work 10 years down the road (or if the battery dies)?

Another clue that the Bronco Everglades is not a hard-core off-roader is all the techie stuff. Thankfully both the radio and climate control have knobs. I basically ignored much of the rest.

Under the hood is an engine - I think. I never looked. Actually the engine was Ford's excellent 2.3-liter EcoBoost. I like the EcoBoost engines, they are powerful, torquey, and relatively frugal. The 2.3 is rated at 300 hp, and 325 lb-ft with premium fuel. It is not the fastest SUV out there but it does just fine. It's EPA economy isn't great (18-mpg city and 17-mpg highway). It can tow up to a 3,500 lb. trailer.

I'm not sure why so many vehicles have to have a noisy exhaust note. Silence is golden, especially off-road. The Bronco Everglades had an unpleasant sound until you got it "up on the cam" as they used to say. Every now and then, when the stars were not synced it almost sounded like a baffle in the muffler was loose. 

Like any Ute there is plenty of storage. Behind the front seats there is 77.6 cubic feet of storage, and behind the rear seats 35.6 cu. ft. (this varies depending on soft or hard top). 

Part of the Everglades package is a winch and a snorkle. Given the height of the snorkle (higher than the hood) I wonder if Ford really wants owners to ford (pun intended) rivers?

Out here in Sunny California I really don't see much point to a 4X4, any 4X4. In many states east of the Rockies though is a different story. Four-wheel-drive can be a necessity in some areas. A Bronco, any  Bronco, would be a good choice. 

Now here's the kicker (yes another pun), the Bronco Everglades is not inexpensive. It starts at $55,520 (ford.com) although it is very well equipped. Options could easily push it over $60,000. In today's market that is not terribly expensive. 

If you're looking for a Bronco that is less pricey you should consider a Bronco Sport that starts at $29,795.