Beatings at home: Three versions of the Bronco head to head

At the beginning of 2022, the Ford Bronco was born, doubling the supply of rugged SUVs.

At the time we explored the Bronco Wildtrak and loved it very much, today we are gathering for an extended meeting with the family - trying to make order in the selection of options

Rami Gilboa.

Photographer: Dudi Moskowitz.

Led the convoy, Joy Byrne

01/04/2022

Friday, 01 April 2022, 10:17 Updated: 10:24

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Field mice will prefer the long, useful, comfortable and more permeable bronchos than the short model.

City mice may prefer the shorter, agile and cheaper three-purpose dice (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

There are rare cases where the presentation of a new vehicle, the map of the segment into which it enters, is confusing;

Every car has alternatives, and usually has a lot in common between the different models.

But the "tough SUVs" segment is very different;

To date, it has included only one brand - the Jeep Wrangler, which was a single and coveted motoring icon.

The Wrangler was not entirely alone, for in its shadow stood the charming Suzuki Jimny.

But with all due respect, the Jimny is a small, tiny vehicle, not a real alternative to the Wrangler.

There is also a Mercedes G but at prices of a million shekels plus or minus, it is not relevant to the discussion.

Defender, Land Cruiser, Rexton?

They are urban and luxurious, and do not have the off-road capabilities and resilience of a real SUV.

In a comparative test we conducted at Walla, the Bronco man on a Jeep Wrangler, and we will not now repeat everything we wrote there about engines, vehicles, racks and designs.

Read for yourself.

More on Walla!

I compared the Ford Bronco Wildtrack vs. the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Recon

To the full article

After 25 years of absence, Ford Bronco stands head-to-head with the veteran king, Jeep Wrangler (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

The Jeep Wrangler shone in its loneliness for decades, until the arrival of the Ford Bronco that placed the Wrangler at the center of the target: the same target audience, similar off-road capabilities, the same orientation, and one significant difference - front independent suspension, unlike the Wrangler's live axle.

Ford has presented an impressive selection of models and configurations, but Delek Motors offers only three models in Israel;

"These are the only allocations we are able to get," they explain, "the global demand is hysterical."

A customer who wants to buy from the official importer must choose between the three models photographed here today, and we gathered to point out the differences between them.

Parallel import pipes allow you to order additional models, more on that below.

Each version has its own logo and characteristics (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

The nuclear family

Delek Motors offers the Ford Bronco in three models;

The basic Outer Banks (metallic gray in our photos, NIS 385,000 for a short body, NIS 405,000 for a long body), the tough Badlands (blue-gray, 415,000 short, 435,000 for a long body) and the wild Wildtrak (yellow-mustard, 450,000 for a long body only).

The Wildtrak is mated in Israel to a Sasquatch package that includes 35-inch off-road tires on buckle rims, front-and-rear controlled differential locks, and improved Bilstein shock absorbers.

In the big world, the Sasquatch package can also be ordered on Badlands and Outer Bank models (priced at about $ 5,000), but not at Delek Motors.

If you want to get Badlands with a Saskatchewan package you can order it from "Super Jeep" or another similar importer;

The estimated price will be about NIS 475,000, subject to availability in the US. The Everglades model with a winch and snorkel is also marketed in the US, and a sports raptor and a pickup truck are also cooked in the pipeline.

For budget challengers offered in America Bronco Base with 2 engine.

The short Bronco is nimble and well-equipped, it is several times more passable than any 4X4 crossover.

Traction control is not very effective, see Rear wheel spinning hard (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

Bronco Outer Banks is a tough city, NIS 385,000

Outer Banks is Bronco's opening model;

It is also armed with a 2.7-liter V6 Ecoboost engine, which delivers 330 horsepower and no less than 57 kg. Fuel consumption may very well drop to around 5 km / h, clearly not economical.

Outer Banks locks relatively modest 255 / 70R18 (32-inch) tires, but they do the job.

The transfer box allows for 2X4 driving on the road, 4X4 is only available in the field.

The transmission ratio in 'short' gear is very slow, it allows for easy adjustment of technical transitions.

The weight of the brake pedal allows for precise dosing of the braking force on steep slopes, this adds confidence.

The urban yuppie in front of the desert ship (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

The 3-door chassis is about 40 centimeters shorter than the longest, for us it was a premiere driving in a short Bronco;

Entering the back seat requires a degree of flexibility but after the fact, we found that it is comfortable for two passengers to sit in the back.

