Haven't 100% decided on a Bronco yet, but we really want one...

[userdude]

Just a quick question... are we overly limiting ourselves trying to find the perfect unicorn of a 23 Wildtrak with the modular bumper and tow? How hard/expensive would it be to add those after the fact? At first we were also strictly looking for hard top but after checking out the soft top and driving we are more flexible on the top. Seems like nearly ALL the used 23 models have the plastic front bumper though.. we are wanting the modular bumper and the bull bar attachment.

If it's the WildTrak, it's probably the Capable bumper and not the cheapo plastic bumper on the lower models. It's a decent bumper. There's also some good aftermarket options, if a little pricey for some of the better ones (like Addictive Desert Designs or BAMF).

Just do tow aftermarket. If you can find it on one you want, great, but I wouldn't hold your breath.

High package IMO is better than Lux, get Katzkins for aftermarket leather seats if you want them, they're a lot better. Otherwise, the B&O is just ok upgrade and the goofy phone charger is a bust. The only thing that's kinda hard to get working aftermarket are the driving assist features the Lux has, like auto cruise control speed (whatever it's called).

The hard top is harder to find and more expensive aftermarket than the soft top, so probably prefer to get that if you can. However, I wouldn't not get the soft top if you find the right mix and that's what it has.

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[Splattered23]

If you are like 95% of us and only need a 4-pin harness, it costs about $220 for the harness and receiver and a few hours of your time to add tow. Finding the mod bumper can be hit and miss, when I have seen them around here, guys are asking $700-800.

Good info, thank you!

We found one we are working on buying one right now w everything but tow. Has hard top, I think we will buy soft top if we can find something that isn't crazy expensive.

 

[mpeugeot]

Just a quick question... are we overly limiting ourselves trying to find the perfect unicorn of a 23 Wildtrak with the modular bumper and tow? How hard/expensive would it be to add those after the fact? At first we were also strictly looking for hard top but after checking out the soft top and driving we are more flexible on the top. Seems like nearly ALL the used 23 models have the plastic front bumper though.. we are wanting the modular bumper and the bull bar attachment.

Yes.
Hard/expensive for the hardtop after the fact.
Get a higher quality aftermarket bumper.

Adaptive Cruise Control is worth getting the lux package for, but it makes it more expensive to get the stereo sounding decent. If you don't need adaptive cruise control, the high package is the better option.

 

[G6Bronco]

Alrighty so back story... i drive a '22 F150 Tremor and my wife WAS driving a '23 Kia Telluride EX X-Line. We originally wanted a Bronco for her but some of her friends had the Telluride and it was cheaper so she went with the Kia. Absolutely NO mechanical issues with the Telluride. Well about a week ago she got rear ended by a Ram HD Dually and it totaled the Kia. So... we are in the market for a replacement vehicle again but are extremely torn on what to buy next. We live outside of town in Arkansas with three kids and a dog and do go to areas to camp etc that are much easier to navigate in the truck. Some rough roads here.. lots of rain, mud, sometimes snow etc. We are wanting something at least somewhat off-road capable and my wife has absolutely fallen in love with the Orange Metallic color on the 2022 Broncos.

So Bronco seems logical choice for us, but that being said... we seem to be reading nothing but problems about the Broncos and it's making the decision extremely difficult now. Researching pretty much ALL current vehicles seems like nearly everything has reliability issues. Or the engines are tiny and lack oomph. Or the cabin/cargo space sucks.

The Mazda CX-5 or CX-50 with the turbo seem like one of the best choices if she decides against the Bronco but it's small compared to what we are used to now. She doesn't want another Telluride or a Palisade.

Are the odds pretty high if we get a Bronco that we're going to have issues with water leaks, window noises/alignment, etc? We WANT the Bronco but we don't want to deal with the headaches. We had a 2015 Ford Exploder Sport before the Kia and it was great until it developed pretty bad leak problems with the sun roof and the tailgate. Had to get the drains cleaned out multiple times and the tailgate seal kept leaking and the carpet got moldy and musty and it drove us crazy, we hated it.

