Test drove a Bronco Wildtrack.

[beaups]

It's fine to about 86 degrees, but in the SC humidity of summer and 110 degree heat indexes, it struggles mightly (and that fan is nuts). So much so that I tinted my windows with a ceramic and gave up on my sunrider for hardtop until it gets back to highs in the mid 80s. It holds its own for now.

Y"all prob don't quite reach the demonic gates of hell heat we enjoy down here.

Maybe something is wrong with the AC on your rig. On mid 90’s days here with disgusting humidity I can’t leave mine on the coldest setting for too long, will still get too cold.

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[Chris2183]

I see tons of wranglers every day. Most are bone stock, be it a rubicon, sport or sahara. It seems most are just stock. For example, my 20 year old daughters dream is to own a wrangler. She loves driving mine. She wouldnt take it offroad. She loves them even in stock form. I see lots of women driving stock wranglers. The bronco will have the same rugged look, but drive nicer. The biggest complaint we see about the wrangler is the driving experience and steering. Something IFS will help tremendously. Im sure there are many former wrangler owners who hated how they drove and maybe even reliability. Its not like Mopars are known for being more reliable than ford or chevy lol. I think the broncos are going to a big hit with the non hardcore offroad crowd, which is a vastly bigger market to tap into.

remember when people said nobody is going to buy a porsche suv. Porsche make sports/race cars!!

i bet the percentage of wrangler owners who take their jeeps on moderate+ trails is about equal to corvette/911/ferrari/etc owners who take their cars onto a track.

I think a lot of people here forget that they are enthusiasts, and they are posting on an enthusiasts forum. Like you I see a massive amount of bone stock Jeeps daily.

 

[blessidsoul12]

It's fine to about 86 degrees, but in the SC humidity of summer and 110 degree heat indexes, it struggles mightly (and that fan is nuts). So much so that I tinted my windows with a ceramic and gave up on my sunrider for hardtop until it gets back to highs in the mid 80s. It holds its own for now.

Y"all prob don't quite reach the demonic gates of hell heat we enjoy down here.

id say a true temp of 118F here is a damn good test. And it was ice cold.

 

[Ridgway Jeeper]

I think a lot of people here forget that they are enthusiasts, and they are posting on an enthusiasts forum. Like you I see a massive amount of bone stock Jeeps daily.

So if you don't blow thousands on mods you aren't an enthusiast? I just bought a stock Jeep that will do every trail around here without needing a single mod. This stock Jeep hits the trails almost every weekend, more often than many enthusiasts with modded Jeeps... In all fairness, it is my wife's car.

 

[JLUandCJ-7]

Maybe something is wrong with the AC on your rig. On mid 90’s days here with disgusting humidity I can’t leave mine on the coldest setting for too long, will still get too cold.

id say a true temp of 118F here is a damn good test. And it was ice cold.

Hmm. If there is something wrong with the AC, chalk a win up to that Jeep reliability. Not sure that enhances the Wrangler vs Bronco argument. But whatever makes ppl feel better, that's cool.

 

[beaups]

Hmm. If there is something wrong with the AC, chalk a win up to that Jeep reliability. Not sure that enhances the Wrangler vs Bronco argument. But whatever makes ppl feel better, that's cool.

Not trying to make anyone feel better or contribute to a silly argument, just trying to help you out.

 

[rallydefault]

@JLUandCJ-7
No, I'm with you on the AC thing. I think some people around here just disagree to disagree sometimes.

If it's really hot out around here, and it doesn't get to 90+ too often, I can crank my AC but it'll still take a good 15 minutes or so until the cabin becomes comfortable. When I pick my daughter up from across town, I have to let the jeep run for a bit if I want the temp to be ok when she gets in. That's with the premium soft top.

On the other side of things, though, I've found the heat to be really good in the dead of winter.

 

[ThirtyOne]

I don't think the hard top is actually made by Ford, which is a lot of the problem from what I've read. At least that MIC top or whatever they call it. But maybe I'm remembering wrong.

it’s not but the vendor that makes them also make the wrangler hard tops and most convertible tops in the market. But it’s a new plant and a Ford design.

 

[JLUandCJ-7]

Not trying to make anyone feel better or contribute to a silly argument, just trying to help you out.