The trunk is limited in size, does not allow loading of full camping equipment for four adults.

We were pleasantly surprised by the comfort of the ride in the short Bronco;

He's more bouncy than the long one but still, really not brutal.

The feeling on board the sexy Bronco is lighter and quicker than at long, it's not surprising (what's surprising is that I write "sexy" ... me? About Ford?).

The road behavior of the Bronko'im is good, but the weight limits, the high center of gravity, the softness of the suspensions and the off-road tires, require restrained and conscious driving (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

The short Bronco was pleasantly surprising but is significantly more expensive than the direct competitor - a short Jeep Wrangler whose price in the 'Sport' version is only NIS 292,000;

292,000 is not 'only' but still, almost 100,000 shekels less than the Bronco.

It should be noted that Wrangler 'Sport' comes in a minimal finish corresponding to the Base version of the Bronco, which is not imported to Israel.

Delek Motors is trying to bring the cheaper 'Base' version to Israel, but of course, it has no allocations.

If we have already mentioned competitors then it is also worth mentioning the short Land Cruiser which costs NIS 320,000 (and good luck with the waiting times), and the Defender 90 which is priced at around NIS 400,000.

It turns out that 'short' is no longer cheap, no doubt.

The short body easily loses contact with the ground;

In the absence of a rack move in front and without lateral locks, it may have difficulty with extreme crossings (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

Outer Banks in the field

The short Outer Banks has no problem dealing with trails with a slight and moderate level of offense, the wheelbase gives it excellent body angles (especially belly).

It will easily handle most trails in Israel, but it has significant limitations - the 32-inch tires are less suited to extreme offenses, it has no lateral locks, the front suspension move is not one of the best, and so is the traction control system.

In places past them the long Bronco's passed with astonishing majesty the Outer Banks hardened, bounced, dug - and in one place we even had to lead it on a detour.

This does not make the Outer Banks an inferior SUV and important to remember, it is several times more passable than any "like-SUV" crossover.

We passed with it the upper Peretzim stream, a path full of rough crossings, water grooves and steep slopes.

It did the job but if you plan to do a lot of technical space, we recommend upgrading to the Badlands or Wildtrak, which are equipped with large off-road tires and lateral locks.

For a field trip, it is recommended to lower the air pressure to around 30-32 PSI, this miraculously improves the offense and the comfort of the ride (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

What's going on with the Bronco front suspension?

One of Ford's strategic decisions was to seat the Bronco on independent front suspensions, rather than on a live axle (like that of the Wrangler).

After dozens of hours of space we can determine with certainty, that the decision was excellent.

The independent suspension is about 40% lighter than a live axle weight and allows the use of a steering wheel comb, preferred for road driving.

The quality of the ride is greatly improved and we have further discovered that the independent suspension move hardly hurts the Bronco offenses;

Certainly not in the Wildtrak or Badlands models equipped with lateral locks, and a system for detaching the front stabilizer bar.

The front suspension does not crash in fast driving, the calibration is very suitable for normal to fast trail use.

The rear axle is alive, and it provides an excellent move.

American workshops are already offering an aftermarket upgrade of a front-facing axle to the Bronco but we guess it was meant for the extremely tough, guys chewing the gutter, like bitters and breakfast lentils - this is an extreme minority, small and small.

On the left, Badlands with a stabilizing rod attached.

Right with a detached rod: the front-right wheel sinks into the wing, it attaches the rear-right wheel to the ground, provides contact and allows progress (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

Ford has installed in the Badlands versions a mechanism that disconnects the front stabilizer bar, at the push of a switch.

The disconnect releases the load on the front axle, adding 15-20 inches to the suspension travel.

In tests on the RTI ramp the improvement was found to be significant - short Badlands with 35-inch tires achieved a score of 522 with a stabilizing rod attached;

Disconnecting the bar increased the score to 648, significantly improving the concept at the push of a button.

Detaching the pole also improves ride comfort, up to 32 km / h. The stabilizer automatically disconnects when selecting the 'Rock Crawling' mode.

The rear axle has an excellent move;

The course of the front suspension is more limited, especially in the Saskatchewatch with the big tires (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

Another mechanism found in all Bronco models is the Turn Assist.

