Test drove a Bronco yesterday to feel good about owning a Jeep (pretty much)

[aldo98229]

So i'm also just going to throw this out there. people keep talking about the price.

I got my Bronco, window sticker $56K. The first Edition, fully loaded, was going for $63K at the time. I put in an order for a JLUR-XR, 3.6L eTorque, 4 months ago, not fully loaded, but close (premium soft top, non painted fenders). Window sticker... $64K.

I don't think there's a price difference anymore. You can't compare a new car price from even a year ago to today's prices.

Sad part is, Bronco was supposed to bring some “competition” to Jeep.

Instead, it’s brought more people into Jeep showrooms...

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[Philly_]

I think they’re sweet and would still like one at some point, but am glad I bailed on my reservation and bought a Jeep. Saved a few grand and didn’t have to pay for any features I didn’t want bundled in with others I did.

You should go back and give it a test drive if it has the 2.7L. It absolutely RIPS with 35’s. Would be a blast in the dunes or anywhere you can go fast off road, but I definitely prefer the Jeep in the rocks. I would imagine the Bronco would feel quite wide and bloated like my Tacoma and I would constantly be worried about putting the body into a rock.

With my Jeep, aside from trail pin-striping, I have never had to seriously worry about the body hitting something and I really put the stock setup through it’s paces on Rubicon Ridge and other fairly challenging trails.

Quality issues and first model shortcomings aside, I feel that it all comes down to what type of off-roading you want to do. For me, the Jeep is far superior. But if I still lived in Michigan where it’s mostly sand and gravel, I might have had more fun with the Bronco.

 

[jaardappel]

So i'm also just going to throw this out there. people keep talking about the price.

I got my Bronco, window sticker $56K. The first Edition, fully loaded, was going for $63K at the time. I put in an order for a JLUR-XR, 3.6L eTorque, 4 months ago, not fully loaded, but close (premium soft top, non painted fenders). Window sticker... $64K.

I don't think there's a price difference anymore. You can't compare a new car price from even a year ago to today's prices.

The same dealership where I tested the Badlands (non-Sasquatch model) had a 1st Edition that was in the showroom with 2000 miles on it from someone who didn't want it anymore....sticker price was $92,000. Not kidding.

 

[jaardappel]

The same dealership where I tested the Badlands (non-Sasquatch model) had a 1st Edition that was in the showroom with 2000 miles on it from someone who didn't want it anymore....sticker price was $92,000. Not kidding.

Also not saying the dealership because I don't want to tattle on them (Ted Britt, Fairfax, VA)

 

[Mocopo]

Also not saying the dealership because I don't want to tattle on them (Ted Britt, Fairfax, VA)

Well "market adjustments" are crazy across the board. IMO you really have to go off what the manufacturer is charging, not what dealerships know they can sell it for based on the current hype. It's still the hot new thing, plus supply and demand...

 

[ajkitebrder40]

Agree on the drives like a truck. I don't really care about the infotainment and all of that as long as it has Carplay, because that's pretty much all I use. The soft top kickstand is cool, the only issue is when there's something that's as tall as the top of the soft top that needs to go in there (for me - a hydrofoil setup that's 30" tall).

My main takeaway from the Bronco is that Jeep really, really needs a factory solution for carpet/seating. It's 2022 and there's still carpet in a Jeep? Why? Thank sweet baby Jesus Armorlite came along, but still, it should be a factory option right off the bat.

 

[Mocopo]

Sad part is, Bronco was supposed to bring some “competition” to Jeep.

Instead, it’s brought more people into Jeep showrooms...

I think that's wishful thinking. Ford claims that the most traded in vehicle for the Bronco is... a Wrangler.

The offroad community grew across the board, to include Toyotas and smaller crossover type of vehicles that claim any offroad worthiness. Either way, I see a lot of Jeep owners saying that the Bronco isn't a true competitor. I don't think Jeep agrees. Bronco comes out with sasquatch, now you can suddenly get the XR package. Bronco has the Everglades, now a snorkel is an option from Jeep. The competition has already paid off for consumers.

