It’s Bronco Day.
Today is the day that you, the reader, can finally read the reviews of the much-hyped 2021 Ford Bronco.
Now that you’ve had the chance to read our review and others, how are you feeling about Ford’s big Bronco? If you were excited/meh/bothered by it before, have you changed your mind or do you still feel the same? If you were ambivalent, has a positive review convinced you to go out and buy one? Or vice versa, if a review wasn’t quite so positive?
It’s a stretch to say the Bronco is a make-or-break product for Ford — the Blue Oval will be just fine if it’s a flop. But there’s a big spotlight on this one, and now that a bunch of the press has finally gotten wheel time, we’re wondering if the reviews are influencing you in a way that photos haven’t.
As always, sound off below.
[Image © 2021 Tim Healey/TTAC]
I haven’t and probably won’t read any of the reviews. I may watch DeMuro’s video when it insatiably happens, but I won’t be for the product and I’ll probably only be paying half attention.
It’s not a vehicle I have any interest in. I have aged into the car buying group that prefers on-road qualities that any SUV cannot provide.
” I have aged into the car buying group that prefers on-road qualities that any SUV cannot provide.”
That is a simply fabulous way to put it. I plan on borrowing that phrase
I’m curious what those qualities are. I drive a very low-slung sedan that prioritizes handling above all else, but my 70-something in-laws have aged into driving (unibody) SUVs because they don’t care all that much about handling, but want a car that’s comfortable to get in and out of, sit in and drive through the suburbs. When I reach their age I imagine I may feel the same way.
I have. And I do. And I also am assuming that Bronco sales will be relatively insignificant in comparison to Maverick sales.
I remain ambivalent, as I have no need or interest in such a vehicle.
However, your comments about the bouncy ride, cheap interior, and soft brakes made me like the Bronco even less. And, it seems Ford deliberately mis-tuned the 4-cyl drivetrain so that people would upspend to the V6.
Reading and watching other reviews, not one said anything about soft brakes and all but one said the ride was definitely better than the Wrangler. No comments on low material quality on the interior either.
It seems like a lot of effort right now is being focused on off-road stuff, EV blobs, and EV off-road stuff. On a purely personal level, I’m not into those segments.
Santa Cruz was cool though.
From what I’ve read–exclusively your material–the Bronco seems like a nice off-road vehicle (except for the soft brakes) which is destined for buyers who, by and large, will never take it off road.
I mean, 90% of Jeeps never see anything more adventurous than a poorly maintained parking lot, either. And all anyone talks about in reviews are its off-road prowess. And yet, they sell billions of them.
and 90% of porsches will never see a race track, and 90% of ferraris will never see the outside of their garage.
I’d guess it’s closer to 50% will never take it off road and only 10% of the 50% who do go off road will use anything close to it’s capability- but you’d be surprised. It may only happen a few times, but more of them see dirt than commenters would lead you to believe.
I’m finding the earlier rollout of the Bronco Sport is now clouding my perceptions of the “real” Bronco. I know the Bronco is on a completely different platform with far more robust underpinnings, but the styling that looked appropriately macho when first unveiled now seems too soft-roader against the Wrangler.
As I noted in my review comments, the overall vehicle seems rather underwhelming after all the hype, and not nearly enough to sway me to the brand in light of Ford’s plentiful and well-documented quality blunders.
The Bronco Sport should be called the Escape and the Escape should be something else entirely (Focus maybe? or not exist at all). But Ford has had a problem naming its cars for a generation. Remember when they all were supposed to start with the letter “F” or “E” if they were SUV or crossover? Now it seems they want everything named after a horse. I actually thing the Escape name could have been a success on the Bronco Sport without confusing the issue with redundant names. I also wish they had the guts to give the Mach E a name unrelated to the Mustang.
So…the current Escape should be a Pinto?
I agree. You know, a great name for the Mustang Mach E could have just been Mach E.
I think it’s great. Jeep has gone a long time with virtually no competition, it’s about time they had some. What took them so long?
Did Ford Mo. Co. recently take a large stake in VerticleScope, Inc?
