More Initial Impressions with slightly different perspective

[Migs1313]

Hey @KANE COUNTY ILLINOIS , Any word on which ones will be there? I’m signed up for both chicago events. Not sure if I’m going due to work schedule and camping that weekend! I’m also signed up for Plainfield INDIANA ( just outside Indy) and I thought I read somewhere there would be 4 Broncos there.
Andy Mohr Ford - close to Indy Airport

I am signed up for both in the Chicago area too. Hoping they have atleast a few Broncos at these events since I have not seen any dealer events for a big area like Chicago but only these 2 events

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[BenB007]

I had an 98 Discovery and almost all of the plastic cracked after about 10 years. Eventually, even the dashboard was sagging. I would have to push it towards the windshield every time I drove it. So, the dash is something I pay attention to. What really impressed me way more than anything else about the new Defender is the powder-coated magnesium cross beam that's actually a structural element of the vehicle. It's really genius and I wish Ford would have followed suit with that. If you've ever felt that cross-beam, it's a game changer and it's probably the most impressive (and reliable) feature of the whole car. I'd actually pay another 10K for the Bronco just to have that dash. On the other hand, I'd much rather have the exposed steel of the Bronco's cargo area. I don't have much faith in the Defender's cargo area with all the plastic and pockets in the rear door. It's all give and take I guess. But it's somewhat concerning to hear that the quality doesn't feel up to standard because I want this thing to really last a long time.

 

[JBoi-ET]

I agree about the interior materials. I was very disappointed in them. I am coming from a Lincoln MKZ so I wasn't expecting parity, but it was not good. The center console especially seemed incredibly cheap.

I am with you. The interior materials were very disappointing and the center console was terrible, it moves just by leaning on it. If you grab it with your hand and move side to side there is considerable movement, same goes for the grab handle. It wasn't very secure. Currently have a '19 GMC AT4 and Kia Telluride and there is no comparison on quality to either vehicle. Bronco interior is a huge step down for $55K + vehicle.

 

[Paul Gagnon]

If two additional inches of width is going to stop you, you probably don't have the talent to get there anyway.

 

[Mattwings]

I appreciate the write up and perspective. I take it for what it is, your observations and opinion. I think the overall interior is good, but I am coming from an 18 F150 where the interior has been de-contented for quite some time (all manufacturers do this, why I am not a fan of late cycle model years). Durability remains to be seen, but my 2011 Edge and 2016 Explorer leather has held up exceptionally well (neither ever felt plush, but have proven durable), so here is hoping on the MGV quality. I definitely prefer the seating position and sight lines to the Jeep or Toyota, but that’s largely subjective as well. Excited we are all getting more eyes and hands on!!!

 

[RedHotFuzz]

I am confused to, I mean if you want bigger and fancier, this is not the rig at all. It seems people want rugged, outside, but completely plush inside

I don't want plush. I want quality. Interior parts that don't flex unexpectedly when you touch them. Trim pieces that aren't loose and won't rattle over time. Plastics that will last but don't look cheap. For reference, see my gripes with my Durango interior:

 

[BenB007]

I am confused to, I mean if you want bigger and fancier, this is not the rig at all. It seems people want rugged, outside, but completely plush inside, small outside footprint, with huge interior space. Lol, usually the same guys who also cant wait to lift and and only want the sasquatch, and wonder why its so big.

Ahhh, we humans always want something that's not quite possible to do.

Take out the "small outside footprint" and I think it's totally doable. A car doesn't have to feel cheap or compact to be rugged. Just look at the Land Cruiser or the Defender. I'm sure Ford was deliberate in their design of the interior space so I'm good with whatever it is. I'm not expecting it to be like a full-size truck. But, I also don't think there is anything wrong with providing a premium interior with premium materials if people are willing to pay for it.

In this case, I think Steve Jobs said it best when referring to the whole Foxconn debacle. He said that people couldn't afford an iPhone if it were made in America. And, he's right. Our manufacturers aren't set up to provide a high level of quality at a realistic price point.

I suppose another factor could be that Ford's primary market isn't the BFL consumer. Although I don't have any data to back it up. A quick glance on the forums suggests that quite a few members rotate cars quite frequently and have several cars at a time So maybe the big three tend to focus less towards long term ownership.

 

[Rcarpen22]

Good to hear the manual shifter feels nice. Could part of the bigger exterior feel, be due to the hood compared to Wrangler? Wrangler can give a smaller feel due to the front fenders being lower than the hood. In contrast the Bronco entire front including fenders is higher up.

