Ford rolled out the sliding tailgate in Jan. Extremely sturdy and it's said to make the cargo area 100% level with the seats folded down.
It wasn’t as much of an issue with almost no wind under let’s say 10 mph. Once it starts kicking up you def hear it. It’s pretty bad especially when you have strong cross winds for multiple hours on a trip.
My MIC top is louder than my F150 was, but nowhere near as noisey as the OP describes with his soft top. He should try a hard top before he makes guesses about the hard top not being any quieter than the soft top. Also, Besttop twill is said to be quieter than the OEM top, which is much cheaper. A test would be good.
I live in Oklahoma. When he said driving in constant 30mph winds, he's not exaggerating. I haven't hit 16 in my wildtrak yet. I'm looking forward to some non windy days.I average close to 16 on the highway running 37s, what’re you doing
Your MPG reports are consistent with my observations from my experience and reports here. My 2.7 non-sas OBX has averaged 20mpg over 8752 miles with 4.27 axles and 32" tires. Sasquatch vehicles reported on this site are averaging 3-4 mpg worse, likely due to the low 4.7 axles, and the large tires. Also, this is not an efficient 80mph highway vehicle, clearly a function of the low gearing & high rpm at speed. I can easily manage 23mpg on a 65mpg state highway trip. At 79 on the interstate, I'm lucky to get 20mpg.First, I want to say how great the Bronco was to have during this long journey through Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and our final destination Colorado. It was my Wife, small 10 pound Dachshund, and I on this trip. I’ll lay out some pro’s and cons that I have experienced which I hope @Ford Motor Company will fix at a later time. I did post a video of Schnebly Hill - Completed Schnebly Hill Trail - Ford Bronco Black Diamond - 4x4 Offroad - YouTube . My first go at making a video so please excuse the footage quality.
Looking back I would rather have the Badlands with 33's, better MPG, sway bar, hardtop, and high package than a fully loaded BD. But overall the Bronco held up like a champ and its been a great purchase.
- This truck handles like a champ. Yes, it’s big, boxy, and when going through North Texas where winds are kicking 30 mph consistently you will get blown around in this vehicle. Regardless, it handles 100 times better than my 2 door Wrangler ever did.
- The soft top is ridiculously loud, and I know people have said otherwise, but I really must disagree. My wife and I had beats headphones on with noise cancellation to drown it out at even 70 mph speeds. I don’t think the hard top will really help either in this regard. I wish there was some way alleviate the noise.
- The 2 of us including our dog slept in the back of the Bronco both at Houston Mesa Campground and Grand Canyon National Park. Honestly it was perfectly fine with no issues. We fit a full-size blow-up mattress in the back. Anyone over 5”9 will probably have issues. We did have to put something under the mattress to flatten it because the bottom is uneven. If there is an aftermarket fix for this, I would totally buy it.
- Before leaving, I was able to get the Bronco Tailgate Table. Great purchase, sturdy and made zero noise. Was happy with the Ford install. I know others have said it rattles but I had no issues on almost 2900 miles across the country. I also received the portable fridge from Ford and it was perfect for this trip.
- I was glad I purchased the IAG soft top assist. It was great to have when I had to constantly open the back of the truck when camping.
- Yes I know I’m going to get flak for this…..the MPG is HORRIFIC. More so on the highway than on roads. I know I know I bought a Bronco but yes this is the 21st century. I averaged about 13-15 on highway in ECO mode half the time and Normal to test it out. The only time I saw a difference was when I was in the mountains and got 19-22. Having to stop every 250 miles for gas is a problem. The Bronco really needs a bigger tank if its only going to get 14 MPG on the highway.
- The MGV is great! I washed the truck today to get all the mud, dirt, and sand off. Being able to quickly vacuum the interior was great. My only suggestion is I wish Ford had an option for cooled seats. Long car rides = lots of sweat.
- Rock Chips!!!!! Every time I left the pavement and went to dirt trails like in Colorado to the cabin, I always flung rocks. When I washed the truck today I had so many dings from rocks flying up from the SAS tires. Mud flaps are a must even though I'm not a fan of the look I will be purchasing them. I will also be looking into the deflector for the hood because this thing is a bug magnet.
- The plastic is very cheaply made. After one long trip I have scratches everywhere that's impossible to buff out. Better quality here would go a long way especially on a 50k vehicle.
- If I had to purchase my ride all over again, I can’t overstate how much I wish I had the 12 inch screen. Trying to switch to Apple Carplay for navigation to XM radio is an annoyance I wouldn’t have had with the larger screen.
- I did Schnebly Hill Trail we didn’t have time for Soldiers Pass but it handled like a champ. Honestly, I received much love from Jeep owners on the Trail. I uploaded a quick video to YouTube that shows the trail. First time making a video and I know the quality aint the best.
I appreciate the feedback, and you're correct I should not make assumptions that the hard top is not quieter. I was inferring from the various reports and videos I've seen on them, but I have not personally driven one. As it stands right now, I would not recommend the soft top at all. It's not worth the added convenience of taking the top down during the spring-fall.
I'd love to see a comparison report if you upgrade to one of the Besttop soft tops, if its quieter and better than the OEM. I held out for the MIC, and luckily got one. I'm aware that those with negative MIC experience are prominent on 6G, but I'm quite pleased with mine. My ideal would have been a "dual-top", and I may yet buy an OEM softtop for part of the year, but in SC, which part of the year? So far, my research shows that its not easy to switch back and forth between a MIC and a Besttop, partly due to extra mounting hardware. A MIC and an OEM softtop are more compatible, I believe.
if you hunt for it, someone did a pretty good comparison of the besttop and the OEM. Besttop was louder by ~1dB
Looking forward to some decibel readings!
