Sponsored

Test drove a Bronco Wildtrack.

Thill444

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2019
Threads
5
Messages
330
Reaction score
462
Location
New England
Vehicle(s)
21 Rubicon 4xe, 21 Supra 3.0, 21 Pacifica Hybrid
I had two problematic Fords in a row. Focus RS and a Shelby GT350. I really don’t trust Ford anymore and especially not on an all new vehicle. If the Bronco proves reliable and they can offer a PHEV that beat 375hp/470tq and can beat 39.7mpg I’ll consider one. 4xe remains in a class of its own.
Sponsored

 

rallydefault

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2018
Threads
22
Messages
1,078
Reaction score
1,300
Location
PA
Vehicle(s)
'18 JLU Sport S
Anecdotal for sure, but I'd hardly call sharing my experiences as "armchair quarterbacking"? I've owned, and probably put through harder use than most, multiple FCA, Ford, a few gm, Mazda, and even a Toyota over the years. Of them all, the Fords all had major issues, the gm's a few minor issues, the Jeeps nothing but very minor issues, and the 3 Mazdas and the Toyota were dead reliable. Maybe our million plus driving miles across 5 manufacturers isn't enough "experiencing what's out there" or "trying other things"? I will not buy another Ford period. I am hoping the rental companies pick them up like Wranglers and I can put one through a real offroad test in moab one of these days.
Whoa, calm down there, sparky. Never accused you of anything other than stating the anecdotal thing. I was just opining on my own life philosophy, never insinuated a thing about you. Sorry for setting you off.
 

Zandcwhite

Well-Known Member
First Name
Zach
Joined
Sep 4, 2019
Threads
10
Messages
4,249
Reaction score
7,579
Location
Patterson, ca
Vehicle(s)
2019 jlur
Whoa, calm down there, sparky. Never accused you of anything other than stating the anecdotal thing. I was just opining on my own life philosophy, never insinuated a thing about you. Sorry for setting you off.
In that case, I agree whole heartedly with your life philosophy. Life is all about the experience, but we learn from those experiences. The Bronco may be good, but from what I've seen so far it definitely isn't better than the Wrangler so why would I switch? Given the opportunity to rent one somewhere with legit trails, I'll give it a shot. Short of being absolutely blown away, I won't be buying one though.
 

rallydefault

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2018
Threads
22
Messages
1,078
Reaction score
1,300
Location
PA
Vehicle(s)
'18 JLU Sport S
In that case, I agree whole heartedly with your life philosophy. Life is all about the experience, but we learn from those experiences. The Bronco may be good, but from what I've seen so far it definitely isn't better than the Wrangler so why would I switch? Given the opportunity to rent one somewhere with legit trails, I'll give it a shot. Short of being absolutely blown away, I won't be buying one though.
I don't really have an interest in it. I thought they looked cool at first, especially the 2-doors, but I was never someone who wanted to reserve or buy one right away like I did with the JL. It does kind of stink of "copycat" a bit too much to me., too.

I will test drive one once things have calmed down, I'm sure. My brother is into all the latest stuff so he'll probably look at one when his lease is up in a year or so. We'll just see how things go.
 

Sponsored

aldo98229

Well-Known Member
First Name
Aldo
Joined
Nov 16, 2019
Threads
86
Messages
11,019
Reaction score
27,682
Location
Bellingham, WA
Vehicle(s)
2023 Jeep Gladiator, 2018 Fiat 124 Spider
Occupation
Market Research
Vehicle Showcase
3
Been saying this for a while now, but I think 4Runner sales are going to take a bigger hit than Wrangler.
I doubt it. 4Runner is ancient as it sits right now. The only reason people still buy them is because it is a Toyota; Bronco is not going to change that.

Bronco is going to sell firstly to Ford loyals who have been waiting decades for something from Ford that competes with Jeep, many who currently own some type of Ford or a Jeep; secondly to yuppies who find their BMW X5s and Audi Q7s don't offer enough cachet any more; thirdly by Instagrammers who have swallowed all the hype Ford has been posting for months.
 

guarnibl

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2017
Threads
4
Messages
2,515
Reaction score
2,284
Location
Scottsdale / Sarasota
Vehicle(s)
'21 JLUR 392 XR, '21 JTR, '21 JLR, '09 JK
After seeing everything with these, it seems like a competitor to the 4Runner and wrangler in a non rock crawler use case. Honestly rock crawling is probably a smaller use case anyway so probably a good move on ford’s part.
 

offcamber

Banned
Banned
Banned
First Name
Bob
Joined
Aug 7, 2017
Threads
36
Messages
1,072
Reaction score
1,454
Location
Dallas, TX
Vehicle(s)
2012 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon, 2014 Grand Cherokee Limited Ecodiesel
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.

