Current opinion of the Bronco?

[Orange01z28]

Sasquatch ones look good.

they still look so much bigger than an equivalent Wrangler, even though I know they’re the same size

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[Gvsukids]

I'm just confused as to why it's constantly being compared to the Gladiator when they're not even in the same class. Or maybe why it's the talk of the town on the Gladiator forum. Ford has the Ranger which Is in the same class. But then again, everyone can't seem to stop comparing the Gladiator to full size trucks. So, I guess compare away. Lol. So as far as an opinion on the Bronco? It's another SUV, move on to the next...

Hot topic. Not even close on towing either.

 

[JTBurns]

They're nice enough. A buddy if mine hit me up the other day saying he was going to be putting in a reservation. I told him to join that forum and let me know when he gets it so we can hit some trails. Either way, I need a truck and we'll get a 3 row when we unload the other vehicle, so it's not anything to consider at the current moment for me.

 

[Trickster]

You are correct.

 

[dcmdon]

I'm just confused as to why it's constantly being compared to the Gladiator when they're not even in the same class. Or maybe why it's the talk of the town on the Gladiator forum. Ford has the Ranger which Is in the same class. But then again, everyone can't seem to stop comparing the Gladiator to full size trucks. So, I guess compare away. Lol. So as far as an opinion on the Bronco? It's another SUV, move on to the next...

Because a lot of us want, but don't need a pickup.

Lets face it, both the Wrangler and the Brocon are all about wants and not needs. There isn't any really rational reason to own any of these vehicles.

If you need a pickup, something like a Canyon or Ranger is a more rational choice.

So again, wants, not needs.

 

[dcmdon]

What was so bad about the Willy's?

I'd imagine it was mostly the tires honestly. People really under estimate how much tires make or ruin a cars steering/handling. Also it may have just had the wrong pressure, with lt tires a 5 -7 psi swing can also drastically change ride/performance.

The tires definitely did their part. The noise was probably the tires biggest contribution.

The Wilys suspension tuning was rough and primitive really. Very little compliance over bumps. Poor body control over road heaves and drop offs.

In contrast, the Mojave seemed to glide over bumps with much less impact. And the kind of large undulations that upset the Willy's , the Mojave just soaked up.

I'm struggling to describe it better, but it just drove on the street with much more poise.

If your only experience is Jeeps and older cars, you may not get it.

 

[Cliff89]

Was really considering ordering a Bronco a while back but obviously ended up going with the JT. Now that I’ve seen several Broncos out and about, I’ve come to find them less and less attractive. I’ve seen several different models, some modded ones, etc. They just look kind of cheap to me in person, almost like a toy look. They look less rugged than I was expecting too. I don’t hate them or anything, though. Anyone else feel similarly? Referring to full size Bronco, not Sport.

I quite agree with you that the Bronco are less attractive than the WJ, the build quality of the Bronco looks and feels inferior and apart from the aesthetics of the Bronco that can not be compared to the JT other aspects of the Bronco are wrong too.

Ignition module issues are one of the most commonly reported 1996 Ford Bronco issues. Some owners claim that their SUV would stall while driving and wouldn't start again for 20 to 30 minutes. After a certain amount of time, their vehicles would usually start up again.

Although this problem normally occurs without warning, numerous drivers have reported that their Broncos stall or refuse to restart when it rains. Can you imagine having to deal with an issue like this? I could never for I want something that is dependable and reliable, The Bronco looks like it could fall apart. Well, this is my opinion hope it helps you.

 

[jmdwifi]

If it came with a V-8 and a better top, I would get one. Oh, and if it had a truck bed and it was a jeep, I would buy one. Last ford I have was a 98 explorer. It was fine until I got past 85,000 miles. Everything started to fall apart.

 

[jmdwifi]

As far as build quality, they all suck. Captured nuts should be illegal.

 

[WXman]

The interior is typical Ford/Rubbermaid cheap ass plastic with no design cues or symmetry. It's Polaris RZR quality. The dash display looks terrible too and some items are hard to decipher compared to traditional gauges.

The design of the exterior is lacking. Frameless windows will be a PITA out of warranty, trust me. It's hard to take the doors off because of how they're pinned. The soft top cargo access is a joke. The fenders can be stolen in seconds. The IFS still won't flex like a Jeep regardless of what people claim. It's only got the EcoBust as engine options, whereas Wrangler has everything a guy could possibly want. People who drive it say it feels huge. Overall, Bronco is a half-ass attempt to copy the perennial icon.

 

[MDPensFan]

So here's my take. I love Gen 1 Broncos. I love the looks of the new Bronco. The 2 door over the 4 door. Though I would have to have a 4 door. But this whole launch has ben a shit show.

• Delayed launch
• Parts shortages
• Flawed reservation process
• Stupid packing of options - i.e. You can get the heated seats in the least expensive Mid package but have to upgrade to the most expensive Lux package to get the heated steering wheel. Lux package is only available on higher trims. Cold weather package Ford. Pretty simple.
• Major quality issues from the start and more still happening
• They are apparently not as durable off road as Ford attempted to portray. Lots of breakage already
• Dealer greed with charging astronomical ADMs on abandoned orders and going back on already signed deals trying to charge people $10k or more over MSRP for their ordered Broncos
• Ford changing the allocation process to screw some smaller dealers that took the initiative to offer and guarantee below MSRP pricing to order holders

Now I test drove a Badlands without the Sasquatch package. It had the 2.3 which IMO was quite the slug. Ride was really nice. I had the soft top back and there was zero turbulence. Nice smooth ride. Everything was laid out nice. The marine grade vinyl seats were very comfortable. My only ding with the interior was the center stack. It is just a jumbled mess. Analog speedo to the left with a big square screen to the right of it. Would have looked much better with a traditional speedo and tach left and right of a center display.

