The Ford Bronco
Ford first introduced the Bronco in 1966 as a compact off road vehicle, competing against the Jeep CJ-5 and the International Harvester Scout. In 1978, the Bronco was enlarged to a full sized SUV, competing with the Chevy Blazer or Dodge Ramcharger.
The Bronco was discontinued in 1996, but devotees of the Bronco encouraged Ford to revive the Bronco name and the result was the redesigned 2021 Bronco. This new Bronco has been designed to go head to head with the classic Jeep Wrangler, so let’s take a look at both of those vehicles to see how they compare.
Appearance
Both the Bronco and the Wrangler have iconic body styles, but the newer Bronco looks fresher inside and out. Bronco has a nicer interior than the Wrangler, whose passenger cabin is designed more for utility rather than style. In short, with more comfortable seating, more cargo space behind the second seat, the Bronco’s interior looks more modern than the Wrangler’s.
Ride
Both vehicles come with 4 wheel drive as standard equipment, and they both can handle off road driving easily, but the Bronco is more pleasant to drive on pavement.
Price
Both the Bronco and the Wrangler are available in 2 door and 4 door models, and their base prices are similar, especially in the lower trim levels. At the higher trim levels however, the Bronco is considerably more affordable.
Engine Choices
The Bronco is available with a choice of the standard 300 horsepower turbocharged 2.3 liter 4 cylinder or an optional 330 horsepower twin turbo 2.7 liter V6. The smaller engine is available with a seven speed manual transmission, and either engine can be paired with a 10 speed automatic transmission.
The Wrangler’s engine options are a turbocharged 4 cylinder engine, a naturally aspirated 6 cylinder engine, and a turbocharged V6 diesel engine. Wrangler is also available with a four cylinder hybrid combined with two electric motors. The Rubicon model has a 6.4 liter V8 engine.
Safety
Each of the Bronco models comes with a standard Ford Co-Pilot 360 package of advanced driving assistance systems that includes a forward collision warning system with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection. Also available on some trim levels are blind spot warning, rear cross traffic, warning, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and evasive steering assistance. In crash tests, the Bronco earned the highest possible “Good” ratings in all major categories.
Jeep Wrangler offers similar driving assistance features, but they are offered as an optional add on, rather than as standard equipment. In crash tests, Wrangler also earned the “Good” rating.
Technology
All Broncos come with Ford’s latest Sync 4 infotainment platform, notable for its wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration and over the air update capability. There’s a standard 8 inch display, and an optional 12 inch version. In addition, all Bronco models have two rear seat USB ports.
The Wrangler Sport model has a 5 inch audio display. All other Wrangler models have the Uconnect 4 infotainment system. Depending on the trim level, Wrangler will have either a 7 inch or 8.4 inch touchscreen display with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration. Only select Wrangler models include rear USB ports.
Warranty
Both the Bronco and Wrangler include a 3 year, 36,000 mile standard warranty, with powertrain warranties for 5 years or 60,000 miles. In addition, they both come with a 5 year roadside assistance program.
Resale Value
While the Bronco hasn’t really been on the market long enough for sufficient resale statistics to be collected, the demand for the new Bronco has been so strong that most of the 2023 production is already spoken for, and it’s resale value is expected to be higher than the Wrangler. In fact, the Bronco is the highest ranked model in the offroad utility category of the J.D Power 2022 US ALG Residual Value Awards.
Conclusion
The reimagined Ford Bronco has taken the offroad utility vehicle market by storm. Bronco offers a combination of style, performance, technology, and safety that has made it one of the most sought after vehicles on the road today.
Yankee Ford is the premier Ford dealership in South Portland, Maine, offering a diverse inventory of both new and used vehicles to choose from. Our highly trained sales team is ready to help you select your next vehicle, and our certified factory trained service technicians are equipped to handle all of your service needs. If you have any automotive needs in the Portland area, we hope you will stop by and let us serve you. For more information, visit our website or contact us. We hope to see you soon!