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A gray four door bronco is on a dirt road and has its front and mid section tops off.

The Ford Bronco is Overhyped Compared to Jeep

The new Ford Bronco is here, and while many Ford fans freaked out about the reveal, other SUV enthusiasts were pretty disappointed. After all the hype and having to wait for the reveal after delays, the 2021 Ford Bronco isn’t living up to its promises.  The 2021 Ford Bronco is disappointing  First of all, the …

The new Ford Bronco is here, and while many Ford fans freaked out about the reveal, other SUV enthusiasts were pretty disappointed. After all the hype and having to wait for the reveal after delays, the 2021 Ford Bronco isn’t living up to its promises. 

The 2021 Ford Bronco is disappointing 

First of all, the 2021 Ford Bronco doesn’t have much of a unique look. But to be fair, it isn’t easy to design a square, boxy off-roader that stands out from the rest of the pack.

2021 Ford Bronco Sport off-roading
2021 Ford Bronco Sport | Ford

When you look at the Ford Bronco Sport, you see the Jeep Renegade. Also, the four-door Ford Bronco looks like the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota FJ Cruiser had a baby. 

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The design of the new Ford Bronco looks pretty heavy and cluttered. It definitely looks bulkier compared to the older models that were discontinued. Even the two-door Ford Bronco looks like a chunky Jeep Wrangler. 

Overhead view of the 2020 Jeep Wrangler Sahara on a beach
2020 Jeep Wrangler Sahara | Jeep

Speaking of the Jeep Wrangler, haven’t you had fun finding its Easter eggs? A sasquatch, loch ness monster, and throwbacks to the original Willys Jeep can be found. Ford Bronco also hopped on this trend with their own Easter eggs. 

The 2021 Ford Bronco has an independent front suspension 

It’s a pretty interesting choice for the Ford Bronco to have an independent front suspension instead of a solid axle. The solid axle is better suited for off-roading quality. Now the Jeep Wrangler is the only off-roader that still uses a solid front axle. 

2021 Ford Bronco kicking sand in the desert
2021 Ford Bronco | Ford

Solid axles make it easier to maintain traction and to keep all four wheels on the ground. It also allows for better independent wheel movement. Independent front suspensions also reduce the amount of suspension movement.  

But the Ford Bronco chose an independent front suspension to improve the ride quality on the pavement. It should be smoother and have a quieter interior at highway speeds. Because a solid suspension is heavier, it can often cause a bumpier ride. 

An independent suspension can also reduce suspension flexibility due to having a sway bar in the front. This is because it connects the two front wheels. However, Ford suggests this problem is mitigated by having an electronically disconnecting sway bar. 

The Jeep Wrangler is better for off-roading than the Ford Bronco 

While the Ford Bronco is marketed as the new off-roader with the ability to go anywhere, the Jeep Wrangler makes it seem pretty tame. The Jeep Wrangler has a higher ground clearance than the two-door Ford Bronco model. It also has a better approach angle and break-over angle, making the Wrangler better suited for rock crawling. 

Ford Bronco Sport driving through the woods
Ford Bronco Sport | Ford

The Jeep Wrangler has a longer wheelbase and a shorter body, allowing for a more flexible ride while off-roading. The short wheelbase and longer, taller body of the Ford Bronco could cause a little trouble on the trails. However, the Bronco is more of a daily driver anyway. 

Also, the Ford Bronco costs more than the Wrangler. When Ford brags about the Ford Bronco starting under $30k, they failed to include the destination fee in the price. The four-door Ford Bronco is about $1,400 more than the Jeep Wrangler. With the V8 engine coming to the Jeep Wrangler, it will soon have more power than the Ford Bronco too.

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