1 Year Review - Our '22 Bronco Sport Badlands in Alaska

[BenOutside85]

Wow, a year has flown by already with our BS after what felt like eons waiting for delivery of our ordered vehicle way back in Nov 21.

I'll start off by saying how stoked we were to get this car. I'm not a huge car nerd or anything but after test driving this one and it's big brother, my wife and I were excited to pull the trigger on one or the other.
That was our first hurdle - deciding between the smaller, more nimble BS with better gas mileage or the more badass look and capability of the big brother. But ultimately the cheaper cost, better mileage won out. And while we love hiking and trails and getting to those rougher, secluded spots, we're not true offroaders. I'd still love to own a big one someday but we haven't looked back with any regrets.

Ordered: Nov, 2021
Received: June, 2022

Build:
Badlands Trim, Cactus Gray
Tires: Falken WP 235/65 R17 A/T
Power Moonroof
Engine Block Heater
CoPilot 360 Assist+
Floor Liners FR/R with carpet mats
Cargo Mat
Class II Trailer Tow
Cargo Management System
Premium Package
B&O Sound System

Additions since purchase:
BFGoodrich KO2's 245/65
Yakima OffGrid Cargo Basket

Mileage: 12,220
Current MPG: 22.4


Interior Review:

Pros

• The materials and design. Yes it's a strange mix of materials across the dash and doors but I think it works well (for the most part, see con below)
• The thoughtfulness and personality. There's just lots of little touches that make it stand out such as the Cargo shelf (a must have imo), the bottle opener, the overhead trunk lights for grabbing gear, the bronco decal, the mountains etched into the plastic on the trunk... I could go on. I just felt like the big bronco lacked some of that thoughtfulness and personality, they definitely went for more utilitarian imo.
• Subjective, but I love the heated seats and steering wheel. A must have in cold climates like we are. These things blast.
• The suede/leather seats. I think they look sharp. (see leather con below though)
• The rubberized mats/floor. Awesome. Even if you never take this thing out of a city, it's a game changer for clean up.
• Connectivity is pretty great. Plenty of charging ports around and love that AC inverter in the back.

Neutral

• The moonroof. Regretting it a little now. It's just mostly unnecessary I'd say unless you live in a place where it's nice yknow, 8mos out of the year. Even when it's super nice here, we often forget we even have it and it's just another thing that can break and would be expensive if it does.
• The B&O stereo system. It's fine. I'm glad I got it because I'd probably be pretty disappointed with the standard system, but it could be better too. I'm no audiophile but ddI don't feel its as terrible as I've seen some say it is on here though.

Cons

• The leather of the drivers seat has begun to sag a bit, it's definitely not as taut as it used to be. Doesn't look terrible but wondering if there's anything that can be done to help it.
• The plastics are super prone to scratches. I've just accepted it at this point because I've already got a decent amount of scuffs and we live out in the rough. This could really be improved for future models. Seems like a big oversight on a vehicle that is supposed to straddle the line between urban suv and weekend adventure vehicle.
• Size. After a year, I feel like it could be a tad bigger. The interior room really isn't anything to write home about. Go on a family grocery trip with your wife and kid/s and you find yourself full in no time. I think Ford could extend the back another foot without sacrificing the personality they've instilled here.
• The rear car doors. These things don't open wide at all. Getting a car seat in and out would be a lot more pleasant if Ford fixed this. After all, a huge demographic of this thing is small families.
• No wireless apple carplay
• Wind noise is a thing with this car. It's not terrible but it is noticeable sometimes. If you're expecting that silent, total isolation vaccuum to the outside this isn't it. But no, it's not as bad as its big brother.
• Why the heck would you make the headliner of a semi-offroader white?? Don't get it.

