safety, dependability, mileage, insurance costs, and interest are things i would consider for my kid. does your kid have automotive interest? will he want to upgrade, lift, etc etc to his car/truck? if so, then the bronco would be a pretty good choice. im more of a 78/79 guy, so i dont know the exact model changes of the later years, but something in good shape 92-96 would be my range. they can go from anywhere from $2k to $10k. Beign winter and you are in the north, they are more expensive now, so if you can wait a couple months, they price will come down some.
now, if your kid doesnt care what he drives and hes not going to be modify the thing, i would get a ranger. not to say the ranger isnt nice, i think it is, but you can get a practically new 2wd ranger for the same price as a 92-96 bronco. you could get one for the same price, it would be 4-8 years newer, have the same or less miles as a bronco, and get about TWICE the gas mileage you could ever dream of in the bronco. or get the ranger for a year, and then sell it and help him get something that interests him.
so yeah, i would get the ranger.....no offence.