Does anyone prefer the Bronco Sport over the regular Bronco? (Or vice versa)

[Deleted member 12075]

If I was a hard core off roader, I would have definitely gone for the big guns. For a trail here or there and just getting around in the snow, I cant justify the price difference or cost of ownership. Im happy with my BSBB

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[Escape2Bronco]

They’re a great group of people, especially behind the camera and putting together those videos. They make riding in Badlands Park in Indiana very enjoyable. And as you can see from the video, the rock climbing is better in the Bronco and mostly due to clearance. This and the ability to take the top off have me considering changing from the Sport.

The whole ground clearance thing is a slippery slope. Unless you are driving a rear steer rock crawling buggy, you are going to find issues on some trails. Even they find issues except, well, that's what they look for.

Tigger, take it from me, get a full size 2 door but keep the Sport. The Sport is a great vehicle for the everyday stuff. The 2 door Heritage is a great vehicle just for fun. The 10K over MSRP days seem to be behind us now so getting one at a reasonable price (?) seems more doable today as long as you think 55K is reasonable for a toy. But then a 4 seater high end SXS is approaching that as well.

 

[Tigger]

The 10K over MSRP days seem to be behind us now so getting one at a reasonable price (?) seems more doable today as long as you think 55K is reasonable for a toy. But then a 4 seater high end SXS is approaching that as well.

I’ve been inquiring about Heritage Limited Broncos. They are mostly at $3000 under MSRP. Likewise, I’ve found 4 First Editions under 10,000 miles that are under the original MSRP, which is a big change from the recent $90k+ (although I did find two of those too, LMAO)
But yes, I like my Heritage Limited Sport too much and having a hard time even thinking about getting rid of it, especially for a daily driver I do not like as much.

 

[Bucko]

I think the larger Bronco is ugly, as does the wife, so we got the Bronco Sport.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Thank god, as my wife accepted my marriage proposal 47 years ago.

 

[Flash]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Thank god, as my wife accepted my marriage proposal 47 years ago.

I always thought beauty was in the eye of the Beer Holder...but I could be wrong.

 

[RogueRodney]

BS'ers...

I know there is no reason for me to weigh in on this concern as I believe everyone has talked it into the ground.

I think I saw a post that said priorites, and that pretty much does cap it.

What I would as is the "surprise" behind the Big Bronco in how much popularity it enjoys by those that don't seem to need it at all.

Here is my take:

• The Big Bronco (especially the 2 door) is uber cool looking.
• The Big Bronco is loud and uncomfortable especially as speed (yes better than the Wrangler, but on par with a Gladiator).
• The Big Bronco had an uncomfortable seat position for me. Nothing I did made it better.
• The Big Bronco had a ridiculously small front window (good thing you can take the doors off). Heaven help you if you need to put down the sun visors.

Here is my opinion:

• If you are an off roader, if you live in the mountains, or take trails through the forest, the Wrangler is the superior off roader. The narrower body is just way more sensible.
• If you are an off roader and will be doing high speed dune/desert type driving, the Bronco is going to be the better. The wider body is going to make it much more stable.
• If you are NOT and off roader, and have $65K or more to invest in a SUV, but want something with off road chops, why would you get an uncomfortable ride? Get a LR Defender, it is Uber Cool as well and will do what you are going to need it to do.
• If you can't afford the LR Defender, then you get the Sport or maybe a Toyota 4 Runner, until the Toyota Mini-Cruiser comes out...

Obviously this discussion was limited in scope to SUV's or SUV like vehicles. There are good off roading trucks that would be great dune hoppers and likely keep pace with a Bronco, though I don't think anything not custom built will be a Jeep Wrangler off-road in the rocks/forests. That doesn't even mention that the Subaru's are ridiculously capable (though they lack the cool factor in my opinion).

For me, I Love my Sport, and enjoy rubbing the Big Bronco Owner's nose in it when I tell them how I've been off-roading twice in it. And I now have TONS of bling (ambient lights, rock lights, Off road lights/light bars, etc).

Happy Trails Hombres...

RR

 

[bronco68halfcab]

I have never liked the term Big Bronco, or Full Size Bronco. I have had a1979 Bronco, as well as '80s and 90's, currently I have a 1968 half cab these all were/are full sized or big Bronco's. The were the same size as all the other ones made the same year, so they were full sized. Enough for my rant.

With my '68 half cab my wife has a'24 BS, she chose it for its 4x4 all weather abilities as well as it's size for the city driving she does. For her needs the BS made more sense for her. She really liked both but size was her biggest factor.

That said she is trying to get me to trade my Ranger in for a red 2 door Heritage. But if I do I believe I would be riding my bicycle to work half the time since she would be trading off every other day.

 

[spicypepperboi]

I have never liked the term Big Bronco, or Full Size Bronco.

Unfortunately it's just one of those difficulties in language. Since the Bronco Sport exists (and in the day the Bronco II existed) alongside the Bronco...it's difficult for us to distinguish the two in casual speech. People have a tendency to truncate the name of the Bronco Sport (or the Bronco II) to just "Bronco". Really you should just be blaming Ford that the two don't have more easily distinguished names.

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In regards to the OP, imo the 2 door Bronco is the sickest looking vehicle. I wish I could justify getting one but I just can't. I don't have a use for a highly rugged off road tool and the compromise in the huge price, size (seems impossible to park in some garages around here), and poor MPG just isn't worth it. Spending an insane amount more money for something that "looks cool", but is significantly less practical and more expensive to daily drive just doesn't work for me.

But who knows...maybe one day I'll get a sports car. Not practical either lol!

