Visibility / rear view mirror measurements + lots of other pics/observations

[Elmosaurus]

Will post more later but wanted to get these out there ASAP to help settle the visibility debates.

Not sure if it’s been documented but Mirror IS ABSOLUTELY adjustable up and down. There is the typical stem off the glass mount which pivots up or down, then the ball at the end that the mirror articulates on. Moving the stem upwards and then adjusting the mirror provides over an inch of additional clearance. If you go to an event or go for a test drive be sure to adjust before coming to any conclusions. I personally felt the visibility was fine, whether at maxed out seat height or lowest seat height when the mirror is in the highest position. I would not want to drive around with it in the lower position though since I know it’s blocking some of my view unnecessarily. YMMV based on your preference.

For those used to SUV/Car based windshields, you can note the very steep angle of the Bronco windshield in these pics.

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[Elmosaurus]

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The rear seat actually does have three small recline positions. Seat back carpet is part of the seat cover, so only aftermarket option will be a rubber/plastic liner/mat that sticks to/lays on top of the seat backs. Maybe something attached with velcro, etc.

I’m 5’6” medium small build. With seat to the maximum height I still have plenty of headroom. First photo shows clearance when at max height. Second one shows with seat bottomed out. You tall guys should have LOTS of head space; back of napkin math says you have to be over 6'4" before you 'might' even touch the interior roof. Given variations in personal physique, if most of your height comes from longer legs, the interior space may allow for an even taller individual.

For these few pictures that have the body of the tape measure included, (distance from top of my head to roof interior) the distance of the tape measure body adds 2.5” to what shows on the tape.

Rear cargo under floor space is larger than I thought. Pistol is a mid size compact. (Sig P365XL) Looking back at the pic, I kind of wish I had pulled that drainage plug out of the center to see if it drains straight to the ground. If so, then an aftermarket version of that plastic tub may allow for a slightly larger compartment. (assuming it doesn't collide with anything underneath, in between the frame rails, etc.)

 

[TSSPat]

Great pictures, really appreciate the measurements of the rearview mirror as I plan on installing a dash cam/mirror combo until.

 

[Hey19]

Thanks for the pics. I own a 365 so appreciate the pics for scale.

 

[Elmosaurus]

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Cup holders on manual have removable bottom liner. On the Automatic they also have little tension fingers for different cup sizes. Not sure if that's a good thing or bad, as dust and crud may get stuck in the crevices of the fingers and jam them up over time.

Manual shift boot material is not real leather right now. Feels more like thin faux leather backed with foam maybe? Hopefully this gets improved before delivery.

Floor liners on washout floor MUST be snapped down otherwise they slip and slide like crazy when you hop in. Wife and I both experienced footing slippage on entry without havinmg mentioned it to each other; when multiple people experience the same problem, I tend to think that's a problem.

In my grill photo shots, you can see two things clearly; the washer fluid nozzle that is below the front camera. (there's another thread discussing this right now, so figured I'd point out my pic captured it for posterity....) Also, the front grille active shutters. My only fear is that in the Rust belt, these may get gummed up within a few winters if not washed off regularly and then regreased. Time will tell I guess.

I noticed the engine hood liner in the 2.3 manual. Nothing comparable on the auto. Forgot to check if that was a 2.3 or 2.7; anyone else that has attended the East Coast marketing team previews should be able to recall which motor the AMB has.

Removing the antenna leaves a small stub. The antenna is done thoughtfully though as it has a rubber grip for easier hand removal.

Center console grab handle for passenger is definitely a little flexy. I'm sure it's stable enough for grabbing, but it doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

Was able to handle one of the door storage pouches. It’s not thin but it’s not super thick either. It’s padded so will protect from scuffs. Would not consider it dent protection though.

The included tool kit is nice enough. Looks like there may be some room to add some additional basic tools if needed. (or someone off and pilfered some of the other tools already?) But hey, the 10mm was still there, so it's got that going for it.

