2022 might be the year of the truck, but the 2022 Ford Bronco SUV would like a word. The Detroit Free Press recently gave the Ford Bronco SUV of the Year for 2022. What made the old-school Bronco name such a success in recent times?

The Detroit Free Press chose the Ford Bronco as SUV of the Year

The Ford Bronco might be an old name, but that doesn’t mean this old dog didn’t pick up some new tricks. The Detroit Free Press says the Bronco SUV is a “breath of fresh air and innovation in a market segment that’s been begging for competition to liven things up.” As Ford worked on the Bronco, it is clear the automaker wanted to make a vehicle that fit a variety of situations.

The styling of the Bronco is reminiscent of the famous old SUV but in a much more capable body. To take first place, what made this one stand out against the competition? The combination of off-roading ability and on-road comfort create a well-balanced SUV. The addition of technologically advanced electronic aids helps the Bronco off-road when other similar vehicles might fall behind. One of those is trail turn assist, which helps lock the rear wheels for support in tight turn situations.

What makes the Ford Bronco such a versatile SUV?

The base engine offers 275 hp from the 2.3L engine, or a 315 hp twin-turbo V6 is also an option. A manual transmission Bronco is also available with either engine. The Bronco also comes in a two-door or four-door option. The two-door is still the more desired option as it stands right now. The shorter body style is more capable and easy to maneuver than the four-door, which means it has been a bigger seller.

However, that doesn’t matter if the future owner doesn’t go off-road. The Ford Bronco is also capable of on-road and has a ton of new features and technology to satisfy the highway driver. The Ford Bronco Sport is available now, and a variety of new models will be hitting the market soon enough.

The base price of the Ford Bronco starts at $28,500 for the two-door. The four-door Bronco base model starts at $33,200. The top-level trim is the two-door First Edition which starts at $56,915. The four-door First Edition starts at $61,110.

Who is the competition for this off-road capable SUV?

Ford was aiming for Jeep Wrangler buyers with the off-roading capability, but also some of the Land Rover style lovers. In the second place, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 compact electric SUV dazzled the Detroit Free Press. It offers 800-volt batteries (or 350kW) that can utilize DC Fast-Charging stations. Hyundai says this means the Ioniq 5 can charge to 80% State of Charge (SoC) in about 18 minutes. The Hyundai SUV will get 240 miles in the long-range Ioniq 5. The only other vehicles on the market with this type of battery are the Porsche Taycan, Lucid Air, and GMC Hummer EV. Pricing starts at $39,700.

Finally, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer luxury SUV came in third place. The third-place win also applies to the Jeep Wagoneer. The price for this luxury SUV starts at $57,995 and goes all the way up to $100,000. It offers three rows and plenty of room for passengers, plus a lot of updated technology.

For now, it seems the Ford Bronco has everything necessary for buyers, plus a bag of chips. This is important if you are on an off-road adventure and have to save some other less-capable vehicles. Keep your eye out for Bronco SUVs on the road near you.