2022 Ford Bronco Sport

The 2022 Ford Bronco Sport is one of the best compact crossovers for mixing city life with weekend outdoor adventures, making it our editors' pick! Pick list. Inspired by a kid's version of the big Ford Bronco, a retro take on the classic Bronco itself, the smaller Sport is a real head turner. Its truck shape is perfect for interiors where headroom and cargo space are generous. While the cabin is marred by unattractive materials and the rear bench seat isn't very large, the use of useful features like hidden storage and a pull-out workbench is a unique touch. All-wheel drive is standard, but a potent turbocharged four-cylinder engine is reserved for the top-end of Badlands, the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk's legal off-road rival.The standard three-cylinder engine is more powerful, but also significantly more economical. The Bronco's older brother is more capable, but the 2022 Bronco Sport is more than just a superficial offshoot.

Comfort

Inside, the Bronco Sport offers an attractive design and a host of popular features. The little Ute also has an impressive amount of storage space and some nice innovations. Though the wheelbase is shorter than the Escape, the little Bronco has an upright riding position and decent rear legroom. The roofline also rises at the rear, providing additional headroom and ample cargo space for two mountain bikes. The cargo area can also be fitted with a retractable table that doubles as a workspace for the, a 400-watt inverter and integrated LED lights in the tailgate for overhead lighting.The tailgate has a glass hatch and a built-in bottle opener.

Engine

The Bronco Sport shares the same platform as the compact crossover Escape, and all models are four-wheel drive. The base engine is a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder with 181 hp, but a 245-hp 2.0-liter turbo.A 0.0-liter four-cylinder engine is also available. Both are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, but the more powerful engine offers steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters and upgraded cooling components. The Bronco Sport can also tow 2,000 to 2,200 pounds. Top-of-the-line Badlands trim offers a number of unique features, including dual-clutch rear-wheel drive with differential locking. It also has off-road tires mounted on 17-inch, 1.0 inch suspension for more ground clearance and stronger shock absorbers. We drove the Bronco Sport Badlands and found that its firm steering and sure-footed ride made it feel like a truck, but it wasn't particularly smooth or stable on the freeway.

Fuel

The three-cylinder Bronco Sport is rated at 25 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. Upgrading to the more powerful four-cylinder version brings those numbers down to 21mpg city and 26 on the highway. We ran one with the smaller engine on our 75-mile fuel economy run that's part of our extensive testing program, and it returned an impressive 33 highway mpg.