2022 Ford Bronco Everglades: The Ultimate Marsh Monster

The 2022 Ford Bronco Everglades has even greater overlanding readiness than the ordinary Bronco – thanks to a few modifications. However, you would be doing yourself a disservice if you purchased this trim but didn’t intend to run it in the mud and store it damp.

Capability Off And On Road

The standard Bronco is quite capable off-road, but the Everglades trim truly emphasizes this strength. It can now wade through water that is 36.4 inches deep, approximately 3 inches deeper than a Bronco Sasquatch, because of the 2- to 3-inch-higher vent tubes for the gearbox, transfer case, and axles.

The engine will only be exposed to air with the help of a new snorkel, which also has the delightful side benefit of providing some throaty intake sounds.

The Bronco Everglades is dressed for success with its special sandy color, squared-off fender flares, and big 315/70R17 Goodyear Territory mud-terrain tires mounted on dark 17-inch wheels.

The Warn Winch

The highlight, though, is up front, where it protrudes by around 8 inches from the adaptable bumper. This Warn winch has a synthetic line that is 100 feet long, can haul up to 10,000 pounds, and looks really badass.

While I’ve never been in a jam bad enough to use the winch, the concept that I may be able to use it to bring down any impossibly high or heavy thing is always there in my mind. There is an urgent need for a front camera solution for Ford in the Everglades, both for overlanding and parking. A winch is a handy tool that is often overlooked.

Approach Angle On Point

The installation of the Warn winch limits the Bronco’s approach angle, which is only 37.8 degrees here — not awful, but not as excellent as modular-bumper vehicles without it. The departure angle of 37.1 degrees is fair, and the break-over angle is 26.3 degrees, which is on pace with comparable thick-tired Broncos.

Because there are no side stairs and a ground clearance of just 11.70 inches, passengers of diminutive stature will need to use the grab hold affixed to the dashboard in order to enter and exit the vehicle.

Off To A Bumpy Ride

If you decide to go off the beaten route (and let’s be honest, it would be foolish not to), the Bronco Everglades can handle it. The vinyl flooring includes drain holes to protect any splashing rivers from giving travelers trench foot, and the marine-grade seat fabric is both comfy and simple to clean, as is just about every aspect of the plastic-heavy interior.

The hardtop comes off in three parts and stores readily in the trunk if you’d rather have a more airy ride, although they need some muscle to remove due to the Everglades’ standard roof rack.

Power Up

The Bronco Everglades’ hefty curb weight of 5,212 pounds is felt when matched with the four-cylinder turbocharged engine under the hood. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost I4 generates 300 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, and it’s transmitted to all four wheels via a 10-speed automatic gearbox. This is enough power for most situations but does run out of juice quickly when trying to accelerate quickly.

The 10-speed might be a little slow to shift into gear, but it usually stays out of the way of the driver’s needs.

Even while the Bronco is not exactly known for its efficiency, the Everglades enhancements don’t make it any worse on the fuel front. The EPA has given this SUV the same ratings as previous Sasquatch-based models: 18 city mpg, 17 highway mpg, and 18 combined mpg. A light foot brings me closer to 20 mpg on the interstate, but don’t expect much more than that!