You’ve all been wondering about 2021 Ford Bronco pricing since the convertible Wrangler-fighting off-roader debuted earlier this year. Now the configurator is up, and we have a full pricing breakdown. Check it out.
Let’s get straight to the base model, which costs only a couple of hundred bucks more than the $29,790 Jeep Wrangler, its main competitor. This is impressive, as the Jeep is a much more spartan vehicle, lacking basic features that are standard on the Ford — things like air-conditioning and power windows.
To be fair, the four-door Bronco costs roughly $1,400 more than the $33,290 Wrangler four-door, which, unlike the two-door, does have air-conditioning standard (Still, door locks and windows are manual).
Let’s take a look at all the Bronco trims: Base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Badlands, Wildtrak and First Edition.
Base: $29,995 (Two-Door), $34,695 (Four-Door)
The Base Ford Bronco, which starts at $29,995 for the two-door and $34,695 for the four-door, comes standard with air-conditioning, power windows, two front tow hooks, one rear tow hook, bash plates to protect underside components from off-road damage, LED headlights, a black plastic hardtop (this is standard just on the two-door; the four-door comes standard with a folding soft top, and a hard-top is available for $695), a five-setting terrain management system to optimize traction off-road, an eight-inch LCD SYNC 4 infotainment screen, and more important, a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine making 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.
All of the engine’s output goes through a standard seven-speed manual transmission or a $1,595 ten-speed automatic and then to either a part-time four-wheel drive system or an automatic system.
The part-time four-wheel drive system offers three modes: rear-wheel drive, four-wheel drive part-time (this should not be used on dry pavement, as there is not differential speed between the front and rear driveshafts) and four-wheel drive “low range” (also with the front and rear driveshafts locked together). There’s also a neutral position for flat-towing.
Opting for the “automatic” four-wheel drive system — which adds a setting that automatically and strategically apportions power to the front axle based on driving conditions — brings a price hike of $5,790. As I understand it, that’s $795 for the four-wheel drive system and $4,995 for the Sasquatch Package (which itself comes with the 10-speed automatic transmission).
That’s right, to get the automatic 4x4 system on the two-door Bronco, you have to go with the Sasquatch Package, which cannot be configured with a manual transmission until some later date. Per Ford spokesman Mike Levine’s Instagram page, “Mansquatch [is] targeted for late 2021.”
In any case, the Sasquatch Package replaces the standard 16-inch silver-painted steel wheels wrapped in 255/70R16 all-season tires (30-inch) with 17-inch black-gloss aluminum wheels surrounded by 315/70R17 tires (35-inch) mud-terrain tires. The $4,995 Sasquatch Package (really a $5,790 package, as it requires the addition of the auto 4x4 system) adds high-clearance fender flares, a high-clearance suspension and a 4.7:1 final drive ratio with front and rear lockers.
Other options for the Base Bronco include the 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine for $1,895. This also adds the 10-speed auto for no additional charge (the four-door Base model comes only with an automatic, so you’re paying entirely for the motor), which makes the bigger motor seem like a great deal for those who want an automatic Bronco. Why spend $1,595 on the transmission when another $300 gets you that transmission plus a 310 horsepower, 400 lb-ft V6 instead of the 270 horsepower, 310 lb-ft inline four? I can’t imagine the fuel economy difference will be dramatic.
Other options for the base Bronco include heavy duty steel front bumper with an upgraded front bash plate for $825, $365 roof rails with cross bars, $495 sound deadener for the hard top, $195 for auxiliary switches in the overhead console for powering accessories, $350 for bags to hold the doors while they’re off the vehicle, $995 for a winch-capable front bumper and $595 for rock rails. There’s also a canvas soft top option — $499 for the four-door and $359 for the two-door — and there are tube doors available at $850 for the two-doors and $1,500 for the four.
Big Bend: $34,880 (Two-Door), $37,375 (Four-Door)
On Big Bend models, the difference in price between two and four-door drops below $2,500. On Base Broncos, the delta is $4,700. This is in large part because the Big Bend four-door model can be had with the $1,595 cheaper manual, whereas the Base four-door is automatic-only.
Big Bend Broncos get 17-inch painted aluminum wheels as standard instead of the Base’s steelies, and tires are no longer 30-inch all-seasons, but instead 32-inch all-terrains. Big Bend also adds a standard leather-wrapped steering wheel, LED fog lamps, tinted windows, six terrain modes instead of five and a gray-painted grille.
In addition, the Big Bend trim unlocks the available $1,495 Mid Package, which includes creature comforts like dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, visor mirror lights, remote start for automatic models, an AC power outlet, ambient footwell lighting, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, SYNC 4, Ford Co-Pilot 360 (which includes blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, a rearview camera with grid lines and pre-collision warning with automatic emergency braking), backup parking sensors, keyless entry and more.
Adding the automatic transmission to the Big Bend costs $1,895, or $300 more than the auto on the Base trim, but on Big Bend, that trans also comes standard with a locking rear differential. If you want to add a locker to a manual Big Bend Bronco, it’ll cost you $495.
Like on the Base model, opting for the V6 seems to make sense if you want the automatic. Once again, it’s just a $300 premium at $2,195 for the V6 over the inline-four with an automatic. Pricing for many other options offered on the aforementioned base trim apply to the Big Bend trim, though Big Bend also offers some things that the Base doesn’t, like $795 LED headlamps with LED signature lighting and a two-inch hitch receiver for $595.