For those that like to ride Harley style with their left leg outside of the door when running doorless, I'm pretty sure the lower door indexing peg will work as a perch for your foot. As pointed out by another B6G member I met there today, there is a dead pedal for us Clutch drivers, so that's where my left foot will live most of the time, even when my doors are off. (I did not grab a pic of the dead pedal as he said he was going to, and post in his thread; I hope he took pics of the paint sample green panels he brought along to hold up against the preview models... )

When folded, the top that has that ‘sag’ over the rear row needs to be tucked when folding if you want it to be nice and tidy for the rear passengers. Once tucked, I think it looks pretty good actually; but I had to stand there in the rear passenger row to tuck it in nice. So if you decide on a whim to flip it back while at a stop light, whoever is in the back row may need to stand up and give it a tuck if they don't want the flap hanging down over their heads.

 

[Elmosaurus]

Just noticed something weird. Bumper structure is slightly different between these two models. One has extensions under the modular.

 

[Blksn955.o]

Awesome, thanks for the pics and nice sig...it does put that back under floor storage into some scale/perspective.

Good observation on the cup holders odd they would be different.

The bars under the bumper are the crash bars that are removed for squatch models/35's.

 

[Elmosaurus]

Ok. All done. Fun event. Will post up more thoughts after lunch. Hope those pics helped someone out there. If you have questions just let me know.

My only wish was that they had a two door. Oh well. Otherwise a very good preview. Got to see and handle lots of things that I was curious about or concerned about. Definitely worth the two hour drive.

Other thoughts:
The MGV seats in direct sunlight at noon in a 70 degree day, definitely got hot to the touch. Not scalding. But nothing I’d want to sit on with bare skin. Clothing you’d probably be fine. The much debated MGV was a big curiosity for me. I think for most people, it's going to be a VERY personal preference. I loved the idea of the more durable material, with water and stain resistance. But I have all those memories of being a kid and dealing with Vinyl seating from the 80's....ugh. So, MY opinion? The MGV is definitely like nothing else we've seen, but it feels very 'first generation' to me. It's a very supple material, but it does feel slightly plasticky to the touch, from a texture perspective, if that makes sense. As said, it's VERY supple, but still very 'smoooooth' feeling when you run your finger tips across it, so it just makes me think of a plasticky skin, albeit very soft. Add in the felt heat in mid spring sun, and I confirmed my desire to avoid it. (thus nuking any chance of an upgrade from BB to BD for me) YMMV based on personal preference. (actually I'd go so far as to say it WILL vary) Perhaps in a few years when they improve adding textures to this material, I might reconsider, but in its current format, I just can't get over the 'hand' of it. ('hand' in the textiles industry refers to how it feels under fingertips when handled)

I asked of the attendants if I could pair my phone to the radio and listen. Standard stereo with roof wide open on the AMB black diamond unit was pleasant. Not looking for audiophile or SPL competition level stuff. This easily is average or slightly above average for a run of the mill car audio system. Tiny bit of low end buzz while playing back at moderately loud volume, which seemd to be coming from somewhere near passenger door area. I'm absolutely satisfied with the stock audio. Maybe my feelings will change once the vehicle is in motion at highway speeds, but for now I'm good with it. (good enough that I don't feel inclined to spend extra on the B&O or adding aftermarket hardware)

All in all, the preview event was absolutely worth the two hour drive each way, to me. I strongly suggest anyone else with concerns, or curiosity remaining get to one of these. We have flooded the forum with lots of pics, and I tried my best to add new content that hasn't been covered ad nauseam in marketing materials already, based on my own concerns or things I've read people have been concerned about, but everyone has their own list.

Which, BTW, you should absolutely write down as you think about concerns before you go, because the excitement of being in the presence of tangible Bronco vehicles will make you forget more than half of them; shout out to my great wife for having had the list made, as I was all, 'I'll remember them'... yeeeeah... no, I didn't. LOL. Extra points for the list, because that means she's actually been listening to my constant spiel, not just nodding and ignoring me.