1627705049840.jpeg
My JL top does the same thing. Look closely in the photo:
Jeep Wrangler JL Test drove a Bronco Wildtrack. {filename}
 

Attachments

viper88

Well-Known Member
First Name
Nick
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Threads
44
Messages
5,510
Reaction score
5,588
Location
IL
Vehicle(s)
'19 JLR 2.0T (past), '22 JLR 3.6 (present)
Ford knows people might be concerned about the Bronco's width. A scrape might not be such a big deal? They designed it so the fender flairs are easily removable without tools. Even the front fenders and rear quarter panels are very easy to remove if they get damaged. Maybe this will also help keep insurance rates down. Or insurance rates might go up because parts are so easy to steal. :LOL:

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2021-ford-bronco-fender-removal/

Jeep Wrangler JL Test drove a Bronco Wildtrack. Screen Shot 2021-08-01 at 8.14.08 AM



 

viper88

Well-Known Member
First Name
Nick
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Threads
44
Messages
5,510
Reaction score
5,588
Location
IL
Vehicle(s)
'19 JLR 2.0T (past), '22 JLR 3.6 (present)
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.
The only thing messier looking than that soft top is under the Bronco's hood. The engine compartment looks really unfinished or untidy. :CWL:
 

Sponsored

viper88

Well-Known Member
First Name
Nick
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Threads
44
Messages
5,510
Reaction score
5,588
Location
IL
Vehicle(s)
'19 JLR 2.0T (past), '22 JLR 3.6 (present)
As someone earlier pointed out...they intentionaly look like that because the back window does not remove like Jeep instead you lift at the tailgate bar and the whole back shebang has to have give to lift meaning the windows could not be tight. Called easy load feature here is a vid.
There is a not so fine line between poor design and intentionally looking like that in Ford's execution.
 

viper88

Well-Known Member
First Name
Nick
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Threads
44
Messages
5,510
Reaction score
5,588
Location
IL
Vehicle(s)
'19 JLR 2.0T (past), '22 JLR 3.6 (present)
Yea, a family member has been leasing Mini Coopers for like 9 years now and they absolutely love the vehicles. They have an S right now and I got a chance to drive it. Dang that engine purrs and it's wicked fun to drive!
I owned 3 Cooper S. Super fun.
 

aldo98229

Well-Known Member
First Name
Aldo
Joined
Nov 16, 2019
Threads
86
Messages
11,019
Reaction score
27,682
Location
Bellingham, WA
Vehicle(s)
2023 Jeep Gladiator, 2018 Fiat 124 Spider
Occupation
Market Research
Vehicle Showcase
3
The only thing messier looking than that soft top is under the Bronco's hood. The engine compartment looks really unfinished or untidy. :CWL:
That’s a Ford trademark. They usually ran out of money by the time they get to tidying up the engine compartment mess.
 

aldo98229

Well-Known Member
First Name
Aldo
Joined
Nov 16, 2019
Threads
86
Messages
11,019
Reaction score
27,682
Location
Bellingham, WA
Vehicle(s)
2023 Jeep Gladiator, 2018 Fiat 124 Spider
Occupation
Market Research
Vehicle Showcase
3
Ford quality, my speedometer identifies as a wiper blade.
Ford will tell you...it was designed like that.

It is a unique feature: the speedometer needle cleans its own plastic lense...! 😫
 

aldo98229

Well-Known Member
First Name
Aldo
Joined
Nov 16, 2019
Threads
86
Messages
11,019
Reaction score
27,682
Location
Bellingham, WA
Vehicle(s)
2023 Jeep Gladiator, 2018 Fiat 124 Spider
Occupation
Market Research
Vehicle Showcase
3
I had two problematic Fords in a row. Focus RS and a Shelby GT350. I really don’t trust Ford anymore and especially not on an all new vehicle. If the Bronco proves reliable and they can offer a PHEV that beat 375hp/470tq and can beat 39.7mpg I’ll consider one. 4xe remains in a class of its own.
Ford will introduce a Bronco hybrid in short order.

The first few thousand will come out with fire risk, too.
Sponsored

 
Last edited:
 



Top