More Initial Impressions with slightly different perspective

[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

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[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.

 

[Migs1313]

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

I am signed up for both in the Chicago area too. Hoping they have atleast a few Broncos at these events since I have not seen any dealer events for a big area like Chicago but only these 2 events

 

[BenB007]

I had an 98 Discovery and almost all of the plastic cracked after about 10 years. Eventually, even the dashboard was sagging. I would have to push it towards the windshield every time I drove it. So, the dash is something I pay attention to. What really impressed me way more than anything else about the new Defender is the powder-coated magnesium cross beam that's actually a structural element of the vehicle. It's really genius and I wish Ford would have followed suit with that. If you've ever felt that cross-beam, it's a game changer and it's probably the most impressive (and reliable) feature of the whole car. I'd actually pay another 10K for the Bronco just to have that dash. On the other hand, I'd much rather have the exposed steel of the Bronco's cargo area. I don't have much faith in the Defender's cargo area with all the plastic and pockets in the rear door. It's all give and take I guess. But it's somewhat concerning to hear that the quality doesn't feel up to standard because I want this thing to really last a long time.

 

[indio22]

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

+1. The 30k base (which I'll be getting) provides the owner the key attributes of open top/doors off/4wd to have fun exploring. I mean that is what separates the vehicle from most every other vehicle out there now (besides Wrangler). We finally will have another open top 4x4 - thank you Ford.

Ford would like to upsell the higher optioned models, which is understandable. But I'm not sure how much lux buyers should expect in that regard. There are other vehicles more squarely aimed at lux buyers that might be a better fit.

 

[JBoi-ET]

I agree about the interior materials. I was very disappointed in them. I am coming from a Lincoln MKZ so I wasn't expecting parity, but it was not good. The center console especially seemed incredibly cheap.

I am with you. The interior materials were very disappointing and the center console was terrible, it moves just by leaning on it. If you grab it with your hand and move side to side there is considerable movement, same goes for the grab handle. It wasn't very secure. Currently have a '19 GMC AT4 and Kia Telluride and there is no comparison on quality to either vehicle. Bronco interior is a huge step down for $55K + vehicle.

 

[indio22]

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.

... small outside footprint, with huge interior space?

 

[Paul Gagnon]

If two additional inches of width is going to stop you, you probably don't have the talent to get there anyway.

 

[Mattwings]

I appreciate the write up and perspective. I take it for what it is, your observations and opinion. I think the overall interior is good, but I am coming from an 18 F150 where the interior has been de-contented for quite some time (all manufacturers do this, why I am not a fan of late cycle model years). Durability remains to be seen, but my 2011 Edge and 2016 Explorer leather has held up exceptionally well (neither ever felt plush, but have proven durable), so here is hoping on the MGV quality. I definitely prefer the seating position and sight lines to the Jeep or Toyota, but that’s largely subjective as well. Excited we are all getting more eyes and hands on!!!

 

[RedHotFuzz]

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

I don't want plush. I want quality. Interior parts that don't flex unexpectedly when you touch them. Trim pieces that aren't loose and won't rattle over time. Plastics that will last but don't look cheap. For reference, see my gripes with my Durango interior:

 

[BenB007]

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.

Take out the "small outside footprint" and I think it's totally doable. A car doesn't have to feel cheap or compact to be rugged. Just look at the Land Cruiser or the Defender. I'm sure Ford was deliberate in their design of the interior space so I'm good with whatever it is. I'm not expecting it to be like a full-size truck. But, I also don't think there is anything wrong with providing a premium interior with premium materials if people are willing to pay for it.

In this case, I think Steve Jobs said it best when referring to the whole Foxconn debacle. He said that people couldn't afford an iPhone if it were made in America. And, he's right. Our manufacturers aren't set up to provide a high level of quality at a realistic price point.

I suppose another factor could be that Ford's primary market isn't the BFL consumer. Although I don't have any data to back it up. A quick glance on the forums suggests that quite a few members rotate cars quite frequently and have several cars at a time So maybe the big three tend to focus less towards long term ownership.

