Seat Position and Visibility Disappointment

[North7]

Must of forgot to bring the seat adjusters with you.

Sponsored

 

[shoelessjoe]

I'm 5' tall and concerned about front visibility. Will be test driving a Bronco tomorrow. Being able to see the hood is kinda important.

You will be able to see the hood just fine.

 

[Streetfish]

But here was my big takeaway and I don't know how many people this applies to or that can relate. The driver position and the visibility are kinda gross. It is a lot like a car. It feels a lot more like my mdx than my f250. And maybe that is by design. Maybe that's what the original was like. I don't know/remember.

I know this is a Jeep-killer and maybe this is what it's like in the Jeep. I'm coming from Defenders (not the new monstrosity) and I am used to sitting upright and seeing everything, everywhere. In the bronco, you are somewhat reclined and your legs are out in front of you. Your seated position is low and the windows are short. It doesn't feel like cockpit I'm used to being in when on-trail.

Land Rovers are sort of known for their seating position and visibility. I can understand why you would feel like the bronco is a step down (though I had no issue when i sat in the bronco myself). My 2011 Range Rover Sport had the best visibility/seating position of any other car i have ever owned. the bronco's wide flat hood, and large B pillars are going to cause some issues in the visibility dept...personally glad I got the 360 camera system. The trail sights do also help

 

[BC33]

Test drove a Big Bend Sas yesterday at my local dealer. Disappointed for a few reasons.

Some of the stuff has been beat to death, but I'll list anyway, because I noticed.
sound system: sucks
interface on 12" screen: weak (compared to 2021 Sienna)
Driveability: 10/10
Off-road capabilities: N/A

Ground clearance on the sasquatch wasn't enough for me. No tape measure; just looking under the front end. I'll be lifting my non-sas Badlands and 35s on day 1.

The steps were nice. I'll need a slider/step solution.

But here was my big takeaway and I don't know how many people this applies to or that can relate. The driver position and the visibility are kinda gross. It is a lot like a car. It feels a lot more like my mdx than my f250. And maybe that is by design. Maybe that's what the original was like. I don't know/remember.

I know this is a Jeep-killer and maybe this is what it's like in the Jeep. I'm coming from Defenders (not the new monstrosity) and I am used to sitting upright and seeing everything, everywhere. In the bronco, you are somewhat reclined and your legs are out in front of you. Your seated position is low and the windows are short. It doesn't feel like cockpit I'm used to being in when on-trail.

I didn't get to wheel this thing off-raod (obviously), but that might alleviate a lot of concern. It is funny, my wife is more fired up after driving it and I am way less.

Other notes:
This rig was carbonized gray and that color was blah. -sorry, carbonized gray fans.

This was the 2.7 with 10AT. I'm getting a 2.3 with 7MT so I didn't pay too much attention to the power output. But for the people complaining that this is weak, I didn't find that at all. This had tons of pep. Drops down 3 gears in an instant and accelerates a lot faster than expected. Power seems great.

Doors-off, roof-off open air is the best I have ever seen. My wife loved this thing more than anything I can remember in recent history, and she's not a car nut. She's been driving a minivan for 18 years. But come to think of it, when I met her, she had a wrangler with no doors and a bikini top. -I'm a bad husband.

Maybe a 2.5" lift, tires, roof off and on trail and I'll have a better experience. Right now, I know it's great on the road, but I don't care about that.

I drove a BB in Narragansett yesterday. It had the 2.3 and there was plenty of power. At first I assumed it was the 2.7 until I saw the window sticker. The seat is a 6 way manual so you actually have to pump up the seat with one of the levers to get it to go up. I have a wrangler so as to the ride, your right, it drives more like a car. The one I drove was exactly like my build. BB 4D 2.3 Sas soft. I can’t wait until mine comes in! Btw, I think my wife was more excited then I was too!

 

[Butzy]

I would not be buying a vehicle that is so disappointing.....

 

[tyrobronco]

There is no universal experience.

For me, I've 0 experience driving an off-road vehicle. I've driven work trucks, pick-up trucks, sports cars, race cars - but nothing off-road.

So when I went to the Off-Roadeo, I was nervous.

But getting to drive both a Badlands and a Base Sasquatch, through what I would say is a level 5/6 off road terrain, I could not be happier.

Visibility was great for me - so much so I rarely considered using the 12 inch screen in the BL and loved driving the Base without the cameras. Seating was comfy and fantastic and I loved how high I could move the seat (I'm 5'9").

Now I admit, I can drive my "feel" - meaning I "know" where my corners are on my vehicles - because my wife felt there was better visibility for her in the Wrangler we rented for 2 days after the Off-Rodeo, but I couldn't really tell the difference.

I mean, I could see a bit more road because the Jeep has a pinched front end but that didn't help with the tire placement for me.

Again, I was impressed how well I could do, being a Floridian whose biggest hills we have here are speed humps.

 

[ZackDanger]

Have we considered that perhaps OP drove a Sport?

 

[Commodore]

Can you get the 12" on a BB?

Nope, You get those with testosterone shots...

 

[hotrodtim]

Today my wife and I had the opportunity to take a newly arrived Wildtrack 4 door soft top demo at the dealer for a test drive. The first thing that was obvious to climbing in is the short vertical windshield. After driving our new Expedition and our F 150 it truly becomes a very noticeable difference in looking out to the road, and takes getting used to. But then again I accept the fact that this truck has a purpose; with that said we are not complaining and waiting patiently for our order. Wildtrack 2 dr. We were truly impressed with the sure footed/stable ride .

 

[hotrodtim]

SORRY FOR THE SIDEWAYS IMAGE.

 

[Stitches1974]

SORRY FOR THE SIDEWAYS IMAGE.

Sideways pic, no problem. Yellow text, that's the real issue.

 

[hotrodtim]

Sideways pic, no problem. Yellow text, that's the real issue.

GOT YOUR ATTENTION !

 

[hotrodtim]

HEY STITCHES, WHAT DO YOU HAVE ON ORDER?

 

[timhood]

The driver position and the visibility are kinda gross.

...I am used to sitting upright and seeing everything, everywhere. In the bronco, you are somewhat reclined and your legs are out in front of you. Your seated position is low and the windows are short. It doesn't feel like cockpit I'm used to being in when on-trail.

I'm not piling on here, but it seems like you prefer a specific kind of driving experience. More like driving a bus, where you sit on a chair in front of a huge piece of glass. I'm assuming you bothered to take a minute to adjust the seat until if felt comfortable and in-position. I don't know of any modern vehicles offering the dining room chair driving experience.

 

[stuckinohio]

I'm disappointed in the comfort overall compared to my F150. It seemed more narrow for my big shoulders...

I am wondering if you were sitting in a 4 door or 2 door Bronco. I found the 2 door to be much roomier than the 4 door for shoulder room. I'm 6'3" tall and over 300 pounds. In the 2 door, my left arm/shoulder doesn't touch the door pillar. Even with the seat all the way back. In the 4 door, my arm/shoulder touches the pillar. I think the doors on the 2 door are longer than the doors on the 4 door, so the pillar is farther back on the 2 door. It makes a HUGE difference for big people.

As far as the OP's view/seating position observation, I found the Bronco to be a ton better than my JL Wrangler. In the Wrangler, the seats don't go back far enough or drop low enough and the windshield height or angle are counter-intuitive for me to see items in the air like traffic lights. Most of my height is in my torso rather than my legs. I often had to lean forward and look up to see traffic lights. The Bronco is awesome and I don't have any similar problems. The seat also goes much farther back and drops much lower.

The above points are what made me sell my Wrangler and look at the Bronco's!

Sponsored