The mechanism reduces the turning diameter of the vehicle, very useful when maneuvering in crowded places;

Tight 180-degree turn, reversing at the end of a trail, etc. The mechanism is operated in long or short 4X4 mode, with the steering wheel locked to the end. The high-quality photo makes it easier for the driver to see where he is putting his wheels. Want more electronic features? One pedal drive will allow you to crawl uphill using only the accelerator pedal; As well as a trail control function that functions as a cruise control for the terrain. Set a speed of 1 km / h for example, and the car maintains speed, ascent or descent, no matter what.

Choosing the perfect Bronco is not difficult, but you will have to wait for the delivery dates (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

So what do we take home, Badlands or Wildtrak?

Before we point to the model chosen we must compliment Ford on being able to present a fine vehicle in its first year of production, and threaten an iconic competitor with decades of experience.

The Bronco is not perfect, it had manufacturing faults, there are wind noises, imperfect traction control, delivery times are unbearable.

But it is impressive to see what a good job Ford's planners have done in terms of identifying the demand for a rugged SUV, precisely in an age of political correctness, electrification, and aversion to air pollution.

For surface mice, this is a wonderful line!

The lateral locks and surface tires allow for slow and accurate overcoming of extreme obstacles (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

Outer Banks may be a sufficient choice for those who are not looking for serious space adventures, and want to save about NIS 30,000 from the price of the senior versions.

This is a good option, but the big dilemma will be between the tough Badlands and Wildtrak - both come with lateral locks, both have improved HOSS suspensions, both have a GOAT switch that allows a choice between different driving modes;

'Normal', 'Savings', 'Sand', 'Slippery', 'Mud'.

Wildtrak is tuned for fast trail driving so it also has a Baja option, Badlands is tuned for offenses so it has a Rock Crawl option.

Driving modes adjust pedal and engine response, traction control and other parameters.

The skilled driver can ignore the driving mode dial, and operate the desired systems manually.

The roof and collapsible doors make it possible to turn the Bronco (as well as the Wrangler) into an open vehicle;

The price is disturbing wind noise, over 100 km / h (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

But these are electronic trifles, and the real differences lie in the irons.

Badlands imported to Israel with 33-inch tires, and with an original protective shell - a solid iron bumper with improved access angles and professional towing hooks, massive side steps, and an iron vent - more efficient, durable and aesthetic than Aspir's aluminum shields.

The main advantage of the Wildtrak are the 35-inch tires and fuel rims included in the Sasquatch package, and improved shock absorbers Damping sensitive.

To the detriment of Wildtrak are more vulnerable plastic bumpers, less good protection, and a lack of detachable stabilizer.

The perfect solution would be Badlands with the Sasquatch package, which can be ordered through the corresponding import channels.

This is under a severe 'warning note' of very long delivery times.

Seemingly able to assemble 35 "tires on Badlands but there are plenty of problems to solve here, it's not a simple process.

The Badlands are better prepared for technical terrain: see the metal bumper angles, side steps and bottom protection quality.

The 33-inch tires are completely sufficient, for any normal use (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

And to sum up: my ambition (which will never come true ...) is to order a long Bronco Badlands, with a Saskatchewan package.

This way I will get the durability and offense of Badlands, with 35-inch tires and matching transmission ratios.

If I have to choose from the configurations offered today by the official importer, I will probably give up the Wildtrak's 35 "tires, and prefer the Badlands that comes ready for terrain (in terms of protections, bumpers and stabilizer bar).

In any configuration, the Bronco is an excellent off-road vehicle that has put a smile on the faces of millions of off-road enthusiasts around the world (Photo: Rami Gilboa)

The main problem - manufacturer allocations and delivery dates

You may be debating until tomorrow between the Badlands and the Wildtrak but the big problem is - when will you get your Bronco?

After three years of corona, traffic jams of dozens of ships and unnecessary war in Ukraine, the dreams have escaped us.

Delek Motors does not commit to delivery dates, they are still trying to deliver the order backlog from 2021;

You will be lucky if you get something from them in the coming months.

Yariv Keller from SuperJep also reports delivery times from the factory for next year.

He may - maybe - find you a private broncho in the US, but that too will take about three months, and will cost tens of thousands of shekels beyond the nominal price. The American market also does not guarantee delivery in less than a year and in short - choose the right model On your old 4X4, he still has something to do with you.Thanks

to Dudi Moskowitz Food photographer for the image processing

The main differences between the versions (Photo: screenshot, screenshot)

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