TFL: 2021 Bronco vs Wrangler vs Defender - Off-Road Trail Comparison Video

[BroncoBoy22]

4WD 24-7 is the best off-roading channel on YouTube if you ask me!

Thanks! Will add to the list!

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[Thane]

An RTI measurement is not actual trail performance, just one metric. Advanced traction systems don't pick lines for you. You have to factor in the driver and trail conditions, only running the trail does this. Experienced driver with high RTI is formidable. Low experience with traction aids is cringe inducing.

You can't buy trail experience, as TFL demonstrates with each video.

 

[TimboSlice]

In Australia they have a saying that goes something like, if you want to go into the bush take a Land Rover, if you want to come back, take a Land Cruiser.

Hopefully Ford will continue to work through the early glitches and we can add “take a Bronco” to the end of that saying here in the USA.

 

[WuNgUn]

Neither will it in your OEM 25mm tire clearance right?

Huh?

 

[Aaonter]

Pretty damn good for an IFS if you ask me. As a former Tacoma guy I’m stoked. I’ve also driven this trail so I get it. It changes from season the season but per my memory the hardest spot is that big Boulder right at the start. After that spot there’s no need for lockers. My buddies 4Runner made it through just fine with open diffs. (Both vehicles were lifted on 34’s & fully armored)

Yeah for an IFS it is pretty good. Something I would just keep it that way out of the box. Unbolting the front sway bar on my old RZR makes a huge difference.

 

[Daktari]

great video, pretty neat trail. I was expecting (hoping?) for the Defender to be left overnight, just an ugly plasticy rig to me, something designed for Ken in the next Toy Story movie. I just don't get the design at all, would not want one for free if I had to keep and drive it. Simply not for me, just like that cyber truck abomination.

Rest confirms to me that I made the right choice with the Bronco. Love the Wrangler too, it just has some little things that would bug me, not bad enough not to buy one and if it wasn't for Covid I'd have one for over a year now, but I'm glad the Bronco seems to have fixed those little irritations. Like no stupid "sports" bar, good steering, and no rain gutter pouring water into the cabin, just little things like that. I could have lived with them, but now I don't have to. So I won't.

I like the look of the Bronco a bit better now, a bit more modern, but would be happy with a Wrangler too. Don't care about a bit more of articulation and if that 1cm less uptravel on my Badsquatch EVER makes a difference and I get stuck on a trail, you can have my Bronco for free. With front and rear lockers and the trails I will attempt, it will never ever even come into play, let alone leave me stranded. And I don't care about silly photos of driving up some ramp to "flex" in front of others, LOL. Since I have to pay for it, I'm going with the less annoying and more modern version of a super capable 4x4.

If I lived close to trails, I'm sure I'd have a Rubicon in my driveway and would not even be here, I'd be on the trails. But any trails is hours away from me, so a nice ride on road wins, as that is also what I'll be driving on mostly, can't run to the mountains every weekend.

 

[Td66]

As I was corrected above, it's actually more like $0.002.

But anyway, I'm curious what your favourite source for video 4x4 content is.

1 million views= $2000, not bad.

 

[Bronconheimer]

The recurring theme I've noticed when watching these TFL videos is that each driver has a bias that revolves around which particular vehicle they are personally in on that particular day. It's kinda funny and it makes the videos entertaining but it also makes it hard to take them seriously when they announce their votes at the end.

 

[Aaonter]

great video, pretty neat trail. I was expecting (hoping?) for the Defender to be left overnight, just an ugly plasticy rig to me, something designed for Ken in the next Toy Story movie. I just don't get the design at all, would not want one for free if I had to keep and drive it. Simply not for me, just like that cyber truck abomination.

Rest confirms to me that I made the right choice with the Bronco. Love the Wrangler too, it just has some little things that would bug me, not bad enough not to buy one and if it wasn't for Covid I'd have one for over a year now, but I'm glad the Bronco seems to have fixed those little irritations. Like no stupid "sports" bar, good steering, and no rain gutter pouring water into the cabin, just little things like that. I could have lived with them, but now I don't have to. So I won't.

I like the look of the Bronco a bit better now, a bit more modern, but would be happy with a Wrangler too. Don't care about a bit more of articulation and if that 1cm less uptravel on my Badsquatch EVER makes a difference and I get stuck on a trail, you can have my Bronco for free. With front and rear lockers and the trails I will attempt, it will never ever even come into play, let alone leave me stranded. And I don't care about silly photos of driving up some ramp to "flex" in front of others, LOL. Since I have to pay for it, I'm going with the less annoying and more modern version of a super capable 4x4.

