Test drove a Bronco Wildtrack.

[Jank4AU]

I think one reason people perceive the Bronco to be so much wider is the way the Jeep hood is made. It starts narrower than the A pillar and tapers in toward the front. If it were the same width as the fenders all the way up and forward, you'd be hard pressed to discern a big difference.

And yeah, in looking closer at all the pics, that top does look like a bag of dirty laundry. Or my teenage son dragging his butt out of bed at noon.

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[Headbarcode]

If Ford really wanted to compete with Jeep, they never should have used IFS. As it is now, I don’t even consider it a good thing for Jeep as far as competition, there just isn’t any IMO.

I fully agree with you, as far as the offroad hardware is concerned. I think what the bronco will spur in jeep, is creature comfort stuff like a bigger infotainment screen, more seat options, etc. Everything else that the bronco has, that Jeep doesn't, is really just form over function things.

 

[T Town]

Does anyone know the differences in width of the track measured from the outside of the tires? I know that would differ on the tire package on each machine so there would be a few different measurements.
How about mirror to mirror. That won’t change. And also with mirrors folded.
A place where I’m sure the Wrangler is narrower is in the waist where it narrows VS the Bronco which carries its same body width front to back.

 

[Bulletbill]

The 5 inches wider interior would be nice. My knee is up against the door lock switches in the JL, it is pretty snug in there. Works fine for my petite wife and it is her car so... She looked at the Bronco sitting on the dealers floor last weekend, she liked it but told me she loves her Jeep more. Good enough for me, my new truck will hopefully show up soon, I love having a big full size interior.

Oddly, it doesn’t feel all that much roomier. I’m not a Bronco hater by the way, I genuinely like it.

 

[aldo98229]

I think one reason people perceive the Bronco to be so much wider is the way the Jeep hood is made. It starts narrower than the A pillar and tapers in toward the front. If it were the same width as the fenders all the way up and forward, you'd be hard pressed to discern a big difference.

And yeah, in looking closer at all the pics, that top does look like a bag of dirty laundry. Or my teenage son dragging his butt out of bed at noon.

Bronco also looks wider inside. The front seats are more spread out. So it is pretty wide.

 

[Ridgway Jeeper]

Oddly, it doesn’t feel all that much roomier. I’m not a Bronco hater by the way, I genuinely like it.

I really have no dog in the hunt. We have a Wrangler, my wife loves it, it isn't going away anytime soon. We would have looked at the Bronco had it actually been available but I suspect she still would have wanted the Jeep. I wouldn't be comfortable in the Jeep for a daily. I briefly considered a Gladiator but after some time in the Wrangler I knew that wouldn't be a good choice for me. I have a big Ford truck on order, suits me better anyway. I too think the Bronco is going to be a great product if we can ever get the parts shortages and production delays behind us.

 

[Bobsled]

I’m thinking that loose window plastic is purpose built to accommodate that ridiculous rear window operation .
A little slack to keep the window from cracking

 

[Traktor31]

Im glad these are out I always like seeing different types of vehicles. Bring back the FJ Cruiser too. I mentioned it in the other thread but just want to agree with the other posters trashing the soft top, man it looks awful.

I got my Jeep specifically with the soft top and looking and it right now, it looks way better because the cloth fit is a lot tighter.

They need to fix that.

 

[Traktor31]

I’m thinking that loose window plastic is purpose built to accommodate that ridiculous rear window operation .
A little slack to keep the window from cracking

Yeah I didn’t even realize the Bronco opened differently until it was pointed out to me. Not sure what the point of that design choice was.

 

[rallydefault]

If Ford really wanted to compete with Jeep, they never should have used IFS. As it is now, I don’t even consider it a good thing for Jeep as far as competition, there just isn’t any IMO.

Most vehicle shoppers really don't care, man. Most don't even know what the heck those suspension terms mean. They just want something that's tall and looks offroady because that's the craze right now.

 

[jimim]

This is the bronco that’s Jeeps competition.....

Not the revamped explorer with bigger tires....again.... only my opinion and how I see it.......

.

We were just having the exact conversation this morning at my dealers when my Jeep was in for service. Exact same conversation. That was a truck!

Saw a yellow wrinkly rag top on the way home. 4 door. Top looked 10 years old already.

 

[Richtor]

If Ford really wanted to compete with Jeep, they never should have used IFS. As it is now, I don’t even consider it a good thing for Jeep as far as competition, there just isn’t any IMO.

Considering I have not seen any place an oem JL can go the 21 Bronco can’t go, you’re in for a world of disappointment.

Sorry I was not clear. I guess I was kind of in the frame of mind as many that say JEEP. Many are talking only about Wrangler.

Sorry, I meant FULL BLOWN BRONCO. Like what is shown in the pics of this threads original post.

Not a fan at all!!!!

And the soft top..... was it designed in the dark with blindfolds on?

Sorry I was not clear, most people see the full blown Bronco sport on the road and say they don’t like it.
The actual Bronco is in the hands of very few owners and the odds of seeing one is astronomical. Now you may have seen the dealer loaners that are showing up on the roads.
But I do agree not everyone likes the same things, your JL aftermarket wheels are horrible in my opinion.

I get a kick out of the notion that the Bronco is so much larger. 2 inches difference on width... The JL is a large vehicle on the trail period. The narrow low hood I definitely appreciate but the notion that the Wrangler, especially an unlimited is a tidy vehicle on the trail is absurd. Both are a good 20 inches narrower than a full size truck, that is big, the Bronco isn't big...

It’s wide compared to the CJ but so is the JL.

This is the bronco that’s Jeeps competition.....

Not the revamped explorer with bigger tires....again.... only my opinion and how I see it.......

Shows a heavily modified rig and touts as being Oem. Nice! Interesting thing is the new oem badlands with factory winch and sas can probably go anywhere that can go.

I’ve been on many trails where 2 inches wider means body damage, yeah on fire roads and medium difficulty and even some so called black diamond it won’t matter but even so, the extra size means less margin of error.

That’s why you drive a CJ because the new JK/JL are too wide.

 

[dmen]

Definitely bigger. I like the fenders on the Bronco better than the Jeep. I find it interesting Ford claims the Bronco articulates like 16% more when Jeep clearly wins. For a really good look at the difference watch this video from about 20:30 it shows a Bronco and Rubicon on the same section of trail and clearly shows the Jeep articulates better.
Video

 

[dmen]

Every single soft top I see looks like wrinkled crap. Especially the rear side windows. Amazing that Ford apparently intended them look like this. Embarrassing.

You think that's just maybe installed wrong? I mean it looks terrible. I just put a Mopar Twill soft top on my JLU last week and there are no wrinkles at all. It's tight AF actually.

 

[aldo98229]

Definitely bigger. I like the fenders on the Bronco better than the Jeep. I find it interesting Ford claims the Bronco articulates like 16% more when Jeep clearly wins. For a really good look at the difference watch this video from about 20:30 it shows a Bronco and Rubicon on the same section of trail and clearly shows the Jeep articulates better.
Video

Apparently, Ford claims Bronco has “more suspension travel”, not “more articulation.”

Of course suspension travel is meaningless if you can’t articulate it.

Ford appears content to leave that misunderstanding out there. It suits its needs.

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