Exterior Review:

Pros

• Just love the look of it. While I was a little envious when that eruption green was added later, I am still super happy with my decision on cactus gray. And I think it will age well like wine. While not as muscular as its big brother it's got it's own unique appeal, balancing style and ruggedness really well.
• The grill/headlights is my favorite part. Nothing out there looks like it.
• The ability to get a roof color different from the body is neat. I went with a gray roof, and cactus gray body and don't regret a thing.
• While it is a little on the small size, I love the glass back hatch. I've fit lumber, poles, etc sticking out the back while driving that otherwise only would fit in a truck or full size suv

Neutral

• I think a little more attention could've gone to the rear. While okay, it just doesn't match the cool factor of the front. Some more aggressive lines or slight change in the taillights could help add some flair.
• I think adding just a LITTLE more ground clearance would be nice. Another inch or two wouldn't kill em

Cons

• No real cons can think of!

Performance

To be honest, I'm super glad I didn't go with the smaller engine. To me, this 2.0 feels perfect. I've never felt it struggling, you can get this thing flying quickly if you need to and it's always been smooth shifting. No complaints. I will say that there are other suv's out there that are a little looser and more fun to drive. However, you can definitely get some fun going with this guy if you put into sport mode. Basically it's pretty peppy if you need it to be. After the first couple months I started driving more conservatively just to save money but once in a while you just need a reminder that this thing can go. Especially during that summertime sun, slight breeze, windows down and music blaring.

Gas mileage. Sure it's not the worst in its segment, but it's certainly not in the top 5. The official estimate is dead on from my experience, but room for improvement there for sure.

I have no complaints so far of brakes or steering or much else. Nothing has felt off or concerning thus far. I've done two oil changes so far.
The GOAT modes. So I've used slippery, sport and eco quite a bit. Slippery definitely helped with our generous snow dumps here in AK. Can't speak for rock crawl and mud/ruts really but I'm sure they're useful in their own situations. That goes for the 4 wheel drive and locking center differential. I've gotten out of a handful of some pretty sticky snow/rut situations this past winter thanks to them. That being said, they're not miracle workers. If you get into a 3ft steep snow embankment off the road or drive in 16 inches of snow with a layer of ice coating the road like I did... yea, no beuno haha, but at least there's tow hooks! (Not that I'd normally do that, but it was our first ultrasound appt for our first baby!) But overall, I've definitely been impressed with the capability of this little semi-offroader. Give me a couple more winters and sketchy trails to give a more final feedback.

Tech

Coming from a 2008 Outback it's no shocker that I'm pretty impressed with the suite of tech onboard. The lane centering, intelligent/adaptive cruise and blind spot tech all work very well so far. The only thing I've noticed is sometimes there's a delay in activating cruise control... I'll go to set it and it doesn't take the first time and I'll need to hit it again.
The intelligent lane centering can be a little annoying as its a pretty short window before it yells at you to keep your hands on the wheel. I get its not supposed to be totally autonomous but its a little too held back imo.
More subjective, but I hate auto stop/start. There's a button to turn it off, but it doesn't remember for next time you drive. You've gotta push it every dang time you get in. Cmon Ford.


Summary
In short, we love our BS. No, it's definitely not perfect but we've already had a blast in it the last year and look forward to many more years to come.
And winter was not easy on our new vehicle. Our $400 Costco carport collapsed on it one night when we received about 14 inches of snow in like 8 hours. (see photo) Luckily the damage wasn't too bad and insurance paid. Besides that damage, we haven't had to replace or repair anything for the vehicle itself. Really hoping Ford made these things to last. Even so, I would recommend getting that extended warranty that Grangers offers. It's a good deal and peace of mind for a while. Feel free to hit me up with any questions and I'll do my best to reply.

My grade so far - 8.5/10

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[wessermgm]

Thanks for the write up. Your life seems a fun adventure, glad the Sport is along for the ride.

 

[Mark S.]

The intelligent lane centering can be a little annoying as its a pretty short window before it yells at you to keep your hands on the wheel.