If I lived close to trails, I'm sure I'd have a Rubicon in my driveway and would not even be here, I'd be on the trails. But any trails is hours away from me, so a nice ride on road wins, as that is also what I'll be driving on mostly, can't run to the mountains every weekend.

100%. It is awesome having a choice per what you need. Once the 4runner is updated it will have the almost perfect off road buffet lineup. Only thing missing is a small car type long travel desert runner. Something the new Beatle should have been. Subaru are more a forest service road. I think the sound bar is actually better. Better for sound right on top of the drivers head and putting the bar back will block large things you want to carry. Not really sure why they made that choice. Also having the bars above your head will protect from a protruding rock during a roll from crushing your skull. Between the already complaints of the stereo and possible safety issues I do not think For thought that through.

 

[Theherofails]

Ground clearance > articulation..

Super confused on why everyone is so focused on one but not the other.

The Bronco may not have flexed as much (debated) but it maintained its composure and scraped far less.

I’ll take the greater ground clearance and a few less points on the RTI. Extreme Recon will be the real contender.

If you’re running on rocks where the full articulation actually matters, you’re in a custom rock crawler or running after market suspension anyways.

The Bronco did get caught up on the rear shock mount, but that wasn’t the best line to begin with. With that said, that rear shock mount does seem to hang down quite low.

 

[ICUGAZN]

I got four things out of this video:

1) When we laugh at the 20" mall crawler wheels, there is a reason

2) I am not buying a Range Rover Defender mall crawler. The 90 looks cool-ish, and can tow way more, but it clearly is off-road in legacy only. The wine and cheese, steeplechase crowd have ruined it.

3) We all need 4WP's armor for that lower control arm mount and probably the rear lower shock mounts too.

4) While I am waiting for the Bronco to get scheduled, get a top, etc., I need to take a serious look at a 4xE. I've driven a JT, but not a JL, and I need to look again at the JL. Extreme Recon puts it about where my JK is, and will make it that much better.

Do you have a link to that armor you mentioned? Thanks.

 

[Dads_bronze_bronco]

Do you have a link to that armor you mentioned? Thanks.

They (4WP) mentioned in a video they had feedback from Ford engineers after the Rubicon and Moab tests last year. Not sure if it is for sale yet.

 

[Aaonter]

Ground clearance > articulation..

Super confused on why everyone is so focused on one but not the other.

The Bronco may not have flexed as much (debated) but it maintained its composure and scraped far less.

I’ll take the greater ground clearance and a few less points on the RTI. Extreme Recon will be the real contender.

If you’re running on rocks where the full articulation actually matters, you’re in a custom rock crawler or running after market suspension anyways.

The Bronco did get caught up on the rear shock mount, but that wasn’t the best line to begin with. With that said, that rear shock mount does seem to hang down quite low.

Yeah it was the control arm mount but you really do want that to be horizontal with the rear axle. I do not find that as much of an issue. There are trade offs to everything. Articulation gives you a better planted feel important on exposed trails. Ground clearance is super important but so is low CG. For the most part the easiest one to fix is ground clearance. Bigger tires. Jeep never really cared about that and I would venture to guess it was because they need to keep MPGs up for regulations. Now that they have Hybrids that is seriously freed up. They always made it easy to fitter bigger. You can run 35s stock and wheel with the correct backspace and do the fender split. I feel the Recon package is kind of crap and just a quick fix to the numbers game. Most just lift their Jeeps anyway. This test was run as equipped and fuels that push. The jeep will be far superiors if that is your metric. 4" lift or more is available, cheap and easy. That is the charm of solid axle. The real difference is ride quality at stock on road and light trail. That is why I would pick the Bronco for overlanding for sure. trail build you cannot go wrong with the wrangler. Rigs ( overland or crawler) are built, not bought. And it is not dedate but true fact. Wrangler articulate better. I will put money on it. Will you help me pay for my lift?

 

[BroncoT]

1. The Badlands on 33s might cut the difference in articulation, but Wrangler is going to still win. I mean, that wasn’t close.

2. The #1 sacrifice of IFS is articulation. Rock crawling is the activity where that matters most. Even a push on a course like this is good news for the Bronco.

3. IFS is going to be better in pretty much every other application, like Baja. Better on road. Better off at high speeds.

either way, great video.

 

[rkj__]

1 million views= $2000, not bad.

But not that good though.
Think of all the costs.
Depreciation of the Bronco & Defender
Insurance and fuel for the Bronco & Defender. Fuel for the Jeep.
Wages for three presenters.
Wages for editor.
Expenses for office space.
Camera / computer equipment.
The list goes on.
And, most videos won’t get near a million views.

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