Can I get owner insight/advice?

[BillyG35]

Hello all,

In a ’19 Colorado ZR2, looking to make the transition to an SUV. Been looking at a 4Runner for a long time but some of the pricing with the package you get doesn’t makes sense fully from financial side. Then I test drove a Big Bend the other day with the 2.3L and was surprised at how much I liked it. Just a basic Big Bend, no upgraded packages. All I read was wind noise this and that, at 70mph on freeway, wasn’t bad and quieter than my ZR2.

The Big Bend could fit my budget a bit more and offer the things that I am looking for which is an SUV size, some small towing capacity, and some fun factor in it. Not really going to be off-roading much at all, but this trim seems like it is best suited for some more practical daily use. Just looking for some owner insight, what did you drive before or also consider? Some other questions I have, recalls, has this been a reliable SUV? MPG in the Big Bend? I know it’s not a hybrid and going to be better than what I have now, but looking for someone to humor me with realistic numbers in this trim. And the overall ownership of having this SUV and maybe coming from a “traditional“ truck or SUV.

Thank you in advance! Take care.

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[Gene Dios]

There have been many recalls but they're mostly pretty minor. Ford is aggressive where other companies sweep issues under the rug as long as they can.

The engine options are better than the tractor motors they offer over at Toyota but gas mileage is going to be just ok.

I have loved both of my Broncos. Fantastic vehicle.

 

[Bronco21Maybe]

I came from an F-150 and historically drove trucks. Got the wife a 4 door SAS Bronco and she's loving it. I then bought a 2 door base model 7 speed and I'm loving it.

Practical as a truck? For me and what I do (welding, woodworking) - no. It's going to require some fun adjusting to not having a bed. A trailer will cure that, down the road. The Bronco was telling me I was getting 20.5-21.5mpg (mostly highway). Says about the same for my wife's, whose is mostly around town. Reality is probably a mpg less or so.

I don't have any complaints about wind or road noise, even after changing to a little more aggressive tire. It's not a Lexus.

Mine has the cloth manual-adjusting seats and carpet. I wish it has the washout flooring, but it's a base model. The seats are fine to me, though I'm a leather guy and have been my past 5 vehicles.

It's a blast to drive. Even more since I chose the 7 speed manual. The only regret I have is that I passed up another 2 door 7 speed in red that disappeared about two days after I decided I wanted it.

 

[Chrome_Pony]

If the Bronco is quieter than your Colorado, there is something seriously wrong with your Colorado. I have a 2017 2.8L Z71 and a Badlands Bronco and there is no comparison.

For real world use, I think you'll appreciate the Big Bend. Smaller tires should give the 2.3L even more pep, since it has no trouble turning my 35s. My 33s mileage was 21.xx-ish being relatively sedate on the throttle, would expect around that for spirited driving with 32s. ZR2 isn't great for pickup things anyway, so I don't think you'll notice much of a difference losing a bit of bed capability. Add the removable roof panels, and I think you'd add some smiles per gallon vs the Colorado.

 

[SFChambers]

3 weeks ago I traded my 2019 Ranger my 22 2dr Big Bend, I just took the Bronco on a 1000 mile weekend trip and other than the wind noise it was great. The wind was much louder than my Ranger was but not really too bad. I have a 4x8 trailer so I don't miss the pickup bed. With my trailer I don't see myself missing the pickup at all. As a wise man once said Life is short. Broncos are cool

 

[MNBigfoot]

The downside it's loud, gets horrible gas mileage, the flat windshield leads to lots of chips/cracks, the towing capacity of a Rav4, a trailer is an awful substitute for a truck bed. At 100k miles, I love mine.

 

[Bronco21Maybe]

The downside it's loud, gets horrible gas mileage, the flat windshield leads to lots of chips/cracks, the towing capacity of a Rav4, a trailer is an awful substitute for a truck bed. At 100k miles, I love mine.

Perfectly summed up. I never felt the way I feel about my F150 that I feel for my Bronco. It's almost like I'm a Jeep owner, but not.

 

[Fordified1]

The downside it's loud, gets horrible gas mileage, the flat windshield leads to lots of chips/cracks, the towing capacity of a Rav4, a trailer is an awful substitute for a truck bed. At 100k miles, I love mine.

lol wow now tell us about something you hate. Lol

 

[Fordified1]

If the Bronco is quieter than your Colorado, there is something seriously wrong with your Colorado. I have a 2017 2.8L Z71 and a Badlands Bronco and there is no comparison.