I don't really like lane centering; I always feel like I'm fighting it, especially on two-lane roads. That said, I think the way to get the most out of it is to not try to steer when it's engaged. I've found if I hold the wheel underhanded with my hand slightly off center the weight of my hand/arm is enough steering pressure to make the system think I'm making an input and prevent the barking.

 

[Jrl]

Wow, a year has flown by already with our BS after what felt like eons waiting for delivery of our ordered vehicle way back in Nov 21.

I'll start off by saying how stoked we were to get this car. I'm not a huge car nerd or anything but after test driving this one and it's big brother, my wife and I were excited to pull the trigger on one or the other.
That was our first hurdle - deciding between the smaller, more nimble BS with better gas mileage or the more badass look and capability of the big brother. But ultimately the cheaper cost, better mileage won out. And while we love hiking and trails and getting to those rougher, secluded spots, we're not true offroaders. I'd still love to own a big one someday but we haven't looked back with any regrets.

Ordered: Nov, 2021
Received: June, 2022

Build:
Badlands Trim, Cactus Gray
Tires: Falken WP 235/65 R17 A/T
Power Moonroof
Engine Block Heater
CoPilot 360 Assist+
Floor Liners FR/R with carpet mats
Cargo Mat
Class II Trailer Tow
Cargo Management System
Premium Package
B&O Sound System

Additions since purchase:
BFGoodrich KO2's 245/65
Yakima OffGrid Cargo Basket

Mileage: 12,220
Current MPG: 22.4


Interior Review:

Pros

• The materials and design. Yes it's a strange mix of materials across the dash and doors but I think it works well (for the most part, see con below)
• The thoughtfulness and personality. There's just lots of little touches that make it stand out such as the Cargo shelf (a must have imo), the bottle opener, the overhead trunk lights for grabbing gear, the bronco decal, the mountains etched into the plastic on the trunk... I could go on. I just felt like the big bronco lacked some of that thoughtfulness and personality, they definitely went for more utilitarian imo.
• Subjective, but I love the heated seats and steering wheel. A must have in cold climates like we are. These things blast.
• The suede/leather seats. I think they look sharp. (see leather con below though)
• The rubberized mats/floor. Awesome. Even if you never take this thing out of a city, it's a game changer for clean up.
• Connectivity is pretty great. Plenty of charging ports around and love that AC inverter in the back.

Neutral

• The moonroof. Regretting it a little now. It's just mostly unnecessary I'd say unless you live in a place where it's nice yknow, 8mos out of the year. Even when it's super nice here, we often forget we even have it and it's just another thing that can break and would be expensive if it does.
• The B&O stereo system. It's fine. I'm glad I got it because I'd probably be pretty disappointed with the standard system, but it could be better too. I'm no audiophile but ddI don't feel its as terrible as I've seen some say it is on here though.

Cons

• The leather of the drivers seat has begun to sag a bit, it's definitely not as taut as it used to be. Doesn't look terrible but wondering if there's anything that can be done to help it.
• The plastics are super prone to scratches. I've just accepted it at this point because I've already got a decent amount of scuffs and we live out in the rough. This could really be improved for future models. Seems like a big oversight on a vehicle that is supposed to straddle the line between urban suv and weekend adventure vehicle.
• Size. After a year, I feel like it could be a tad bigger. The interior room really isn't anything to write home about. Go on a family grocery trip with your wife and kid/s and you find yourself full in no time. I think Ford could extend the back another foot without sacrificing the personality they've instilled here.
• The rear car doors. These things don't open wide at all. Getting a car seat in and out would be a lot more pleasant if Ford fixed this. After all, a huge demographic of this thing is small families.
• No wireless apple carplay
• Wind noise is a thing with this car. It's not terrible but it is noticeable sometimes. If you're expecting that silent, total isolation vaccuum to the outside this isn't it. But no, it's not as bad as its big brother.
• Why the heck would you make the headliner of a semi-offroader white?? Don't get it.