 

[bio86250]

First--I love my Jeep. I won't get rid of my Jeep. And I dodged a major bullet by not buying a Bronco IMHO. Just setting that out there.

Finally got to see and test-drive a brand-new Badlands Bronco 331 package yesterday. Came in for a friend after he had given up and bought a Jeep but wanted to test-drive it anyways. Here are some initial observations, not sure if any of you have seen things that you like or dislike after test-driving one as well.

1) Drives like a truck.
2) Interior a mix of good quality stuff (like grab handle on upper corners), and utter trash (like grab handle on center console....totally loose and flimsy)
3) Infotainment is utter, utter, utter trash on the non Lux-package version. Like zero map/nav/offline capability (I use Gaia on Carplay...it does have Carplay), or any other useful screen info. Only a compass. Which is quite frankly fn trash. Utterly shocking to me that you can get a $65,000+ vehicle version with a Ford Explorer infotainment system from about 10 years ago. Good. Lord.
4) Steel bumper group can't accept a winch in the winch-ready box. Dealer (who didn't really know his vehicle anyways) said you have to wait until they come out with a fix or extension to use the winch-ready steel bumper to put a....winch in the winch-ready steel bumper. Sweet!
5)Aux switches (there are 6 pre-wired, ready like the Jeep Aux switches) and buttons are nice but pretty tiny and you'd have to remember what the hell you wired them to. But....6. And ready. Not bad.
6) Frameless windows are pretty cool, same with mirrors that you don't have to replace for road driving in states where it's mandated. BUT...they stick out like crazy and you'd lose them on the trail. Trust me. You'd lose them. 100%. If you don't believe me, please buy one and try it. They are literally a foot outside the vehicle. You might even lose one leaving the Metro garage.
7) Doors off/on....praise bejebus that I got a Jeep. Prepare to lose paint. Hinges are recessed. Good luck.
8) Soft-top had a feature on the back, after opening the tailgate it lifts up with a kick-stand. Honestly, this was ridiculously cool. That's the 1 thing I liked about the Bronco.
9) Recovery points on the front bumper were pretty awesome frankly. THEN!.....totally awesome turned to wtf seriously? as I found that they are forged and un-finished (extremely abrasive, sharp edges on interior holes) and just painted. Kiss anything soft that you might put through that shackle goodbye. Loved the concept, but it's unfinished.
10) Windshield is far enough away and the hood is massive....seeing what's below would be great if you had the lux package and a camera system, or you can just steer this huge thing into whatever and hope for the best. Honestly, it was massive compared to the Jeep and I couldn't see how you can expertly navigate it through any technical terrain without the Lux package camera system and at least 1 spotter/guide.

Final opinion....it's not bad. But it's a truck. If you want to offroad in a truck where you can't see well out the front and/or modding it with cool accessories might be a bit challenging as you have to replace lots of factory parts in order to do so....this might be your vehicle.

I dodged a bullet. The Bronco seemed overall a great concept, but they cheaped the crap outta the infotainment, and they failed to put quality into the interior where a literal grab-handle felt like I was hanging on to a Glad trash bag tied to a tree.

Great review! Think I will share it to my dad so to focus on xtreme recon package

 

[old mike]

Nice write up. Glad I stuck with Jeep as well.

The Bronco sure does look sharp though. I’ve seen a few around with the top and doors off and I can’t stop staring. I feel like I’m cheating on my Jeep.

Your Jeep feels like you're cheating on her too and she's going to let you know how she feels ...soon, when you're in the middle lane of an eight lane interstate crossover trying to pass through the center of a major interchange and she decides your fuses need to come undone.

 

[E.O.D.]

Not that I'm in the market, but the one BIG turnoff for me on the Bronco (and most any Ford product)?

That damned Ford chime.

Its annoying. Its bad enough to have to hear it once. But 3-4 times on EVERY startup?

Has me like:

 

[Powelligator]

This part is a wash between the two vehicles:

4) Steel bumper group can't accept a winch in the winch-ready box. Dealer (who didn't really know his vehicle anyways) said you have to wait until they come out with a fix or extension to use the winch-ready steel bumper to put a....winch in the winch-ready steel bumper. Sweet!

