Honest reviews and build quality?

[JT58Bronc]

2022 2 door Sasquatch 2.7. Build quality is good to me. Not excellent- there are a few flaws in the body- mis alignment in some of the body panels. Mechanically mine at least is very good so far. One defect- front driveshaft, that's it so far. Overall though I am very satisfied.

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[pilot_ims]

I have a 23 Wildtrak 2DR with only about 1300 miles on it. Minus the occasional radio freeze and a hardtop with leaky seals (both common issues that aren't HUGE issues in all honesty) the vehicle has been great. Averaging 18.8mph in a brick, tons of power and a fun drive all make it worth it

 

[Valhalla]

2023 BL squatch 2.7 lux marine grade int. I love mine, The B&O needs a lot of help. I had two front differential failures. The second it seems the dealer forgot fluid. Both warrantied. I am happy.

 

[aniljavali]

22 Badlands, SAS owner, driven 26k miles.
14k miles this summer exploring Colorado.

if you previously owned

Jeep -> find no difference in terms of build quality, road noise.
non-luxury sedan/suv -> you will fid subtle difference.
luxury segment -> big difference in terms of build quality & road noise.

but, you will get used it after driving few thousand miles.
this RIG will take you where other vehicles can't.

so time to enjoy. check out my youtube channel for the fun we have been having.

 

[PSUTE]

Zero issues on my '21, except for the well documented light switch gremlin. 5 minute fix at the dealers while I was in for an oil change....

 

[Dino171]

23 Wildtrak 2.7 with 14,000 miles in 10 months. Has been perfect with zero issues - far better than I expected. It was an adjustment (I knew what I was getting into) coming from a long line of German cars but once you settle in to what this truck is and why is was built - its a joy. There is something about it that just keeps me smiling. I have determined that there my be a better fit for me based upon my work/driving needs but I cant let this rig go. I love it!

 

[AZMikeL]

22 BadLands Sasquatch - 21k miles. Only a couple of issues so far:

• Some strangeness (see ABS dashboard x-mas tree posts) with the rear right ABS sensor. Dealer could not replicate, but swapped the left and right ones for me. Had the issue occur once more a couple weeks after the swap, then never again.
• Tailgate is becoming slightly misaligned due to the stock 35" tire hanging there over rough roads. Will definitely need a support before I replace them with heavier tires (which will still be 35s).
• Window rattle when part way down - this has actually gotten a lot less severe over the last year and a half that I've owned it. Only happens over really rough stuff now. I suppose all the AZ dust in there is providing some sort of cushioning now.
• Gauge cluster went dark when in Payson shortly after I got it. Helpful dealer there (shout out to Steve Coury Ford) started down a flowchart to diagnose it, and had it fixed in under 30 mins on a Sat morning. Turns out pulling one of the BCM fuses under the steering wheel to check it was not blown caused it to reboot and everything came back fine. Have not had the problem since.

This is not a luxury car by any means (although does have the most tech and lux I've ever had in my car). For me, the quality is perfectly fine for a daily driver, and great for an off road rig.

Any fleet manager will tell you that new cars/planes/boats are actually LESS reliable than ones that have been in service for a while. There's always a shakedown period where you may need to fix things. In all honesty, I am amazed that ANY modern vehicle even works off the factory floor. Think of the 1000's of components in there and how many were assembled on Mon morning/Fri afternoon!

 

[GenericUsername]

The Bronco is a great vehicle and I highly recommend it. You have to be aware of some of its limitations though because of what it is. The sound system even with Lux will not be the best you ever heard, the removable doors and bracing limited where the speakers could be placed. It is not the softest ride you will feel. But non Sasquatch ride smoother, unless you have a Wildtrak with Fox shocks. I had a water leak on my top from week one and fixed it by picking away some extra rubber from the factory and reseating the top. There is a lot of rough plastic that is easy to scratch all over the interior. Ford made a jeep better than jeep does, but it's not perfect. It's not a luxury vehicle, but it's a lot of fun and you will not regret getting one in any trim or configuration.

 

[710-oil-614]

My 2022 BaseSquatch came with wavy/dented doors, a pushed in rear bumper, ripped seams in the soft top, a scratched rear passenger window, and the windows hilariously did not line up (each door had a different height).

None of the issues were fixed by Ford and I sold my Bronco after just 76 days.

But that 76 days was enough of a taste for me to jump back in line for a MY23 order that has now kicked over to a MY24 order.

I think they've fixed some issues and I'm willing to give it another shot because it's just that awesome of a vehicle.

 

[Shane78]

You’ll love it as long as your expectations are in line with what it is: a mass produced SUV (truck) that was made to be equally comfortable on and off-road. It’s 2023. The reliability of any Ford is about the same as the next model Ford.

Half the people complaining on here about build quality I just scratch my head, I’m like what were you expecting, an E class Mercedes? This forum is an echo chamber for negativity. Take everything with a grain of salt.

I love mine, I’ll keep it till it dies. Oddly gapped body panels and all

 

[Cardboardbronco]

2023 here with 18k miles.

I think the build quality is fine for the lower models. If I paid Wildtrak or OBX LUX prices I'd be a lot more disappointed. Some of my complaints:

1. Noise from the hardtop sometimes when going over bumps/rough road but that's somewhat expected I think for a removable top. I had the hardtop "popping" sound come up also but some tinkering with the latches fixed it.
2. Paint seems to chip easily.
3. Window rattle. Driving on rutted roads with the windows partially down isn't fun. I feel like the windows can shatter at any moment so it seems all the way up or all the way down is the only option. Driving on the highway on really windy days I've had window rattle and it doesn't seem like they have a great seal with the weather-stripping.
4. Phantom alarm. My alarm occasionally goes off randomly and the Ford app only says hood latch detected open. Haven't found a fix and dealer doesnt have anything. Annoyance there.

