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Bronco vs Wrangler: Which is best? (MotorTrend)

RalBronco

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Former wrangler owner here. I loved my jeep at the time and was ready to start looking at getting another. Now that I’ve got my bronco ordered, any time I see a wrangler all I can think of is “thank god I looked into Broncos earlier this year.”
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wny pat

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Seems the above post goes along way to validate the age old adage, “opinions are like butt holes….everyone has one and they all stink”.

I’m going out on a limb here to suggest that this guy doesn’t own a Bronco, hasn’t driven one, and likely hasn’t seen one in person to help form all these strong opinions. :rolleyes:

Some of us on this forum have had Jeeps AND own a Bronco and have used them in both on road and off road environments multiple times. This does provide a valid basis for directly comparing the different aspects of the vehicles,(without the subtlety of being influenced by biased reviews which are paid for by one camp or the other).

Having had multiple Jeeps and now the Bronco, I’ll say this; regardless of the MT review, or the opinions of the detractors, I am happy with the Bronco when comparing to my experience with the Wrangler. That is NOT saying the Jeep is bad, but given the choice again, I’d purchase the Bronco in a heartbeat over the current Wrangler. Different strokes for different folks. There’s more important shit to get all wrapped up in your undershorts about.]

My neighbor owns a 4 door Badlands. Ridden in I, drove it , see it every day. I also own a Tundra Crewmax and my JL Rubicon. I’ve owned Explorers and F250s. I know what I’m missing. I’m not here saying the Bronco is all bad and I’m no brand loyal anything. What I’m saying is the Bronco could have been great and Ford blew it. Now I know the Ford social media militia (and the fan bois) don’t like to hear such things here at B6G, so I apologize for violating the state media blackout on critiquing anything about the new Bronco. I mean seriously, I didn’t even make a comment about its hulking size and the resulting need to add “trail turn assist” so owners would be able to change directions on a trail. Had I done that… whew… imagine the hate.

I’m sure Ford will fix what it can. Given the issues Ford has had with deliveries, production, quality control and front end / steering durability, I’m increasingly skeptical there will be a second generation Bronco. I think the Sport will survive, but the regular Bronco will get a refresh or two and then go the way of the FJ Cruiser.
 

BoogieMan1

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Former wrangler owner here. I loved my jeep at the time and was ready to start looking at getting another. Now that I’ve got my bronco ordered, any time I see a wrangler all I can think of is “thank god I looked into Broncos earlier this year.”
100%, same here. I just got my FE last week and it is a better rig than my JLU Rubicon.
 

BroncoBuckaroo

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mbagne

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These guys are crazy. I get it if they were judging the most hardcore off roader, but everyday usability? Seriously?

Plastic pan for holding bolts, that's an advantage? as opposed to the tool bag Ford provides?
They have a hard time opening a strut assisted back gate? After saying it was the Jeep that has issues some times?
All those cubbies on the sides of the cargo area in the Jeep? Didn't see much of that.

Just seemed like they just really wanted to select the Jeep because that's what they had in mind the whole time.

My 2 cents.
Exactly. This is a common fallacy of many reviews for nearly any product category . . . don't be duped by this.
 

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wny pat

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Detroit lost and french owned jeep sucks
I guess I had the same misplaced optimism for both the Detroit Lions and the Detroit made Bronco.

It’s a fact that the best design parts of the Bronco were copied directly from the Wrangler. Ford ran in to trouble when the Bronco design team implemented their own ideas. If Ford’s supply chain, production line, dealer network, initial quality, etc was half as effective as Jeep’s, there would be a LOT of happy Bronco owners… because they’d actually have the vehicle they ordered months and months ago in their garage.
 

BroncoBuckaroo

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I guess I had the same misplaced optimism for both the Detroit Lions and the Detroit made Bronco.

It’s a fact that the best design parts of the Bronco were copied directly from the Wrangler. Ford ran in to trouble when the Bronco design team implemented their own ideas. If Ford’s supply chain, production line, dealer network, initial quality, etc was half as effective as Jeep’s, there would be a LOT of happy Bronco owners… because they’d actually have the vehicle they ordered months and months ago in their garage.
a wrangler looks like an old farmall tractor...just yuck.

as far as quality, yes the “German” top maker suck s, but I have a soft top made in USA by a USA company (same company that makes the Jeep’s) everything else pretty much on track for a first year model vehicle And in Covid yet..cheers to Ford for getting it done.

the new jeep interior looks like something out of the 1980’s

‘I like the fact that the Bronco is all modular ..all the way down to the rear quarter panels.

Being that my Bronco is a daily driver and not some part time vehicle just used to rock crawl..it absolutely blows away all Jeep’s for overall road worthines.

Even the newest and best Jeep suspension is just not very good in comparison ..and i have driven them a couple months ago.

Of course you can modify a Jeep easier..it’s been around for a long time.

But you can also modify a Ford F-150 more than any other vehicle on the planet..give it time ..the Bronco will have plenty of outlets that offer modifications and already have a good start.

I also like the fact that the Bronco is in the top 3 vehicles Made In USA in percentage of domestic components. Oh yes and it’s not French owned

you say Ford copied Jeep..like what?

removable doors / top ...nope original Bronco had removable doors and top
Ford engines ..nope
Ford Transmission..nope
body shape..nope
IFS ..nope
electronic sway bar disconnect ...nope
‘independent front and rear lockers ..nope
side mirrors on body..nope
on board door storage ..nope
frameless windows ..nope
35” tires from factory optional on every model..nope
easy off / on fender flares ..nope
side and rear curtain airbags..nope
Bronco Bolts ...nope
Soft top...nope - original Bronco roadster had an optional soft top


please do tell...wait wait, the spare tire on the rear door. yep that’s Jeep. I actually like a lay flat tail gate and separate tire swing gate like old bronco‘s but I digress.
 

wny pat

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a wrangler looks like an old farmall tractor...just yuck.

as far as quality, yes the “German” top maker suck s, but I have a soft top made in USA by a USA company (same company that makes the Jeep’s) everything else pretty much on track for a first year model vehicle And in Covid yet..cheers to Ford for getting it done.

the new jeep interior looks like something out of the 1980’s

‘I like the fact that the Bronco is all modular ..all the way down to the rear quarter panels.

Being that my Bronco is a daily driver and not some part time vehicle just used to rock crawl..it absolutely blows away all Jeep’s for overall road worthines.

Even the newest and best Jeep suspension is just not very good in comparison ..and i have driven them a couple months ago.

Of course you can modify a Jeep easier..it’s been around for a long time.

But you can also modify a Ford F-150 more than any other vehicle on the planet..give it time ..the Bronco will have plenty of outlets that offer modifications and already have a good start.

I also like the fact that the Bronco is in the top 3 vehicles Made In USA in percentage of domestic components. Oh yes and it’s not French owned

you say Ford copied Jeep..like what?

removable doors / top ...nope original Bronco had removable doors and top
Ford engines ..nope
Ford Transmission..nope
body shape..nope
IFS ..nope
electronic sway bar disconnect ...nope
‘independent front and rear lockers ..nope
side mirrors on body..nope
on board door storage ..nope
frameless windows ..nope
35” tires from factory optional on every model..nope
easy off / on fender flares ..nope
side and rear curtain airbags..nope
Bronco Bolts ...nope
Soft top...nope - original Bronco roadster had an optional soft top


please do tell...wait wait, the spare tire on the rear door. yep that’s Jeep. I actually like a lay flat tail gate and separate tire swing gate like old bronco‘s but I digress.
1. You prefer the lifted Ford Flex vibe of the Bronco. I prefer the Jeep’s design, sane essential lines since 1941. I can’t argue with your preferences. And I’m fairness, the Flex was a great family trickster.

2. Your Bronco is definitely a better daily driver than my JL because it has a light duty IFS. I can’t argue with that. Then again, an Explorer would be an even better choice for family cruising, especially on the interstate.

3. Your Bronco is huge, within an inch of a Hummer H2. I can’t argue with that either. JR I don’t want something that big for off roading.

4. If I wanted a compromise vehicle, I’d get a. 4 Runner. It’s nicer on the interstate, is quiet and comfy for the family and spanked the Bronco in the most recent off road test. When the redesigned 4 Runner comes out in 2023,, of its really great, I’ll be tempted to trade my Tundra in for one.

5. You should be begging Ford to source the ZF 8 speed that’s in the JL. It’s world class, better than anything else on the market. It’s smooth as silk, bulletproof and the envy of the automotive world.

As for copying, the original Bronco, Scout and others all copied the original 1941 Jeep.If there’s a second generation Bronco, Ford will go back to framed windows, exterior door hinges and a one piece hard top. Why? It works bette than frameless doors and modular tops. And the doors are easier to reinstall with exterior hinges. Let’s all hope if there’s a second generation it gets a lot smaller too.
 

njAK84

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Well, for a “clean sheet” design with “no budget” and “no interference from management” AND the JK / JL to copy, Ford got a lot wrong. Then again, the reality is that everything about the underpinnings of the Bronco was constrained by the fact Ford chose to share a platform with the global Ranger, so at its heart, it’ll always be a Ranger and those parts bins they’re forced to choose from are a limiting factor. That’s why there’s no solid axle heritage edition, which IMO would have been something real Wrangler owners would actually cross shop. And how amazing would it have been to have the H2 sized Bronco with much lower NVH, a more family friendly interior, and an unapologetic on road focus (think full size Bronco Sport) for family use and mall crawling. Then Ford could have made a hard core Heritage edition that was true to the early Bronco roots… slightly smaller than the JL, more Spartan, solid axles, and entirely designed to excel in the most severe off road conditions imaginable. That would have made a splash and been awesome.

But so much of what Ford failed on was entirely preventable and their own fault. I get the IFS. I don’t think it should be on the “real” Bronco, but whatever. If the IFS was well executed it could have been more comfortable on the highway and still fairly robust off road. But judging from the real world trails pics making the rounds, now that the Bronco is in consumer hands, it’s simply not up to the task of more difficult trails with 33”+ tires. So, the advent of aftermarket companies now rushing SFA conversion kits to market tells the tale of how well executed that IFS is. Also, with 35s at least, several professional independent reviews have noted any advantages of the IFS on road manners vs the SFA on the JL disappear. So, what’s the point? The Bronco wants to be king of the everything, but ends up just a compromise vehicle that doesn’t even outperform the vehicle it was supposed to “kill” and that’s with their team standing in Jeep’s shoulders and using the JK/JL as a starting point. It’s not an impressive result.

The entire interior is “cheap looking and feeling” save for the 12” sync screen. Motor Trends words, not mine. No usable grab handles. Weak front end components. No quieter on the highway than the JL. No better driving experience than the JL with 33s or 35s (with any of the “off toad” biased versions) but all the drawbacks of IFS off road. A top design that literally resulted in sales delayed months and months. And the top is still an issue. Frameless doors that multiple professional reviewers literally make “boing” cartoon jokes about given how much these doors flex and wiggle when opened or closed. Access to the rear is demonstrably worse than the JL. Inexplicably: no rear heat vents so rear passengers freeze. The dash materials are awful and the rest of the interior panels don’t match, and look “low rent” (again, professional reviewer’s words, not mine). You can’t remove the roof panels with the roof rack installed. Even after Ford “fixed” the Hard top, people are still having problems. Did I mention the highway noise? Because apparently you can’t even have a conversation on the phone at highway speeds. Ford could have done so much better, and I wish they had.
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