Black Diamond: $37,545 (Two-Door), $40,040 (Four-Door)
Things quickly become more hard-core with the Black Diamond trim, which starts at $37,545 for the manual two-door and $40,040 for the manual four-door. Standard features over the Big Bend include a locking rear diff, steel front and rear bumpers, rock rails, “heavy-duty” skid plates, seven terrain modes, a rubberized floor with drain plugs, 10mm wider 32-inch all-terrain tires, auxiliary switches on the overhead console, Molle webbing on the front seatbacks, a black grille and vinyl seats instead of cloth for what Ford says is “easy post-wheelin’ cleanup.”
Steel wheels are standard, but black aluminum ones can be had for $995. Otherwise, there’s not a huge difference between Black Diamond and Big Bend. The bigger motor bolted to the automatic is still $1,895, and that still makes sense over spending $1,595 on just the ten-speed automatic.
Like the Big Bend, there’s a $1,495 Mid Package available, offering creature comforts like heated seats, dual-zone climate control and various driver safety features.
Outer Banks: $40,450 (Two Door), $42,945 (Four-Door)
The Outer Banks model is similar to a Big Bend model, except it gets special 18-inch black painted aluminum wheels (wrapped in 32-inch all-terrains), signature LED headlamps and taillamps, body colored fender flares and black tube steps. Plus, it comes standard with the Mid Package and all the safety and comfort features that come with it.
There’s also an available Lux Package and High Package. The Lux Package is $1,295, and adds to the Mid Package a 12-inch touchscreen, a 360-degree camera, more sound deadening, park sensors in the front bumper, LED lights beaming from the side mirrors and a more advanced SYNC 4 system.
The $3,595 High Package adds adaptive cruise control, a Bang & Olufsen 10-speaker audio system with subwoofer, heated steering wheel, wireless charging pad, more “smart” USB ports, Evasive Steering Assistant (which can actually help you steer around a slow-moving or stationary object that you’re about to hit) and more.
The Outer Banks model appears to come only with the 10-speed automatic. A locking diff can be had for $795, or you can just go for the $4,995 Sasquatch Package and get a front locker, bigger tires and more.
The $595 tow package, $1,895 V6 engine, $825 heavy-duty front bumper with upgraded bash plates and a number of other options available on the Big Bend and other trims are also options on Outer Banks.
Badlands: $43,590 (Two-Door), $46,085 (Four-Door)
The Badlands Bronco is like a Black Diamond trim but a bit more hard core, coming standard with 33-inch all-terrain tires on 17-inch gray aluminum wheels. Locking front and rear diffs are standard, as are Bilstein monotube shocks and a sway bar disconnect for more front axle articulation. Like the Black Diamond, upgraded bash plates and rock rails and LED headlights.
Plus, like Black Diamond, there are seven terrain modes (“GOAT Modes”), the seats are vinyl, the auxiliary switches in the overhead console are standard and the Mid, High, and Sasquatch packages are all available.
On Badlands, the Mid Package costs $1,495, while High costs $2,790, and Sasquatch will run you $4,090 (since it requires you to opt for an automatic, at least, for now) or $2,495 if you’re already getting the $1,595 auto. The V6, as on other trims, costs $1,895 and comes with the 10-speed automatic.
Wildtrak: $48,475 (Two-Door), $50,970 (Four-Door)
The Wildtrak trim comes standard with the V6 engine mated to the ten-speed transmission, a black painted hard top, unique hood graphics, black wheels and the Sasquatch Package. This means it has 35-inch mud-terrain tires and locking front and rear axles (like all Sasquatches, the front axle is an M210 model instead of an M190, meaning the ring gear is bigger), high-clearance fenders, high-clearance suspension and Bilstein shocks.
It also comes standard with the Mid Package, though it doesn’t get upgraded bash plates and heavy-duty front bumper. Those cost $825. Other options like sound deadening for the hard top, roof rails and the High ($1,295), Lux ($3,490) and towing ($595) packages are also available.
But the only package that really matters is the Graphics Package, which I think—even at $520—is probably worth every penny. Just look at this:
There’s also the $58,905 ($63,100 for the four-door) First Edition, but with Ford building only 7,000, and reservations for that one already full, I won’t dive too deep. Here’s how Ford describes the First Edition Trim, in case you are curious.
First edition uses the mechanicals of a Badlands, the interior of an Outer Banks and exterior of a Wildtrak to create the ultimate fully-loaded Bronco.
It’s basically a Wildtrak with the Lux package and a bunch of accessories.
Anyway, this is all quite exciting. Pricing is very competitive with the Jeep Wrangler. In fact, if you’re into the more hard-core stuff, the Bronco seems like a decent deal (depending on the severity of off-roading you do — remember, it doesn’t have a solid front axle).
If you want two locking differentials on the Jeep, you have to pay over $40,000 for the Rubicon, and you end up with 33-inch tires. On the Bronco? Just get the Base trim with the Sasquatch package, and you get 35-inch tires (not that tire size is everything) and two lockers for only $35,785. And that’s with the automatic transmission; Ford says Sasquatch will be available on manual Broncos, so it seems likely that a locked-up Bronco can be had for even less. And that’s just awesome.