Exterior Review:

Pros

• Just love the look of it. While I was a little envious when that eruption green was added later, I am still super happy with my decision on cactus gray. And I think it will age well like wine. While not as muscular as its big brother it's got it's own unique appeal, balancing style and ruggedness really well.
• The grill/headlights is my favorite part. Nothing out there looks like it.
• The ability to get a roof color different from the body is neat. I went with a gray roof, and cactus gray body and don't regret a thing.
• While it is a little on the small size, I love the glass back hatch. I've fit lumber, poles, etc sticking out the back while driving that otherwise only would fit in a truck or full size suv

Neutral

• I think a little more attention could've gone to the rear. While okay, it just doesn't match the cool factor of the front. Some more aggressive lines or slight change in the taillights could help add some flair.
• I think adding just a LITTLE more ground clearance would be nice. Another inch or two wouldn't kill em

Cons

• No real cons can think of!

Performance

To be honest, I'm super glad I didn't go with the smaller engine. To me, this 2.0 feels perfect. I've never felt it struggling, you can get this thing flying quickly if you need to and it's always been smooth shifting. No complaints. I will say that there are other suv's out there that are a little looser and more fun to drive. However, you can definitely get some fun going with this guy if you put into sport mode. Basically it's pretty peppy if you need it to be. After the first couple months I started driving more conservatively just to save money but once in a while you just need a reminder that this thing can go. Especially during that summertime sun, slight breeze, windows down and music blaring.

Gas mileage. Sure it's not the worst in its segment, but it's certainly not in the top 5. The official estimate is dead on from my experience, but room for improvement there for sure.

I have no complaints so far of brakes or steering or much else. Nothing has felt off or concerning thus far. I've done two oil changes so far.
The GOAT modes. So I've used slippery, sport and eco quite a bit. Slippery definitely helped with our generous snow dumps here in AK. Can't speak for rock crawl and mud/ruts really but I'm sure they're useful in their own situations. That goes for the 4 wheel drive and locking center differential. I've gotten out of a handful of some pretty sticky snow/rut situations this past winter thanks to them. That being said, they're not miracle workers. If you get into a 3ft steep snow embankment off the road or drive in 16 inches of snow with a layer of ice coating the road like I did... yea, no beuno haha, but at least there's tow hooks! (Not that I'd normally do that, but it was our first ultrasound appt for our first baby!) But overall, I've definitely been impressed with the capability of this little semi-offroader. Give me a couple more winters and sketchy trails to give a more final feedback.

Tech

Coming from a 2008 Outback it's no shocker that I'm pretty impressed with the suite of tech onboard. The lane centering, intelligent/adaptive cruise and blind spot tech all work very well so far. The only thing I've noticed is sometimes there's a delay in activating cruise control... I'll go to set it and it doesn't take the first time and I'll need to hit it again.
The intelligent lane centering can be a little annoying as its a pretty short window before it yells at you to keep your hands on the wheel. I get its not supposed to be totally autonomous but its a little too held back imo.
More subjective, but I hate auto stop/start. There's a button to turn it off, but it doesn't remember for next time you drive. You've gotta push it every dang time you get in. Cmon Ford.


Summary
In short, we love our BS. No, it's definitely not perfect but we've already had a blast in it the last year and look forward to many more years to come.
And winter was not easy on our new vehicle. Our $400 Costco carport collapsed on it one night when we received about 14 inches of snow in like 8 hours. (see photo) Luckily the damage wasn't too bad and insurance paid. Besides that damage, we haven't had to replace or repair anything for the vehicle itself. Really hoping Ford made these things to last. Even so, I would recommend getting that extended warranty that Grangers offers. It's a good deal and peace of mind for a while. Feel free to hit me up with any questions and I'll do my best to reply.

My grade so far - 8.5/10

Nice reviews. I also agree 100%.

 

[BarryTheBronco]

Nice review!
I just got mine back in April so I missed all the winter fun driving in Alaska, but im pretty stoked to see how well it goes next winter. The grill and headlights are definitely my favorite part of it too.

