It’s finally here; the 2022 Ford Bronco joins our test fleet and we share our first impressions. We discuss everything from Bronco history, livability, off-road chops, and why it took so long for CR to buy one. Plus, we debate if the Bronco will out-Wrangler the Jeep Wrangler and win over the hearts of off-road enthusiasts. We also answer an audience question on CR’s criteria for recommended vehicles.
SHOW NOTES:
0:00 – 2022 Ford Bronco First Impression
14:33 – Question: What criteria are considered when CR recommends a vehicle?
LINKS:
Ford Bronco Overview:
We Finally Got Our Bronco. Here Are the 7 Things That Immediately Struck Us:
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great info from these guys 👍🏼
I hate puny small turbo charge engines these days. I must rather have a naturally aspirated V6 or V8..
Everyone would, but then we’d be spending all our money on gasoline instead of food and mortgage.
Thanks CR for consistently pushing safety and durability for many decades. It has had a huge impact on transportation. BTW. Fun to see the panel so excited about a new vehicle. But do we really want millions of trucks tearing up our ever shrinking natural areas?
Broncos will end up like Wranglers, street princesses who rarely get dirty and only go off road when the driver is paying attention to their phone or makeup instead of where they are going. I’ve taken my Forester XT places many Wranglers wouldn’t dare and always made it back. The Bronco will likely be more durable and reliable long-term (which isn’t hard vs a FCA product), but will still be mostly mall crawlers.
Merry Christmas Consumer Reports, Happy new year and please stay safe keep up the good work
Yes, SUVs and pickups are highly configurable, I wish cars still were. In regard to the FJ comparison, Toyota hit the bullseye with its concept of a cheaper, more compact 4X4 priced below the 4Runner but completely blew the execution with an idiosyncratic and self-indulgent design that clearly did NOT have staying power in the retail marketplace. Compared to the FJ, the Bronco is much more rational and restrained in its execution and this actually enhances its capability. If Toyota is unsatisfied with the steadily profitable sales of their own cult favorite the 4Runner, they can always come back with a second alternative like their two door Prado. Unlike the FJ, it was designed by adults who understand an undersized windshield and oversized C Pillar don’t help off or on road visibility.
I’d like a “gladiator” version with a bed. Would be very cool.
It was supposed to happen in 2024 but it got cancelled
Isn’t that called a Ranger?
Smoother,quieter and easier to live with than a Jeep,I can imagine who the buyers will be.
Jeep is about 500lbs lighter, for off-road, but I agree.
I been looking so forward to your review of the Ford Bronco. First impressions sound similar to most journalists: Good on off-road, but not as good as a Jeep Wrangler. Great driving on public roads and can actually be a good daily driver (minus the fuel economy).
Nice episode!
Thank you for another great episode and an amazing year of Talking Cars! I can’t wait to see your full review on the Bronco. A manual 4×4 convertible is everything i could ever want in a vehicle!
Thanks for another great episode. My favorite Bronco story is driving a white one down the highway in 1995 and people looking for OJ inside.
I’m with you guys on the manual station wagon but I went for “symmetrical AWD” over rear wheel;)
Again, i really like this more detailed talking cars series! keep up the great work!
Toyota could re-issue the FJ Cruiser today, with no updates, and sell a ton of them.
Jeep is 500lbs lighter, for off-road, but excited about Bronco
That Bronco would be my choice for a Halloween parade.
Yes, my 2017 jeep grand cherokee has been my favorite vehicle.
Off-road Capability and comfort, it’s a blend of my 4RUNNER Toyota and X5 BMW 😉
The Bronco is a lot less compromised and a lot more attractive than the FJ Cruiser. The FJ’s visibility to the rear 3/4s and straight to the rear is simply terrible. The FJ was basically a badly compromised 4Runner. The 4Runner of that time had basically the same frame (though longer), but with more room inside, easier access to the rear seat, and far better visibility.
Approx 17 minute mark, when they are talking about how they rate cars on what consumers care about.
I particularly liked how they said, “if you like a car we don’t recommend, but have done your research, then go for it.”
Example,—I bought the 2020 Ford Escape SE Sport Hybrid. The 4th generation Escape is definitely not recommended by CR, but on the Talking Cars episode when they reviewed the Escape Hybrid, they called it “the Escape done right.”
After two years, I’m still happy with the car.
So, yeah, CR and any consumer may disagree.
My real questions about their rating system revolve around the issues other than reliability and mpg, which are always near the top of any consumer care list. E.g. The use of hard plastics. Yes, Ford seems to overuse them. But, after two years, with a little Armor All, the interior of my car looks almost new. The interior holds up. Meanwhile, CR tester’s IMO seem to over stress “oh, it has hard plastic”—-even more than safety features.
My Escape has lots of safety features that have saved my butt on more than one occasion. I’ve compared many of the individual scores for a bunch of cars and been mystified as to how one car that scored so mediocre on so many things still came out with a higher score.
I’d love a show that discusses how the final score is determined.
My other small issue with CR is how it decides to list or not list various models of autos. E..g The Escape is listed as the Escape in the CR magazine and on the website. There is no separate listing for the hybrid model. Meanwhile, the hybrid models for Toyotas ARE often listed separately. Doesn’t seem consistent. In my view this practice favors some auto makers over others.
Too bad it has a turbo, I’ve had two turbo vehicles and they are a slug off the line. Lots of power once you rev them but that ruins the power delivery around town.