New Bronco vs. Old Bronco: Analyzing the 2021 Ford Bronco

Original Ford Bronco (1966-1977) Features

Known as Ford's original "All-Purpose Vehicle," the first gen Bronco was designed to blow away the competition (*cough* Jeep *cough*) with a focus on high performance both off-road and driving through town. What really made people take notice of this unique vehicle, however, was that it could easily drive through tough off-road obstacles and conditions unlike many other vehicles available at the time. Despite being marketed as an off-road vehicle, the old Bronco featured a coil spring front suspension, a component rarely seen on off-road cars.

The original Bronco was made into three separate models: the Bronco Roadster, Bronco Sport Utility and the Bronco Wagon. The Roadster resembled early Jeep models because it had no roof or doors; however, you could still order a separate convertible top and doors. The Sport Utility was advertised as the "weatherproof" model and came equipped with metal doors, a short, steel roof that could be removed and a tailgate for hauling gear. The doors also featured windows that could be rolled up when necessary. Lastly, the Bronco Wagon was a giant step up from the Sport Utility — it included the same steel doors and roof, except the roof extended across the entire length of the vehicle. Additionally, this variation of the first gen Bronco offered a liftgate with a window that could be opened or closed.

Gen 2 Ford Bronco (1978-1979) Features

In the late 70s, Ford developed their second generation of the original Ford Bronco. Rather than produce three separate models, Gen 2 Broncos shared the same features across the board (with some exceptions to the 1979 vehicles). Unlike the original Bronco with its bench-style seating configuration, 1978 models could be modified with a bench seat or low/high-back bucket seats in the front (or captain's chairs for 1979 vehicles). The back seating for both model years was similar to the first gen Bronco, but these newer Broncos had a flip/fold seat setup that allowed for extra storage. Regardless of these configurations, both gen 1 and gen 2 Broncos could only (comfortably) seat three-people.

Generation 2 Broncos were also touted as highly efficient vehicles for off-roading purposes. In fact, the SUV was known as 1978's Four Wheeler of the Year and featured the following specifications:

Gen 5 Ford Bronco (1992-1996) Features

Although the third and fourth generations of Ford Bronco vehicles had their high points, let's skip ahead to the fifth generation, which was regarded as the final production run for the foreseeable future. A huge leap from the original Ford Bronco released in 1966, Generation 5 vehicles were more stylish (both inside and out), aerodynamic and safe. New safety features included seat belts for the backseat, steering wheel airbags (for 1994-1996 models) and anti-lock brakes (for 1993-1996 vehicles). And, unlike the old Bronco models, leather was available for the four-person seating setup that featured flip-fold rear seats and configurations that ranged from front bench seats to captain's chairs.

2021 Ford Bronco (Gen 6) Features

Finally, the moment you've been waiting for — it's time to talk about the glorious 2021 Ford Bronco.

More than 20 years after the end of Generation 5, Ford has decided to pull the doors back once more and release this stallion into the wild with new Generation 6 models. As the saying goes, "nothing beats the classics," but in many ways, this badass vehicle easily puts the original Ford Bronco to shame with its numerous features and overall aesthetic. Unfortunately, the new Bronco is fairly expensive and can run more than $40,000 with one of its upgrade packages and a four-door setup instead of the two-door configuration. But, nonetheless, the new Ford Bronco is quite the showstopper with specifications that include:

When comparing the new Bronco vs. the old Bronco, one thing that the 2021 model has in common with the original Bronco is that it comes in more than one model. The new Ford Bronco will be available in options that include the Base Model, Big Bend Model, Black Diamond Model, Badlands Model, First Edition Model, Wildtrak Model and Outer Banks Model. The differing models are essentially the same as the Base Model, just with more bells and whistles (such as leather seats in the Outer Banks Bronco as opposed to the Base's cloth seats).