Ever since the LAPD chased OJ Simpson in a Ford Bronco way back in 1994, my curiosity had been piqued by this then-simple, 4×4 SUV. With its boxy design, body-on-frame construction, small-block six- and eight-cylinder options, and four-wheel-drive hardware, the Bronco was primarily offered to the US domestic market as a simple, unpretentious machine.

Declining sales led to Ford discontinuing the vehicle after the 1996 model, but the nameplate was resurrected in 2021 coincident with the availability of more efficient drivetrains.

It’s made in two- and four-door versions, but the latter is what Ford Philippines brings in here, and it’s a doozy with the “Outer Banks Sasquatch Package.”

On top of the standard 2.7-liter Ecoboost V6, multi-mode four-wheel drive, and 10-speed automatic transmission, the package gets you 35-inch mud-terrain tires, high-clearance fender flares, and position-sensitive Bilstein shock absorbers.

There’s no mistaking the Bronco for anything else when you first see it. It’s chunky and looks purpose-built for trail-busting or herding velociraptors, and the moss-green sheet metal pairs nicely with the all-black roof. It takes some strength and agility to haul yourself inside because of the high step-up, but grab handles have been thoughtfully placed for your convenience.

Once you’re settled in, the dashboard is standard Ford in terms of aesthetics and ergonomics, although the window buttons have been moved to the center console so that the 4WD dial can occupy the space beside the shifter.

Why not place the window and side-mirror controls on the driver’s door panel, you ask? Probably to simplify the wiring, because the doors and the roof panel are removable.

Not that I had the opportunity to try this out, because doing so is a two- to three-man job and requires considerable strength to pull off without dropping anything or straining one’s back. I don’t know if the average Bronco owner will ever remove these either, but it’s one hell of a bragging right.

Once you’re up and running, several things come to mind. The burble of the 2.7-liter V6 is reassuring and empowering in this era of hyper-efficient four-cylinders, and the power it makes is gratifying.

The biturbo setup is smooth and torquey. It’s actually OP for daily use, but it’s like how gun owners see ammo: You can never have enough. You can overtake with ease, you can power up a steep embankment like it was nuthin’, and you can flick the tail just because you want to.

Ride quality from the 35-inch Goodyears is on the stiff side owing to the tread profile, so it’s a little bit bumpy on rough pavement. Once you’re on the highway, the steering delivers reasonably good feel and stability despite the balloon-like profile, but wind noise rises significantly past 120km/h.

The chunky body, the wide tires and flares, and many protrusions, gaps, and edges don’t help fuel efficiency either, barely nudging 10km/L on the highway, and 5-6km/L in the city.

Ah, but it’s in the gnarly stuff that the Bronco excels. The basic suspension architecture consists of front twin A-arms and a rear five-link coilover suspension with a solid axle.

Ford dubs its 4WD tech as “Goes Over Any Terrain” (GOAT), and you can select your drive mode with the simple turn of a dial. The ride from the Bilsteins is stellar over rough gravel and mud, seemingly flattening the smaller bumps and soaking up potholes and ruts with ease.

You can also lock the Dana front and rear electronic differentials via dashboard switches, and the front sway bar automatically disconnects when crawling to allow maximum axle articulation.

Pretty nifty stuff, and there’s not much you’ll want to modify your Bronco for—except perhaps a snorkel to increase your water-wading depth (which is already quite high at 850mm). With a competent driver at the helm, there’s not much that can stop a Bronco on the trail.

The Outer Banks part of the package refers to having heated, power-adjustable leather seats for the driver and the front passenger, power-coated side steps, and LED fog lamps and headlamps.

Other neat features include dual smart charging ports, two 12V power outlets and a 220V power outlet, a 12-inch touchscreen, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It has a premium Bang & Olufsen sound system with 10 speakers including a subwoofer, but audio quality degrades at high speeds due to the wind noise.

So, it can handle the rough stuff quite well, but it also lets you be comfortable for the rest of the week when you’re just pootling along to work.

As expected, a whole host of safety features are included such as auto high beams, hill-start assist, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, lane-keeping assist, remote engine start, and a 360° camera system. The latter is highly useful as parking this SUV reveals huge blind spots front and rear.

Ford markets the Bronco with a sticker price of P4,998,000. It’s technological overkill if you just want a basic 4×4 SUV, but those who plan to seriously go rough-roading will find the Bronco ready to rock pretty much right out of the box.

And when compared to the recently launched Jeep Wrangler (priced at P5,780,000), the Bronco looks like a bargain.