Any early impressions of 2-door Bronco's highway performance / behavior?

[WreckEm711]

Hello! Long time reader, first time poster.

To preface my question, here's my situation: I have a 2020 2 door 6 speed JL sport that I love.... At least until I took it on its first long trip, and anything over 65 became a white knuckle drive, near impossible to keep in my lane, blow all over the road if a larger vehicle passed the opposite direction, 3 year old crying in the back, wife refuses to go on another trip in the Jeep.

Yikes.

JL steering issues are well documented so I won't belabor the point. There's a TSB for a steering box replacement im going to pursue to see if it helps, BUT the experience got me to take a look at Bronco with it's IFS that should (?) help the onroad mannerisms..

For my ACTUAL question... What are the expectations for highway performance for these things given the more docile on road mannerisms of IFS? Are there any early impressions? I've struggled to find anything since, understandably, most impressions are focused on the off-road aspects of the vehicle.

Thanks in advance!!

Also, love that Ford is giving Bronco some fun colors!

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[Mattwings]

I have only experienced the 4dr SQ. It’s light years ahead of the LJ I owned or the JK I tried to replace it with. I mean, light years ahead! Ride, steering, lane holding. I didn’t travel far at highway speeds, but long enough to say it’s not an issue on the 4dr. 2 dr, likely not as stable straight line, but still better than any comparable Jeep by a long shot on road.

 

[myrealname123]

Hello! Long time reader, first time poster.

To preface my question, here's my situation: I have a 2020 2 door 6 speed JL sport that I love.... At least until I took it on its first long trip, and anything over 65 became a white knuckle drive, near impossible to keep in my lane, blow all over the road if a larger vehicle passed the opposite direction, 3 year old crying in the back, wife refuses to go on another trip in the Jeep.

Yikes.

JL steering issues are well documented so I won't belabor the point. There's a TSB for a steering box replacement im going to pursue to see if it helps, BUT the experience got me to take a look at Bronco with it's IFS that should (?) help the onroad mannerisms..

For my ACTUAL question... What are the expectations for highway performance for these things given the more docile on road mannerisms of IFS? Are there any early impressions? I've struggled to find anything since, understandably, most impressions are focused on the off-road aspects of the vehicle.

Thanks in advance!!

Also, love that Ford is giving Bronco some fun colors!

Great question. Plenty of video of 4-doors riding on the pavement, but not a lot of 2-door footage. I would really like to hear from the folks that have been driving that Cyber Orange BL 2-door #97!

 

[Squatch]

Hello! Long time reader

...

Also, love that Ford is giving Bronco some fun colors!

Uhh.... are you serious?

My guess is that the Bronco will be more well-mannered than your Jeep (I had a 2dr JK on 35s). The four-door will be closer to a highway cruiser due to the slightly longer wheelbase.

Unpopular opinion: if you like making long trips and would have to use the Bronco for completely on-road trips, then you shouldn't get one and should get something that better fits your needs. Not that all of your use case falls under that, but just don't want to see any more future posts when people start taking delivery that it sucks because they picked the wrong vehicle for their needs.

 

[MaverickMan]

Uhh.... are you serious?

My guess is that the Bronco will be more well-mannered than your Jeep (I had a 2dr JK on 35s). The four-door will be closer to a highway cruiser due to the slightly longer wheelbase.

Unpopular opinion: if you like making long trips and would have to use the Bronco for completely on-road trips, then you shouldn't get one and should get something that better fits your needs. Not that all of your use case falls under that, but just don't want to see any more future posts when people start taking delivery that it sucks because they picked the wrong vehicle for their needs.

Honestly for road trips only i would prefer the 2 door. Better mileage, better offroading, and not so big that I would take a bunch of junk. If I wanted something to camp inside of sure a van or wagon would be better but there is alot of fun to be had zipping across country in something nice and tight. My brother used to take his 87 Mustang Gt convertible from Ohio to Florida all the time. I used to take day long trips in my Maverick and my 91 Ranger. Had great times. Although i would take an econoline often too. The only thing I wouldnt roadtrip for anything other than to prove my mettle is a CJ. Too hairy, too airy, and too likely to stay under 55mph. I had a CJ5 with a 360 V8 it would do 90 on the highway for a bout a second till you slow down and find religion.

Long story short. Dont sell yourself short have a vehicle for every occasion. Its what keeps me happy.

 

[Squatch]

Long story short. Dont sell yourself short have a vehicle for every occasion. Its what keeps me happy.

That's what I was saying, but the Bronco alone is not suited for everyone's needs.

 

[Bronconheimer]

That's what I was saying, but the Bronco alone is not suited for everyone's needs.

Stop. Go sleep it off.

 

[WreckEm711]

Thanks for the insight! Glad there wasn't some glaringly obvious "two door bronco highway review" megathread I'd been missing haha.

The Jeep isn't our only vehicle, we have an Explorer for most trips, but want my toy to have an acceptable drive when we do want to take it places and not feel like I'm a lucky gust of wind away from oncoming traffic or the ditch.

And because ford had the insight to include independently folding rear seats I could fit our stuff in a 2 door for a trip much easier.....

Guess I'll keep an eye out for reviews once these start rolling out!

 

[sic5pointslow]

My BD SAS will see mostly highway miles....

 

[Chuck_Ruck]

if you like making long trips and would have to use the Bronco for completely on-road trips, then you shouldn't get one and should get something that better fits your needs.

