2023 Ford Bronco

The price of the 2023 Ford Bronco SUV's Base trim starts at $34,595. Next up is the Big Bend, which will cost you $38,585, and then the Black Diamond at $41,250. The Heritage edition is new, and this Ford Bronco's price is $45,555, while the Outer Banks costs $46,350, the Badlands $47,395, and the Wildtrak $58,025. The most expensive car in the Bronco range below the Raptor, which we review separately, is the Heritage Special Edition at $68,145. These are the Ford Bronco's MSRPs, and they exclude the $1,795 destination fee.

They are also the prices for each model in its basic two-door configuration with the 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine and seven-speed manual transmission, except for the Wildtrak and Heritage Limited Edition, which are only available with the 2.7-liter V6 - an engine that comes with the ten-speed automatic only. Adding the automatic to any of the four-cylinder models costs $1,595. Adding the V6 as well costs another $1,895. Opting for the four-door body varies a lot by trim, as this may also add other features. For example, it adds $3,150 to the price of the Base, but only $540 to the price of a Wildtrak.

Ford set out to build a better Wrangler, and this meant addressing some of the Wrangler's most glaring faults. To this end, the Bronco's independent front suspension instead of the Wrangler's live axle makes for far more precise handling and better steering feel, so the Bronco is not a chore to pilot every day. The body-on-frame structure, big tires, and off-road suspension still cause some bouncing and shuddering, but comfort is good enough for daily use. The fly in the ointment is the wind noise at speed, courtesy of the barn-like aerodynamics and frameless door glass. Handling is a lot better than the Wrangler's, though, and the sway bar can be disconnected for off-road going - where it is simply superb with its myriad off-road options and tech that makes going off the beaten track disarmingly easy. The roof and doors can be removed, and an added boon is that, with glass dropped, the frameless doors are compact enough to carry along in the four-door versions, so you don't need to leave them at home. Both power plants offer punchy performance with plenty of low-rev torque, but none of the hybrid and diesel options the Wrangler offers are available.

Around town, the Bronco is a more enjoyable daily driver than the noisier, truck-like Wrangler, if you can live with the poor fuel economy. It matches the Wrangler off-road, while offering mind-boggling customization options and sheer configurability. It's noisy on the highway, but less so than its rival, with a more comfortable ride. It's always thirsty though because you can't opt for a diesel or hybrid to improve efficiency. Even so, the Bronco has learned lessons from the Wrangler, and it does everything its rival can do, plus a few things it can't, like carrying its frameless doors with it and retaining its side mirrors when the doors are removed. So if you're looking for a more liveable Wrangler to use every day, the Bronco has hit the bull's eye. But if you're going to compare it with more civilized and less hardcore SUVs, the Bronco's crudeness and off-road focus might be a bit much.

Which of the Ford Bronco trims you should buy depends very much on what you want to use it for. For the all-conquering go-anywhere off-road ability the Bronco was made for, the two-door Base car with the manual transmission needs nothing more than the Sasquatch package to tackle the toughest trails. With destination included, it gives you a serious piece of hardware for less than $45k. If you want to use it every day and need more space and comfort features, one of the higher trims with the automatic transmission might work better for you, such as the Outer Banks four-door with the Lux package added. This already takes you to nearly $54k, so we think it represents fine value. For the ultimate Bronco experience, the four-door Wildtrak V6 with standard Sasquatch package is the ticket, but it's expensive at over $60k, even before you add a few luxuries.