New 2024 Bronco Sport owner...

Escape2Bronco

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Okay. I thought those were for the phone. I’ll try it out later today.

One other little nitpick: the heated seats heat only the seat cushion and not the backrest, or am I missing something?
It heats up both but your butt will burn before your back will get warm.
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Warped9

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I mentioned I had considered other vehicles before buying the Bronco sport. It was a varied list as I was starting with a clean slate to figure out what I liked and what I really wanted/needed. Although there might be some measure of youthful enthusiasm still lurking within you age has a way of tempering your perspective.

So these are the vehicles I eventually dismissed from consideration.


Ford Mustang Ecoboost Premium Coupe

Right off I don’t like the 2024 Mustang. I don’t care for the “folded paper” exterior styling and I really dislike what they did to the dashboard. I absolutely detest the oversized iPad-on-a-shelf instrumentation which looks like a Kia crossover transplant. I like the 2023 Mustang far better. Disappointingly there is no longer a manual transmission option for the Ecoboost Mustang. Even worse the pricing for 2024 is absurd.

I considered looking for a 2023 model, but finding a manual isn’t easy. Still, while the Mustang can be a decent daily driver it’s not the most ideal vehicle come winter. You don’t sit as low as I expected, but the interior isn’t the most flexible with the rear seat area being very much an afterthought as a decently appointed trunk. The actual trunk isn’t bad for a sports coupe.

The overall issue is the Mustang isn’t a multidimensional vehicle—it looks cool and is fun to drive, but there isn’t much beyond that. I briefly considered a used Mustang, but you don’t know how it’s been treated and you have the same drawbacks as the current one.


Dodge Challenger GT or RT

Finding a Challenger with a manual is harder than finding a Mustang with one. Even so I could live with the automatic. The Challenger looks cool in the right colour, but this is a sizable coupe with not-great outward visibility. On the plus side it has a real back seat as well as a decent trunk. Unless you opt for an AWD GT this car, like the Mustang, isn’t the greatest thing in winter. The Challenger strikes me as somewhat more flexible than the Mustang as a daily driver, but what ultimately makes me wary of this vehicle is it’s a Dodge product. It’s a cool looking car, but I don’t have much confidence in its quality control and reliability.


Jeep Wrangler Sport 2dr.

The Wrangler can’t be confused with anything else on the road—it’s instantly recognizable. That’s probably part of why it has endured for so long—Jeep has never lost sight of its market. Very few other vehicles have ever been like that. For the Wrangler that’s a blessing and a curse. While it’s been continuously modernized over the years it’s not modern in how mainstream vehicles are designed and built. It’s been polished to make it more acceptable by today’s standards, but by those same standards it’s rather crude. It has a distinctive coolness factor to it precisely because it flaunts convention—no one today would design a 4x4 this way. The current Ford Bronco is much more mainstream in design and execution while having a distinctiveness of its own.

The Wrangler appeals to someone who wants something different from the mainstream. But not everyone can accept the Wrangler’s compromises long-term for that difference. The seats are not that comfortable, the steering is rather vague, the ride is choppy, the interior is somewhat cramped and not that well thought out. While you can option the Wrangler with lots of equipment, a hardtop and leather seats it barely masks its rough nature. A Wrangler has narrow appeal just as a sports car or motorcycle has narrow appeal—it’s more of a projection of character than a multipurpose daily driver. Enough people “get it” with the Wrangler and it works for them while others tire of the compromises after the novelty wears off. The Wrangler can serve as an around town driver with periodic excursions off-road, which is really what it’s made for, but it’s a tiresome unrefined vehicle for long rides. And Wranglers, like many other bigger 4x4s and SUVs, are not cheap even for a modestly equipped model. It’s also not at all economical.


Ford Bronco Big Bend 2dr.

