QOTD: Worthy of the Hype?

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

It’s time to render a verdict, fair jurors.

You’ve now seen the Ford Bronco from every angle, in every guise, and probably spend part of your evening figuring out just what you could afford (sorry, Canadians — the entry-level Base tops $40k in your overpriced country; it’s $28,500 before destination in the U.S.). Ford clearly put a lot of effort into its swing.

Was it a miss, or did the Blue Oval knock it out of the park?

It’s rare to witness online journalists pledge their scarce dollars on a new vehicle, but that’s what some were seen doing last night. It says something about the Bronco’s appeal. There’s a vast array of goodies to be had in the returning model, and a lot of the vehicle’s charm lies in just how basic the Bronco can get — while remaining perfectly capable.

I’ll admit that my own cynical self, annoyed by the megaton of buzz and anticipatory hype foisted upon this returning nameplate, came away quite enamored by the Bronco. That said, it’ll be interesting to see whether the model has staying power in its fight against the long-running Jeep Wrangler. After that initial first year, after the early enthusiasm dies down, who knows where the volume will go.

It at least looks like it stands a chance — there’s just too much going for it. And the build configurations! There’s actually choice to be had here.

So, rather than go on and on about what I like about it, get typing, B&B. Ford aimed to bring back a retro, heritage-steeped model to take on an a rugged rival. Did it meet your expectations, surpass them, or fall short of the mark?

[Images: Ford]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Kkop Kkop on Jul 14, 2020

    I am impressed. Loos like they got it right. Really liking the base model two door with the manual transmission. V-6 would be better, but I'll compromise :-) Might trade one of our trucks in on it - in time, after the markups have been removed of course.

  • Pig_Iron Pig_Iron on Jul 15, 2020

    Don't buy a year 1 vehicle. It wouldn't have been delayed this long unless there were development problems.

    • Lou_BC Lou_BC on Jul 15, 2020

      I guess that Chyna virus had nothing to do with it? BTW, Ford owns Brazilian Troller. They already had a turn key Jeep fighter in the wings. This is a big thing for Ford. They needed to get it right. I do agree that any 1st year vehicle is a risk but that applies to even a new generation of a long running model.

  • Jkross22 Their bet to just buy an existing platform from GM rather than build it from the ground up seems like a smart move. Building an infrastructure for EVs at this point doesn't seem like a wise choice. Perhaps they'll slow walk the development hoping that the tides change over the next 5 years. They'll probably need a longer time horizon than that.
  • Lou_BC Hard pass
  • TheEndlessEnigma These cars were bought and hooned. This is a bomb waiting to go off in an owner's driveway.
  • Kwik_Shift_Pro4X Thankfully I don't have to deal with GDI issues in my Frontier. These cleaners should do well for me if I win.
  • Theflyersfan Serious answer time...Honda used to stand for excellence in auto engineering. Their first main claim to fame was the CVCC (we don't need a catalytic converter!) engine and it sent from there. Their suspensions, their VTEC engines, slick manual transmissions, even a stowing minivan seat, all theirs. But I think they've been coasting a bit lately. Yes, the Civic Type-R has a powerful small engine, but the Honda of old would have found a way to get more revs out of it and make it feel like an i-VTEC engine of old instead of any old turbo engine that can be found in a multitude of performance small cars. Their 1.5L turbo-4...well...have they ever figured out the oil dilution problems? Very un-Honda-like. Paint issues that still linger. Cheaper feeling interior trim. All things that fly in the face of what Honda once was. The only thing that they seem to have kept have been the sales staff that treat you with utter contempt for daring to walk into their inner sanctum and wanting a deal on something that isn't a bare-bones CR-V. So Honda, beat the rest of your Japanese and Korean rivals, and plug-in hybridize everything. If you want a relatively (in an engineering way) easy way to get ahead of the curve, raise the CAFE score, and have a major point to advertise, and be able to sell to those who can't plug in easily, sell them on something that will get, for example, 35% better mileage, plug in when you get a chance, and drives like a Honda. Bring back some of the engineering skills that Honda once stood for. And then start introducing a portfolio of EVs once people are more comfortable with the idea of plugging in. People seeing that they can easily use an EV for their daily errands with the gas engine never starting will eventually sell them on a future EV because that range anxiety will be lessened. The all EV leap is still a bridge too far, especially as recent sales numbers have shown. Baby steps. That's how you win people over.
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