2021 Ford Bronco Sport | Here's how we'd build it

The 2021 Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport microsites went live on Ford's homepage Monday night, but so far, the only "Build and Price" tool that is fully functional is that for the Bronco Sport. Now that the "stampede" of traffic to Ford's build site has subsided, we decided to peruse the configurator and spec out a Bronco Sport the way we'd want it — you know, for science.

It may not be the star of the new Ford sub-brand, but the Bronco Sport is nonetheless interesting. Besides, we were curious to see if its price increases as sharply with options as its platform sibling, the Ford Escape. As it turns out, Autoblog staffers really like orange. If you can't access Ford's microsites and you'd like to play along at home (or wherever you're sheltering in place these days), you can use out our 2021 Ford Bronco Sport trim breakdown as a reference.

Managing Editor Greg Rasa: I would have preferred a more base model Bronco Sport — but had to step up to Badlands trim to get Cyber Orange and the 2.0 EcoBoost. While Kodiak Brown or Antimatter Blue might have been good choices, I know the orange will look great, especially with the black roof and cladding.

I got the $130 cargo mat and $200 floor liners and appreciate that they also come with carpeted floor coverings for when you want to dress the rig up. I did not appreciate having to purchase the $2,595 Badlands Package to get a moonroof, but if the roof on this thing won't come off, then I need a moonroof.

Skipped the 360Assist Package, saving $795, because I literally don't use (and barely trust) features like adaptive cruise. So yes, I'm old. And we're stuck with it, but doesn't a $1,495 destination charge seem high?

All in, my build was $37,675. But I wanted something basic — with a stick shift. So maybe it's the big Bronco I really want.

Video Production Manager Eddie Sabatini: Okay, so I'm not nearly as excited about Sport as I am for the 2-door Bronco but configurator tools are fun and these are fake dollars so let's have some fun. These builds aren't legally binding, right?

I'm going with a Rapid Red Outer Banks for my 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. I think the black roof looks sharp with the red. I know my colleagues are probably mostly going with the more off-road capable Badlands model, and while it is cool, and the better option for the off-roading enthusiast looking for out-of-the-box performance, I would be lying if I said I was gonna take this thing camping or climbing or even off a road that was tougher than the dirt roads at my local apple orchards. The only option I added was to the interior — the cargo mat — because that'll keep the truck looking good when I make hardware store runs. Also, the Outer Banks gives me the creature comforts I crave, like a heated steering wheel.

Associate Editor Byron Hurd: This was a pretty easy and straightforward build for me. Unlike its bigger brother, the Bronco Sport's powertrain configurations are pretty much fixed, so there really aren't too many choices to make. I essentially had two goals going into this build: Keep it to $35,000 or so on the top end, and make sure it's a sleek color.

The Badlands is probably the most appealing variant here on spec, but it starts at $34,155 (including the pesky $1,495 destination fee), which didn't exactly leave me a lot of headroom for options. Fortunately, the two that I really cared about — the steel-look alloy wheels and Cyber Orange paint finish you can see in the image above — were relatively inexpensive. Since the Badlands model bakes in an off-road suspension and the high-output, 2.0-liter turbo engine, I'm feeling pretty good about not ticking any more boxes.

The total? $35,050. Yeah, technically I'm over my limit, but I can raid my beer money fund for the $50 if it means I get Cyber Orange and fake steelies. Hash-tag-priorities.