Ford Bronco II

The Ford Bronco II was a compact SUV introduced in 1984, largely in response to GM's successful Chevrolet S10 Blazer compact SUV that was introduced for 1983. The Bronco II was naturally based on the compact Ranger pickup and largely resembled its larger Bronco SUV brother (which stood to reason, since the Ranger strongly resembled the larger F-150 pickup that the Bronco was based on). The Bronco II also shared the Ranger's dashboard layout and drivetrain options in addition to its other standard features. Some have considered the Bronco II to be at least a spiritual successor to the 1966-1977 Bronco, since they were very dimensionally similar, but the Bronco II doesn't quite share the cult-following that the original Bronco did (and still does). Although the Bronco II was a good seller, it was not without controversy (see separate report below). The Bronco II would last 2 generations before being replaced by the staggeringly successful Explorer in 1991.

Here's a quick rundown:

1st Generation (1984-1988)

The Ford Bronco II came along at exactly the right time as the compact SUV craze was just starting to take off. The new compact XJ Jeep Cherokee and Toyota 4Runner were also introduced this year, with the Chevrolet S10 Blazer and GMC S15 Jimmy a year earlier. At a diminutive 94" wheelbase, the Bronco II was a bit smaller than its rivals, but some considered that quality a plus instead of a negative. Unlike its Jeep, GM and Toyota competition, the Bronco II would not offer a four-cylinder engine, even in its base models. The German-built 115 hp 2.8L (171 cid) V6 was the only engine available, with either a 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission, and could be had in either 2- or 4-wheel drive. Base and XLT models were available, and even the base models had full instrumentation with an optional tachometer. 1985 Bronco IIs had virtually no change other than a couple of new colors and some interior trim revisions. In 1986, the 2.8 V6 was dropped in favor of a slightly enlarged 140 hp 2.9L (176 cid) V6 (also German-built).

To be continued...