2021 Ford Bronco Black Diamond Fast Facts
Those who’ve studied the build and price site for the Ford Bronco will note that the company labels the upper trim Badlands and Wildtrak versions as the ones you should select if you plan to go wheelin’ often. That’s before even thinking about adding the Sasquatch package.
The “Save the Manuals” crew will also note that the Badlands trim is the only way to get a loaded Bronco with a clutch pedal.
I am here to tell you that if you’re willing to live without certain creature comforts and off-road-assistance doodads, a Black Diamond Bronco with three pedals is a pretty good way to do it.
The Black Diamond will save you thousands over a Badlands trim, and, assuming I’ve used the configurator correctly, it appears to be the most upscale, in terms of comfort features, way to build a stick-shift Bronco without going to the Badlands.
I also found out during an off-road test this spring (yes, a ’21 was still in the press fleet in 2022, it happens) that the Bronco Black Diamond can do a lot of what the more-badass Badlands and Wildtrak trims are capable of.
Just ask my terrified ladyfriend, who was good enough to accompany me despite the “ stuck in a swamp” fiasco that happened with a Jeep at the very same off-road park. She’d concede that even though some of the hill climbs scared her, and even though she was worried I’d be stuck again on some of the muddier trails, we got through just fine. Yes, the skid plate scraped once – but that’s what it’s there for.
Credit goes in part to the seven-speed manual transmission’s “creeper” low gear – this helped keep speeds appropriate slow during hill descents.
Creeper gear aside, the Bronco is just well built for wheelin’. On paper, that would appear to apply even to the Base trim – which I don’t believe I’ve driven – and it certainly applies to the Black Diamond, which is two steps up from the Base and described by Ford as being for “adventure off-roading”. For comparison, the Base is called “the essential Bronco” and the Big Bend trim, one step down from the Black Diamond, is listed as being for “mainstream off-roading.”
The G.O.A.T. modes (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) are immensely helpful since they let the driver easily adjust to the terrain. Thirty-two-inch, all-terrain rubber on 17-inch rims also certainly didn’t hurt.
As a reminder, Ford offers two engines in the Bronco – a 2.3-liter turbo four and a 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6 – and if you want to shift it yourself, you have to get the 2.3, which makes 275 horsepower (300 on premium fuel) and 315 lb-ft of torque (325 on premium fuel).
Off-road, the Black Diamond was properly prepped for the off-road park, thanks to full-vehicle skid plates (“bash plates” in Ford speak), spotter mirrors, and a pair of tow hooks at both the front and rear.
On-road, the Bronco shows slightly better road manners than the Wrangler, though it still makes the same tradeoffs that any off-road-oriented utility vehicle will make. Meaning it gets a bit loud at highway speeds and the ride can be a bit on the “trucky” side. Like with the Jeep, you’ll need to make fairly frequent steering corrections on paved roads in order to keep a straight (ish) line.
As a reminder, Ford offers two engines in the Bronco – a 2.3-liter turbo four and a 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6 – and if you want to shift it yourself, you have to get the 2.3, which makes 275 horsepower (300 on premium fuel) and 315 lb-ft of torque (325 on premium fuel).
Off-road, the Black Diamond was properly prepped for the off-road park, thanks to full-vehicle skid plates (“bash plates” in Ford speak), spotter mirrors, and a pair of tow hooks at both the front and rear.
On-road, the Bronco shows slightly better road manners than the Wrangler, though it still makes the same tradeoffs that any off-road-oriented utility vehicle will make. Meaning it gets a bit loud at highway speeds and the ride can be a bit on the “trucky” side. Like with the Jeep, you’ll need to make fairly frequent steering corrections on paved roads in order to keep a straight (ish) line.
The shifter isn’t exactly a joy to row, but it’s more than good enough, with a bit of an old-school notchy feel. The clutch is weight nicely but takeup can be a tad abrupt, at least until you get some miles under your belt and adjust.
There’s torque a plenty from the four-banger – though, having driven the V6, I can understand why one might pay more and sacrifice the third pedal for more power. Not enough torque for you to say that the Bronco is fast, exactly, but enough that you’ll move away from stoplights with relative ease.
The wash-it-out-if-it’s-muddy interior works well. Some folks might look upon the digital gauges with disdain, though I think the look works fine, and it’s nice being able to adjust information via menu buttons on the steering wheel. Ford’s Sync system is present, of course, and while I’ve experienced bugs with Sync in the past, it seemed to work well during my week with this test mule. Ford has integrated the infotainment screen into the center stack nicely, and the audio and HVAC controls are simple to use. The seats did get a bit uncomfortable after a while during our long highway slog to the off-road park, but the comfort level is just fine for shorter drives.
My biggest beef with this particular trim is that if you want to get certain niceties, such as front heated seats and dual-zone climate control, you need to select the Mid Package, and that means you must also select the 10-speed automatic transmission. While Ford surely has its reasons – packaging decisions aren’t made wily-nily, there’s an eye on production costs at all times – it still kinda stinks. Then again, I could probably do without most of what one must sacrifice for a stick-shift Black Diamond, save maybe the heated seats, and even that’s only because I live in Chiberia.
I’ve also found it odd that Ford won’t offer the manual with the V6, or on any trim, Black Diamond or not, that’s considered “mid.” It’s strange that if you want to row your own, you either buy a lower trim and avoid options packages or get a Badlands and go nuts with options packages to your heart’s content. You can load a four-cylinder Badlands with a manual with all the creature comforts, but you can’t even heat the seats in a Black Diamond with the same powertrain.
Jeep allows you to build a Willys – probably the closest comparable Wrangler – with the 3.6-liter V6 and a manual with plenty of creature comforts, including heated seats (unless you go for the off-road package with 35-inch wheels, in which case you must select the 2.0-liter turbo four with eight-speed automatic).
Whatever. The Black Diamond is still darn good, on-road and off, with this setup. And maybe I’m just spoiled now – I grew up without heated seats and dual-zone climate control, after all. Maybe an old-school mentality is needed here.
Indeed, if shifting for yourself matters and you can live without certain niceties, you can get into a Black Diamond like this one for under $45K. My test mule cost $42,720, with limited options (hard top molded in color, keyless entry, towing package, cargo-area protector, and roof rails).
If you must have a Bronco, and it must be a stick, you can choose to wheel on the cheap or go full boat on the Badlands. There’s no in-between. If you choose – or your budget forces you – to be on the cheap side, you could do a lot worse.
What’s New for 2021
The Bronco nameplate returns to the Ford lineup in 2021 after a very long absence.
Who Should Buy It
This particular Bronco trim is the one for those who want adventure – and perhaps, a clutch pedal – without breaking the bank. It also requires a bit of sacrifice if you really want to row your own.
[Images © 2022 Tim Healey, Bonnie Bernat/TTAC; Ford]
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