More Initial Impressions with slightly different perspective

[BroncoBuckaroo]

I can speak on the plastics used. They are the same as what has been used in the F series for years. Same material and thickness. The look might not scream luxury as some of the top tier F series trucks, but it is the same material. It will not crack or discolor for many many years. They are not cheap plastics by any means, the most expensive on the market actually. The amount of plastic used, and the finished appearance are one thing, but don't worry about the quality, Ford did not cheap out as they could have here.

true that..I have been in many a Nissan, Honda etc and their interiors are falling apart after 5 years

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[bloominguez]

I can speak on the plastics used. They are the same as what has been used in the F series for years. Same material and thickness. The look might not scream luxury as some of the top tier F series trucks, but it is the same material. It will not crack or discolor for many many years. ...

I'm old enough to remember when every--literally EVERY--Ford steering wheel I saw in the '70s cracked. Every single one, no exceptions. Plastic would contract in the winter. This is the closest image I found:

No big deal, people just got used to it. But I don't think we would put up with that today.

Also, every single radiator on Ford trucks leaked before long, but that's another story.

 

[Efthreeoh]

Good to hear the manual shifter feels nice. Could part of the bigger exterior feel, be due to the hood compared to Wrangler? Wrangler can give a smaller feel due to the front fenders being lower than the hood. In contrast the Bronco entire front including fenders is higher up.

My thoughts. I had a YJ for 12 years, so and the fender drop from the hood provides better visibility on a trail. My H3T is more like the Bronco with a big, flat, square hood. It makes the truck feel really wide when it's not. The Hummer does have the break in the hood where it slopes downward which helps visibility out front. The Bronco has a big, flat, square hood all the way out front with a cliff at the front. Learning to use the trail sights will be key.

 

[Gamecock]

My thoughts. I had a YJ for 12 years, so and the fender drop from the hood provides better visibility on a trail. My H3T is more like the Bronco with a big, flat, square hood. It makes the truck feel really wide when it's not. The Hummer does have the break in the hood where it slopes downward which helps visibility out front. The Bronco has a big, flat, square hood all the way out front with a cliff at the front. Learning to use the trail sights will be key.

That’s part of the reason I think that camera up front and on the mirrors showing wheel path will be so valuable.

 

[Rayder]

Well Ford is know for crappy interiors like Toyota is for outdated electronics. The Bronco interior is not bad by Ford standards, but if you are expecting Honda, Hyundai etc. fit and finish you will be disappointed. My 2019 F-150 interior is of comically bad quality, the Bronco is far better, but still not on par with segment leaders.

 

[KANE COUNTY ILLINOIS]

Hey @KANE COUNTY ILLINOIS , Any word on which ones will be there? I’m signed up for both chicago events. Not sure if I’m going due to work schedule and camping that weekend! I’m also signed up for Plainfield INDIANA ( just outside Indy) and I thought I read somewhere there would be 4 Broncos there.
Andy Mohr Ford - close to Indy Airport

Hey Amy! I don't know what will be there! I'm hoping for a Big Bend Velocity Blue 4DR, which is what I ordered through Granger!! I'm scheduled at the Villa Park event on April 24th!! Sal

 

[Efthreeoh]

I'm old enough to remember when every--literally EVERY--Ford steering wheel I saw in the '70s cracked. Every single one, no exceptions. Plastic would contract in the winter. This is the closest image I found:

No big deal, people just got used to it. But I don't think we would put up with that today.

Also, every single radiator on Ford trucks leaked before long, but that's another story.

I think it's more the steel rim imbedded in the plastic expands and contracts over a wide temperature range, which eventually fatigues the plastic causing it to crack.

 

[Efthreeoh]

That’s part of the reason I think that camera up front and on the mirrors showing wheel path will be so valuable.

So the hilarious thing I've noticed with my Hummer is how other drivers on single lane (i.e. no lane marking) country roads react to it. It's just big and square with a big shiny grille that city-folk freak out over. They are not used to driving on such roads and trucks are intimidating to them. They get all nervous with a strained look on their face, they start sawing the steering wheel and practically run off the road.

The Bronco will have the same effect (I hope ).

 

[Deleted member 9326]

Just does not feel like a $50k vehicle

To be fair it's a 28K vehicle with optional extras.

 

[Happytown]

I think there's also a funny thing happening in the last few decades where material science has progressed drastically, and the result is that things feel cheaper.

Plastics have come such a long way that a thinner plastic (less material, less weight, less cost) is just as, if not more durable, than the materials that were previously used.