 

[Deleted member 12075]

Unfortunately it's just one of those difficulties in language. Since the Bronco Sport exists (and in the day the Bronco II existed) alongside the Bronco...it's difficult for us to distinguish the two in casual speech. People have a tendency to truncate the name of the Bronco Sport (or the Bronco II) to just "Bronco". Really you should just be blaming Ford that the two don't have more easily distinguished names.

----

In regards to the OP, imo the 2 door Bronco is the sickest looking vehicle. I wish I could justify getting one but I just can't. I don't have a use for a highly rugged off road tool and the compromise in the huge price, size (seems impossible to park in some garages around here), and poor MPG just isn't worth it. Spending an insane amount more money for something that "looks cool", but is significantly less practical and more expensive to daily drive just doesn't work for me.

But who knows...maybe one day I'll get a sports car. Not practical either lol!

I have to agree with Spicey. My "mud-boggin" days are over, although I do live in upstate NY and need a capable 4x4 for the couple of weeks of inclement weather we do incur, just no need for a beast everyday. I just couldnt justify the difference in price

 

[Bronclahoma]

I chose the BL Sport in 21 because I couldn't get a Bronco. After driving it for awhile, I liked it because it would do 95% of what I needed. I'd been driving big diesel trucks and this thing was so fun to drive around town and I've become somewhat of a minimalist in retirement and sold the toys I needed to tow. I bought another BL in 23 and neither have given me any mechanical problems and served me well. Before I ordered my 23 BS I drove a Bronco for a week, so I had a good idea of the differences.

The Bronco rides and drives great. My biggest pick is the excessive wind noise. I wear hearing aids and they help with background noises like wind noise, but they sure don'e cancel it. I'll never take the top off anyway so that is not important to me. So I ordered another BS BL in eruption green.

If the new Sasquatch BS is what we are hearing I could certainly embrace it and live with it.

Looking at the premise of this thread, though, I think most BS buyers are influenced by price. They are buying the Bronco brand at a bargain basement price. The low number of BL's sold seems to bear this out. Fuel costs also seem important to many people and the BS excels here. Especially with many people suffering from the Biden/Harris inflation, many are going to be driven to the lower cost vehicle because their cost of living is so high.

So if I had to choose today, it would probably be the new Sasquatch BS. But our choices are not limited to Ford, so I might chose something else to order in the next couple of months.

 

[Dogula]

I had a 21 & 22 BS Badlands. Loved them, especially the 2.0 Ltr engine. Very quick and nimble handling. I'm driving a 24 big Bronco Heritage 4-dr 2.7 and love it also. I love the look of the big bronco over the Sport simply because it is bad ass. I'm not an off roader, so as a daily driver I would go with the Sport. The Sport with the sasquach package intrigues me. Can't wait to see it.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

I have never liked the term Big Bronco, or Full Size Bronco. I have had a1979 Bronco, as well as '80s and 90's, currently I have a 1968 half cab these all were/are full sized or big Bronco's. The were the same size as all the other ones made the same year, so they were full sized. Enough for my rant.

With my '68 half cab my wife has a'24 BS, she chose it for its 4x4 all weather abilities as well as it's size for the city driving she does. For her needs the BS made more sense for her. She really liked both but size was her biggest factor.

That said she is trying to get me to trade my Ranger in for a red 2 door Heritage. But if I do I believe I would be riding my bicycle to work half the time since she would be trading off every other day.

Do it! 2dr RR Heritage is the bomb. My BS BL is a great vehicle but it doesn’t compare to the 2Dr.

 

[Mark S.]

My BS BL is a great vehicle but it doesn’t compare to the 2Dr.

Unless you compare road manners, street performance, rear-seat passenger comfort, cargo capacity, and fuel economy. Other than that, yeah, the Bronco Sport doesn't compare.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

Unless you compare road manners, street performance, rear-seat passenger comfort, cargo capacity, and fuel economy. Other than that, yeah, the Bronco Sport doesn't compare.

I think you said it before. It’s all a matter of priorities. For shear driving enjoyment, the 2 door hands down. For utility, winter driving and cargo, the Sport hands down. For passenger comfort, gas milage and street performance, the Lexus has them both beat by a mile.

 

[Warped9]

When I bought my 2024 Bronco Sport Big Bend I looked at the big Bronco, but didn’t seriously consider it because of price. It seems every Bronco on dealer lots is loaded and absurdly priced.

But additionally a Bronco Big Bend doesn’t necessarily have the same equipment as a Bronco Sport (mine has the Convenience Package) so you’re paying more for less.

While a fullsize Bronco drives well enough it won’t be as street friendly as a Bronco Sport. So a bigger Bronco is cool, but it’s heavier, doesn’t drive quite as nice, thirstier on gas and you have to pay a lot more for the same equipment. And unless you get a four door the Bronco Sport has better cargo carrying.

Recently the 2025 Bronco lineup has brought back the Base model. A Base model with smaller tires would be more street friendly than the higher models with bigger tires and more off-road tuned suspension. So if you wanted you could order a Base model minimally equipped to keep the cost down. But then you have to wait unless you get lucky to find one on a dealer lot. And in Canada dealers are prohibited from adding dealer markups. Even so you’re still paying more for less in terms of equipment. And remember, even with a hard top a Bronco is still essentially a convertible So it’s just not going to be as solid as a fixed roof and framed windows.

I have toyed with the idea of a 2025 Base model 2dr. with the 7spd. manual transmission, but my practical side screams it’s not a justifiable trade even if the bigger Bronco looks cool.

And every time I look at my Bronco Sport I like very much what I see.