Test drive: The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport lives up to its name

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport is a crossover inspired by the original Bronco that&ready for adventure, says Fox News Autos Editor Gary Gastelu. Ford is looking to cash in on over a century of earned equity this year. Brand equity, that is. It’s doing it by introducing a pair of similarly sized crossover utility vehicles that evoke two of the company’s most storied nameplates&are very different. (Ford) The Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s first purpose-designed electric vehicle and an ambitious stretch for the pony car name, but its new stablemate hasn’t strayed quite as far. It’s the Bronco Sport, which is a subcompact SUV sidekick to the Bronco truck that is scheduled to arrive this summer to take on the Jeep Wrangler. The B.S. is no bull, however, despite being based on the Ford Escape. The boxy little runabout has been buffed up to handle more than a little bit of outdoorsy adventure. Starting prices range from $28,315 for a Bronco Sport Base to $34,315 for a Badlands, which is the most off-road-capable model and the one I tested. A loaded, limited-availability First Edition series was also offered for $39,655&has already been sold out. (Ford) The Bronco Sport’s front end was very much inspired by the 1966 Bronco’s, right down to the grille and bulges in its tall, horizontal hood. The rest of its four-door body comes across more as an homage to the 2008-2012 Escape, before the model transformed into a generic jellybean. The combination works well and had...