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BuzzyBud

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Today I spent over 90 minutes examining and test driving a 2021 Bronco 2-door Outer Banks. My journey to owning a Bronco is structured around a series of events which give me data for decision making. I know, sounds way too analytical and you are correct. Despite my best efforts to stay objective, waves of shear joy crash over me during events like this and today was no different.

We all know the waiting for our Broncos with no known day/month/year of arrival is excruciatingly difficult. The human spirit needs moments of "Bronco Joy" the way a starving person needs food. If possible, find a Bronco or multiple Broncos to test drive. I guarantee you will enjoy the process.

I had the great pleasure of examining a Bronco and test driving it with no one looking over my shoulder. I was given limitless time but kept myself to approximately 90 minutes due to my own sensory overload.

I tried four of the GOAT modes and had a favorite. I programmed the navigation system to test the functionality and used it to return to the dealership. I operated the digital cluster to better understand the intuitive design and loved the use of color for each GOAT mode. I blasted the music and put the windows down and up to understand the effect. I watched the puny rear wiper blade clear the rain drops off the rear window. I experienced the shear joy of backing up while viewing the 12” monitor. On and on and on with no limits on my exploration.

I will say, I went into this process with my list but quickly decided to just have fun. Lots of fun! Although it was wonderful, I did have an important objective. How would I feel owning/driving a 2-door? To answer that question, I needed to observe many individual items/actions. I was attempting to determine through direct observation if I felt the way one feels when wearing their most favorite pair of jeans. Yes, that is how I felt today!

Go find a Bronco and have fun! Happy to answer any questions.

UPDATES / ANSWERS:

It might be helpful if I highlighted my top three favorite and unexpected features during the test drive.

I absolutely loved how the 2-door felt nimble and maneuverable in the extreme. This is a FUN vehicle.

My F150 rides like a limousine (soft) yet the shocks and suspension cause you to lose fillings in your teeth over potholes. I was literally blow away by how you get the best of both worlds in a Bronco. It gives you just enough road felt and yet the pothole jarring is removed. I traveled the exact same roads in both vehicles to compare the results. All this in a 2-door! Geniuses designed this vehicle.

Also, you need to experience the 12” monitor to genuinely appreciate the image. It will knock your socks off.

I could go on and on, but there you have my top three.

I was debating if a Bronco is worth waiting for until 2022. Absolutely!!


Mirror whistle? Or ANY whistle for that matter?
None that I noticed. Of course, I was thoroughly testing the stereo and the verbal commands via the navigation system. Compared to my Sync 3 in the F150, the Sync 4 appears to be much better!

Great mini essay. Thanks for posting your exuberation with all of us. I appreciated your joy and excitement over being able to drive a vehicle many of us are hoping to own one day.
Thank you! My message is the same to all. You need to find a Bronco and complete a test drive. It is an off-the-scale level of joy. Now more than ever, we all need this!

Did you drive the 4 or 6 cyl ?..
I drove the 2.7L and loved the Sport mode. Peppy!

Are you going to test drive a 4 door to see the ride and handling differences?
The 4-doors are great, but my focus will remain on the 2-door. Had the 2-door been a disappointment then my testing would have been centered on the 4-door. I absolutely loved the 2-door and could not be any happier. :)

How was ride ride with the shorter wheelbase, hoppy or bouncy?
I experienced no hoppy or bouncy effect. I love how you experience some road feel and yet the pothole jarring is absorbed by the suspension. I did not expect any of this in a 2-door.

@BuzzyBud Your photos show that it was raining. In the last photo, you are wearing a jacket with a fleece/polartec? lining. Is it cold in NH right now?

I'm interested in attending the NH Off-Roadeo location, but am concerned about the cold in October and later months. I don't own any winter clothes. I'll buy some if needed, but temps below 50 is considered winter to me.


One other question, what interior was in the OBX and what was your impression?
Yes, it was raining off and on. Not a heavy rain, but enough to require a jacket. The temperature was 60 degree, but no wind so it was OK by New England standards.
The interior was the cloth blue/gray. The floor was carpet. It looked fine, but New England has trees, rocks and mud. That interior might not like the mud if you know what I mean. ;)

Did you not like the cloth seats? I ordered them in my build. Did you take any interior pictures?
Yes, I love the design of the cloth seats in the OBX. Pic attached. Love how the front passenger seat reclines.
3BEAFD48-2400-4F08-942C-97C892C84847.jpeg



How was the comfort level of the seats?
The seats felt wonderfully supportive and that was a surprise! I am not use to cloth seats so that was hard for me to judge. My Bronco comes with MGV and I tested that at a separate event in Portsmouth, NH.

I had the same opinion of the sports mode. Now questioning my badlands choice which doesn’t have sports mode.
I plan to stay the course with my Badlands. However, I would like to test drive a Bronco with Baja mode and switch from 4H to 2L to find out if the ride is "spirited". I suspect it is since that is the approach the Raptor community use to simulate a juiced up Sport mode.

That dealer is 3 hours from me, but damn I’m desperate to see how I fit in a 2 door.
Regarding the 2-Door, I have come to understand driving one is very much a lifestyle choice. I happen to embrace a minimalist approach to life. All my gear is a carry over from my years spent camping out of a kayak. The gear is compact and light weight.