 

[BenOutside85]

Nice review!
I just got mine back in April so I missed all the winter fun driving in Alaska, but im pretty stoked to see how well it goes next winter. The grill and headlights are definitely my favorite part of it too.

Thanks! And hi neighbor, nice lookin ride!

 

[Dude]

Great write up!! Really appreciated your balanced review and the pics of Alaska. Hope you will keep the pics coming.

About the “delay in activating cruise control... set it and it doesn't take the first time and I'll need to hit it again”,
Not sure if u are referring to the cruise on/off (mine works every time) or the speed down/up buttons to set the cruise speed but coming from a Subaru Forester where only the speed down button set the initial cruise speed i got used to pressing the down button on the Badlands and 10% of the time it doesn’t set the initial speed the 1st time and would need to hit it again. I switched to setting the initial cruise speed using only the speed up button and that works every time. I might have a flaky “speed down” button now IDK.

 

[AmazingSieve]

Hey great review. I agree with quite a bit of it. I had one random thought while reading it and it was why don’t all models have tow/recovery points?

Regardless of model it seems like a good thing to have in case you ever get stuck anywhere really.

 

[Bronclahoma]

A well-written write-up! I sometimes I wish I had a low range on steep trails, but I've made the trail control work when M1 wasn't low enough to hold me back. Still I wonder what a steady diet of this does to the brakes. My 21 BL has never been back for repairs. I guess I'm satisfied since I ordered a 23 BL Eruption green/carbonized gray this week.

 

[PaulOinMA]

Great write-up. Thanks.

 

[BenOutside85]

Thanks! Hm, no it is the actual set button for me. It's not every time but it is quite often.

Great write up!! Really appreciated your balanced review and the pics of Alaska. Hope you will keep the pics coming.

About the “delay in activating cruise control... set it and it doesn't take the first time and I'll need to hit it again”,
Not sure if u are referring to the cruise on/off (mine works every time) or the speed down/up buttons to set the cruise speed but coming from a Subaru Forester where only the speed down button set the initial cruise speed i got used to pressing the down button on the Badlands and 10% of the time it doesn’t set the initial speed the 1st time and would need to hit it again. I switched to setting the initial cruise speed using only the speed up button and that works every time. I might have a flaky “speed down” button now IDK.

Great write up!! Really appreciated your balanced review and the pics of Alaska. Hope you will keep the pics coming.

About the “delay in activating cruise control... set it and it doesn't take the first time and I'll need to hit it again”,
Not sure if u are referring to the cruise on/off (mine works every time) or the speed down/up buttons to set the cruise speed but coming from a Subaru Forester where only the speed down button set the initial cruise speed i got used to pressing the down button on the Badlands and 10% of the time it doesn’t set the initial speed the 1st time and would need to hit it again. I switched to setting the initial cruise speed using only the speed up button and that works every time. I might have a flaky “speed down” button now IDK.

 

[BenOutside85]

Hey great review. I agree with quite a bit of it. I had one random thought while reading it and it was why don’t all models have tow/recovery points?

Regardless of model it seems like a good thing to have in case you ever get stuck anywhere really.

Thanks! I agree completely. Should be standard across all models

 

[Wolf256]

Thanks! I agree completely. Should be standard across all models

I believe it is. However, if you have the tow package, access is blocked inside the bumper. What should be standard is the tow eye, which most of us have had to purchase separately. Access to threaded port is behind the little door in the bumper. See picture.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Nice review!
I just got mine back in April so I missed all the winter fun driving in Alaska, but im pretty stoked to see how well it goes next winter. The grill and headlights are definitely my favorite part of it too.

So glad you're enjoying your Bronco Sport, Gerald!

 

[Ford Motor Company]

I believe it is. However, if you have the tow package, access is blocked inside the bumper. What should be standard is the tow eye, which most of us have had to purchase separately. Access to threaded port is behind the little door in the bumper. See picture.

That's a beautiful Bronco Sport, Jane!

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