Between the Not Mustang and this I’ve never seen so much Ford coverage from this site.
More like Fords giving out the neatest trinkets I’d say.
Nope. It’s just a matter of timing — Ford had two of the most anticipated launches over the past year in Mach-E and Bronco. And they also had Bronco Sport, and updated F-150, and they have a lot of other new stuff in the pipeline, such as Lightning. It’s a matter of product cadence. Soon enough Ford will hit a lull and someone else will have a product blitz.
“ Did Ford Mo. Co. recently take a large stake in VerticleScope, Inc?
Between the Not Mustang and this I’ve never seen so much Ford coverage from this site.”
I’m wondering if part of Fords media and PR budget is paying for coverage. The Not Mustang is nothing impressive and has major compromises and the Ranger SUV is equally bland and underwhelming. All that while ignoring Fords extensive quality issues. Doesn’t add up. If those two vehicles would have come from any other brand there would not have been near the cheerleading coverage.
There’s a big difference between the vehicle that’s fits the lifestyle you HAVE, and your dream vehicle that fits the lifestyle you WISH you had. The new Bronco is the latter, but you can probably put up with it in order to satisfy the former.
I’m never going to ride in one, much less own one, but I expect them to sell like hotcakes based on how many Wranglers I see around. My biggest concern is that the Bronco is a lot bigger than its predecessor – and a lot bigger than the Wrangler – which means it’s going to be a bigger PITA when every frat kid is parking one of these across two lines in a parking lot three years from now.
– and a lot bigger than the Wrangler – astigmatism
maybe should do a little reading before saying stuff
2021 Ford Bronco 2020 Jeep Wrangler
Length 190.5 in 188.4 in
Wheelbase 116.1 in 118.4 in
Width 76.3 in 73.8 in
Front / rear track 65 / 65 in 62.9 / 62.9 in
yeah bronco is a behemoth….2 inches longer and 2 inches narrower.
anyways i think would be fun to own one, not a top of my list thing to own but might consider a 2022 if a manual is added to the 2.7 and the first year bugs and recalls are past.
Two-door Bronco (the one I expect to see more of in the above scenario) is seven inches longer, not two; and the width you’re listing is the body only, without mirrors, which add ten inches to the Bronco but only about half that to the Wrangler. It all adds up to a substantially larger vehicle.
Glad they build it hopefully it forces Jeep to keep improving the wrangler. Not gonna buy one, but I do appreciate them trying to actually figure out what this market wants,big tires ways to store the tops on board and other items show some real research.
MEH. I would have rather have a modern version of the ’77-’96 Bronco, with V6 for the base/lowest trim with V8 power for higher trims. Isn’t it time for the personal luxury SUV?
Also, I thought the automotive retro styling phase went out with the PT Cruiser/HHR/New Beetle (thunderbird for ford). However, that said it looks better than the gelatinous blob that everything is becoming.
Would I prefer this over the current POS Chevy blazer? Yes. Over the Jeep? Maybe. I’m still waiting for RAM to Roll out a modern-day Ramcharger. Maybe if the Bronco sells like hotcakes (which it probably will) RAM will? fingers and toes crossed.
“How we feeling…”? We feeling confident about your grammar skills.
.
Sometimes we break grammar rules for effect…
And how _you_ doin?
Not citing this site in paticular, but I think that certain outlets should try reviewing one of these without any free food, flights, or press kits from Ford.
Give it a few years and we’ll see if these will hold up, or if Ford will have to issue a recall for premature rust/steering/suspension issues.
I do welcome them to swipe away Wrangler sales. Unless if you live in Hazzard theres no good reason to buy a Wrangler.
I’m sure they will eventually but this and all the other reviews you are seeing are from the same launch event. If you wanted to drive one now, or see a wide range of trim levels, attending this was your only choice. Otherwise it is find one of people who have taken delivery, or one of the few demo units some dealers have and take a spin around the block.
I’m sure Ford has a number of them set aside for the press fleet that are being delivered this week.
if i lived in hazzard, i would have to own all the FCAStellantis things
I’d have a Cadillac with horns on the front and a bunch of white suits.
