Y'all Are More Patient Than Me (Defender v. Bronco Comparison)

[Gamecock]

All this talk about capability is comical. 90% of Bronco customers will likely only utilize a fraction of the vehicle's capabilities. People buy Broncos and Jeeps for the same reason they buy Gopros - they imagine and want to buy into this novel life style - top off - rugged - off roader, blabl. The reality is, this novelty will wear off quickly and most won't use the vehicle to it's full capacity. You'll tell yourself otherwise - but the reality is most won't.

Much of what we see on these forums is confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance. People looking to shore up their buying decision and tear down any idea that threatens their beliefs and choice. Both a Defender and Bronco are not sensible choices if you think of it. They are luxuries - with unique value props. One isn't particularly better than the other. Most the hate Defenders get is from purests who can't afford them. Yet, here we are and they are selling like hot-cakes for 100K.

Let the egos play.

This from the guy who bought a Defender but has such an amazing inferiority complex that he STILL has to come to the Bronco forum and try to justify in his own weak mind why he did so…

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[Jdyount]

Or what?

I mean do what you want, you're already doing a great job making yourself look like an ass.

Drive that Defender up to Kansas and follow me around at our local rock park. I bet you $1000 your stock defender can't make it down the first trail without recovery and/or body damage...

 

[SolidSnake]

Quality isn't what I think of when I see a land Rover. Over priced?, yes

 

[rugbysecondrow]

Out was out! I breakfast on Sunday, in my 2dr black diamond, and a lady was eye balling and walking around the Bronco. Turns out she is a land Rover salesperson and she kept exclaiming how much she loved the 2dr Bronco.

I think many Bronco buyers won't upgrade to the Land Rover, but you might get quite a few Land Rover buyers looking at the Bronco.

 

[Jdyount]

It is relevant. The Bronco is well suited for teens and twenty-somethings . Certainly not an adult family vehicle and lack of rear climate pretty much confirms that.

For that matter, is any of the bullshit in this thread relevant? Seems like a bunch of whiny bitches trying to say that anyone with a different opinion is wrong.

Enjoy your Broncos. I'll enjoy my Defender and, when my Rivian comes in, I'll decide which one to keep.

It's a golden age for off-roaders. There's more choice than ever before and I'm not wasting any more time on you narrow minded sad-sacks.

I mean this is a joke. This isn't a difference of opinions thing or being narrow minded, the comparison is absurd. It's a 4wd luxury car vs an off-road specific designed SUV.

A stock maxed out Defender vs a stock maxed out Bronco, there is NO comparison off-road, none, and the Defender is almost twice the price. The Defender comes with like 32" ATs, there is no chance it's doing half the stuff a Bronco can do off-road.

And then considering aftermarket, Let's throw a 3" lift with long travel coil-overs and 37's on that Bronco? What can you do to a Defender aftermarket? Very little...

Just another rich yuppy who wants to justify a $100k+ "off-roader" that will only get driven to the country club, and maybe, MAYBE, some super easy off-road trail with a water crossing that any stock 1/2 ton 4x4 truck could go through.

Bye Felicia!

 

[Tdifonzo]

You are on a Bronco forum, what do you expect? Nobody needs to hear about your Defender talk, because we are here to talk about Broncos. We will enjoy ours, you will enjoy yours. Pretty sure there is a Defender forum out there for you, or a Rivian one, I dunno, you seem confused. But have fun!

This from the guy who bought a Defender but has such an amazing inferiority complex that he STILL has to come to the Bronco forum and try to justify in his own weak mind why he did so…

This was literally posted in the "Bronco versus the competition" section.

Y'all are wild. Deep breaths.

 

[FlyingBronco]

This was literally posted in the "Bronco versus the competition" section.

Y'all are wild. Deep breaths.

I concede lol

 

[DryYourTears]

This was literally posted in the "Bronco versus the competition" section.

Y'all are wild. Deep breaths.

This was my thought as well. There have been multiple threads about the Defender and most of them have largely been respectful, yet somehow this one really brought out the trolls. Who knew I was a rich yuppie with a $100k vehicle (I'm not, and it's nowhere near that price). Geez. I even admitted I wouldn't rock crawl my Defender (others do, but maybe those people are richer than me?), but it will do all I want it to, and I will indeed get it off-road. I already have, in fact.

In any case, I've now been enjoying my new vehicle for a bit over two months. Had I waited for my Badlands it MIGHT have been built in December as one of the last 2021 models. As I've said before, I hope they make a more lux / tech feature-rich version of the Bronco in the next few years, because I'd be back. It could be why Ford has a Defender test mule.

 

[BennyBronco69]

This thread is a riot. The Defender has plastic everything. It does not offer a manual. It’s suspension is pedestrian at best. No front locker. And those taillights? Like what the actual F happened there? I am flabbergasted at the hideous tails every time I see one. Sorry to those offended.

It's really all just preference and use. You're entitled to your opinion but in mine they both have their pros and cons depending on your subjective view on looks. How you'll be using it. What your budget is. What you're willing to spend on maintenance.

For me I like the look of the Defender more (but not by much). The Defender interior is way nicer IMO.

Manual option? Sure, if that's a "need" the Bronco wins. My WT build is a 2.7 auto. My "fast" cars I "need" manual. I don't want a manual in my Bronco or Defender. I'm sure I'm not the only one so this also comes down to preference.