Feel free to talk us into the Bronco or OUT of the Bronco, we just want to hear opinions while we are trying to decide on what to do.

I really wanted one as well. Bought one to tow behind the RV for long summer trips. After being assured by anyone i asked at ford etc i started towing. Long story ...short. Transmission blew up and $6,300.00 later [warranty denied]spent another 4k on a trailer. If you ever want to tow, buy a jeep. I had one. It towed just fine. sorry for the accurate bad news.

 

[Roofus]

I read 15 words of your backstory and realized the answer was BRONCO and stopped reading. You could already have a Bronco RIGHT NOW if you weren't spending so much time typing words. Just stop typing and Bronco. And then use all that typing time customizing your Bronco. Problem solved. Glad I could help!

 

[Jason519]

Loving the replies so far guys keep em coming! To be honest the Bronco being a bit rough around the edges but off-road capable and customizable is a big part of what we find appealing about them. we expect to get them really dirty and have water coming in here and there but I've seen videos of water pouring in through the A-pillar(s) where it can hit unprotected wiring and stuff and that's what freaks us out because that's the sort of thing we experienced with our explorer that absolutely sucked. We already expect a bit of issues with seals and windows and stuff but on a smaller level that can be addressed easier. We have not driven the bronco yet as the kids have been out of school for winter weather AND we got hit with COVID at the same time haha

I think we would be perfectly fine with either a more luxury oriented or off-road oriented vehicle, but we WANT to want the Bronco. Just torn because of all the issues we're seeing online.

We will definitely test drive one ASAP.

Oh another question.... If we aren't going to be doing any EXTREME off-roading are there any reasons to shoot for the 2023 model over the '22 besides the HOSS 3.0? I mean outside of the fact that the 23 doesn't offer cyber orange anymore. any other "fixes" in newer models that we should know about? Trying to stay used if we can so we can keep payments down...

So mine is a 22 black diamond I’ve had it since July of 22 I’ve drove it from north Alabama to Moab yellow stone Mount Rushmore and back. I have 43k on it yes louder than my truck I had but twice the fun lol my favorite vehicle I’ve ever owned!I would say the odds of something else going wrong is about the same as most vehicles now it’s the forth year now they are getting them dialed in better the rest is any vehicle issues

 

[Splattered23]

We backed out of the 23 model we were in the process of purchasing... looking through inventory across the nation again. I hate this haha

Is there any way via window sticker to see if a 2022 Wildtrak opted for the HOSS 3.0 suspension? I have looked at a TON of used model and not once have i ever seen mention of the HOSS 3.0

Just trying to widen our search a bit to find the one we eventually want.

My wife still REALLY wants the orange but unfortunately not on the 23.

 

[voxel]

I really enjoyed my 21 Badlands...I think it looked great, I could fit my dogs with some finagling and removing the rear seats, and it was zippy to drive with the 2.7. It also was very capable off-road, although regardless of what a lot of people say on this forum I believe my 2006 LJ Jeep was actually more capable off-road simply because of much stronger steering components...and I enjoyed having a manual transfer case lever and I didn't need all the electronic nannies that the Bronco came with. The Bronco did eclipse the Jeep on the road, so as others have mentioned it really all depends on how much time you plan to spend on road versus off-road. I can also say that it's a day and night difference jumping from the Bronco to my wife's 4Runner...the 4Runner is much quieter, obviously because of the non-removable roof and just the high quality Toyota engineering in general...and I would wager that the 4Runner with general maintenance will last a lot longer than any of the new generation Broncos.

And I say it's night and day when you jump into a modern 3-row SUV compared to the unrefined 4Runner. Much quieter and even more comfortable.

I borrowed my friend's 4Runner for a few days and it was just meh. Everything is a compromise. Bronco at one extreme (removable top, loud ride, highly offroad capable) and modern 3-row SUVs on the other (quiet couches on wheel) with the 4Runner in the middle.