Still gotta get across the country to explore new places. Cant take back roads for everything.

 

[indio22]

Hello! Long time reader, first time poster.

To preface my question, here's my situation: I have a 2020 2 door 6 speed JL sport that I love.... At least until I took it on its first long trip, and anything over 65 became a white knuckle drive, near impossible to keep in my lane, blow all over the road if a larger vehicle passed the opposite direction, 3 year old crying in the back, wife refuses to go on another trip in the Jeep.

Yikes.

JL steering issues are well documented so I won't belabor the point. There's a TSB for a steering box replacement im going to pursue to see if it helps, BUT the experience got me to take a look at Bronco with it's IFS that should (?) help the onroad mannerisms..

For my ACTUAL question... What are the expectations for highway performance for these things given the more docile on road mannerisms of IFS? Are there any early impressions? I've struggled to find anything since, understandably, most impressions are focused on the off-road aspects of the vehicle.

Thanks in advance!!

Also, love that Ford is giving Bronco some fun colors!

I drove my 1985 CJ-7 all over the country and up/down mountain off-road. Plenty of high speed expressway driving. Pulled rented 10 foot U-Haul trailers cross country Chicago to Denver and back. And flat towed my CJ-5 and 1965 Mustang several times. I'm perplexed by the issues some people have had with the steering on Jeeps. That CJ-7 was a rock. (Until it rusted out ... cries.)

Do you have some larger tires or suspension mods on the JL? My TJ is more squirrely but also it has some 2.5 lift. And 33" mud tires a previous owner installed that have no business being used on pavement. I wonder if at least some of the steering issues are caused by owner mods or previous owner hijinks?

You are probably the only owner of your 2020 JL. Is it you first Wrangler?

 

[NC_Pinz]

I drove my 1985 CJ-7 all over the country and up/down mountain off-road. Plenty of high speed expressway driving. Pulled rented 10 foot U-Haul trailers cross country Chicago to Denver and back. And flat towed my CJ-5 and 1965 Mustang several times. I'm perplexed by the issues some people have had with the steering on Jeeps. That CJ-7 was a rock. (Until it rusted out ... cries.)

Do you have some larger tires or suspension mods on the JL? My TJ is more squirrely but also it has some 2.5 lift. And 33" mud tires a previous owner installed that have no business being used on pavement. I wonder if at least some of the steering issues are caused by owner mods or previous owner hijinks?

You are probably the only owner of your 2020 JL. Is it you first Wrangler?

A man after my own heart.

I had a '77 CJ7 and drove it all over the place. Longest trip was from TN to Kansas. When it was non-power steering, it was pretty nice on the road...power steering downgraded the on road performance but made handling larger tires in parking lots much easier. Yes you got blown around a bit when big trucks flew past but welcome to a short wheel base vehicle.

Drove my '75 Bronco all over as well, including from TN to Canada. Rode better than the CJ partly due to the coil front springs and the heavier weight.

For the new Bronco, the 2 door should handle better than your Jeep because of the IFS. I used my FJCruiser as a DD and long distance vehicle for years. It is of a similar size as the Bronco but the length is half way between the 2 door and the 4 door.

 

[marjen]

I keep hearing about all these issues with Jeeps And steering. My wife has a 2019 Jeep JLU. The only time we had issues on the highway was the day we drove it home in the middle of a freaking hurricane. I am actually driving it a lot now as I just sold my F150 while i wait for the bronco and I drove it on the highway last week at speeds up to 80. I had no issues. It behaves perfectly fine. We have taken it on several roads trips and she has never complained about it being hard to control on the highway. So not sure if its only an issue on some Jeep’s but ours has been great.

 

[MississippiMule]

The short wheel base won’t be optimal on the highway. I had a 2-door TJ that could get squirrely on the highway, which I attributed to short wheel base, the relatively light weight of the Jeep, and it being an off-road vehicle.

Keep in mind that any Bronco is going to ride a little rougher or stiffer than a car, because it’s on a truck chassis. Same with my 4Runner, one of the few SUVs still on a truck platform and not turned into a grocery-getter like the, ahem, “Blazer.”

I would suggest comparing metrics with the Jeep. I did that to compare the 2-door Base I’m getting with my current 4Runner—weight, wheel base, width, length, etc.

 

[ZackDanger]

I keep hearing about all these issues with Jeeps And steering. My wife has a 2019 Jeep JLU. The only time we had issues on the highway was the day we drove it home in the middle of a freaking hurricane. I am actually driving it a lot now as I just sold my F150 while i wait for the bronco and I drove it on the highway last week at speeds up to 80. I had no issues. It behaves perfectly fine. We have taken it on several roads trips and she has never complained about it being hard to control on the highway. So not sure if its only an issue on some Jeep’s but ours has been great.

I think the issue is that the steering setup on the Jeep is more susceptible to becoming ugly when components start wearing out or breaking.

When everything is in tight working order, it's not a great system, but it's perfectly cromulent.

As soon as bushings start to wear out, or linkages start to loosen, things turn south fast on the Jeep.

When you spread out variations in climate, and usage, and manufacturing over hundreds of thousands of units, the Jeep will inevitably have a reputation for bad steering dynamics, especially when compared to basically every other vehicle out there.


For the record my 2014 JKU steering is fine for a Jeep. No complaints considering what it is.... but it's not as good as any of the other vehicles I drive. (Well, except for that 2004 International....)

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