I wanted a Bronco since it was first confirmed. Held off reserving until I could actually drive one. I had honestly lost interest earlier this year due to the issues that were arising. After test driving I got excited again and finally put in an order. Then more and more of the above issues. I have officially pulled out.

I'm thinking I will wait until the announced 2024 mid cycle refresh to see where things stand. But I'm not holding my breath on things being any better.

Here is the Badlands I test drove.

Chapman! Where I bought my Gladiator and (as of now) still have my Bronco on order. I test drove a non-Squatch Badlands as well with the wimpy 2.3. The stick shift was surprisingly smooth but the 2.3 felt underpowered, considering its specs. The 2.7 is the way to go unless you absolutely have to have a stick, but from what I've heard it's not quite the rocket that other Ecoboost 2.7s are. It had the soft top which was easy to roll back and was pretty quiet while topless, but that thing looks like ass with the wavy windows in the back. Rode nicely, but the interior seemed very cheap for the price.

I dunno, I still cast a lustful eye at them now and again, but I have a Jeep and won't be getting a Bronco. At least I won't be getting one anytime soon and by the time It did come in, who knows what will be available in the marketplace.

 

[Garemlin]

Chapman! Where I bought my Gladiator and (as of now) still have my Bronco on order. I test drove a non-Squatch Badlands as well with the wimpy 2.3. The stick shift was surprisingly smooth but the 2.3 felt underpowered, considering its specs. The 2.7 is the way to go unless you absolutely have to have a stick, but from what I've heard it's not quite the rocket that other Ecoboost 2.7s are. It had the soft top which was easy to roll back and was pretty quiet while topless, but that thing looks like ass with the wavy windows in the back. Rode nicely, but the interior seemed very cheap for the price.

I dunno, I still cast a lustful eye at them now and again, but I have a Jeep and won't be getting a Bronco. At least I won't be getting one anytime soon and by the time It did come in, who knows what will be available in the marketplace.

Bought my Gladiator from Chapman and have a Bronco on order (for now) as well. Also have a Gecko max tow Gladiator in transit. Still debating if I'm going to get it or not.

You know I didn't even notice the windows when I test drove. Guess I was too excited about finally driving one. I'm sure if I bought one I would notice it and it would bug me. The interior does have some cheap feeling parts. I noticed that when they did the dealership road show back in April. Some of the panels feel hollow and cheap. Yeah they are probably more durable. But you can have durable but still have a quality feel.

I still enjoy looking at them and what people are doing to them. In fact I finally saw my very first one on the road last week. It was like I had just spotted a unicorn. LOL But there is no way I would even consider buying one now. Between the top fiasco, leaks, suspension breaking, parts falling off, catastrophic engine failure and the wrong parts being installed it's pretty apparent that quality is not job 1. Getting them out the door as fast as possible is.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

I'm just confused as to why it's constantly being compared to the Gladiator when they're not even in the same class. Or maybe why it's the talk of the town on the Gladiator forum. Ford has the Ranger which Is in the same class. But then again, everyone can't seem to stop comparing the Gladiator to full size trucks. So, I guess compare away. Lol. So as far as an opinion on the Bronco? It's another SUV, move on to the next...

It's because they are all close in price.

There is probably a dude out there somewhere comparing a Gladiator to a $50k Vette trying to decide which one to buy.

 

[Gvsukids]

The tires definitely did their part. The noise was probably the tires biggest contribution.

The Wilys suspension tuning was rough and primitive really. Very little compliance over bumps. Poor body control over road heaves and drop offs.

In contrast, the Mojave seemed to glide over bumps with much less impact. And the kind of large undulations that upset the Willy's , the Mojave just soaked up.

I'm struggling to describe it better, but it just drove on the street with much more poise.

If your only experience is Jeeps and older cars, you may not get it.

I had a 07 Honda Pilot before the Gladiator. My Max Tow rides differently, and feels more planted, with the weight of the steel bumpers on the front and rear. I have the Falkin M/T and while they are noisier then the stock A/T beforehand, they have quieted with more miles. The noise isn't noticable with the windows down or top off.

The design of the exterior is lacking. Frameless windows will be a PITA out of warranty, trust me. It's hard to take the doors off because of how they're pinned. The soft top cargo access is a joke. The fenders can be stolen in seconds. The IFS still won't flex like a Jeep regardless of what people claim. It's only got the EcoBust as engine options, whereas Wrangler has everything a guy could possibly want. People who drive it say it feels huge. Overall, Bronco is a half-ass attempt to copy the perennial icon.

Subaru's have frameless windows, but maybe better quality.

 

[Aonarch]

I had placed a deposit on one, but with the delays I cancelled my order.

I'd avoid one like the plague for the first model year. Thanks to COVID supply chain issues, I'd probably avoid the next model year too. They were a clean sheet design, it is what it is.

Their interiors are 90s Fisher Price plastics. Look beyond the big fancy screen and you will notice how cheap the interior looks and feels.

I greatly prefer the D44s and I think Ford really should have went with solid axles front and rear. Ford's engineers could have easily figured out how to make it steer well on street, probably better than Jeep, thanks to the clean sheet design, versus reusing a lot of JK tech.

I'd trade my Gladiator in on a Bronco if they had a solid front axle and slightly better interior quality. I like the exterior design and the powertrain options.

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