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

IdahoJOAT

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No. Not good for him. This is bad journalism. If an author is doing that- they can lose their job as it's a conflict of interest. In fact, most corporate SOP's outline this specifically- Quid pro Quo, "pay for play" etc.
Not saying that this actually took place here, Just pointing out the problem.


Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't they the ones who were talking 1/4 mi times when the 392 came out, but didn't test it off road, or something equally dumb?

Probably a reason it's call "CAR and Driver". IF you want the real deal? Go read Four Wheeler. Sean P Holman wrote a good "first drive" of the Bronco, and compares it to Wrangler.
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IdahoJOAT

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I skipped 5 pages of comments, but I'd read this review before I saw this...

Couple things:
  1. The emphasis on the dead pedal gives a particular insight to this reviewer. Uh dude? Put your toe in the air maybe?
  2. Did anyone notice the points?! For Feature/Amenities he gave the Ford 10/10! And the Jeep 1/10! No, I didn't typo. Bronco is 100% and the Jeep is 10%. Holy biased reporting Batman!
And the Bronco is all the rage. Just look at Forza Horizon 5. The Bronco is one of the cover vehicles and is featured heavily while the only comparable Jeep is a 2014 JKR. Rebelle Rally anyone?

Here's what slays me about the Jeep vs. Bronco debate: They're two totally different vehicles. The top and doors come off. That's where the similarities end. No where is it more evident than in front end geometry. IFS is for bombing at high speeds. Solid front axle is for rocks and slow speed traction.

Car and Driver, Motor Trend, etc, they might as well review a Demon and an STI. "Well the STI just can't do good burnouts, so it gets docked 9 points..." No dumbass, it's not supposed to do burnouts. smh /rant_off
 

John VonJeep

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TFL posted a Bronco vs 4Runner over the weekend.

I still can’t believe how little articulation Bronco has even fully “articulated.” And Tommy keeps praising Bronco’s articulation despite his own video evidence of the contrary.

That swaybar “dislocate” switch must work like a placebo: it makes the driver believe the vehicle is doing something it actually isn’t.

The 4Runner driver has a great attitude. Looks like no KDSS on that one, which could have made some difference.
 

rickinAZ

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The 4xe is the top selling hybrid in the country at the moment and two of the trims are very comparable to the outerbanks. I give you that the 392 would have been overkill, but the 4xe is very representative of what current buyers are looking for.
Except even a 4xe would have been very far from apples-to-apples.

On another subject, where are you getting the top-selling 4xe information? This article doesn't even have them in the top 10. Admittedly the article is 6 months old, but did they surge since May 2021? https://www.newsweek.com/most-popular-hybrid-car-models-america-1590402
 

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I didn't see much honesty in the review. Very biased and even picked one of the lowest trim levels and bashed it.
 

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John VonJeep

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One thing I do find very odd is the fact that not one magazine, website, or YouTuber has managed to get a Sasquatch Badlands and Wrangler XR on the same trail together. This is the obvious pair to compare, yet AFAIK it hasn’t happened.

Why not? Is it to keep milking the “Bronco is the hot new thing” teat as long as possible? Are all these people simply incompetent? What’s going on?
 

Bulletbill

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aldo98229

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This screen shot is from the latest TFL video. This is Bronco Sasquatch fully "articulated"...which is not very much. That rear tire is about 16 inches off the ground.

Jeep Wrangler JL Was Car and Driver paid under the table to write this Bronco vs Wrangler comparison article? 1638210770807


For a quick comparison, this is my lowly Sahara with the swaybar disconnected.
Jeep Wrangler JL Was Car and Driver paid under the table to write this Bronco vs Wrangler comparison article? 1638211086127

Jeep Wrangler JL Was Car and Driver paid under the table to write this Bronco vs Wrangler comparison article? 1638211040893

Jeep Wrangler JL Was Car and Driver paid under the table to write this Bronco vs Wrangler comparison article? 1638211157317



The guys at Car and Driver would never even explore any of this.
 

rickinAZ

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Thanks for the clarification. I think that the difference is the type of hybrid. My link referenced all hybrids. The 4xe one was limited to plug-in hybrids. Perhaps PHEVs don't sell in enough volume to make the overall top ten.