For real world use, I think you'll appreciate the Big Bend. Smaller tires should give the 2.3L even more pep, since it has no trouble turning my 35s. My 33s mileage was 21.xx-ish being relatively sedate on the throttle, would expect around that for spirited driving with 32s. ZR2 isn't great for pickup things anyway, so I don't think you'll notice much of a difference losing a bit of bed capability. Add the removable roof panels, and I think you'd add some smiles per gallon vs the Colorado.

What year is your Bronco? Ours is quiet but it’s a ‘24. I think they cured a lot of the wind noise issues in later models…. Or we got lucky lol.

 

[Catatonic]

Bronco is an off-road sports car. It's fun and peppy and my first choice to drive. It's a billy goat off-road even with my now bald big bend stock tires going through slick clay mud holes (70k on them, opt for the rear locker). However it's not really great at anything else but looking sexy. If it's a road trip for the whole family or to tow something we take the Expedition. If I have to haul something or pull the heavy trailers, it's the F-250. Bottom line, it's no substitute for a truck and if I could only have one vehicle I'd have to sell it. That said, I bought it new in '21 and still love it. So my advice, buy the Bronco and keep the ZR2 if you can swing it.

Edit - If my only car had to be an SUV, I'd go with the 4Runner. Those are still made in Japan and hands down more reliable than any Ford built after about 2017 except for maybe the F250 with 6.2 V8.

 

[Fordified1]

Perfectly summed up. I never felt the way I feel about my F150 that I feel for my Bronco. It's almost like I'm a Jeep owner, but not.

Here, as a multi-jeep owner… I fixed it for you. Almost like you’re a Jeep owner but better*.

 

[Bronco21Maybe]

Here, as a multi-jeep owner… I fixed it for you. Almost like you’re a Jeep owner but better*.

I still have a CJ on my wish list. Probably won't happen, but what else are wish lists for?

 

[Brian_B]

MPG is gonna be a direct reflection of two things:

How you drive it
What mods you do to it

Keep it stock and drive tame, it'll do 20-22mpg easy. Go crazy with anything, and it can just as easily drop below 15. It's stupid easy to fall down the rabbit hole of lift kits, bigger tires, light racks, winches, skid plates, etc.

Nothing at all wrong with the Base or Big Bend models compared to other trims. Especially if you don't plan on a lot of severe off roading. All the Broncos will do ~a lot~ off road. Any/all of the Broncos make fine daily drivers -- again, more to do with what mods you do than anything against the vehicle. Yes, it'll be a bit louder than something with a non-removable top, or something more aerodynamic - but it's definitely livable. I daily mine with 38" tires and in safari mode most of the time. I'm spent way to much on mods and add-ons and doing things the wrong way (sometimes more than once) that I probably could have bought a top of the line Raptor, but I have almost as much fun doing that stuff as I do running it off road, truth be told. It's been a giant fun learning experience for me.

As far as reliability - basically... it's a Ford. That means different things to different people. What that means to me: it'll almost always get you home (at least as good as anything else out there on the road), but it's gonna have some quirks. Keep in mind it's designed for the lowest per-unit mass production price and labor units in the factory, built with commodity parts that often come from the lowest bidder... I say that, I've owned Fords all my life.. so I pretty well know what I'm getting into. They've never left me stranded, but that doesn't mean I don't have a few bones to pick.

If you have the ability, I highly recommend the testing the Manual transmission before you buy. There really isn't much out there like that experience any more, and it's amazingly stupid fun to drive a 7MT Bronco with the top down.

The differences in the trim levels... you can make up for most of it later on if you want to, there are very few things you can't upgrade after the fact, but there are some. They are all very definitively and distinctly Broncos, so the gap between them isn't a huge gulf. But.. if you have some creature comfort or capability you know you are going to want, it's usually cheaper to get it up front from the factory than to try to add it later -- UNLESS you are just going to go for something in the aftermarket space anyway.

 

[Fordified1]

I still have a CJ on my wish list. Probably won't happen, but what else are wish lists for?

My CJ was fun when I was in my 20’s. I’m spoiled now I guess…. Or just old and intolerant lol.

 

[Super G]

My ‘26 Big bend 2.3 is great, especially considering I’m coming from a ‘21 Explorer ST. I’m averaging about 21-22mpg (90% highway), and is pretty quiet. I have the black diamond & black appearance pack, so I’m surprised the Mpg is this decent, and i think the painted top along with “maybe new for 25+” sound deadening have improved from the earlier roof panel versions.

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