I'll have it at the dealer on Thursday to get the BCM flashed for proximity entry (I installed all the hardware and wiring). In all fairness to the discussion, I'll ask them to check check the AC and report back for s#&ts and giggles.

 

[beaups]

I'll have it at the dealer on Thursday to get the BCM flashed for proximity entry (I installed all the hardware and wiring). In all fairness to the discussion, I'll ask them to check check the AC and report back for s#&ts and giggles.

I also wonder if there are AC performance difference between the different engine options and/or model years. My '20 3.6 is stupid cold.

 

[JLUandCJ-7]

@JLUandCJ-7
No, I'm with you on the AC thing. I think some people around here just disagree to disagree sometimes.

If it's really hot out around here, and it doesn't get to 90+ too often, I can crank my AC but it'll still take a good 15 minutes or so until the cabin becomes comfortable. When I pick my daughter up from across town, I have to let the jeep run for a bit if I want the temp to be ok when she gets in. That's with the premium soft top.

On the other side of things, though, I've found the heat to be really good in the dead of winter.

That's my experience as well. I'll remote start it and pray it's got the humidity knocked out when I get in. It's usually 85 degrees and 100% humidity here when I'm leaving at 7:10 AM in the dog days of summer.

And yeah - I have no problems with the heat either!

 

[JLUandCJ-7]

I also wonder if there are AC performance difference between the different engine options and/or model years. My '20 3.6 is stupid cold.

It's about traffic flow too. If I drive even a couple miles non-stop, it cools down quick. If it is stop and go, and the cab hasn't fully cooled down, that is when it rides the struggle bus.

It is better with the freedom panels back in and the tinted windows, so the sunrider for hardtop gets retired for the months of July and August here.

All in all, the Bronco kept ice cold with a softtop in stop and go. That's something I truly wish I had.

 

[Bulletbill]

So if you don't blow thousands on mods you aren't an enthusiast? I just bought a stock Jeep that will do every trail around here without needing a single mod. This stock Jeep hits the trails almost every weekend, more often than many enthusiasts with modded Jeeps... In all fairness, it is my wife's car.

I agree, I bought mine with all the capability that I want and need. I’ve off-roaded with a JLU sport so the Rubicon is a massive upgrade already.

I will say that I do intend to buy steel bumpers and a winch, but that’s about it.

 

[Chris2183]

So if you don't blow thousands on mods you aren't an enthusiast? I just bought a stock Jeep that will do every trail around here without needing a single mod. This stock Jeep hits the trails almost every weekend, more often than many enthusiasts with modded Jeeps... In all fairness, it is my wife's car.

You posting here makes you an enthusiast, not how modded your Jeep is.

We all gather here to talk about a vehicle that we enjoy, and many here are very passionate about the Jeep brand. All of us here are enthusiasts, and we are here to interact with other enthusiasts.

However there is a massive group of people out there who will buy a stock Wrangler, never join a forum or Facebook group, and are perfectly happy using it to go get groceries and drive the kids to practice. They bought it because Jeeps are cool and they want a cool vehicle.

These people get downplayed here as if they are only a small fraction Jeep owners, when the reality is that they are a significant percentage and are prime candidates to cross shop the Wrangler and Bronco. Ford is trying very hard to cultivate an image for the Bronco in an effort to get these people into their showrooms.

 

[JLUandCJ-7]

You posting here makes you an enthusiast, not how modded your Jeep is.

We all gather here to talk about a vehicle that we enjoy, and many here are very passionate about the Jeep brand. All of us here are enthusiasts, and we are here to interact with other enthusiasts.

However there is a massive group of people out there who will buy a stock Wrangler, never join a forum or Facebook group, and are perfectly happy using it to go get groceries and drive the kids to practice. They bought it because Jeeps are cool and they want a cool vehicle.

These people get downplayed here as if they are only a small fraction Jeep owners, when the reality is that they are a significant percentage and are prime candidates to cross shop the Wrangler and Bronco. Ford is trying very hard to cultivate an image for the Bronco in an effort to get these people into their showrooms.

Agreed. I'd say 80% of buyers of both will rarely, if ever, even drive down a dirt road.

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