Yes, this is exactly why it feels so big. But the plastic Jeep fenders absorb a lot of little branches and brambles on the trail that will scratch Bronco fenders I think. Also, it actually is 2” wider, which is not insignificant on tight trails.

 

[Rcarpen22]

Great write up. I appreciate the fact that you weren’t opposed to looking at the Bronco with a more critical eye.

With respect to the MGV and the leather wrapped steering wheel, what is your current vehicle which you are comparing it to?

I’ve been a little leery of Fords interior options ever since I owned a Ford Explorer and the leather was ruined in less than two years. Compared to the leather seats in my tundra, which is 13 years, and still look new.

My current daily driver is a Tesla Model 3 Performance. It has “vegan” interior that seems a million times nicer than the MGV to me, but that’s just perception. Obviously some people love it. We also have a new Wrangler JLU. I love the Jeep. It’s my wife’s and I didn’t think I would, but it’s fantastic. The leather wrapped wheel feels like leather and is firm. The Bronco wheel feels like rubber and is a little soft. I also really like the dash layout on the Jeep. The Bronco layout just appeals less to me but it’s ok. I’ve mostly had German stuff in the past (Porsches, BMWs, VWs). I feel like German interiors are the gold standard. But for $50k+ I expected to like the Badlands interior more than I did. Not a deal breaker (I’m going BaseManSquatch anyway).

 

[broadicustomworks]

My current daily driver is a Tesla Model 3 Performance. It has “vegan” interior that seems a million times nicer than the MGV to me, but that’s just perception. Obviously some people love it. We also have a new Wrangler JLU. I love the Jeep. It’s my wife’s and I didn’t think I would, but it’s fantastic. The leather wrapped wheel feels like leather and is firm. The Bronco wheel feels like rubber and is a little soft. I also really like the dash layout on the Jeep. The Bronco layout just appeals less to me but it’s ok. I’ve mostly had German stuff in the past (Porsches, BMWs, VWs). I feel like German interiors are the gold standard. But for $50k+ I expected to like the Badlands interior more than I did. Not a deal breaker (I’m going BaseManSquatch anyway).

What I like most about this thread is there are several people in here who do not share the same views or opinions but yet somehow we are all able to talk back and forth in a civil and intelligent manner.
It is also a breath of fresh air to see reasoning behind statement.
OP doesn't just walk in and say "interior is trash and looks like it came out of a Dodge Omni." and sits back.
Points are given and talked about as to why.
Counterpoints given and talked about as to why.
I'm lovin' it.

 

[mC.242]

My thoughts:

• Interior materials did not impress me generally (I think our Jeep’s interior is nicer)
  • Same observation I had - While not bad, certainly not what I am used to since my DD is a 2015 Mazda 6. On par with my '06 Pathfinder though, so as long as they hold up I'm not too worried about it. The interior is sparse and logical, nothing there you don't need.
• Specifically, MGV felt much cheaper to me than I expected
  • Also had the same feeling. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but to me it just felt like soft vinyl. Nothing special. But I am stuck with cloth seats in my BB anyway...
• “Leather” wrapped steering wheel feels super cheap, like not even good pleather.
  • I didn't notice the wheel feeling cheap, feels like every other faux-leather wheel I've touched.
• Just does not feel like a $50k vehicle (and the two there were probably that or more)
  • I agree somewhat - In the OBX with a Lux package I definitely agree. Doesn't seem that "Lux" to me. However, the BD I saw was closer to $40K and felt like an incredible value for what it offered. Honestly, I think most people would be better off staying in the Big Bend/Black Diamond trims and waiting to upgrade stuff later if they really need it. Or if they are off-road focused get a Basesquatch or Bendsquatch. I'm not paying an extra 10-15K for bells and whistles I probably won't really care about in a few years once the novelty wears off.

 

[mdepll]

I'm not impressed with the interior on our Mustang. Some parts are ok, others are . I expect a little better from the Bronco. I'm prepared to be underwhelmed from Ford again.

As for "full size" that comment comes about because of the Sport not because of the actual size class.

even vs the bronco sport, take the spare off and the truck is maybe 5-6" longer? That's it

 

[mC.242]

Noticing your cup holder photo - does it have inserts that can be removed for cleaning? With the textured bottom, they will become filth magnets unless the insert can be removed and washed.