 

[Rcarpen22]

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.

Yes, this is exactly why it feels so big. But the plastic Jeep fenders absorb a lot of little branches and brambles on the trail that will scratch Bronco fenders I think. Also, it actually is 2” wider, which is not insignificant on tight trails.

 

[Rcarpen22]

Great write up. I appreciate the fact that you weren’t opposed to looking at the Bronco with a more critical eye.

With respect to the MGV and the leather wrapped steering wheel, what is your current vehicle which you are comparing it to?

I’ve been a little leery of Fords interior options ever since I owned a Ford Explorer and the leather was ruined in less than two years. Compared to the leather seats in my tundra, which is 13 years, and still look new.

My current daily driver is a Tesla Model 3 Performance. It has “vegan” interior that seems a million times nicer than the MGV to me, but that’s just perception. Obviously some people love it. We also have a new Wrangler JLU. I love the Jeep. It’s my wife’s and I didn’t think I would, but it’s fantastic. The leather wrapped wheel feels like leather and is firm. The Bronco wheel feels like rubber and is a little soft. I also really like the dash layout on the Jeep. The Bronco layout just appeals less to me but it’s ok. I’ve mostly had German stuff in the past (Porsches, BMWs, VWs). I feel like German interiors are the gold standard. But for $50k+ I expected to like the Badlands interior more than I did. Not a deal breaker (I’m going BaseManSquatch anyway).

 

[broadicustomworks]

My current daily driver is a Tesla Model 3 Performance. It has “vegan” interior that seems a million times nicer than the MGV to me, but that’s just perception. Obviously some people love it. We also have a new Wrangler JLU. I love the Jeep. It’s my wife’s and I didn’t think I would, but it’s fantastic. The leather wrapped wheel feels like leather and is firm. The Bronco wheel feels like rubber and is a little soft. I also really like the dash layout on the Jeep. The Bronco layout just appeals less to me but it’s ok. I’ve mostly had German stuff in the past (Porsches, BMWs, VWs). I feel like German interiors are the gold standard. But for $50k+ I expected to like the Badlands interior more than I did. Not a deal breaker (I’m going BaseManSquatch anyway).

What I like most about this thread is there are several people in here who do not share the same views or opinions but yet somehow we are all able to talk back and forth in a civil and intelligent manner.
It is also a breath of fresh air to see reasoning behind statement.
OP doesn't just walk in and say "interior is trash and looks like it came out of a Dodge Omni." and sits back.
Points are given and talked about as to why.
Counterpoints given and talked about as to why.
I'm lovin' it.

 

[mC.242]

My thoughts:

• Interior materials did not impress me generally (I think our Jeep’s interior is nicer)
  • Same observation I had - While not bad, certainly not what I am used to since my DD is a 2015 Mazda 6. On par with my '06 Pathfinder though, so as long as they hold up I'm not too worried about it. The interior is sparse and logical, nothing there you don't need.
• Specifically, MGV felt much cheaper to me than I expected
  • Also had the same feeling. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but to me it just felt like soft vinyl. Nothing special. But I am stuck with cloth seats in my BB anyway...
• “Leather” wrapped steering wheel feels super cheap, like not even good pleather.
  • I didn't notice the wheel feeling cheap, feels like every other faux-leather wheel I've touched.
• Just does not feel like a $50k vehicle (and the two there were probably that or more)
  • I agree somewhat - In the OBX with a Lux package I definitely agree. Doesn't seem that "Lux" to me. However, the BD I saw was closer to $40K and felt like an incredible value for what it offered. Honestly, I think most people would be better off staying in the Big Bend/Black Diamond trims and waiting to upgrade stuff later if they really need it. Or if they are off-road focused get a Basesquatch or Bendsquatch. I'm not paying an extra 10-15K for bells and whistles I probably won't really care about in a few years once the novelty wears off.

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