The bigger Bronco is a far more refined alternative to the Wrangler. It projects a similar counter mainstream image with its slab-sided styling, but with fewer and less pronounced compromises as it’s much more well thought out than the Wrangler. The interior is much more welcoming and comfortable and everything works with more refinement making it easier to live with on a daily basis.

The Bronco, in my opinion, does everything better than the Wrangler. Even in design it evokes its decades old predecessor without being compromised in practical terms by that design. In daily driving the Bronco makes no serious compromises depending on the model. The lower models with smaller tires and more street friendly suspension make for an acceptable daily driver, much more like a fullsize pickup or SUV. The 2dr. models with their shorter wheelbase are particularly maneuverable similar to the Bronco Sport. The 7spd. manual Broncos are distinctly refined and fun to drive. The higher models with beefier tires and upgraded off-road suspensions strike me as more suited to off-road and acceptable street driving.

A 2dr. 7spd. manual Bronco in Base (for 2025) trim is not easy to find. There is also the issue of price. The vast majority of Broncos on dealer lots are loaded up and expensive. In all likelihood getting a lower tier model modestly equipped would probably have to be special ordered and then, if you can, you wait…

I find the 2025 Base 2dr. Bronco very appealing, but even a Base would have been a good chunk more money than my Bronco Sport, and I would sacrifice features I presently have.


Ford Maverick XLT/Tremor

The Maverick reminds me of the old Ford Ranchero. My father had a ’57 Ranchero when he was young. The Maverick looks more truck-like than the Ranchero ever did, but the essential concept is the same: a car like vehicle with a pickup bed. The Maverick is also a rebirth of the affordable small truck from years past, for those who don’t need a full-size truck and the added expense that goes with it.

There is a lot to like about the Maverick, but ultimately you have to decide whether you actually need a pickup bed or it’s just wasted space you won’t use.

I also took a brief look at the Ford Ranger pickup. It’s touted as a “midsize” truck, but candidly it’s as big as fullsize half-ton pickups used to be. What passes for a fullsize truck today is nuts. But, for me, there is the same issue as the Maverick in that I don’t need a pickup bed.


Mazda CX-30

For an SUV/crossover the CX-30 is a swoopy and very nice-looking vehicle. Inside and out it really bucks the rugged 4x4 look. It’s a very good-looking design in all respects. The interior is particularly clean and uncluttered. And it drives and handles very well, much more like a car than a truck. The fit and finish are excellent and it feels very refined. This isn’t a vehicle for rough off-roading, but for refined and comfortable driving on the street yet equipped to handle inclement weather.

The design is somewhat where my disappointment arises. The exterior is marred by excessive plastic around the lower part of the vehicle and over the wheel wells to suggest rugged off-roading the CX-30 would never be used for. There is something dishonest about the image it tries to project I find irritating despite liking the vehicle. A plus is a fully equipped CX-30 Is reasonably priced.

I think the CX-30 appeals to someone who wants AWD, but not something that looks remotely truck like.


2016 VW Beetle Coupe

I did consider a few used cars, but this one stood out for some serious consideration. It was a low mileage Special Edition in black with tan interior and manual transmission—a very cool looking car. One immediate drawback it was in the GTA area which is a 4-5 hour drive away. But I spent quite a bit of time looking a photos of the car and seriously considering it.

In the end the issue was it’s a rather smallish car with not much of a back seat (though better than a Mustang). The Beetle is actually a hatchback, but the trunk isn’t that big unless you fold the rear seats. Not much of an issue when you’re single, but that extra flexibility is nice to have. Also, though not a big deal breaker, a black car is impossible to keep clean. It looks great when you wash it, but within a day or two you start to see the dust again.

I also briefly searched for a good used Ford Fusion, but I just couldn’t find one I liked to seriously consider it. It might have been a contender as it’s a handsome car and I have driven a 2.0 litre AWD Fusion before and it was very nice.


Volkswagen GTI

I have long liked VW GTIs since they were first introduced. An affordable and useful daily driver that’s also a blast to drive. The current GTI is a fast and very capable car that looks great.