If you have to ask yourself what do you value most and pick the right vehicle for situation.

 

[Poppavein]

I haven't bought a new car since my Cherokee in the 80s. Buying used is normally the smart move.
But with ADM and demand, prices for used were ridiculous. So I could rationalize ordering new since there was no ADM. (And my bottom line was a Manual with 2-door, which are limited on the used market.)
Same rationalization I had with my last Harley. At the time, used prices weren't much lower than new, and I got a warranty with new.

They are coming from the factory faster than they used to.

 

[HBTFD]

I’ve had 2 broncos, 2 dr hardtop SAS and a 4 dr soft top SAS. My wife has a 22 telluride. 2 things are a lot different -
1) the bronco is going to be 10-12 decibels louder on the highway soft or hard top.
2) the telluride has much more usable room than the 4 door bronco.

Mpg on both broncos was 20 (2.3 autos) vs 25 in the telluride.

 

[Splattered23]

I’ve had 2 broncos, 2 dr hardtop SAS and a 4 dr soft top SAS. My wife has a 22 telluride. 2 things are a lot different -
1) the bronco is going to be 10-12 decibels louder on the highway soft or hard top.
2) the telluride has much more usable room than the 4 door bronco.

Mpg on both broncos was 20 (2.3 autos) vs 25 in the telluride.

Ha I am hoping for 16mpg on a SAS like I get in my F150 Tremor. That's prob best case scenario.

 

[broncorik]

And I say it's night and day when you jump into a modern 3-row SUV compared to the unrefined 4Runner. Much quieter and even more comfortable.

I borrowed my friend's 4Runner for a few days and it was just meh. Everything is a compromise. Bronco at one extreme (removable top, loud ride, highly offroad capable) and modern 3-row SUVs on the other (quiet couches on wheel) with the 4Runner in the middle.

If you have to ask yourself what do you value most and pick the right vehicle for situation.

Wrenching on both I can say that IMHO I now prefer some of the simplicity of the 4runner despite the clear "refinement" edge the Bronco has. Yes, the Bronco was faster, better heated seats, bigger screen, more gears, on and on...but with the "old school" 4runner I never had to lose sleep over whether or not an OTA update would render my vehicle undrivable or if a module would crap out and I'd have to wait months for a replacement...and I will wager that the old school naturally-aspirated V6, despite the lack of power, will outlast the majority of 2.3s and 2.7s out there...with zero need for a warranty. That said, I think the (2 door) Bronco is better looking than the 4runner and my Badlands was more capable for the kinds of off-road work I enjoy. The other Bronco tradeoffs, however, are things like low end plastics throughout the interior, inferior seating materials, a sound system that cost a lot extra yet didn't sound that much better than the base 4runner system (and that would have required about 2k for a dedicated DSP/amp to properly upgrade), electrical wizardry that occasionally acted up or even failed at inappropriate times (that threw no codes to be able to search for the gremlins), windows that rattled when lowered at all, a tailgate that was never intended to carry any extra weight without flexing/shaking/creaking, a front bumper mounting system that was woefully inadequate for winch use or towing without upgrading to the TD reinforcement kit, a hard top that has its own entire set of issues, a weak sauce steering system that made me really nervous whenever I was wheeling (until I added RC bushings and Ford Performance tie rods to get me through until I could one day buy the 74Weld), rear seats that don't fold flat, and a resale that was initially absurdly awesome that quickly plummeted (whereas the 4runner has remained seemingly timelessly steady despite the low-tech features). My advice is drive a Bronco, preferably long enough to familiarize yourself with the on and off road manners/quirks/comforts/etc. and try to do a logical (not emotional) objective checklist of whether or not it meets your needs/desires. If so, get one...and don't get sucked into paying the stupid prices many folks are asking. Many if not most owners not only pay a lot initially but also then almost immediately (or even before they take delivery) buy thousands of dollars of stuff to add on that they will rarely actually need (or even use)...and it adds up fast. I got caught up in buying stuff left and right and having to wait months and months only to get a part that didn't fit without a lot of modifying or was so far off it was not going to work at all as intended. Now I have parts for sale from my Bronco that I paid a lot for, had trouble getting some shipped to CA, waited for, etc., and am struggling to get a fraction of what I paid back. I have only myself to blame for getting excited and caught up in the frenzy, but on the plus side I've interacted with a lot of great fellow Bronco enthusiasts who have done the same. The (hindsight) advice I have is this...before you make a purchase or a major decision (like buying a Bronco or ANY vehicle), ask yourself "will this decision make my life any better or more fulfilling afterwards"...if so, go for it! If you hesitate for even a moment (some of us more impulsive/ADD folks don't have that luxury when we get into "SQUIRREL" mode), rethink it before you pull that trigger. Hopefully whatever you buy and drive serves you well!

