Quick Survey - Bronco or Defender?

[Skmac]

Honestly we did I saw one in person and I enjoyed it. Test drove another and it was enjoyable but i felt like i was going to baby it too much and also no removable roof.

I have been looking at the Ineos Grenadier and though im skeptical. They start at a decent price point but i would have to see a long review before im sold on one.

I’ve heard the Defender dealer shenanigans are even worse than the Bronco, no thank you

Doesn't surprise me with most "luxury" brand they always want to pretend they're exclusive. How bad is it though?

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[tsielski]

Have a 2020 Range Rover Velar and a 2022 Bronco. Agree with most of the opinions above. Now our Range Rover is the one with air suspension, and host of off road features, but honestly other than in an emergency, it isn't going off road. It's 550 hp supercharged Ford (of Europe) V8 however makes it one hell of a hoot to drive. It's an all wheel drive hot rod that handles very well and in steady highway cruising still manages 21 mpg. The Defender is a more boxy version of the Velar IMO though the supercharged V8 model is not quite as stout.
The Bronco is completely different. Still great fun to drive, and with much much better off road chops. There is no comparing the quality of materials and fit/finish between the two; Velar all the way, but that is to be expected comparing a low 6 figure vehicle to the Bronco.

 

[Fly]

Honestly we did I saw one in person and I enjoyed it. Test drove another and it was enjoyable but i felt like i was going to baby it too much and also no removable roof.

I have been looking at the Ineos Grenadier and though im skeptical. They start at a decent price point but i would have to see a long review before im sold on one.




Doesn't surprise me with most "luxury" brand they always want to pretend they're exclusive. How bad is it though?

You nailed it with the luxury stuff. Land Rover wants to promote the markups and scarcity since that’s more in line with their brand.

MSRP is very rare even when placing an order and waiting years for the build.

 

[stickshifthappy]

Here's something Defender (and almost any other vehicle) has that Bronco doesn't

Interior lights for rear seat and cargo area that come on when doors are opened. In fact the pisspoor lights in the Bronco mirror are useless as well.

The lack of good interior lighting is an issue with the Bronco. Some industrious company needs to deal with that for a good mod kit tied to one of the AUX switches.

 

[Bronc69]

I do not have my Bronco yet (11/28 build date), but considered all options before making my decision.

TBH, the first time I saw the Bronco I fell in love. Seeing them on the road solidified it for me. They have such a presence that few vehicles have. I've seen a Bronco side-by-side with a Wrangler and the Wrangler looked puny in comparison. The Bronco looks like such a bulldog.

I was intrigued by the Defender when it first came out. I went to the on-site "builder" and quickly built the Defender that I wanted. It was $87K! I then tried to pare back the items that I didn't "need" to have and it was still $78K. I am not in love with the four-door styling of the Defender either. I prefer the look of the two-door, but it's not enough room for my family. For this kind of money, it's not a fair comparison because I'd be getting a BRaptor instead. There is no comparison between the two IMHO. The BRaptor poops all over the Defender.
Yes, the Defender, for the first time in its life, is a better on-road vehicle than the Bronco.
BUT - I think the Defender lost its way. It's too polished and not rough enough around the edges. It has cutting edge technology and you need a laptop or access to the internet to fix it. The old Defender you only needed an adjustable wrench and a big hammer to fix. It's just too soft this time around for me. If I want a car that is great on the road, I'll drive my 911. A Defender can't touch it.

A better comparison would be the Ineos Grenadier. For me, this is a true spiritual successor to the Defender. It looks like a cross between a Defender and an older G-Wagon. Yes, it has the modern amenities that HAVE to be in a vehicle today, but it still embodies that rugged spirit that these vehicles claim and should be. I actually have a $500 deposit down on one. When they're released in the US, I'll decide if I trade the Bronco and get the Grenadier. More than likely, I'll be keeping the Bronco. I get email updates all the time regarding the development and testing. They're doing hundreds of thousands of miles, plus it has a BMW engine and ZF transmission, which is tried and true.

 

[skhubbard93]

Had a '95 D90. Here's how I'd compare that to my Bronco.

Superior:

• Towing capacity (5000 lbs)
• Ruggedness

Arguable:

• Appearance.

Inferior:

• Electricals
• Engine.
• Braking: worked like a turbo boost button when on wet pavement.
• Steering / handling
• Mileage (10-12 mpg was typical)
• Power / acceleration.
• Transitioning to topless (I had the soft top)

I would not consider the current Defender. I got very excited when I heard one was coming out, and then I saw the pics. In the "who wore it better?" contest, the Bronco Sport came out ahead. The new Defender is not in the same category as the Bronco.