This car really speaks to me on many levels. But sadly, for me, VW has gone in a direction with the GTI that doesn’t work for me—far too much tech and digital controls that taints the car’s essential character. And now you can’t even get a manual transmission in the base model which is a serious bummer.

An alternative to the GTI is the Jetta GLI which gives you everything the GTI gives you, but in a sedan body style. And the one thing the Jetta doesn’t get is a huge plus—far less tech and digital controls. The Jetta GLI, and to a scaled back extent the regular Jetta with Sport Package, became my one serious alternative to the Bronco Sport.

The Jetta Comfortline with Sport Package and 6spd. manual in Kingsman Red Metallic was a tempting option. It’s cleanly designed and handsome inside-and-out and not overdone like quite a few contemporary imports. It tones down the excessive digital hardware of the GTI—a huge plus for me. I think I would have been quite happy with the fun-to-drive Jetta if things hadn’t worked out with the Bronco Sport.
 
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Warped9

Warped9

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Recently the 2025 Bronco Sport lineup has become available in Canada. Out of curiosity I checked out what changed.

The new red is Ruby Red replacing the Hot Pepper Red. I prefer the previous Hot Pepper though the new hue isn’t bad.

Some of the controls have gone haptic rather than physical buttons. Meh, I much prefer physical controls.

The info screen is larger. Meh, I like the current previous modest sized screen that doesn’t overwhelm the dash.

The 18in. wheel option is no longer available on the Big Bend.

The Badlands doesn’t offer an optional interior colour anymore.

All those would not be absolute deal breakers, but I gotta say I don’t like the new front end of the Badlands with that bare steel looking piece on the front bumper. It’s just my view, but I feel it ruins the look of the front of the Bronco Sport.


I’m glad I bought when I did.

2025 is the fifth year for the Bronco Sport in this design. With certain features and options apparently dropped you could wonder if Ford could be setting the stage for a redesign for the next year or year after.
 
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Warped9

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See the attached. I use it all the time on my 2022 BB. Cheers!
Ford Bronco Sport New 2024 Bronco Sport owner... Picture1
I feel like an idiot. That switch has been there the whole time and I didn’t know. It does strike me as somewhat counterintuitive they would put an audio control on the opposite side of the wheel from the audio volume controls. Weird.

But I did try it and it works.


Presently I’m looking at wheels. I want to keep my winter tires on my factory 18x7s and get a wider aftermarket wheel (18x8 or 18x8.5) with a bit wider rubber. These wheels would poke out 5/8 to 7/8 in. wider than my current OEM wheels.

I went through this with my CrownVic, looking at lots of different designs before settling on something. And, of course, you inevitably like something that doesn’t fit your car so you try to find something similar. I had XXR 555’s 18x8.5 in Chromium Black on my CrownVic and I loved those wheels, but they don’t offer the bolt pattern to fit the Bronco Sport. There are also a lot of wheels out of stock right now, which seems to be a common refrain with lots of stuff these days.

I don’t want to get political, but I’m wary of going across the border right now even just to pick up a set of wheels I might order shipped to the UPS store in Ogdensberg NY. So I think I’ll stick to what I can order in Canada.

F1R, ESR, MRR, Vors and Konig all make designs I like so it’s a matter of choosing which I think will look best. F1R wheels don’t seem as easy to get in Canada. The stock tires I have now are 225/60R18 and I’m thinking of 235/55R18.

These are the three I’m most likely to choose one from.

Ford Bronco Sport New 2024 Bronco Sport owner... IMG_0924
Ford Bronco Sport New 2024 Bronco Sport owner... IMG_0925
Ford Bronco Sport New 2024 Bronco Sport owner... IMG_0926
 
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Warped9

Warped9

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Te37 reps on a sport. :inspect:
I’m looking for a clean design and this is one of the options that works. That said it’s my least favourite of the three although I like the Hyper Black finish reminiscent of the Chromium Black the XXR 555s I had on my CrownVic.

