About that headline: I'm sorry, Ford---but when the 2024 Ford Bronco Free Wheeling arrived in my driveway, this is the first thing that popped into my head:
Actually, the one that popped into my head first was almost 30 years older and in black and white, but I had kids in the 90s, and this one's in color, so...
Okay, look, the Ford Bronco Sport Free Wheeling is a throwback, but not to anything as irrelevant to vehicles as chewing gum (RIP, Fruit Stripe Gum: 1960-2024).
In the late 70s, stripes were cool, sorta, and Ford was tired of seeing the aftermarket (body shops and in the cases of some vans and pickups, artists) getting all the money. So it introduced a series of tape stripe options including wild colors and called it "Free Wheeling" (and sometimes, "Free Wheelin'").
For the 2024 model year, Ford has brought "Free Wheeling" back, but this time just for the Bronco Sport, with reflective red, orange, yellow and silver graphics on the body sides, liftgate, and hood, a silver-painted grille with two-tone Bronco badging, a modified lower front end insert, a Shadow Black roof, sunset-colored seat inserts and 17-inch high-gloss black wheels with red accents.
If you think this is silly (and some of you do), Ford's not alone. Land Rover has announced the "Beach Break" Defender, with similar side stripes and a production run of just 20 units, at roughly double the Bronco Sport Free Wheeling's price. On top of that, Ford's doubling down, spreading the Free Wheeling to the full-size Bronco for 2025.
The 2024 Ford Bronco Sport Free Wheeling is based on the base Bronco Sport---the Big Bend. That means a 1.5-liter, 180-horsepower three-cylinder EcoBoost engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive including Ford's G.O.A.T (Goes Over Any Terrain) modes---Sand, Slippery, Eco, Sport and Normal.
You may be able to go anywhere, but you won't go quickly. Those 180 horses and 200 lb-ft of torque only add up to 0-60 times of 8.6 seconds, by Ford's own stopwatch. The EPA fuel economy estimate is 25 mpg city/29 mpg highway.
The Bronco Sport delivers solid cargo room for a compact SUV---32.5 cubic feet with the rear seats in place, 65.2 with them folded flat.
Second-row legroom is more than adequate, too, at 36.9 inches.
The base price of the 2024 Ford Bronco Sport Free Wheeling 4X4 is $33,730. With destination, it's $35,385.
Standard at that price in addition to what we've already discussed are active grille shutters, a capless fuel filler, two-color "BRONCO" grille logo, automatic LED headlamps with auto high beams, a liftgate with window that lifts separately or with the liftgate, a floodlight and bottle opener built into the liftgate, heated power mirrors, privacy glass for the second row and liftgate, rear intermittent wiper/washer/defroster, roof rack side rails, LED taillamps, power windows, a cargo mat, dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors, electronic automatic temperature control, illuminated entry system, manual passenger seat, 12-volt outlet, tilt/telescoping steering column, USB-A and USB-C outlets, a six-speaker AM/FM stereo with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Sirius XM, controlled though an eight-inch touchscreen, remote keyless entry, automatic start/stop, and a decent, but not comprehensive suite of active safety features.
Our test vehicle also had extra-cost options: $895 for Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist, which filled in the blanks of the standard active safety features, $690 for a Class II Trailer Towing Package (the Bronco Sport's max towing capability is 2,200 pounds), and $1,785 for a convenience package including wireless device charging, LED fog lamps, a universal garage door opener, an eight-way power driver's seat, heated front seats and rear parking sensors.
That would make the bottom line on the window sticker $38,695, but there's a "Convenience Package National Discount" of $750 and a "Co-Pilot360 Assist National Discount" of $250, so the final, as tested price of the 2024 Ford Bronco Sport Free Wheeling 4X4 is $37,695.
The Free Wheeling package adds $3,995 to the base price of a 2024 Bronco Sport Big Bend. And it's purely cosmetic. Only you can decide if it's worth it. Reaction the week I've had it was definitely mixed. I can't tell you what one of my neighbors said, yet a woman in her 40s, a stranger, absolutely LOVED it.
Ford says it will offer the Free Wheeling package on the 2025 Bronco Sport, which is getting a significant refresh and more of an emphasis on its off-road abilities. A quick check of Cars.com as I write this shows there are still hundreds of '24 Bronco Sport Free Wheelings on dealer lots (that number will change depending on when you're reading this). So you may be able to deal your way into one for a lot less than sticker.