 

[A51Asheville]

Wouldn't touch a Land Rover even if I wanted to spend excess money. After my wife worked for their customer service I learned truly how unreliable they are.

 

[prospectfour]

Let's see, 50% more money, less reliable, fixed roof... Uh, no. Never.

The combination of being over $10k more and the JLR reliability is what ultimately pushed me away from the Defender. Otherwise I think the design is pretty sweet and it’s infinitely more configurable. Examples being the optional 3 across front seat, optional 3rd row seating, retractable canvas top, air suspension and the fact it’s better on pavement where we spend most of our time.

My OBX has been great since taking delivery and has been a beast in my few off-road trips. The only hang up is those multiple hour highway road trips can be a drag.

 

[jbellousux]

An old E-type Jag is the only British product I would consider owning. Its style is classic enough that I would tolerate its British “engineering.”

My Bronco is my toy. Hopefully , it will prove to be a great and reliable daily driver for the vast number of people who buy them for that purpose. I’ve got my ‘13 Land Cruiser to fill that bill.

In its stock form, the Defender probably isn’t going to to spend much time on challenging 4X4 terrain. And like the Cayenne(which I formerly owned)

, it doesn’t make much sense to expose an expensive rig like that to the sort of rigor which could translate into $$$$ of body and/or mechanical repairs. But it will look good being driven on a muddy, sloppy road on a gentlemen’s bird hunt, kinda like a Cayenne looks good blowing through sand dunes.

 

[mrjking2000]

my brother has one, i wheeled it against my wrangler last christmas. it's not even remotely close to what the bronco or wranglers can do off the showroom floor. has some amazing technology and traction control that gets it through the terrain, but the bronco will win all day every day.

 

[MnLakeBum]

Here in the US, the Defender is very much a small niche vehicle compared to the mass produced Bronco.

Their sales were way up in 2021 but still only at 19,080 for the year. This year they will be down from that number.

 

[Headsong]

The combination of being over $10k more and the JLR reliability is what ultimately pushed me away from the Defender. Otherwise I think the design is pretty sweet and it’s infinitely more configurable. Examples being the optional 3 across front seat, optional 3rd row seating, retractable canvas top, air suspension and the fact it’s better on pavement where we spend most of our time.

My OBX has been great since taking delivery and has been a beast in my few off-road trips. The only hang up is those multiple hour highway road trips can be a drag.

Multiple hour highway trips indeed! The noise becomes deafening and wearying.... Wondering about our annual 12 hour drive to s. Dakota in the spring.... 5 to the nort woods is pretty tough.

 

[BroncoAZ]

i have both so I think I am qualified to answer.

Defender: by far the more comfortable car. Quality of interior, comfort of seats, heated/cooled seats, rear a/c vents, interior space, all much better. (someone said the defender had less space... ahhh, no. the defender is huge. For daily driving, family vacation duty, road trips and such the defender wins hands down. If my kids had to sit in the back seats, defender would win 100% of time.

I have had the defender off road, dirt roads, washboards, up to about level 3. It does fine, could handle more but this is not the trucks primary mission.

Bronco: wins the cool factor, doors off, top down and such. Definitely more capable off road, if only because it comes more capable from the factory, with the tire/wheel sizes and the overall clearance angles.

for sure you can upgrade the defender to be as capable as the bronco off road but ultimately the trucks have different missions. the defender is no longer a hardcore off road vehicle. it is a cool looking comfortable daily driver. so if you want daily comfort, the defender. if you want a cooler overall truck bronco.

thats the 60 second breakdown.

I said the Defender interior felt small in the driver’s seat for a big guy. In my personal experience sitting in a new D110 on the showroom floor, the driver’s seat space is much tighter than a Bronco to my body. For a guy who is 5’10” and 170# the difference wouldn’t be as noticeable. I also said the rear door was very narrow, look at the picture. I do like the flat floor and plastic on the back of the rear seats of the Defender.

The Defender is much more expensive. My 2 door Badlands with manual trans, high package, tow package was $47K, the Defender with the base 2.0L engine in a similar trim with towing capability is $64K. Service at a Land Rover dealer is also significantly more expensive. I will point out that the Defender has a much higher tow rating, enough to tow my boat which my Bronco won’t do.

I do believe the Defender in the correct trim is more capable than most people realize.

 

[lewishamilton]

Defender is a great looking car and I did covet it but Bronco with top off was a clear winner for me.

May I ask what wheel is that? Looks awesome!

 

[Wannabe Techie]

May I ask what wheel is that? Looks awesome!

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/broncy-mcbroncface-build.49379/
Thanks.
more pics. Fuel Shoks.

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