Bronco wins when it comes to being able to pop doors and top off which is a great experience.

Ride quality on the street the Defender wins but the Bronco wins off. With that said I'm never rock crawling so the Defender is plenty capable for my personal off-road "needs".

Obviously the Bronco wins hands down when it comes to price and cost of maintenance (unless you are comfortable doing your own. I'm not).

Both great vehicles and I'll be happy with whichever arrives first.

 

[SoCalDawg]

Read through all the comments.. some thoughts coming from someone interested in the new Bronco but in no rush. My objective $0.02 on these two rides...

I am a lifetime Toyota/Lexus guy. Multiple 4Runners and multiple GX in addition to Tacoma. All 4WD. I won't buy a truck/SUV without it. I have also owned F-150 and an early 90s Eddie Bauer Bronco.

In early 2022 I will be buying something.. with a good sized budget. My first choice was a Land Cruiser.. and that may still be it but my kids want me to get something 'more fun'. Ouch... but I get it. I have been looking at the Defender and the Bronco. I love the look of both.

Luckily, my budget would be able to get me basically any Bronco they make and a pretty high trim on the Defender. I already have a dealer I will work with on if I try to go the Raptor Bronco route.

Objectively, choosing between Defender and Bronco is a tough call. Many here say the Bronco has the better off-road chops.. and it may.. but not by much. Spend a little $ on the Defender and get the 18' brake rotor/wheel kit with some beefy AT tires.. and the Defender can go way more places than the vast majority of Defender (or Bronco) owners will take their rides. I know several people who have the Defender and I 'check in' with them every once and awhile to see how they are liking it and how reliable it has been. From what I have seen, they have had no major issues in over a year of ownership. I know.. lease a LR..

Between the Bronco and the Defender the interior of the Defender is a win and it isn't close. Much better materials, layout, options, etc. than the Bronco.. now this is coming from a Toyota person who doesn't care about most of this anyway.. but being objective.

On the outside, the Bronco and Defender are pretty even IMO.. objectively again. I don't have a horse in the LR or Ford race. The Bronco looks a bit more 'classic' American while the Defender looks more 'polished' Brit. I think they both look great. I recently parked a 2021 4Runner TRD ORP next to a Defender SE in a parking garage and was SHOCKED how the Defender made my T4R look like a little.. I did sell that T4R when they offered me so much I couldn't say no.. got into a GX that I will drive until I pick what I will eventually go with. Stock the Defender does look mall/Starbucks ready.. and that does irk me... but with just a few mods it looks mean and ready.

After spending a lot of time here and on LR forums doing research I feel like my year 1 - 3 experience with both the Bronco and Defender would be similar from a reliability standpoint. I would expect Ford to do better.. but I don't think it will. There are people with LR Defenders.. RR Sports that drive the ISSSH out of them (on/off road) and the just keep going. My neighbors drive their Defender all over SoCal with no issues after a year. They love it.

if someone made me choose today...today, I think I would go Defender. My reasoning may not be the same as MANY here.. but being a lifetime Toyota/Lexus person I think I would experience less rattles, noises, squeaks from the Defender. I am not trying to trigger anyone.. that is an honest and objective opinion from doing way too much research on them. I think if I could 'chill' my quality 'ear' a bit I would go Bronco if I could just 'know' that it is the more 'rough' of the two. The ONE thing that could make me go Bronco is driving one for a while and finding that the squeaks and rattles aren't that bad.. I would LOVE to have the more 'rough' off-roader to take my boys off-roading in. I grew up around off-roading and racing and still love it. We have some great trails here in SoCal that I could introduce my boys to. The whole desert off-roading is new to me as I grew up in GA.. more dirt/mud. Luckily, I do not have to decide today.. I can sit back and see what happens with these engine issues and see what the Bronco Raptor looks like. My neighbors that have the Defender also have a Raptor and he LOVES that thing.

 

[gcrew95]

had a 22 reservation for Defender that was switched to a 23. Pulled the rip cord last week due to no info from LRJ. Also take a look at where they make the Defender - Slovakia. Soon they will also be locked down as the rest of Europe. Even once you Defender is built it needs to go on a ship across the ocean and get to one of our great ports that are a mess. So depending on your spec probably looking at 6m to 1 year to get your Defender. No thanks sticking with US and Ford.

 

[SoCalDawg]

had a 22 reservation for Defender that was switched to a 23. Pulled the rip cord last week due to no info from LRJ. Also take a look at where they make the Defender - Slovakia. Soon they will also be locked down as the rest of Europe. Even once you Defender is built it needs to go on a ship across the ocean and get to one of our great ports that are a mess. So depending on your spec probably looking at 6m to 1 year to get your Defender. No thanks sticking with US and Ford.

Not sure if a reply to me. I’m not buying until Q1 at a minimum so OK with a wait. I would be OK paying a bit of a premium to buy (either) from a lot in a trim I like. Dealer adds can be done later. I’m also holding out to see the new Tundra TRD Pro. A truck isn’t really what I need but that new hybrid V6 TT looks nice/powerful.

 

[SoCalDawg]

FWIW, I think .. before seeing the posts re: engine issues.. I would have preferred Badlands Sasquatch but orange trim is a deal-breaker for me.

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