Bronco owner rents Jeep for 1200 mile trip, my comparison.

[bytheway]

This all went so wonky once the Bronco was compared to the on-road manners of a Mazda6.

Please note that I say this as the owner of a 2018 Mazda6 grand touring reserve. Maybe with the base Bronco tires/suspension this is a comparison to make. It's just odd and so massively opposite of what I've experienced in driving the Mazda6 to the dealership for test drives of a Badlands Bronco.

One of these years a VIN will come through and a more thorough back-to-back comparison can be made.... If there's much of a market for a Bronco Badlands Vs. Mazda6 head-to-head challenge?

You still don't have a Bronco? Sheesh I thought most of the OGs had taken delivery by now or thrown the towel in.

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[Pressurized]

Willys package is a tough comparison to a base with street tires... 90% of your issues were with the mud terrain tires. But that's a fair outcome comparing those 2 units.

 

[hemiblas]

Having mud tires make a huge difference on how the vehicle drives. I'm curious how the Bronco would drive with the same tires but it would be much worst.

 

[Broncobadlands2023]

You drove a Willys with mud tires? Lol. Of course it wasn’t comfortable on the roads. The Bronco will ALWAYS drive better on the road, that’s just common sense. Upper trims have a much nicer interior but yours is a base so that’s fair.

Go drive a Mojave on OEM wild peaks and you’ll see the difference. I could take my hands off the steering wheel going 70 and that truck goes straight as an arrow. It’s terrible at being a truck and people hate it and I don’t give a damn because I think it’s damn fun to drive and I love it lol.

 

[Rspayde]

Parents have two wranglers and a Bronco. The differences between them from a ride quality stand point is night and day.

 

[BR0NCO]

A WILLYS???? This is a Willys.

Better have good hand and arm strength to drive it.

It irritates me that they resurrected the Willys name…..

It irritates me that you are running those wheels on a Willys, lol
Nice Willys though

 

[Mattwings]

This all went so wonky once the Bronco was compared to the on-road manners of a Mazda6.

Please note that I say this as the owner of a 2018 Mazda6 grand touring reserve. Maybe with the base Bronco tires/suspension this is a comparison to make. It's just odd and so massively opposite of what I've experienced in driving the Mazda6 to the dealership for test drives of a Badlands Bronco.

One of these years a VIN will come through and a more thorough back-to-back comparison can be made.... If there's much of a market for a Bronco Badlands Vs. Mazda6 head-to-head challenge?

Badlands and Base are pretty far apart. Tires, axles, shocks and springs are all different. That being said, I drove 350 miles to Drummond Island MI, wheeled from 10AM to 7PM and then spent 12 hrs driving home in my Badlands on Sunday. It conquered almost everything I threw at it on the trail (33” tires will only go so far when others are on 37s ) and Inwas I was comfortable and in control the entire time. My 06 LJ? 4hrs. on the road and I was exhausted. I loved it, but as soon as it was my daily driver, I sold it. The Bronco driving comfort and dynamics are in a completely different league than the comparable Jeep.

 

[Karl_in_Chicago]

This all went so wonky once the Bronco was compared to the on-road manners of a Mazda6.

Please note that I say this as the owner of a 2018 Mazda6 grand touring reserve. Maybe with the base Bronco tires/suspension this is a comparison to make. It's just odd and so massively opposite of what I've experienced in driving the Mazda6 to the dealership for test drives of a Badlands Bronco.

One of these years a VIN will come through and a more thorough back-to-back comparison can be made.... If there's much of a market for a Bronco Badlands Vs. Mazda6 head-to-head challenge?

I'm waiting for the Mazda6 Hells Gate video.

 

[ABorges]

Nice to know. I'm in a Gladiator now, as I thought my Bronco would NEVER be started. Thank goodness, before I put wheels and tires on it, I got the build email from Ford. So now, I wait. I must say, the Gladiator ride is MUCH better than my previous Wranglers but maybe that's due to stock wheels/tires (yawn). Anyway, I'm anxious to see and feel the differences in the Bronco vs. the Gladiator for myself. I miss the storage of an SUV. We have plenty of trucks at home for that kind of stuff. I've never been a fan of fancy finishes inside a vehicle anyway! Simple and rugged are more fun! I'm thrilled to know that the ride is even better than the Gladiator BUT I did own a Willys and those tires are awful for on-road manners.

The ride in the Bronco is night and day better compared to a Jeep.

 

[blacksapphirez]

Of course bronco will ride better....but I've taken my JLUR on 37s on many long trips 8+ hrs, and I honestly don't think its that bad. Mine tracks straight and goes up to the limiter without any steering play. I only have 3.5" crappy lift and 37s, no steering enhancements other than a steering stabilizer(which is very minor)

 

[BulldogBear]

Maybe it's a regional thing, but what's a "switchgear?"

 

[Mattwings]

Of course bronco will ride better....but I've taken my JLUR on 37s on many long trips 8+ hrs, and I honestly don't think its that bad. Mine tracks straight and goes up to the limiter without any steering play. I only have 3.5" crappy lift and 37s, no steering enhancements other than a steering stabilizer(which is very minor)

Bring it to MI, I didn't notice it near as much when I lived in GA!

 

[rtazz17]

I assume the Jeep rides like my Super Duty with it's SFA. If so not as smooth as my F150 but not bad

No,I have a diesel f350 and also a jeep. The jeep is horrendous compared to the f350. Its not just the solid front axel. Its a combination of things. Shorter wheel base vs f350 etc. Strong crosswind will put you into the other lane if your not ready for it. But hey you get to wave at other jeep owners all day long driving one. Lol

 

[lakesinai]

From OP: “First let me say the Jeep has its own character, but the difference in road manners is night and day. The Bronco is composed over bumps, tracks straight and has good steering response. Bumps that unsettle the Jeep, I don't notice in the Bronco.”

While driving on Interstate quality roads, I’ve had my “KEEP HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL” alert come on a few times simply because any movement of the steering wheel was not required and didn’t occur…..

An irritating flaw?????? Perhaps when things “loosen up” it won’t be an “issue”.

The "keep hands" message is the most annoying thing about my Bronco OBX after a year and 16,000 miles. I think its related to sensors in the steering wheel at the top, I always have a hand at the bottom of the wheel and the car doesn't notice!

 

[blacksapphirez]

d

Bring it to MI, I didn't notice it near as much when I lived in GA!

not even a Mercedes will ride well in Michigan!

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