I still shake my head on Jeep trying to insert a PHEV and a big V-8 into the 4-cylinder comparison. Then they took their toys and went home ; causing C&D to have to rent a vehicle. Denying road test vehicles is the old Tesla strategy.

I still like my Jeep better.
 

smokeythecat

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Is there a steering wander issue even with a new built (what I would expect to be a tight) JL Jeep?
I just bought a new JL Willys and I can tell you there is definitely a steering wander problem. For instance, this past weekend I intended to go to the grocery store but I ended up on a trail.
 

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macphisto13

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I've been reading car magazines forever. They always gravitate to the new shiny cars. Bronco is new and shiny. I expect we will see a bunch of articles coming out saying the Bronco is better... then after the newness wears out, we'll see. Almost any article comparing the Camaro to the Mustang claimed the Camaro was a better car than the Mustang. And maybe it was... but where is it now? Oh that's right, dead again. I've driven a Bronco. It's a great vehicle! But Jeep is an icon.

And remember, having variety and options is a good thing that will drive competition and product quality.
 

aldo98229

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One thing I do find very odd is the fact that not one magazine, website, or YouTuber has managed to get a Sasquatch Badlands and Wrangler XR on the same trail together. This is the obvious pair to compare, yet AFAIK it hasn’t happened.

Why not? Is it to keep milking the “Bronco is the hot new thing” teat as long as possible? Are all these people simply incompetent? What’s going on?
It’s tough to find Broncos anywhere, period; and with Jeep cranking out JLs at full capacity, it has little incentive to hand out XRs to the press.
 

John VonJeep

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It’s tough to find Broncos anywhere, period; and with Jeep cranking out JLs at full capacity, it has little incentive to hand out XRs to the press.
TFL has managed to compare their First Edition Sasquatch to a 4Runner, a Defender, and a 4XE, yet they can’t find a TFL fan who’s willing to let them test an XR? 🤔
 

displayname

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Here's what slays me about the Jeep vs. Bronco debate: They're two totally different vehicles. The top and doors come off. That's where the similarities end.
This feels like a significant over simplification. They are the same general size, same general price point, have very close specs for ground clearance, both are 4 wheel drive. Yes, the SFA vs IFS is a significant difference. But to say the roof coming off is the only similarity is just incorrect.

One thing I do find very odd is the fact that not one magazine, website, or YouTuber has managed to get a Sasquatch Badlands and Wrangler XR on the same trail together. This is the obvious pair to compare, yet AFAIK it hasn’t happened.
I get the impression that some people assume if you have a YouTube channel or a website that companies will just instantly send you $50-60K vehicles and let you test their limits. It’s simply not that easy.
I’ve still only seen a handful of Broncos around town, and probably only 5 total with a Sasquatch package. I have seen a total of XRs on the road so far. Even if I’d seen both, what are the chances I could get both on the same trail, on the same day, to compare them. Short of buying the vehicles with their own budgets (like TFL did with the Bronco) they really don’t have anyway to easily orchestrate this type of comparison on the trail. It will come with time I’m sure, but don’t over simply how easy it is to just grab a test vehicle. Especially when model is struggling with production and the other is an add on to a single trim level (more coming with Willys).

I think another thing this over looks is the fact that a percentage of the few people with Sas or XR that are also in close proximity of a YouTuber, a publication, and another person with the other vehicle ALSO needs to be willing to wheel their brand new $50-60K toy. And the reality is, a lot of owners might not be ready to push the limits of their new spotless rides yet.

Having said all that, Driven Mad does have a JLR with a lift and 35’s, shots of the JLR pre-lift with 35s, and a 2dr Bronco Sas. It’s not technically an XR, but he did a great job with his comparison video.
 

aldo98229

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TFL has managed to compare their First Edition Sasquatch to a 4Runner, a Defender, and a 4XE, yet they can’t find a TFL fan who’s willing to let them test an XR? 🤔
Well...they sorta of did...but the Rubicon 392 owner had turned that Jeep into a freak show...!

Jeep Wrangler JL Was Car and Driver paid under the table to write this Bronco vs Wrangler comparison article? 1638219328309
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