DRUMMOND ISLAND, Mich. – Spending the big bucks buying a brand new, super capable off-road vehicle and then instantly modifying it isn’t for everyone. However, for some people it may be in your plans and those are exactly the people 2022 Ford Bronco Everglades is for. It’s basically a Bronco Modified from the factory, but better. You get a lot of extra parts which can be found on some of the forms above after-salesbut in this case, they are integrated with the vehicle in a way that only Ford can provide.
Consider the majority Bronco version already available offering a large number of customizations or options, the simple nature of the Bronco Everglades is an attractive alternative if you have been thinking of making an aftermarket purchase. And if you’ve ordered a Bronco and are concerned you should pick up the box labeled “Everglades” instead, don’t worry. It’s not too late to change your mind, but read on to see if it’s a good idea.
The only configuration available for the Everglades is the Bronco 4-Door with a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and a 10-speed automatic transmission. Those who want User manual doesn’t apply, and the same goes for anyone hoping for a boosted V6. Ford told us it offers the Everglades exclusively with four cylinders because it offers a higher payload rating, and it’s ironic to expect the Everglades to become popular for overlanding where you want the payload. as much as possible – that’s also why it’s 4 Doors -only.
Every effective Everglades is based on Black Diamond trim, placing it squarely in the middle of Bronco variants when it comes to equipment and ultimate off-road ability/usability. Ford enhanced the Everglade’s credibility by making the Sasquatch package standard. As a quick reminder, this includes position-sensitive Bilstein shocks, higher travel height, locking front and rear axles, 17-inch bead-capable wheels wrapped in 35-inch, ratio mud all-terrain tires. the final transmission is shorter, the Trail-Turn Assist and fender flares are mounted higher for more headroom. Plus, since it’s built on black diamond decorationyou get heavy duty bumpers, full underbody light shields, rubber washable floors, vinyl seats (washable) and Topographic Management system with seven GOAT modes. In addition to the Black Diamond gifts and Sasquatch pack, you get a color hardtop, roof rack with safari bars and a gray grille with glossy black Bronco lettering. Before adding anything specific from the Everglades decor, you’re starting with an extremely capable base.
Once you find the Everglades bits, this Bronco is even more appealing. The most obvious addition is a unique snorkel designed and built by Ford. You can change the direction of the air intake – forward or backward – to suit the environment, whether it’s sand, water or snow. To further improve water resistance, the vents for the front and rear axles, transmission, and transmission have been raised 3.4 inches. Raised snorkel and vents increase your maximum wading depth to an impressive 36.4 inches. That’s more than the Bronco non-Everglades’ 33.5-inch maximum, and it’s even the best Wrangler Xtreme Recon up to 33.6 inches. If deep water is your obstacle, the Everglades are the best solution in this class.
Ford also added a Zeon 10-S Warn winch on the Ford Performance steel bumper, but it’s not just any winch. Instead of pulling it straight off the shelf, Ford modified the winch to make it better and meet its exacting standards. For example, it is coated with a special powder coating for increased life/durability, uses new and improved screws, and has a different hook. It has a synthetic line and is capable of weighing 10,000 pounds, so you have more than enough strength to pull yourself out of any predicament. We got to see the winch in action several times and can confirm that it works well.
For the extra £100 suspension – which is where the factory benefits really come into play – Ford has re-tuned the suspension with modified spring ratios to ensure it works and operates properly. good practice. Ford even crash-tested the Everglades with a bumper and steel winch to make sure it still fell at will. And finally, Ford tweaked and dialed in the sensors so the driver assistance features worked as intended. So you can have your favorite winches, bars and snorkels, but without compromising other features that aftermarket parts can.
Everglades has its own appearance pack that comes with enhancements to its abilities. Its front quadrant fenders feature an Everglades graphic with map terrain from the actual Florida Everglades. Five colors are available, including an Everglades-exclusive paint option called Desert Sand (because when you think of Everglades, you naturally think of “Desert Sand”). Every choice, except for the vibrant Eruption Green, is a rather muted, murky paint tone to match the Everglades theme. The interior is like a normal Bronco, except for some green accents on the handles, air vents and seat stitching. Plus, it has a large 12-inch touchscreen in action Synchronization 4 as standard along with other nice software found in the “average” package.
To see how the Everglades handled off-road, Ford took us to Michigan’s Drummond Island. It’s a remote island off the coast of the Upper Peninsula accessible only by ferry and full of ORV trails. No, it’s not the Florida Everglades, but the marshy nature of the island does an outstanding job of recreating the landscapes you might find in Florida. We bet it’s even better, as the mild temperatures found in northern Michigan make it much more tolerable to remove the roof and lower the windows while off-road. The chance of being eaten by a crocodile is also significantly lower.
Throughout the day, the Bronco Everglades proved itself to be both a dummy-proof stone crawler and a sturdy boat. The heavy rains in the week leading up to our excursion meant that water levels on the island had risen, allowing snorkeling to be put to good use. Hearing the water so high near the doorknob evokes the feeling of relaxing on a float instead of carefully choosing a path across a water-filled soccer field. Even in these deep depths, the Everglades stand firm with a sense of invincibility alone, tenaciously clinging to the rocky and muddy surface beneath the water. Just put it in Mud/Ruts mode and Bronco handles it from there.
Running across a large rock hidden deep in the water? It’s okay, the Sasquatch’s 11.5-inch ground clearance is enough to overtake it. The bash plates are just in case, and used on a few occasions. However, there’s no harm – that’s what they’re for. In a few cases, the Everglades’ mirrors were tilted by the stout trees on either side of the trail without harm, highlighting a real-world drawback to The new Bronco Raptor is spacious and fun. This bronco is wide, but it’s not too wide to impede our fun.
As time went on, Bronco’s belief in his ability to overcome anything grew. There’s really no substitute for meaty 35-inch tires like the muddy terrain on display here. You can use them as a weapon, and they’re an amazing safety blanket when you’re on bad roads and slipping and sliding in particularly rough areas (ask us how they do it). I know). You will be happy to have them when you lose your rear wheel and start to slide towards a rock, but then there is no squeak and no damage. Just a latex pillow to help you out.
Having an off-road winch is never a bad idea either. It gives you the confidence to send it into a deeply difficult situation, knowing that you can ultimately work it out on your own if needed. We did it on a couple of occasions in our convoy, because if you don’t get stuck, you definitely won’t be hard enough.
Our time on the road is limited, so we’ll need to wait and see if the new spring rates have as much of an impact on driving comfort as other brands. Bronco . modelbut early impressions tell us that the Everglades won’t handle or ride much differently than other Broncos with a similar build.
If this Everglades bundle sounds like a hot ticket to you, know that its OEM-plus nature is a bit more expensive than if you bought a Bronco, then bought things like snorkels and winches. from the aftermarket. Ford admits as much to us, but that’s the price you pay to have a factory setup like this. The starting price, including all the parts we talked about here, is $54,495. Build a 4-Door Bronco in Black Diamond trim that has everything but bits of the Everglades, and you’re looking at a price just north of $52,000. You’re essentially paying an extra $2,500 or so for the Everglades’ looks and abilities, which is an acceptable fee in our book.
The bottom line is that in 2022, the only way you’ll be able to capture the Everglades is if you’re still waiting for a pre-ordered order. Assuming you’re one of these people, you should be able to convert the old order into Everglades. We asked Ford if it could meet the demand, and now, Ford believes it will.
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