 

[voxel]

Wrenching on both I can say that IMHO I now prefer some of the simplicity of the 4runner despite the clear "refinement" edge the Bronco has. Yes, the Bronco was faster, better heated seats, bigger screen, more gears, on and on...but with the "old school" 4runner I never had to lose sleep over whether or not an OTA update would render my vehicle undrivable or if a module would crap out and I'd have to wait months for a replacement...and I will wager that the old school naturally-aspirated V6, despite the lack of power, will outlast the majority of 2.3s and 2.7s out there...with zero need for a warranty.

Bronco is unrefined. 4Runner is crude. I'm saying modern 3-row SUVs are luxurious compared to the 4Runner and Bronco. Ventilated seats, almost silent ride, 360 cameras, almost perfect lane centering, very little road/wind noise, etc. See Grand Highlander, Telluride, Pilot, CX-90, etc. which are actually about the same price as the 4Runner and Bronco. Right tool for the right job. I argue folks looking for a family hauler should skip the Bronco or 4Runner unless they go off-road.

I agree that the 4Runner is one of the Toyota that will last 20-30 years. The new Toyotas? No way. Had a 23 Sequoia TRD Pro and it was a rattling POS. American (or Mexican) built aren't the same quality.

 

[JawnyBronco]

I had a ‘20 reservation and hopes of a Manual 4dr Squatch to replace my 17 yr old Honda Pilot but couldn’t settle on a package that made sense for me so I never ordered. That all changed when the ‘23 Heritage was announced…for me it is the complete package with an unmatched value and style, I knew it was Now or Never so I placed the order. The Heritage is everything I believed the Bronco should be and is a Blast to drive at every opportunity…Daughter calls it UberBronco and its 19.5 mpg beats what the Pilot got.

 

[broncorik]

Bronco is unrefined. 4Runner is crude. I'm saying modern 3-row SUVs are luxurious compared to the 4Runner and Bronco. Ventilated seats, almost silent ride, 360 cameras, almost perfect lane centering, very little road/wind noise, etc. See Grand Highlander, Telluride, Pilot, CX-90, etc. which are actually about the same price as the 4Runner and Bronco. Right tool for the right job. I argue folks looking for a family hauler should skip the Bronco or 4Runner unless they go off-road.

I agree that the 4Runner is one of the Toyota that will last 20-30 years. The new Toyotas? No way. Had a 23 Sequoia TRD Pro and it was a rattling POS. American (or Mexican) built aren't the same quality.

Agreed that neither Bronco or 4runner are actually refined...but Bronco seemed closer to "refined" than the 4runner. Neither are in the same ballpark as many other vehicles, including even the much cheaper used LR3 I once bought (those things drop like a rock in resale but have one of the most effective and thought-out interior layouts for passengers and cargo) or the used 2003 G-Wagen I scored (for less than half of what someone paid new). That thing was built like a tank and was library quiet...the engineering from that thing eclipsed my Bronco and it was 5k cheaper. Other than the 10-12 mpg on a good day, it would have been a keeper. Even with a solid front axle, it handled every bit as well as my Bronco did with IFS. A set of portals on that would have made it a legit off-roader.

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