Was Car and Driver paid under the table to write this Bronco vs Wrangler comparison article?

[conFUcius]

The magazine is called Car and Driver… not Jeep and Driver.

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[roaniecowpony]

Car & Driver is not known for being unbiased.

'like saying "that troll is not known for being nice".

It's all about selling articles to magazines, not about any objective journalism. Many of these writers work for mulitple magazines and have to compete to get their work published. That's where the real shoe goo happens.

 

[Rover72]

https://www.caranddriver.com/review...-2021-jeep-wrangler-unlimited-sport-compared/

I personally think the writer of this article was biased in favour of the Bronco. What do you think? Can anyone who has test driven both please chime in?

IMO, the article is poorly done as it does appear to offer a bias towards the Bronco.

On another note, I have a question maybe you or others can help me with. I ordered my first Jeep, 2022 Rubicon, 2 weeks ago. I only got to test drive for a short time and did not feel the steering wander issue mentioned in the article and mentioned elsewhere.

For folks who purchased their Jeep new:
Is there a steering wander issue even with a new built (what I would expect to be a tight) JL Jeep?
Thx

 

[OBD]

It's the shiny new toy........press is designed to sell.....ideas or product!

 

[John VonJeep]

For folks who purchased their Jeep new:
Is there a steering wander issue even with a new built (what I would expect to be a tight) JL Jeep?
Thx

Tough issue. I love the way Jeeps drive. But if pushed, would I admit that the steering feel is a bit soft? Sure. I see that as a function of the SFA and recirculating ball steering. So my brain reads it as “normal.”

Somebody else, however, might read it as “wander.” Same steering. One person’s subjective experience is that it’s fine. Another’s is that there’s something wrong.

And then, on top of that, some Jeeps really do have something wrong. I think the only way to know for sure is to drive the Jeep in question back to back with one that is known to be solid.

 

[MallTerrainVehicle]

It's not too hard. Despite some photos of muddy 'offroading', that is not what the magazine does and it's probably not the kind of driving the reviewers enjoy doing. They'll subconsciously be leaning toward what has better on-road manners, what feels more like an plush SUV and less like a truck. I have not driven the Bronco but most reviewers feels like it does a better job in that department, so there you go

 

[roaniecowpony]

...

On another note, I have a question maybe you or others can help me with. I ordered my first Jeep, 2022 Rubicon, 2 weeks ago. I only got to test drive for a short time and did not feel the steering wander issue mentioned in the article and mentioned elsewhere.

For folks who purchased their Jeep new:
Is there a steering wander issue even with a new built (what I would expect to be a tight) JL Jeep?
Thx

It appears the answer is "mostly". IMO, coming from a 2018 owner's perspective, the trackbar was the really big offender in the early 2018 models. The bushings were so soft it allowed the axle to move slightly side to side. This made it feel like it was so loose that it was disconnected from the driver. The second problem my 18 had was the tierod was loose on one side. And the third, least impact was the steering box was loose. All of this really shows up in high speed S turns where there is a reversal of steering input. You go from steering in one direction to changing to the other direction, but there is a fraction of a second when turning the wheel does nothing to reverse the steering of the vehicle to the other direction. The vehicle overshoots the curve in the road slightly and you over-correct.

Some owners eventually discovered that loose balljoints also contributed the steering issue. The OEM balljoints have a nylon liner that seems to be a problem.

 

[Speed331]

Jesus.., you folks slay me.
Last month when this article came out on MotorTrend, the 6G forum was awash with posts claiming Jeep must have paid them off.
Is the C/D guy a putz who really doesn't understand the segment? I'm thinking yes.
That said, of course the Bronco feels better on road.
But the reviewer seems to be saying Jeep should dump the SFA because folks who never go off road would find it more appealing.

Here's a thought: maybe it doesn't have to be for everyone.

Sorry to vent, but the idea that making things more 'vanella' for broader appeal annoys the shit out of me. Give me unique character - and the compromises that come with it - any day.
I have nothing against them being used as mall crawlers - but don't bitch about them not being as comfortable as a typical soccer mom SUV.
There's a reason the Bronco and Wrangler stand apart from the dreary obscurity of the pack. They're designed with a different priority in mind.
And all the better for it.

 

[DaltonGang]

Here is my take.
Car and driver writers are usually biased towards car like handling.
The base model Wrangler doesnt handle as well as the one with Rubicon suspension. I know, I did a swap.
The Wrangler they used was a rental. How much has that rental been abused??
The writer was pissed off that Jeep didnt give him a Rubicon to test. How dare they! Don't they know how important he is?

