Subaru Outback Wilderness vs Ford Bronco Base

[Jdc]

I love my bronco but I bought it as a fun car. I only commute to work a couple of days a week and my job is only 15 minutes away, about 25 with traffic. It seems like you're torn because you need something practical. Just my opinion, but I'd say save the money and get the Subaru. If in a few years you have some extra dough burning a hole in your pocket, get a bronco.

Anecdote time, I was visiting my parents not too long ago and a friendly neighbor was checking out my bronco. He has a fairly new fullsize pickup but my mom asked him why doesn't he just buy a bronco, and he replied with I like it but I need a work truck.

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[prospectfour]

That my friend is a great suggestion. I keep circling back to Ridgelines. But I always get turned off to them for one reason or another. Styling, price vs value, dated tech, etc..... But yes, would be a better option.

The Gen1 Ridgeline styling has held up pretty well IMO. The current generation is an absolute abomination. I don’t want my truck looking like a Honda Pilot…

 

[Fly]

Can you expand on the Subaru being better in snow? Is it because of the full time AWD vs the shift required in the Bronco?

 

[JerryC]

Have you cross shopped Bronco Sport? I know it gets a lot of hate here but they are good little SUV's. Especially the BadLands model.

Will go anywhere the Subie will, with similar ride and mpg. I think the Bronco Sport Badlsnds has a much better AWD system.

I had one as a placeholder until I got my Bronco. I highly recommend them.

 

[KinglouietheIII]

Just to let everyone know what I ended up doing. On a whim, I found a 2022 Honda Ridgeline with 2k miles on it. The unit was priced $6k under sticker.

Me and the wife went out to look at it, ready to not like it and write it off as an option. After a one-hour test drive, and 4 hours at the dealer, we drove it home. Even being a 2022 the tech is slightly dated but works very well with all the functions I would be looking for. I do slightly like the interior of the outback better, but over the Bronco, it's night and day better.

The plan now is to buy a used Bronco in a few years. At this point, I'll be able to fully use it as a toy, and not rely on it for a daily and work vehicle. Hopefully, I'm around in a few years

Funny thing, the poll attached to this thread heavily suggested buying the Bronco. Makes sense being a Bronco forum. I asked this same question and poll on the Subaru Outback forums. Same outcome with the poll!!! Overwhelming people voted Bronco

Thank you for everyone's input!

 

[Gotdesl]

I think you made the best choice for your current situation. Reading 3 pages to end up here, the whole time I was worried that the Bronco would end up not being a really good for your use case and you would end up regretting the Bronco purchase. Wait until you can put it to use as it was intended, a fun off-road vehicle. Your plan to do just that will pay off long-term in that you will have the capable vehicle you need for work, and in short order will have the fun offroader for exploring places the Subaru or Honda could never get you. Besides some surface similarities, you were looking at two very different vehicles. IMO, you did well and I think you will love both for what each are and aren't.

 

[Newdoc]

It really depends on what "value" is. The Bronco will retain its value much better than the Outback. For a Denver daily driver such as yourself, the Outback is definitely the better value choice. Better fuel economy, comfort, etc. I will daily the Bronco but I drive less than 20 miles per day and we have a sedan for road trips. I would not daily the Bronco for a long commute or for a lot of road trips unless a destination for off road adventures.

Reliability is yet to be truly comparable until we get more actual data than people on this forum who report their problems in a collective manner.

People cross shop the Bronco with vehicles that make the comparison apples to oranges. The Outback is more comparative to a mid-size SUV crossover but is has better bad trail and weather capability than most SUVs. It fits needs more than a want and that is likely a better financial choice for many.

 

[Silver-Bolt]

Look at a Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma as well.

 

[MudMonsterRacin]

I'd keep the Subaru u already have as a work beater and get thew bronco for your weekend/ fun haver. Thats my setup and its great. I have a 2013 focus as my work car.

 

[KinglouietheIII]

I'd keep the Subaru u already have as a work beater and get thew bronco for your weekend/ fun haver. Thats my setup and its great. I have a 2013 focus as my work car.

This was the original plan. But at 136k miles, this Subaru just seems to be falling apart. It was great up until 100k.

 

[Newdoc]

There's a Youtube guy who slightly modified a Passport and that thing is very adept offroad. Lots of people are very impressed with Honda's AWD systems in the Pilot, Passport, Ridgeline. The recently redesigned Pilot is no Bronco but Honda has moved the needle to more off-road capability.

 

[Jonny Bronco]

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