Two-door Ford Bronco tackles trails, ups power ante

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- Back in the fall, I reviewed the new-for-2021 Ford Bronco Sport, a four-door sport-ute built in the tradition of rugged off-roaders.

So why evaluate the more recently tested 2021 Ford Bronco 2-Door Advanced 4X4 Badlands sport-utility vehicle?  Well, because the vehicles are remarkably different ... and it goes way beyond two doors versus four doors.

Take the price, for example.  The Bronco Sport, which I enjoyed, came in at $36,005 on the bottom line.  The two-door Bronco Advanced, which I enjoyed even more, was listed at $55,550.  If you're guessing that the Advanced had a lot more perks going for it, go to the head of the class.

Maybe it was just me, but the two-door version just seemed to be more off-road inclined than its four-door cousin.  Perhaps it was the compact, tight look on the two-door wheelbase. When I took the Advanced 4X4 off the pavement for a comparatively mild excursion, it just handled things with more gusto.

What I really liked in the two-door model in particular was the 2.7-liter turbocharged V-6 engine that performed like a strutting, muscular champ.  The high level of peppy performance was a blood-racing blast -- an opinion shared by other auto reviewers.

Please note, the 2.7-liter V-6 makes an advertised 330 horsepower and 415 foot-pounds of torque when loaded up with premium fuel.  Drinking regular-level octane, those numbers drop to 315 and 410, respectively.

Oh, my two-door ride looked particularly fetching in "Cyber Orange" exterior paint, a dramatic offset against the black interior.

For an off-road warrior, the two-seat Advanced was luxuriously appointed with leather trim, a heated steering wheel, a 360-degree camera and much, much more. This particular Bronco might have ranked as the most lavishly appointed pure off-roader I've ever driven, at least in my memory.

Both of my test Broncos were Badlands editions, which equate to enhanced off-road ability.  That includes a heavy-duty suspension and advanced four-wheel-drive technologies. In truth, the off-road technology involved is so advanced in some cases that my humble words don't do it justice.  Suffice it to say that you feel as secure as a babe in your mother's arms when rolling over the rocky trails.

Ford touts the Bronco's "Built Wild" characteristics and the long-appreciated Bronco language of the G.O.A.T. -- Goes Over Any Type of Terrain.

Sound like your cup of tea? Well, I have no doubt that I didn't test the two Broncos' off-road tools at anything close to the level that the hardcore rock climber desires. But even after my comparatively modest off-road testing, I can appreciate the joy of taking the Bronco far off the paved pathways.