I also asked the event staff about Ford Pass Rewards points for attending; it turns out those are only for those preview events that happened in Michigan, according to that event team member. So, no points for me. Each of us got a carabiner. No fancy koozies, parking signs, or gourmet coffee bar for us. Wonder if it was up to the hosting dealership to provide those kinds of perks? FWIW, I'm not upset; I'd much rather have the generous discount and awesome customer service Chapman has provided over a couple of swag trinkets that will get forgotten about inside of a week or two....

Bonus previews;
I got to look in a Bronco Sport. It's a decent SUV, but it's not body on frame, and is really just a restyled Escape. It's nice inside; I'd think of it as a modernized Escape. But not much more. Great for those who are confined to pavement and maybe the grassy fields and established unpaved dirt roads. The one feature in the Bronco Sport I saw that I admired was how they handled the rear cargo floor. See my other post about it. I really wish they had done something similar in the full size Bronco.

I ALSO got to sit in a Ranger Tremor that happened to be within eyesight of the Bronco event. It’s much like my old Tacoma. Maybe a touch more suv car like. Dash was a bit more sloped to create a more spacious feel. I have to say, if Ford offered the Ranger Tremor with the 7speed manual they’re putting into the Bronco..... man I’d have a REEEEEALLY tough choice to make. (Or my wife would suddenly get gifted a manual Ranger Tremor... LOL) I'm quite certain that if for some reason I eject from the Bronco plans, the Ranger Tremor is a very close second for consideration, that will become the automatic fall back if Ford adds the manual. (I mentioned this to the Preview staff like half a dozen times...LOL)

 

[Wanted33]

Thanks Elton, I needed some of these pictures and measurements. Especially the one below. Due to nerve damage my wife rides a 3 wheel bike. I can load it in the back of my Wrangler with no problem as the cargo area is relatively flat in the Jeep. This little rise in the cargo area of the Bronco has had me concerned since I saw the first picture a while back. Your measurement just let me know there will be no problem loading the bike in the Bronco. You da man bud, it's like your read my mind.

Now, I just need to get the measurements from the cargo floor to the underside of the roll bar cross support. I'll get that on May 4th when I finally get to lay eyes on a Bronco.

 

[Razorbak86]

Just noticed something weird. Bumper structure is slightly different between these two models. One has extensions under the modular.

Great photos, Elton. Your approach to photography is as extensive and detailed as mine is during an engine rebuild. Mad respect!

As @Blksn955.o said, the crash bars are removed on the Sasquatch packaged trims for clearance of the 35” tires.

One other subtle difference between the two models photographed is the orientation of the external reservoir on the Bilstein shocks. On Badlands models with 33” tires (non-Sasquatch), the reservoir points up, but on vehicles with the Sasquatch package, the external reservoir points down, which may be related to the difference in lift.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Great photos, Elton. Your approach to photography is as extensive and detailed as mine is during an engine rebuild. Mad respect!

As @Blksn955.o said, the crash bars are removed on the Sasquatch packaged trims for clearance of the 35” tires.

One other subtle difference between the two models photographed is the orientation of the external reservoir on the Bilstein shocks. On Badlands models with 33” tires (non-Sasquatch), the reservoir points up, but on vehicles with the Sasquatch package, the external reservoir points down, which may be related to the difference in lift.

So I guess there is more to the Sasquatch on a Badlands than just a difference in bump stop.

 

[DeltaBravo]

Best pics I saw today. Thanks

 

[Toccoa]

I knew Ford was giving us a free headliner, but I didn’t know about the free pistol.

 

[Elmosaurus]

Thanks for the pics. I own a 365 so appreciate the pics for scale.

I’m pretty sure a disassembled ar15 will fit in that spot, even if it has a compact optic.

 

[TXBronco]

Great pics and write up!
Lots of people are going to love you for this

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