I’m wondering if we (***might***) be starting to see things come full circle with the SUV market. Remember 20 years ago? Almost everything but the RAV4 and CR-V (and there are probably others) was body on frame, meant to take a beating. They all got poor mileage, drove like oxcarts in the Middle Ages, flipped in a light breeze, and weren’t the most reliable things. They were a cash grab by manufacturers to slap a back and seats on a pickup frame and call it a day. And then, especially after the 2008 culling, everything morphed into CUVs/jacked up hatchbacks and wagons with a mountain of marketing behind them.
Now I’m starting to wonder if buyers are slowly getting tired of driving what everyone else has. I know CUVs still sell by the gross, but you don’t get the same press for a new Buick or even Mercedes CUV than what has been spilled with the new Bronco and every Wrangler revision. It’s turned into free press.
The technology is there and is being used to get BOF SUVs better mileage, stability, and driving feel. So let’s see if the Japanese want to get back into the game and see if this has legs. I for one would love to see a new Xterra built on the new Frontier bones and a new FJ as well.
I think you are seeing the crossovers assume the roles filled by sedans and wagons in the past leaving room in the lineup for these. Combined with the fact that these BOF SUV’s are no longer the simple and cheap utility rigs they were 25 years ago but are likely high margin vehicles, this is enivatable.
It wasn’t until the first gen Explorer that they became popular as daily transportation. The current crossovers do all of the people moving well without all of the thirst those Explorers and Blazers had. They can now focus the BOF offerings back to their original intent.
Meh. It’s an off-road truck. I’m just not really an off-road kind of guy and I’m finding this monster off-roading trend a bit tiresome. But it’s a well-planned product and I”m sure it will sell well unless it has serious execution issues (in fairness, always possible for Ford).
My interest began and ended with it being available with 4WD and a manual. I finally conceded on the manual, got a Mazda3 Turbo, don’t really miss manual (even if I think something like the ZF8 could have been shoehorned in).
Could careless as have zero interest in off-roading and vehicles that are compromised to improve their ability to do so.
Agree with “C5 is Alive” above – having a Bronco and a Bronco Sport is confusing. I understand the differences but I think the general public (aka non-car people) will not. Of course this was likely Ford’s plan all along. “Ohhhh I got a Bronco”, sorry buddy you got an Escape with a different name, get in line behind the guy who thinks his Maverick is a smaller Ranger. Ford’s marketing is strong, nobody is even talking about the Santa Cruz anymore.
This over priced and over hyped silliness is like a Grateful Dead concert. Once the pot runs out everyone says: “Man, this music really sucks”
I love it when all six people who want a manual but won’t buy one anyways have to comment
They only buy them used, in brown with a diesel.
Likely 5 or 6% will snap up a manual Bronco, so Ford is willing to take a loss for a handful of buyers/enthusiasts. Manual Wrangler take rate has been as high as 19% in recent years but obviously declining.
Everyone has zero interest in Bronco but yet everyone writes long comments about it. Too many EBFlexes. If you are not interested just skip, like me.
It may be perfectly competent for mild off roading, but I am not buying
any vehicle for serious offroading which has a small turbocharged engine,
and a likely wimpy auto tranny. They also look to be overpriced for what
you get. A Jeep Wrangler with a V6 is much preferable, esp. given the
plethora of aftermarket parts. If the vehicle proves to be a competent
offroader, I’d still wait a couple of years until the bugs have been
fixed.
I will let you know what I think of it after Iron Man (NOT the Marvel character) drives one.
Honestly, I have always liked the Jeep CJ series through the current Wrangler but have always respected the Bronco in the Baja style races.
Based merely on seeing a few on the road, they looks to be small, cheaply built, unprepossessing junk boxes.
I’ve not seen a Bronco yet, only the Bronco Sport. Are the full sized Broncos, the subject of this particular article, already available for delivery? I’d thought they were still working through the manufacturing channels.
Customers are taking delivery this week but what The Comedian likely saw were Bronco Sports. Ford’s inscrutable naming scheme strikes again.