Two wheels I really like, but I cannot find in Canada are the F1R FC5 and FC7 in Hyper Black. Those would definitely be my first choices. Konig also has their new Hyperspec in Anthracite with machined lip that is very nice, but very hard to get.
 
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Quashish

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I've said before somewhere on here if I was going to mod towards more of a street build, I would go full send and slam it on some Ferrari wheels and keep the center caps. It would be perfect since they also have the pony on them.
 
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Warped9

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I've been able to see some good quality photos and videos of this wheel, the Vors SP1 in Hyper Black with polished rim, and I'm finding myself leaning toward it the most. Unlike the illustration pictured here the Hyper Black colour isn't really black, but rather a dark chrome finish that seems sort of grey. Nonetheless it looks good and it's a finish that would compliment my Bronco's Hot Pepper Red (or pretty much any colour).

The design is interesting and a bit out of the mainstream as the majority of today's aftermarket wheel designs go for a concave look, and the deeper the concave the better looking. But this wheel sports a shallow convex form that gives it a different look when viewed at an angle.

The size of this wheel is 18x8 with a 35 offset. Compared to the OEM's wheel, which is 18x7 with a 37.5 offset, the Vors wheel will poke out 5/8 in. further outward and 3/8 in. further inward than the factory wheel. The Bronco Sport looks to comfortably accept any 7-9.5 in. wide wheel with a 35-30 offset.

Ford Bronco Sport New 2024 Bronco Sport owner... IMG_0925
 

B-Dog15

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I've been able to see some good quality photos and videos of this wheel, the Vors SP1 in Hyper Black with polished rim, and I'm finding myself leaning toward it the most. Unlike the illustration pictured here the Hyper Black colour isn't really black, but rather a dark chrome finish that seems sort of grey. Nonetheless it looks good and it's a finish that would compliment my Bronco's Hot Pepper Red (or pretty much any colour).

The design is interesting and a bit out of the mainstream as the majority of today's aftermarket wheel designs go for a concave look, and the deeper the concave the better looking. But this wheel sports a shallow convex form that gives it a different look when viewed at an angle.

The size of this wheel is 18x8 with a 35 offset. Compared to the OEM's wheel, which is 18x7 with a 37.5 offset, the Vors wheel will poke out 5/8 in. further outward and 3/8 in. further inward than the factory wheel. The Bronco Sport looks to comfortably accept any 7-9.5 in. wide wheel with a 35-30 offset.

Ford Bronco Sport New 2024 Bronco Sport owner... IMG_0925
Would love to see some pictures when you get them added.
 


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Warped9

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Would love to see some pictures when you get them added.
That's a given you can count on. Winter is winding down and I could take off my winter tires pretty much any time now. So I have to make a decision soon because it will likely take about three weeks to deliver whichever wheels I order.
 

gvanleer

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Nice car and welcome to Bronco ownership. Love my Eruption Green model, the colour gets so many compliments. It's a lease for me and will sadly be the last US made vehicle I have. Will miss it when it goes though.
 
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Warped9

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A couple of better images of the wheel I’m considering, the Vors SP1. in Hyper Black. I believe the wheel pictured here is the 17x8. The 18x8 (which I’m considering) would be a bit bigger, the spokes a touch longer.

Ford Bronco Sport New 2024 Bronco Sport owner... IMG_0929
Ford Bronco Sport New 2024 Bronco Sport owner... IMG_0930


This wheel also comes in Silver as well as all Black and also White. It also comes as an 18x9 and perhaps even 19in.
 
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Warped9

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This is another very cool wheel I like, the new Konig Hyperspec. Right now it seems to be hard to get and I cannot find it anywhere in Canada. There is an 18x8.5 with 35 offset version made I would seriously consider if I could get it.

Ford Bronco Sport New 2024 Bronco Sport owner... IMG_0931
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