Other than that I've been happy. The interior could be so much nicer of course but as is I guess I don't feel so bad if I'm not delicate with it. I havent had issues with anything breaking or getting scratched with the interior. Cloth seats have held up fine. Infotainment is good imo even with the smaller screen. I have the base stereo but did get lucky to have the amp that some people in early '23 got and it sounds just on the edge of passable.

Overall I've loved driving it the past 18k miles and always look forward to taking it out.

 

[Hemisfear]

Epically Awesome '21 2-Door Badsquatch with 35,000 miles...no issues what so ever, best quality I have ever had in a new vehicle, makes my past Jeeps seem like tractors!

 

[PrepVet]

The below is a copy paste from last week that I posted:

I'm a Ford guy by birth. From my mom and her dad. He worked for Ford for 50+ years. This is not my first new Ford nor can I say it will be my last or not.

Growing up my Grandfather took great pride and joy in buying a new car every year. It was normally a Grand Marquis LS but sometimes a Towncar. Eventually it became where he would give my mom his 1 year old car and trade in her two year old car. This translated to my dad also buying Fords and then myself.

I've owned many many dozens of cars (new and used), ~70% have been Fords.

Currently there are two Fords, a GM and a MOPAR on my side of the metaphorical garage and my wife has a Honda on hers. The Fords were made in the US, the GM in Korea and the the Dodge in Mexico. And the Honda in Japan.

I am not impressed with the quality nor the materials Ford has chosen to use in the Bronco. I love the car, but it doesn't feel like I can put 100k on it.

This is not an apples to apples comparison but it is at least an oranges to tangerines one. I've had the Bronco for 23 months and it has ~12,500 miles (bought new in NOV 2021). And my Spark is 12 months old and has ~21,500 miles (bought new in SEP or OCT 2022). The Bronco has not left me stranded but it has had some pretty annoying issues (the driver aids going out, the radio going out, the entire dash going out, the several recalls). It's not that I don't trust it, but it gives me pause. The Spark has had zero issues. It has needed oil changes and one new tire because I ran something over on the interstate. The Bronco also cost like 4 times as much, so I do judge them a little different based on that. But even with that the build quality is better in the Spark. The materials are about on par with each other. Which, IMHO, shouldn't be the case.

Ford does not value quality. This is abundantly clear with their new cars compared some of their older ones.

With all that said, I would still choose a new Expedition Max over a Yukon XL. And a new Mustang GT (prior to the awful 2024 refresh :barf: ) over a camaro SS. But I would go with a Challenger R/T over the new Mustang GT. When it comes to a new pickup it would be a tough call between a Raptor or another PW. Again all things being equal.

BUT, here is my big Kardashian butt, new car prices, no matter the nameplate, are absolutely stupid and make no sense. Screw paying even MSRP anymore let alone a mark up and the car note rates are insane. Forget that!

Which makes me a little more nervous on the longevity of the Bronco as I now intend to keep it for a good while. The JK it replaced ran to 225k miles and was still going strong. Just sayin'.

At any rate, I do think the design of the Bronco was home run for Ford.

 

[Aonarch]

2023 BL squatch 2.7 lux marine grade int. I love mine, The B&O needs a lot of help. I had two front differential failures. The second it seems the dealer forgot fluid. Both warrantied. I am happy.

My June build 2023's B&O sounds great. I believe MY23.5 has a different AMP or DSP.

 

[RAC-Wildtrak]

I'm in the process of writing an "Official" First Tank (probably gonna procrastinate long enough to make it first 1,000 miles) Review, but here are my off the top of my head impressions.

I am coming from a background of being a long term (>25 years) Jeep owner (TJ, JK, JL). Also had a Range Rover and Pathfinder prior to becoming a Jeepster. Any comparisons should also be taken with a grain of salt since all of my Wranglers have been the lowest Sport models with very few options. It has been over 25 years since I've had power windows, locks or automatic transmissions. So it isn't exactly "fair" to compare a base Wrangler to a Wildtrak Bronco.

I had great results in ownership experience with the Jeeps. Virtually zero cost of ownership over routine maintenance costs (oil, tires...). Amazing resale. Fun factor and modifiability were high points too. Biggest issues were suspension (death wobble), LOUD soft tops, terrible electronics and stereo. TJ and JL had better engines than the JK minivan engine. A ton of rust on the JL doors and hood lip was completely unacceptable IMO.

Now I have a wonderful Wildtrak with hard top and Area 51 color. I love this thing. Ford really did out-Jeep the Jeep. I found mine on a dealer lot who honored A/Z Plan pricing.

There isn't a single category where the Wildtrak is NOT an improvement over the Wranglers.

Focusing solely on Quality for a moment, I'm perfectly happy. No gaps. Noise is not an issue. One "rattle" that is driving me a little crazy. It sounds like a screw or small stone rolling around under the center counsel. The radio is just ok, but FAR superior to the Jeep. I don't like the completely bare pinch weld seam. I know that part of the fun is getting an aftermarket item or two, but to leave a completely exposed seam like this on a vehicle with a nearly $70K MSRP and expecting me to "fix" it is a little offensive. The electronics are a bit meh in my opinion. Too many subscription services. I know that this has been beaten to death, but the dashboard display is just poorly designed. I don't mind the mechanical speedometer. I actually wish they'd gone a little more full retro and also done a mechanical Tach as well. The other display gauges and options are pretty lame in my opinion. For example: the digital speedometer display has this bar that increases with the speed. It just doesn't really add anything in terms of aesthetics nor driver information. Likewise, the digital Tach is difficult to read the bar or get any meaningful real-time information. Paint quality is amazing.

I'm loving this vehicle. Hope you enjoy yours too!

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