Greetings All!
Well, I bit the bullet and rented the two-door Big Bend from Billy Howell Ford in Cumming over the weekend. Since I'm not going to the NH Off-Roadeo until next year, this was a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with a two-door. A couple of thoughts...
First, I've been a Toyota gal for most of my life... Tacoma, Rav4, to a 4Runner and currently drive a Sequoia that I call "Big Daddy." I've also had a Tesla Model3. I say this so you know my point of reference. Also never had a true off-road vehicle so this "review" will be fairly basic but will hopefully provide some insight especially for people like me who have never owned an off-road vehicle.
I haven't been a big fan of the available Bronco colors; however, the colors look different on the two-doors. So I'd say if you're getting a two-door and on the fence between a few colors, try to see each color on the two-door model before making your decision.
The Big Bend was equipped with the Sasquatch package. At 5'5" it was difficult for me to get into the truck. Can't imagine doing it without the step (which won't come on my Badlands)... and it would've been impossible with heels. Looked like it'd be a tight squeeze for anyone getting into the back seat but they'd be rewarded with a roomy ride once they got back there.
The Apple CarPlay was super easy to set up. Just turned on my bluetooth and my phone was paired. Even coming from the laptop-sized screen on my Tesla, I can honestly say the 8" screen will be more than enough. However, the screen can only hold so much info and still be legible. I've read several reviews where new owners were so eager to get going they pulled off the lot before configuring their settings. I would definitely suggest setting everything up before getting on the road, as there were a few functions that weren't as intuitive. Thankfully my passenger fiddled with the controls after we were on our way.
The truck drove nicely at highway speeds... very smooth. I had to slam on my brakes once (Atlanta drivers) and the truck handled it beautifully. Also made sure to hit up bumpy roads (here's looking at you Dekalb Avenue) and the Bronco absorbed the bumps nicely.
The two front roof panels were easy to take off despite the roof rack.
With the panels off callers could hear me clearly with the windows up, but barely with the windows down.
Speaking of sound, several members mentioned the less than stellar sound system. I have to agree... the stereo sounded awful when cranked up enough to hear it on the highway.
The seats folded flat, with the 4" drop to the cargo area. I had thought about putting a dog bed back there to level everything out, but decided it'd be best to eventually take out the seats and install a rear seat delete system to give the pups a bit more room and add some storage capacity in the back. I'll also get the Heninger Twist Step that will connect to the tow hitch and allow the dogs to step into the back.
After covering the cargo area, I let my Danes hop in briefly to see if they would fit. Havoc (130-pound female) fit nicely, while Chaos (180-pound male) had to lower his head slightly so it wasn't touching the headliner. I didn't take them on a joy ride since this was a rental, but I could see while it would be snug, they would both fit and eventually find their comfy positions in the back. The only thing is that since the back windows don't open, I'll be looking at getting a soft top at some point so I can easily remove a panel and they can stick their heads out the window.
Speaking of the dogs, I had envisioned riding topless most of the time. However, even in 81 degree weather it got super hot whenever I slowed below highway speeds and the sun was beating down on me. Definitely plan on getting the bimini canvas top for when I have the pups on board.
Finally, I averaged 16.6 mpg mostly tooling around the city. The only highway driving I did was up to Cumming and back.
Overall, I LOVED the two-door Bronco! I've test driven a few four-doors and glad I'm getting the two-door manual... despite having to wait. It's a great size, looks awesome, and handles like a dream. The interior was very roomy and comfortable and the controls easy to read & reach. Makes me super excited for next year!
P.S. One of the salesmen mentioned several times they were going to sell the Bronco when it reached 6,000 miles. It's currently close to 2,500 miles. I'm not interested so I didn't ask him the particulars; however if anyone is you can give "G.I. Joe" a call. This model is a Rapid Red, two-door squatched Big Bend.
Well, I bit the bullet and rented the two-door Big Bend from Billy Howell Ford in Cumming over the weekend. Since I'm not going to the NH Off-Roadeo until next year, this was a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with a two-door. A couple of thoughts...
First, I've been a Toyota gal for most of my life... Tacoma, Rav4, to a 4Runner and currently drive a Sequoia that I call "Big Daddy." I've also had a Tesla Model3. I say this so you know my point of reference. Also never had a true off-road vehicle so this "review" will be fairly basic but will hopefully provide some insight especially for people like me who have never owned an off-road vehicle.
I haven't been a big fan of the available Bronco colors; however, the colors look different on the two-doors. So I'd say if you're getting a two-door and on the fence between a few colors, try to see each color on the two-door model before making your decision.
The Big Bend was equipped with the Sasquatch package. At 5'5" it was difficult for me to get into the truck. Can't imagine doing it without the step (which won't come on my Badlands)... and it would've been impossible with heels. Looked like it'd be a tight squeeze for anyone getting into the back seat but they'd be rewarded with a roomy ride once they got back there.
The Apple CarPlay was super easy to set up. Just turned on my bluetooth and my phone was paired. Even coming from the laptop-sized screen on my Tesla, I can honestly say the 8" screen will be more than enough. However, the screen can only hold so much info and still be legible. I've read several reviews where new owners were so eager to get going they pulled off the lot before configuring their settings. I would definitely suggest setting everything up before getting on the road, as there were a few functions that weren't as intuitive. Thankfully my passenger fiddled with the controls after we were on our way.
The truck drove nicely at highway speeds... very smooth. I had to slam on my brakes once (Atlanta drivers) and the truck handled it beautifully. Also made sure to hit up bumpy roads (here's looking at you Dekalb Avenue) and the Bronco absorbed the bumps nicely.
The two front roof panels were easy to take off despite the roof rack.
With the panels off callers could hear me clearly with the windows up, but barely with the windows down.
Speaking of sound, several members mentioned the less than stellar sound system. I have to agree... the stereo sounded awful when cranked up enough to hear it on the highway.
The seats folded flat, with the 4" drop to the cargo area. I had thought about putting a dog bed back there to level everything out, but decided it'd be best to eventually take out the seats and install a rear seat delete system to give the pups a bit more room and add some storage capacity in the back. I'll also get the Heninger Twist Step that will connect to the tow hitch and allow the dogs to step into the back.
After covering the cargo area, I let my Danes hop in briefly to see if they would fit. Havoc (130-pound female) fit nicely, while Chaos (180-pound male) had to lower his head slightly so it wasn't touching the headliner. I didn't take them on a joy ride since this was a rental, but I could see while it would be snug, they would both fit and eventually find their comfy positions in the back. The only thing is that since the back windows don't open, I'll be looking at getting a soft top at some point so I can easily remove a panel and they can stick their heads out the window.
Speaking of the dogs, I had envisioned riding topless most of the time. However, even in 81 degree weather it got super hot whenever I slowed below highway speeds and the sun was beating down on me. Definitely plan on getting the bimini canvas top for when I have the pups on board.
Finally, I averaged 16.6 mpg mostly tooling around the city. The only highway driving I did was up to Cumming and back.
Overall, I LOVED the two-door Bronco! I've test driven a few four-doors and glad I'm getting the two-door manual... despite having to wait. It's a great size, looks awesome, and handles like a dream. The interior was very roomy and comfortable and the controls easy to read & reach. Makes me super excited for next year!
P.S. One of the salesmen mentioned several times they were going to sell the Bronco when it reached 6,000 miles. It's currently close to 2,500 miles. I'm not interested so I didn't ask him the particulars; however if anyone is you can give "G.I. Joe" a call. This model is a Rapid Red, two-door squatched Big Bend.
Show full message↓
