FORD VS. JEEP
Five things the new Bronco does better than Wrangler — and vice versa
Before we get into the meat of this comparison, it is important to remember that as obviously similar as these two vehicles are — Dana axles, big tires, convertible roofs, manual or automatic transmission options, barn door-style tailgates — they’re also oddly different in several ways.
Of course, even if a vehicle is competing in a segment with as slim pickings as this — there are about five vehicles to choose from — you still have to stand out.
The Ford Bronco is the new kid on the block, as much as it looks like and traces its roots back to a much older kid on the block. It has to prove itself against the Jeep Wrangler, which has somehow managed to pull off the feat of being a cult classic and an ultra-popular model for Jeep on the sales front.
On-road manners
If the Bronco was going to go bumper-to-bumper with the Wrangler, its ability to outdo the Jeep on the road would be a huge advantage.
After all, the Wrangler has never been considered the most smoothriding or efficient vehicle, and the way pretty much every sound gets into the cockpit can become grating if you’re not in the right headspace.
Sure enough, the Bronco is the more comfortable vehicle on the road. It’s got an independent front suspension and a multi-link solid rear axle to the Wrangler’s solid front and rear trailing-arm setup.
Things get a little dicier with the short-wheelbase version as it is bouncier and more Wrangler-like than the four-door, but it still represents an improvement over the Wrangler, especially in the latter’s two-door form. Advantage: Bronco
Interior styling, fit and finish
We’re talking almost apples to oranges here. The Jeep’s upright, analogue gauged, switchgear-everywhere treatment will appeal to fans of simpler times, but there are many sharp corners. The controls for your locker, and other off-road controls are also tough to reach.
The Bronco’s setup is softer and easier on the eyes. Most of your off-roading controls are nicely aligned and easy to reach and it feels roomier overall, especially in the back seat of the two-door version.
Tech
Inside the Bronco, we find all manner of tech, including an optional 12-inch screen that’s bigger than anything offered on the Wrangler. There is also a forward-and-downfacing camera that operates differently based on which of the eight drive modes you have selected: Sand, Slippery, Sport, Eco, Normal, Mud/Rut, Rock Crawl and Baja. Meanwhile the Wrangler has a simpler interface with no drive modes.
Add mechanical features such as the Bronco’s cruise control-based Trail Control system, and you have a bona fide off-roader that hasn’t forgotten that we’re in the 21st century.
Engines
Bit of an asterisk here because, as we’ll see in a moment, the Wrangler’s 4xe option gives it some valuable points in this department.
When we’re talking traditional internal combustion, however, the Bronco’s 2.3-litre turbo four and 2.7-litre turbo V-6 are smoother, more refined and more powerful than their equivalents in the Wrangler world. Sure; you can get a V-8 as well as a diesel V-6 in the Jeep, but those are never going to be volume sellers.
Styling
This one’s a close call, but the Bronco edges the Wrangler out because while it maintains many of the cues from the original — the headlights (somewhat), grille — it really takes all of that to the nth degree with huge wheels and tires, ultrawide body, chunky roof rails and massive bumpers. Parked side by side, the Wrangler looks almost tame by comparison.
Advantage: Wrangler
Analogue
We raved about the Bronco’s tech, but the Wrangler’s more analogue feel is also a big source of attraction for many buyers, and an important aspect of the Cult of Wrangler. They like its simplicity and purity, while appreciating the progress that shows this Jeep is a long ways down the road from the original.
Keeping it simple
Sport, Willys, Sahara, Rubicon — that’s pretty much it when it comes to your Wrangler trim choices, aside from a few special-edition packages that are mainly cosmetic in nature. On the surface, the Bronco’s trim count looks roughly the same but there are so many subpackages that blur the line between actual trims and just add-ons that it all gets a little confusing. Like the truck itself, the Wrangler’s trim walk is nice and straightforward.
That plug-in thing
As much as we’re seeing lots of love for the Bronco these days, the fact that there has been no announcement of a hybrid model is a setback.
That’s especially the case when you consider that the Wrangler already has the 4xe plug-in hybrid model in its lineup. It’s a high-functioning system, too, that benefits the Wrangler both on the road and off it. Add the fact that a full-EV model is also on the horizon, and you could say the Bronco has some catching up to do.
Cost of entry
If you’re looking to save a few bucks, opting for the Wrangler will shave about $3,000 off the base price when compared to a Bronco, although the two are much closer if we’re talking four-door models.
How it all shakes out
As stated before; while these two are dead ringers on the surface, they’re actually two variations on a theme.
You’ve got the cult classic brawn-over-brains entry from Jeep, and techier, slightly more Hollywood entry from Ford.
They are both good options, and which best suits you will become abundantly clear once you get behind the wheel.