 

[jmccorm]

The magazine is called Car and Driver… not Jeep and Driver.

Car and Driver?
Oh. Of course! Uh... wait. Didn't they just replace Road and Track?

Or am I thinking of Motor Trend? I mean, any fascination with the flavor-of-the-month vehicle is always in fashion, but it's bound to change faster than the cover of... Autoweek? Besides, if I want an opinion piece on America's top vehicles, I'll look no further than Popular Mechanics! I really don't know how those Mechanics get so many upvotes, but they wouldn't be cranking out Popular reviews if they subject matter wasn't already so well-liked.

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All in all, this probably doesn't matter as much because the Bronco's never going to make centerfold in the pages of Hot Rod magazine. Not like the sexy 392. Yes, I'm sure their bolt-on accessories will find them some consolation... perhaps in the pages of Kit Car magazine? The cost for a favorable spread is little more than a trip, a meal, and a car ride for that special editor. No? Not an editor can resist a favorable viewpoint which flows from a freshly inked advertising contract, am I right? (Be watching for the latest Bronco advertisement in your near future!)

Anyhow, uh... what magazine were we talking about? Oh yes! Well, if they survived past the 90's, they must have been awfully good. Or well funded by advertisers. Hard to tell, right?

Say... has anyone seen Tommy? He's one reviewer who's clearly NOT in the money. And I've got a hankering for another one of his Fast Lane Car or Fast Lane Truck or Fast Lane Offroad or Fast Lane Platinum reviews of the Wrangler vs __SOMETHING__. I mean, if I'm looking for a spirited comparison versus something like a $30k Russian SUV, I know that there's only one team that can give it to me Fast Lane NOW!

Hey, I need to get some friendly ribbin' in with them, too!

 

[Mikeoso]

I dont know why you'd think someone took a bribe just because you disagree with them. Even if the writer is grossly wrong, a screwup is way more likely than a conspiracy. Of course, conspiracies are more interesting...

 

[roaniecowpony]

I dont know why you'd think someone took a bribe just because you disagree with them. Even if the writer is grossly wrong, a screwup is way more likely than a conspiracy. Of course, conspiracies are more interesting...

I think "bribe" and "conspiracy" are overstating it. I think it's more like 'I need to write nice articles about these products, so I get a reputation of good reviews and I'll get more of these product manufacturers to have me do reviews and I'll sell more articles.' They know how they want to set the tone of the article before the actual test, because they have a personal goal. The gun rags are famous for flowery crap, mainly because the gun makers often gift guns to the mainstream established writers. These writers with modest incomes can accumulate massive collections of firearms just from these gifts. Writers that come off as "negative Nancys" don't get the freebies. So, is that a bribe or conspiracy? Sorta maybe.

 

[Mikeoso]

I think "bribe" and "conspiracy" are overstating it. I think it's more like 'I need to write nice articles about these products, so I get a reputation of good reviews and I'll get more of these product manufacturers to have me do reviews and I'll sell more articles.' They know how they want to set the tone of the article before the actual test, because they have a personal goal. The gun rags are famous for flowery crap, mainly because the gun makers often gift guns to the mainstream established writers. These writers with modest incomes can accumulate massive collections of firearms just from these gifts. Writers that come off as "negative Nancys" don't get the freebies. So, is that a bribe or conspiracy? Sorta maybe.

I agree, of course...writers for magazines have to keep the money people happy. The OP referred to being "paid under the table", by definition both a bribe and a conspiracy, which is what I was reacting to.

 

[displayname]

https://www.caranddriver.com/review...-2021-jeep-wrangler-unlimited-sport-compared/

I personally think the writer of this article was biased in favour of the Bronco. What do you think? Can anyone who has test driven both please chime in?

That article read almost exactly like every Bronco vs Jeep article already out. Nothing new here. The score sheet wasn’t even a big surprise. Put different categories and metrics in, and get a different score.

At the end of the day the more comfortable seats, 12” screen and IFS on road is going to win over A LOT of buyers. The same way SFA, higher quality touch plastics and flex will continue to win over a lot of Wrangler buyers.

People have preferences, and the two options are different enough that one will become a clear standout for some people. Heaven forbid options exist on the market I guess.

 

[Rubi SoHo]

For your average SUV buyer who thinks they need a legit off-roader, but who will actually never go anywhere more intense than a muddy dirt road, the Bronco probably is better.

The Chintzy build quality and Ford reliability will let them down, but it will drive nicer as a daily, which is what 99.9% of the customers will be looking for.

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