2023 Ford Bronco Review

From the Toyota RAV4 Adventure to the Honda Passport TrailSport and Chevrolet Trailblazer Activ, the big trend these days is a crossover that looks like it has off-road ability — even if that's not necessarily the case. But what if you actually do need an SUV that can crawl over rocks, traverse muddy terrain and keep you riding high on the dunes? You might want to consider the 2023 Ford Bronco.

Now in its third year of production, the new Bronco is a truck-based SUV that's designed for off-roading. It's got four-wheel drive, plenty of ground clearance, and many available hardware add-ons to keep you moving over rough terrain. It even has a removable roof and doors, so you can drive topless for that extra bit of sunshine while on the street or tackling a trail.

Not much has changed for the 2023 edition of the Bronco, but buyers this year do have the option of selecting between two new retro-inspired Heritage Edition models (full details here).  The standard Heritage Edition builds off the Big Bend model with the Sasquatch package, then adds a white roof and grille, plus unique wheels and plaid cloth upholstery. The Heritage Limited Edition is similar but uses the Badlands as a starting point and has a few special exterior details, along with leather/vinyl upholstery. Only 1,966 examples of each body style — two-door and four-door — will be produced.

Ford has also announced a new Bronco DR (for Desert Racer) but this appears to be a $250,000 V8-powered race truck and not something you'll be able to go pick up at your local Ford dealer and drive on the street. Regardless, we're impressed with the Bronco's strong off-road capability and consider it a great rival to the Jeep Wrangler, Toyota 4Runner and Land Rover Defender. Read our test team's Expert Rating to learn more about the Bronco's biggest hits and misses.

What's it like to live with?

We got our hands on a 2021 Ford Bronco First Edition and are excited to spend 20,000 miles with it in our long-term review fleet. We're putting the Bronco through its paces and reporting on what it's like to live with and how reliable it is. Check out our experiences with our Ford Bronco First Edition here.

The 2023 Ford Bronco is a four-wheel-drive SUV available in seven primary trim levels: Base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Badlands, Wildtrak and Everglades. Except the Everglades, which is four-door only, all are available as either a two-door or a four-door and can be kitted out with a long list of options, ranging from appearance and personalization options to different roofs to off-road hardware, wheels and other accessories. There's also an eighth trim called the Raptor, which adds a more powerful engine and a copious amount of off-road hardware. Highlighted features include: