Ford Bronco as primary family vehicle?

[Jazer]

What are your thoughts on the 4door Bronco as a primary family vehicle? (2 adults/2 children & dogs). How versatile do you think this platform can be long term for regular driving included in the mix, and not just sport utility. I am specifically considering the Outer Banks with the 2.7.

My husband and I are car-nuts, have spent most of our adult life working on/modifying cars. Normally I have a compact sport/“fun” car and a boring family cruiser. I sold my fun car and am looking to combine the purposes.

I am specifically looking for something fun/enjoyable and I need it to have some get up and go. Doesn’t have to be fast, but something where you can feel the torque and have an enjoyable drive. I don’t need fuel efficiency - I average about 7k miles a year. I like the idea of roof/doors removed and off-road capability as I think we could enjoy some family adventures at some point, even if we don’t utilize the Bronco consistently the same way a lot of people will. I’m also in no rush - as I have a perfectly acceptable, albeit boring, vehicle (a van) while I wait. I have realized the sacrifice in fun is not worth the 3rd row/extra space I rarely use. As long as I have room for some luggage for the occasional trip & my Doberman, in the back of an SUV I will be happy space wise.

So I guess I’m posting since you all know the platform better than I do at this point (I started considering it only about a week ago after gaining interest in a Wrangler - but some questionable safety, particularly for rear sear occupants aka my children steered me towards the Bronco instead. Also - the engine. The Stinger has me hooked on another twin turbo V6 power-plant, so I am loving that option). Just want to make sure we are not crazy for considering this as our “primary” family vehicle. We do also own a Stinger GT which is a 4 door sedan, so it’s not as if we don’t have any other useful vehicle. I feel the Bronco has so much more potential than your average car and seems to meet the points I’m looking for. Fun, utility and safety given the results on the Bronco Sport I feel the Big Bronco should have good results as well. Seems to hold a lot of possibilities.. so we are considering putting in a reservation and potentially an order quite soon, pending our dealers don’t have incredible markup over MSRP to begin the process.

Thanks in advance! I apologize if this has been covered to any degree, I did search and didn’t see anything.

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[VelocityBrew]

I think it would be doable but not ideal. We want to grow into our 4 door but will also have something like our Passport as our other vehicle. Passport has 10 cup holders

 

[PrepVet]

It could work. I really like, save for Ford’s inability to paint extruded, my 2015 Expedition EL as my Familytruckster and it will continue to do that for me.

But JKU and JLUs are very often used as family cars by a lot of families.

 

[Bronco4lyfe85]

That’s why the 4 door exists, you’ll be good!

 

[bytheway]

It’s going to be my daily driver with 2 car seats in the back if that makes any difference. Not sure about a Doberman but my lab will occasionally ride along. Hoping the marine grade vinyl holds up to claws.

 

[chtucker]

What are your thoughts on the 4door Bronco as a primary family vehicle? (2 adults/2 children & dogs). How versatile do you think this platform can be long term for regular driving included in the mix, and not just sport utility. I am specifically considering the Outer Banks with the 2.7.

My husband and I are car-nuts, have spent most of our adult life working on/modifying cars. Normally I have a compact sport/“fun” car and a boring family cruiser. I sold my fun car and am looking to combine the purposes.

I am specifically looking for something fun/enjoyable and I need it to have some get up and go. Doesn’t have to be fast, but something where you can feel the torque and have an enjoyable drive. I don’t need fuel efficiency - I average about 7k miles a year. I like the idea of roof/doors removed and off-road capability as I think we could enjoy some family adventures at some point, even if we don’t utilize the Bronco consistently the same way a lot of people will. I’m also in no rush - as I have a perfectly acceptable, albeit boring, vehicle (a van) while I wait. I have realized the sacrifice in fun is not worth the 3rd row/extra space I rarely use. As long as I have room for some luggage for the occasional trip & my Doberman, in the back of an SUV I will be happy space wise.

So I guess I’m posting since you all know the platform better than I do at this point (I started considering it only about a week ago after gaining interest in a Wrangler - but some questionable safety, particularly for rear sear occupants aka my children steered me towards the Bronco instead. Also - the engine. The Stinger has me hooked on another twin turbo V6 power-plant, so I am loving that option). Just want to make sure we are not crazy for considering this as our “primary” family vehicle. We do also own a Stinger GT which is a 4 door sedan, so it’s not as if we don’t have any other useful vehicle. I feel the Bronco has so much more potential than your average car and seems to meet the points I’m looking for. Fun, utility and safety given the results on the Bronco Sport I feel the Big Bronco should have good results as well. Seems to hold a lot of possibilities.. so we are considering putting in a reservation and potentially an order quite soon, pending our dealers don’t have incredible markup over MSRP to begin the process.

Thanks in advance! I apologize if this has been covered to any degree, I did search and didn’t see anything.

Didn't need to read all that. Answer is yes. We have had a FJ cruiser for our primary family vehicle and our twins are 12. We have owned the FJ since new. For the last year it's the only car we have owned. We have owned a 93 Land Cruiser and 2011 Prius, but the FJ has stayed. Kids were brought home from the hospital in and they will learn how to drive in it. We have lived in rural Colorado to urban Seattle with the FJ/kids. 2'+ of snow to 60 acres literally of soccer fields

The Bronco will feel like a stretched limo to them with real back doors and a window that goes down.

 

[Erock]

Message @DealerInsider ... he has a ‘22 model deal below invoice... he’s in PA, but shouldn’t be too big of a deal to go get it from NC

 

[BlueBronco]

The Bronco will make for a good family vehicle. Plenty of room in the 2nd row for kids and in the cargo hold for, well, cargo. My wife got a good look at the Bronco here in TX several weeks ago and we ended up making a 2nd 3rd reservation for a late MY22 if she decides she wants her own. We are a 2 kid family and for the past year or so she has been using our Jeep Wrangler as her daily driver. The Bronco will be a huge upgrade over the Jeep. Our 1st res Bronco will be my weekend warrior and will most likely turn into her daily driver until we can get her her own.

There are some features lacking for a new family vehicle. At this point the complaints have become cliche but they are no less a concern for those wanting the Bronco as a family hauler. Lack of rear cup holders, leather interior variants have a fold down arm rest with 2 real cup holders but cloth and MGV interiors only have net pockets in the rear doors. There are no adjustable rear AC vents in the back but instead the rear vents are under the front seats.

Give it a few more weeks and your local dealer should have a Bronco mannequin on site that you can have a look at.

 

[Jazer]

I think it would be doable but not ideal. We want to grow into our 4 door but will also have something like our Passport as our other vehicle. Passport has 10 cup holders

Yeah my Caravan has loads of cup holders and sooo much space - but for someone like me, I don’t leave anything extra in the car, and hate clutter, so they are always empty, lol. As long as each person has a single cup holder and enough room to be comfortable… I think That’s all I need. I enjoyed the van for the baby stage but now that my youngest is 3 and we aren’t having any more, I don’t need to move about the vehicle the same way I did when he was a baby so I have realized I rarely utilize most of the Van’s space and don’t need such a large primary vehicle.

I also have a universal roof top enclosed cargo carrier so pending we add the roof rack at a later date, I can still use my large cargo carrier up top as well as the potential to tow/rear cargo rack add-on as we will be adding the tow hitch as well.

 

[Jazer]

The Bronco will make for a good family vehicle. Plenty of room in the 2nd row for kids and in the cargo hold for, well, cargo. My wife got a good look at the Bronco here in TX several weeks ago and we ended up making a 2nd 3rd reservation for a late MY22 if she decides she wants her own. We are a 2 kid family and for the past year or so she has been using our Jeep Wrangler as her daily driver. The Bronco will be a huge upgrade over the Jeep. Our 1st res Bronco will be my weekend warrior and will most likely turn into her daily driver until we can get her her own.

There are some features lacking for a new family vehicle. At this point the complaints have become cliche but they are no less a concern for those wanting the Bronco as a family hauler. Lack of rear cup holders, leather interior variants have a fold down arm rest with 2 real cup holders but cloth and MGV interiors only have net pockets in the rear doors. There are no adjustable rear AC vents in the back but instead the rear vents are under the front seats.

Give it a few more weeks and your local dealer should have a Bronco mannequin on site that you can have a look at.

That’s good to know for the vents/cup holders. I will definitely review that a bit more with the model line up. I didn’t realize the cloth/MGV didn’t have the fold Down cup holders available. I mean It seems easy enough to remedy in the aftermarket atleast. HVAC vents though…

 

[Jazer]

It’s going to be my daily driver with 2 car seats in the back if that makes any difference. Not sure about a Doberman but my lab will occasionally ride along. Hoping the marine grade vinyl holds up to claws.

He just need’s room in the cargo area, I don’t have the dogs in the front on the upholstery.

 

[tapper881]

My current daily driver is a 4 door wrangler, which we use for most of our family road trips. The wrangler normally has sufficient space, but I'm hoping the bronco will have better road manners with the IFS, but I will have to find a solution to the missing cup holders, as I know with long trips we will have drive-thru cups in the back seat with the kids.

 

[Drex]

Bronco forum, lots of enthusiasm and probably more than the fair share of people rationalizing daily driver use of a fairy specialized vehicle, so you will only get agreement and recommendations. I'll add to it, great! Go ahead, enjoy! Just adding something for you to consider though; I saw zero mention of off-roading in your post, just a vague 'adventure' someday maybe. Not a big deal, the OBX will be a fine on pavement cruiser. Enjoy! There are likely lots of better options with less trade offs out there though. The 'someday' adventure could involve renting a Bronco in the future without the commitment. Be the chicken instead of the pig on the bacon and eggs breakfast.

 

[Stache12]

If this had to be my primary family vehicle there is no way it would work for me. We have a 14 year old, a 2 year old and one on the way. There is no way it would work. I wouldn't make my oldest sit between two car seats in that vehicle. The biggest reason I am able to consider it is because the wife drives an Explorer with the 3rd row. If none of your kids are in car seats, you could swing it. I would only worry if you travel with your dogs a lot. Not a ton of space in the back for them unless you add storage on the roof on longer trips.

 

[Lord Bronco]

If you only need two rows, a 4-door Bronco is a great family vehicle. As far as safety, I don’t know, and I doubt it’s as safe as other choices.

I cannot speak highly enough of the Kia Telluride as a family vehicle, though. My wife has one (2WD) and it will get up and go. Three rows. Extremely nice.

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