You can see the tabs to pull out the insert on the inside, so thankfully they are there.

 

[Rick Astley]

I also made it to a dealer to see the two 4 doors. Overall, it’s very cool. I wish they had a 2-door there, but alas... I had some different impressions than others I’ve read. The interior doesn’t feel very big to me. Not really much bigger than our JLU. But the exterior feels enormous. It’s kind of the opposite of what I expected. My take:

Good things:

• exterior design looks even better in person. It really is sweet.
• The lack of a center bar makes the open top experience really cool (especially sitting in back)
• Shifter on manual feels really nice
• Seats felt pretty comfy
• Some cool details on the high trims (like power on the dash)
• Soft top design is really good

Not so good:

• I’m not wild about how big it feels (like it might not go some places a Jeep would go)
• Interior materials did not impress me generally (I think our Jeep’s interior is nicer)
• Specifically, MGV felt much cheaper to me than I expected
• “Leather” wrapped steering wheel feels super cheap, like not even good pleather.
• Just does not feel like a $50k vehicle (and the two there were probably that or more)

I took a few pics of things I didn’t remember seeing pics of like the power outlet and accessory mount on the dash and the inductive phone charger. The dealership was super nice and the Bronco is definitely a cool vehicle. Seeing these reaffirmed that for me, the base Squatch is the way to go (someday when manual is available). I liked both colors. I think I’m leaning iconic silver for a base and it was nice. The AMB looked great too, better than I expected.

A couple of points on this:

• Agree with you completely and had assumed Bronco steering wheel would be cheap leather. The leather steering wheel on Ranger is also an extremely cheep and horrible imitation of what leather should look/feel like. Expect if that bothers you, you will be spending $100 on a proper wheel wrap and re-doing it.
• Interesting you felt MGV was "cheap". It doesn't feel like leather (which it doesn't pretend to be), but felt exactly like a quality MGV IMHO.
• Interesting you felt Jeep materials were higher grade. I have not felt a current generation Jeep, but a neighbor has some sort of jeep and that thing feels roached out with Chernobyl-grade plastics and switchgear from Home Depot (sorry, to me all 9 generations of nearly identical Jeeps, I can't tell them apart). She bought it new within the past 7-8 years)
• A quick reminder again, again, here in the year 2021, a $50,000 transaction-price vehicle is not anywhere near what the average person is equating it to. In fact, Bronco prices haven't really moved since 1980.....
  • Below i've adjusted each generation for inflation. This part of your argument just doesn't hold water. Sorry.

From the thread: https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...n-styling-performance-size-price.11209/page-5

It absolutely blows my mind that the Bronco is as cheap as it is. The increased safety content, technology and engineering prowess put into the 6th generation is unbelievable compared to any other generation, and at a price that compares to 1980 pricing.

For the folks complaining about how expensive Bronco is, the inflation-adjusted base price in today's dollars for each generation is listed below. One can also infer that as you go up trim level and add content, the prices will continue to climb. For every dope on here who spouts off something along the lines of "If they are going to get me to buy a $50K Bronco, it better darn well do (insert outlandish claim here)", I think of these prices, and how utterly stupid arguments are that somehow $50K in 2020 (or 2022 ) is somehow an astronomically expensive vehicle.


1st gen:

2nd Gen:

3rd Gen:

4th gen:

5th Gen:

6th Gen:

 

[Rcarpen22]

What I like most about this thread is there are several people in here who do not share the same views or opinions but yet somehow we are all able to talk back and forth in a civil and intelligent manner.
It is also a breath of fresh air to see reasoning behind statement.
OP doesn't just walk in and say "interior is trash and looks like it came out of a Dodge Omni." and sits back.
Points are given and talked about as to why.
Counterpoints given and talked about as to why.
I'm lovin' it.

I totally agree. That’s rare on a forum. There is really only one totally unnecessary and douchey comment in this whole thread. Also, even though I am underwhelmed by the interior quality, I’m still going to order my BaseManSquatch. I get that it’s a $30k vehicle that can be optioned up. My point is that I don’t value the options at the price Ford has set on them, so I will just take the base, which I think is a great deal. I’ll have to add heated seat covers I guess, but that’s fine. If the base offered an optional rear locker (or even a limited slip), I would have to think twice about Squatch. I do hope 2022 brings some better color options for base. I want something bright, like cyber orange or race red, neither of which are available on base models. Otherwise, it will be iconic silver.

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