Base Sasquatch Review – the Good, the Bad & the Ugly

[Gasherbrum]

For those interested here are my quick thoughts after a month of City Driving. I ordered a 2-door base Sasquatch and took delivery last month. Here’s what I like, what I don’t and what I wished I had ordered instead.

The Good:

• Looks absolutely fantastic – it’s definitely a head turner, only vehicles comparable (IMHO) are the original Broncos, early Defenders & International Scouts. I was on the fence about Sasquatch & 35” tires being overkill on a 2-door, but everyone that’s seen it in person loves the look. So if you’re on the fence, personally I’d go Big (Foot).
  
  
• Handling is excellent, very tight turning radius, great on city streets and the highway. The short length of the 2-door allows you to fit into city parking spaces that are available because most other cars don’t fit.
  
  
• Interior design is great, well laid out and not too much plastic in my opinion. Ford Sync 4 system works well.
  

The Bad:

• Roof panels are crazy light and I question how long they are going to last. If you drop one it’s likely a goner. I get the benefits of going light, but Ford may have gone overboard here. Would have preferred something more substantial here even if it means another 5 or 6 lbs. per panel.
  
  
• Rear seat access could definitely be better. Wished the passenger seat rails extended a few inches forward which would make a noticeable difference in ease of access.
  
  
• Not going to harp about the MPG, I knew what I was buying & if this was really a concern of mine, I’d buy a Prius.

The Ugly:

• Blind spot! The truck sits up much higher than any car on the road, and the rear side windows on the MIC top are also slightly raised which makes checking blind spots on busy roads (such as the DC Beltway) a true Urban adventure. You can look over your shoulder and simply not see a low-slung car right next to you. If you’re doing a lot of driving on busy highways, I’d be putting the mid-package (with Blind spot monitoring) at the top of my list. This is the one item I wish I had ordered even though it would have meant going up a trim level.

But all in all it's great! I have a kid playing college basketball starting this fall and I'll be putting a lot of miles on it going from DC to games in Pennsylvania & Ohio, the Bronco should be perfect for what I need.

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[Bdockins]

Only other Area 51 BaseSquatch I’ve seen.

 

[FrankenRodz]

Thanks for sharing.
I had a Base 2-door, and agree with everything you said.

 

[mike8675309]

The Ugly:

• Blind spot! The truck sits up much higher than any car on the road, and the rear side windows on the MIC top are also slightly raised which makes checking blind spots on busy roads (such as the DC Beltway) a true Urban adventure. You can look over your shoulder and simply not see a low-slung car right next to you. If you’re doing a lot of driving on busy highways, I’d be putting the mid-package (with Blind spot monitoring) at the top of my list. This is the one item I wish I had ordered even though it would have meant going up a trim level.

Did it come with blind-spot mirrors embedded in the stock mirrors? That was something mentioned on the spec sheet when I was ordering mine. If they are there, did you not mention them because they don't help at all?

 

[PSUTE]

I agree with most, but I have found that the blind spot mirrors work really well for me...


2 door Basesquatch, AMB. Have not seen another 2 door in the wild yet...

 

[Tricky Dick]

@BigMeatsBronco is talking about doing extended sliders.

 

[Gasherbrum]

Did it come with blind-spot mirrors embedded in the stock mirrors? That was something mentioned on the spec sheet when I was ordering mine. If they are there, did you not mention them because they don't help at all?

Yes I have the embedded mirrors but I haven’t found them very useful for true blind spots. After one near miss, I even had a guy give me a hand signal that I assume meant he thought Broncos were #1

 

[mike8675309]

I would love to see a picture of the mirrors. There are many aftermarket stick-on blind spot mirrors and I'm curious if those would be more useful. I have a 2014 focus that has little blind spot mirrors in the main ones that work really well, but I'm pretty close to the mirror when driving in that car.

 

[tracythemighty]

I ordered the Base too, but I don't have it yet. Curious, what have others done as a solution to this blind spot problem?

 

[Lifeliberty]

I ordered the Base too, but I don't have it yet. Curious, what have others done as a solution to this blind spot problem?

ordered the suma mirrors https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/group-buy-pre-order-suma-performance-mirrors.36348/

Other thing I saw was this https://nxtgenautomotive.com/ford-extended-view-mirrors/

 

[WuNgUn]

For those interested here are my quick thoughts after a month of City Driving. I ordered a 2-door base Sasquatch and took delivery last month. Here’s what I like, what I don’t and what I wished I had ordered instead.

The Good:

• Looks absolutely fantastic – it’s definitely a head turner, only vehicles comparable (IMHO) are the original Broncos, early Defenders & International Scouts. I was on the fence about Sasquatch & 35” tires being overkill on a 2-door, but everyone that’s seen it in person loves the look. So if you’re on the fence, personally I’d go Big (Foot).
  
  
• Handling is excellent, very tight turning radius, great on city streets and the highway. The short length of the 2-door allows you to fit into city parking spaces that are available because most other cars don’t fit.
  
  
• Interior design is great, well laid out and not too much plastic in my opinion. Ford Sync 4 system works well.

The Bad:

• Roof panels are crazy light and I question how long they are going to last. If you drop one it’s likely a goner. I get the benefits of going light, but Ford may have gone overboard here. Would have preferred something more substantial here even if it means another 5 or 6 lbs. per panel.
  
  
• Rear seat access could definitely be better. Wished the passenger seat rails extended a few inches forward which would make a noticeable difference in ease of access.
  
  
• Not going to harp about the MPG, I knew what I was buying & if this was really a concern of mine, I’d buy a Prius.

The Ugly:

• Blind spot! The truck sits up much higher than any car on the road, and the rear side windows on the MIC top are also slightly raised which makes checking blind spots on busy roads (such as the DC Beltway) a true Urban adventure. You can look over your shoulder and simply not see a low-slung car right next to you. If you’re doing a lot of driving on busy highways, I’d be putting the mid-package (with Blind spot monitoring) at the top of my list. This is the one item I wish I had ordered even though it would have meant going up a trim level.

But all in all it's great! I have a kid playing college basketball starting this fall and I'll be putting a lot of miles on it going from DC to games in Pennsylvania & Ohio, the Bronco should be perfect for what I need.

Agree about the blind spot. Drivers side is worse than passenger side. Gives a tiny area between the B pillar and seat to see.
I aim my outside mirrors out and down more than I normally would.
Maybe some small, stick on convex blind spot mirrors

 

[jimmy234]

Nice thoughts, but why the mind-numbing, obligatory Prius comment? Plenty of other vehicles out there that get really nice mpg as well.

 

[R11]

Great to see another basequatch getting to the DC area, especially a 2 door!

I have actually really liked my built in blindspot mirrors. Maybe the length of the 4 door changes the reference point geometry…i.e. the rear fender flare is further back?

 

[Fuzion2Bronco]

I have actually really liked my built in blindspot mirrors. Maybe the length of the 4 door changes the reference point geometry…i.e. the rear fender flare is further back?

I agree with you on the 4 Door (Sasquatch) as I have test drove one and did not find any issue with Blind Spot. I ordered a 4 Door Base Sasquatch.

 

[Sooner]

Using the convex mirrors is a little hard to get used to, but when they are adjusted right they work great. I drive a F350 with a service bed so I have no choice but to use them. Kind of have to slow down a little and make sure you process everything in the mirror because there is a lot more than a regular flat mirror.

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