For what Jeep's steel bumper option costs it pissed me off that I had to spend another 3 or 4 hundred dollars on a plate to mount the winch. That should have been part of the steel bumper package. Except that Jeep mounts their front camera high enough to clear the winch after it's mounted, and Ford has an issue with the adaptive cruise control and a winch.

 

[sailscall]

Sad part is, Bronco was supposed to bring some “competition” to Jeep.

Instead, it’s brought more people into Jeep showrooms...

You’re on fire today Aldo.

 

[aldo98229]

I think that's wishful thinking. Ford claims that the most traded in vehicle for the Bronco is... a Wrangler.

The offroad community grew across the board, to include Toyotas and smaller crossover type of vehicles that claim any offroad worthiness. Either way, I see a lot of Jeep owners saying that the Bronco isn't a true competitor. I don't think Jeep agrees. Bronco comes out with sasquatch, now you can suddenly get the XR package. Bronco has the Everglades, now a snorkel is an option from Jeep. The competition has already paid off for consumers.

Ford claims a lot of things; most of them turn out to be false.

I do marketing analysis for a living. You can make all sorts of claims if you define your sample base in a way that gets you the numbers that you want. Ford is the master of this.

I agree that Bronco attracted a lot of new buyers into the “off-road” community, just as TRD, ZR2, and now AT4, have done. But also because Ford spent two years and a billion dollars marketing Bronco to death.

The question is how many of those buyers are committed to off-roading, and how many will trade in their off-road rig full of compromises for a Grand Cherokee or an Explorer....as soon as they had enough.

From the little I’ve seen, the vast majority of Bronco buyers are after the “image.” Not that Jeep buyers aren’t; it’s just that Jeep has a well established, large off-road community; perhaps only challenged to some degree by Toyota.

When I hit the trails, I only consistently see Jeeps and Toyotas out there. That’s it. So far I’ve only seen Broncos around the malls and the fancy restaurants. The only Broncos I‘ve seen getting dirty are on Instagram and on Ford’s own CG videos.

 

[Mocopo]

Ford claims a lot of things; most of them turn out to be false.

I do marketing analysis for a living. You can make all sorts of claims if you define your sample base in a way that gets you the numbers that you want. Ford is the master of this.

I agree that Bronco attracted a lot of new buyers into the off-road community, just as TRD, ZR2, and now AT4, have done. But also because Ford spent two years and a billion dollars marketing Bronco.

The question is how many of those buyers are committed to off-roading, and how many will trade in their off-road rig full of compromises for a Grand Cherokee or an Explorer....as soon as they had enough.

From the little I’ve seen, the vast majority of Bronco buyers are after the “image.” Not that Jeep buyers aren’t; it’s just that Jeep has a well established, large off-road community; perhaps only challenged to some degree by Toyota.

When I hit the trails, I only see Jeeps and Toyotas consistently. That’s it.

I get that sentiment. Similar stuff was said about the buyers of the new family friendly 4 door wrangler. Only time will tell. I will say, as a member of a local Bronco group, the community is starting to grow. In my experience speaking with other Bronco owners, there are very few who are interested in anything extreme offroad, but most are buying them as overland types of vehicles. Something that will be a comfortable ride down dirt roads on the way to the next camping spot.

Personally, we wheel ours pretty hard

Got a new phone, these are the best pics I have on hand right now. Everyone thought I was stupid for taking my new Bronco on the v-notch in the first pic lol. As you know, pics rarely do it justice. EDIT: just to add, the JK in that pic was the least built rig in the group, they had to turn around at this obstacle. The rest of us continued.

 

[aldo98229]

In my experience speaking with other Bronco owners, there are very few who are interested in anything extreme offroad, but most are buying them as overland types of vehicles. Something that will be a comfortable ride down dirt roads on the way to the next camping spot.

Thing is, a Toyota Tacoma, or even Ford’s own Ranger, will allow you to do that for a lot less money, a lot less grief, and with a lot fewer issues.

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