The result is that interiors are holding up just as good, if not better... but our perception is that things are getting "cheaper" (perhaps in a way they are, but not in the sense that we are talking about here).

You can see this in the science of the door "clunk." Modern materials and better design means that car doors can be lighter and stronger, providing more protection to the occupants. The down side is that these doors feel "cheaper" to people... as we have an association of weight to protection and quality.

Vehicle engineers end up creating an amazing door... and then working to find ways to make them feel and sound heavier just so we perceive the quality accurately.



But of course, this starts getting into philosophical "if a tree falls in the woods" conversations.

Even if the interiors are far superior and of high quality... if we don't perceive them to be, are they really?

Fascinating video. A whole department/think tank dedicated to tuning the sound and feel of each cabin switch, exhaust note etc. We customers don't ask for much do we?

 

[RedHotFuzz]

The interior doesn’t feel very big to me. Not really much bigger than our JLU. But the exterior feels enormous.

I worried this may be the case. A coworker once bought a new FJ Cruiser and took us to lunch. I had the same impression: gigantic exterior, deceptively cramped interior.

Interior materials did not impress me generally (I think our Jeep’s interior is nicer)

My VWs (at any price point) have always had better-quality interiors than anything the Big 3 have managed to come up with. It's kinda embarrassing for America, really.

 

[RedHotFuzz]

if you are expecting Honda, Hyundai etc. fit and finish you will be disappointed.

It's incredible: Hyundai was once the cheapest of the cheap. Look how far they've come. My brother's new Telluride has incredible interior materials. Then there's the Big 3...

 

[Old Guy]

This has been my confusion since last summer. This thing is nearly identical to a Wrangler, especially sitting in the cabin. Ford was very clear this is a wrangler competitor. Yet people call this a full size, and claim it is close to the size of FSB, which is comical. The published dimensions didn't help, when people don't realize they included the ridiculously wide squatch flares and 35" spare tire hanging off the ass. It has an awesome stance, looks great, but I think alot of people with these expectations will be disappointed when they finally sit in one and the adrenaline wears off. (I'm looking at you guys with plans of 2 car seats in the back )

I am confused to, I mean if you want bigger and fancier, this is not the rig at all. It seems people want rugged, outside, but completely plush inside, small outside footprint, with huge interior space. Lol, usually the same guys who also cant wait to lift and and only want the sasquatch, and wonder why its so big.

Ahhh, we humans always want something that's not quite possible to do.

 

[Happytown]

I can speak on the plastics used. They are the same as what has been used in the F series for years. Same material and thickness. The look might not scream luxury as some of the top tier F series trucks, but it is the same material. It will not crack or discolor for many many years. They are not cheap plastics by any means, the most expensive on the market actually. The amount of plastic used, and the finished appearance are one thing, but don't worry about the quality, Ford did not cheap out as they could have here.

I can add one anecdotal example here, my 2013 F150 lives in the driveway under oak trees, or is parked fully exposed to sun all day at work, on a hot black tarmac of a parking lot in a refinery. Cooling tower mist and whatever other kind of fallout from a wet gas scrubber constantly leaving a residue coating the outside. We had a large pipeband fire a couple years ago that left a fine mist of black droplets on a couple hundred of our personal vehicles. Our company paid a pro detailer to set up shop outside the gates (about a week later) to fully wash, compund/buff/whatever needed to get as much gunk off our cars as possible.

All this to say.....I, in NO WAY, take extraordinary care if my vehicles appearance. I have fully washed my truck MAYBE 10 times in 7 years of ownership. Yesterday happened to be one of those times. If the Bronco interior/exterior holds up anything like my F150, I'll be happy with the quality delivered. I am not a Ford loyalist fanboy by any means. And I have to say this has been my favorite truck ever owned. Shameless way to work pics of my ride into a post

 

[WCP-82]

My VWs (at any price point) have always had better-quality interiors than anything the Big 3 have managed to come up with. It's kinda embarrassing for America, really.

I currently have a 2018 Passat. I went to the Cleveland event on Sunday. They had FE and a BL with leather interior. I sat in the BL and had time to look around, open things up, move the seat. That BL interior was not as nice as my Passat. I can't explain it other than the "cheaper" aspect and I do get what Zack is saying above. Another thing is there is not much room for a full size adult in the back seat. I would not want to be a passenger back there for more than an hour or two.

VW really does have it's s**t together with their interiors. You get a lot of features and higher end looks for not paying big money. My Passat MSRP'd at $24,000.

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