For me, less is more. That translates into more nimble, more maneuverable, more access to tight trails. I look forward to the day I navigate the switchbacks on Black Bear Pass in Colorado with ease.

Growing up I was surrounded by family members who all wanted more. More of everything. Now I have something they will never have. I have enough!

If the 2.7 was "peppy" in sport mode, it sounds like it is going to be getting a tune when I get one... LOL. Would like it to be a little more than "peppy". Was this a Sasquatch or regular OBX?
Perhaps my choice of the word "Peppy" could be improved. Since it was a test vehicle, and my first time behind the wheel of a Bronco, I was cautious. The test OBX was not Sasquatch. It appeared to have stock wheels and tires. See pics below.
OBX wheels.jpg
OBX tires.jpg



During my review and test drive I took many pictures. I will share below a few with comment. The "discoveries' were perhaps nothing new, but they added to the joy of the moment.

The 12 inch monitor has unbelievable clarity. I had great fun using it while backing up.
12 inch monitor.jpg


A was constantly switching GOAT modes and at times loss track of which mode I was currenting using. You can see in the pic below I was in Sport mode due to the "S" in the top left corner of the digital panel. What you may not pick up on is the use of color to help as well. Excellent design!
Bronco Digital Cluster.jpg

I discovered a collection of documents as well as the tool kit in the glove box. Did not study each. Perhaps next time.
Contents of Bronco Glove Box 2.jpg


I love how you can easily flip the rear seat head rests back to give you an unobstructed view out the rear window.
Rear seat head rest.jpg


We sometimes joke about the size of the rear window wiper, but it does the job just fine. Actually, I thought the visibility out the rear window was excellent and a great surprise!
Rear window view out.jpg


One aspect of a vehicle I enjoy is a comfortable place to rest your arm while the window is open or closed. This was another pleasant discovery. Love the Bronco interior door design.
Door arm rest.jpg



BuzzyBud, did you have any opinion of the front seat levers/adjustments, and access to rear seat? I'm 5'10" and the rear seat was fine for me in terms of knees and overall leg room.
Funny that you ask. I am 5”10”, 172lbs. an ocean kayaker and yoga enthusiast. I am flexible. The levers seemed fine, and the front seats moved forward with no problem. I entered the back seat area effortlessly and found the space to be more than adequate for me. Getting out was a whole different story. The running board on the OBX seemed essential. My Badlands will not have running boards and the tires will create more ground clearance. Getting out should be wildly funny! ;)





Bronco 2-Door
Ford Bronco Test Drive Produces Bronco Joy -- Review of 2-Door Bronco 2.7L in New Hampshire Bronco 2-door


My F150 parked next to the Bronco

Ford Bronco Test Drive Produces Bronco Joy -- Review of 2-Door Bronco 2.7L in New Hampshire Bronco and F150


Broncos being gathered for Northeast Off-Roadeo. Many more to follow. All Badlands 4-Door soft tops. Stunning!

Ford Bronco Test Drive Produces Bronco Joy -- Review of 2-Door Bronco 2.7L in New Hampshire Broncos for Off-Roadeo


Happy BuzzyBud Selfie

Ford Bronco Test Drive Produces Bronco Joy -- Review of 2-Door Bronco 2.7L in New Hampshire BuzzyBud Selfie
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RG7

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I enjoy the analytical bits. Very much looking forward to you getting your Bronco and figuring out each functionality — and hopefully documenting here!
 

Inrustwetrust_

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Glad you got a chance to drive one! Thanks for the informative post!
 

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NotoriousBDP

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I had not been tracking after things fell through for the first Off Roadeo in the Northeast (and had not bothered searching for an announced new location), so this is nice to know it will be held at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, NH! Seems like a beautiful locale for my here on the East Coast.
 

BroncoJay

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Favorite pair of jeans, favorite cigar or favorite scotch, all things making me want my bronco sooner rather than later....
Nice write up...
 

Ksjrb03

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I had not been tracking after things fell through for the first Off Roadeo in the Northeast (and had not bothered searching for an announced new location), so this is nice to know it will be held at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, NH! Seems like a beautiful locale for my here on the East Coast.
Im not sure that it has been announced yet lol.
 

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Hobgoblin

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Buzzy you made me laugh! Really enjoy seeing you "let your hair down" and just let 'er rip! Glad you got the chance to drive one. Thanks for sharing!
 
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Im not sure that it has been announced yet lol.
You are correct, the location has not been officially announced. Consider this "insider info" awaiting official word from Ford. However, it is fun to watch all the Broncos being gathered at Irwin Ford in Laconia, NH. They are stunning!
 

Sighlense

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Mirror whistle? Or ANY whistle for that matter?
 
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BuzzyBud

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Mirror whistle? Or ANY whistle for that matter?
None that I noticed. Of course, I was thoroughly testing the stereo and the verbal commands via the navigation system. Compared to my Sync 3 in the F150, the Sync 4 appears to be much better!
 

indio22

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We all know the waiting for our Broncos with no known day/month/year of arrival is excruciatingly difficult. The human spirit needs moments of "Bronco Joy" the way a starving person needs food. If possible, find a Bronco or multiple Broncos to test drive. I guarantee you will enjoy the process.
Agreed - this! Finally seeing earlier this week, a 2-door in person and getting a ride, was awesome. Was a nice diversion from endless threads about reservations/dealer allotments/places in line and all that malarkey. Thanks for sharing.
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