2024 Ford Bronco Everglades: A look at the features behind its off-road capability

It has become increasingly common for manufacturers to transform beloved model names from the past into bland and uninspired SUVs that carry none of the original car’s charm. Mitsubishi butchered the Eclipse with the Eclipse Cross. Ford turned the Mustang into the Mach-E, although thankfully, the real Mustang lives on. Even the new Jeep Grand Wagoneer, which was arguably one of the first SUVs, lacks the ruggedness and bravado of its wood-trimmed predecessor.

So, imagine our surprise when the revived Ford Bronco proudly carried on the legacy of its predecessors. This new boxy, compact, off-road SUV is packed with the right equipment to compete with the Jeep Wrangler, just like the previous Bronco. For those who are looking for more than the new base Bronco can offer, Ford introduced a variety of trim levels to appeal to a wide range of off-road enthusiasts. One of the most notable of these is the Bronco Everglades.

Bronco Everglades builds upon Black Diamond trim
It doesn’t take more than a glance to see that the Ford Bronco 2024 Everglades is a rugged beast. Nestled above the Badlands trim but below the Wildtrak, the Everglades builds upon the Black Diamond trim with enough specialty equipment to make short work of terrain that might turn others around.

2024 Ford Bronco Everglades - photos by Kyle Edward

2024 Ford Bronco Everglades offers up 32-inch tires and more
The Black Diamond trim adds the Terrain Management System with seven G.O.A.T. Modes (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain), 32-inch all-terrain tires on 17-inch wheels, powder-coated steel bumpers with integrated LED fog lamps and tow hooks up front, rock rails, heavy-duty bash plates, rubberized flooring with drain plugs, and marine-grade vinyl seats. In other words, it can get dirty, scuffed, and wet without complaining about it.

But the Everglades doesn’t think that’s enough and packs on even more off-road features. It all starts with the Sasquatch Package, which substitutes the 32-inch tires for 35-inchers, adds electronic locking front and rear axles, a 4.7 final drive ratio, Bilstein shocks, and a lifted suspension for a total of 11.7 inches of ground clearance.

Standout features of the Everglades Bronco

Trim-specific equipment includes a WARN winch kit and, the coolest part in my opinion, a snorkel! The snorkel works in tandem with higher vents for the front and rear axles, transfer case, and transmission, allowing for a maximum water-fording depth of 36.4 inches. The Oregon Trail would have been a breeze if they’d driven Broncos with the Everglades trim.

It’s all about angles
The larger tires improve the approach, breakover, and departure angles, but the added winch slightly reduces their effectiveness. The approach angle measures 37.8 degrees, with a breakover angle of 26.3 degrees, and a departure angle of 37.1 degrees.

Exclusive design elements to the 2024 Ford Bronco Everglades
A few aesthetic touches set the Everglades apart, including an exclusive Desert Sand paint job, a carbonized gray grille with gloss-black Bronco lettering, and an Everglades topography graphic on the front fender.

Under the hood of the 2024 Bronco Everglades
Things are a little less exciting under the hood. The Ford Bronco 2024 Everglades only gets the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that makes 275 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission. MPG figures are reasonable, with 20 city and 21 highway.

Other available engine options include the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, which comes standard on the Wildtrak and Heritage Limited Edition models, and the Bronco Raptor’s 3.0-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6. The 2.7-liter produces 330 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque, while the 3.0-liter leads the pack with 418 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque.

Pricing and availability
The base MSRP for the 2024 Ford Bronco Everglades starts at $55,520. The Badlands just below it comes in a little lower at $50,095 while the Wildtrak will set you back $60,225.

Of course, things can get a little pricier if you check any of the extra options boxes on the dealer sheet. Got a trailer? The Tow Package costs $750. Want a hard top/soft top combo? $1,845 please. What if you want to go full Jeep-style with four open-air tube doors? That’s a $1,810 option. The list goes on.

Collector’s item potential
It’s worth noting that the official Ford configurator currently lists the 2024 Bronco Everglades as “unavailable to order,” meaning you might be stuck with whatever inventory your local dealership has. But hey, maybe that kind of scarcity is worth it. Who knows? The 2024 Ford Bronco Everglades could become a big collector’s item in 10-15 years.

Final thoughts
The 2024 Ford Bronco Everglades sits at a perfect middle ground between the hardcore off-road-focused Badlands and the “I’m training for the Baja 1000” Wildtrak. It’s also the only Bronco to come with a factory-installed snorkel, which might make it more of an “overlander” if those kinds of specifics matter to you.

Regardless of your preferred use case, it’s refreshing to see a company revive an old nameplate and use it the way it was originally meant to. Word around town is the International Scout might be making a comeback too!