Test Drove a Bronco Sport

[Beach_Bum]

I recently started dating a lady who owns a bronco sport... I'm not sure the relationship will last because every time she calls her vehicle a bronco I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from correcting her

Don't worry, eventually the shock will wear fall off.

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[zombie]

Don't worry, eventually the shock will wear fall off.

Not sure how that's relevant, but thanks for contributing.

 

[Figmo]

Wife drives a Bronco Sport Badlands. So I occasionally switch to her car. And I can address some of your confusion.

While changing gears with the dial does have a mechanical feedback - since it spins all the way around no matter what mode you are currently in - there is no way to know what gear you are going from and to without looking. The shift lever on a Bronco has limits. All the way up? Park. All the way down? Drive. You cannot shift past park nor drive. You can with the dial (well…it doesn’t actually “shift” anywhere… but spin the dial all day long)

Nobody here is claiming they “can’t figure it out” or even that it makes the vehicle difficult to drive. What they (and myself) are saying is very simple….”WE DON’T LIKE IT”

In fact, I’ll take it a step further and say, “I FUCKING HATE IT” I would NEVER buy another vehicle with a dial tranny shifter. But that’s just me. If you love it, more power to ya, man.

The wife is neutral. Which the only reason we still own it. But I can’t wait for her to get bored with the rig so I can trade it in and get her back into a Cherokee.

A MUCH MUCH better SUV for wife and occasional ”me”, in my opinion.

 

[bloominguez]

I owned a Bronco Sport back in 2002, close to when it first came out. Perfect car for what we needed back in the day. Four doors + taller than a car = easy to put two kids in child seats. Lived up north at the time so the AWD + ground clearance made it perfect for driving in the snow (not a little bit snow, we drove up to da UP regularly). I wouldn't buy one now but only because my needs/wants have changed. It's easy to see why people like them. Of course, ours had a 3 liter V-6, none of this 1.5 liter stuff, so it was somewhat fun as well.

 

[Big Pony]

Never thought of the Explorer as a rugged SUV, let alone the Escape…

 

[JerryC]

Never thought of the Explorer as a rugged SUV, let alone the Escape…

The first gen Explorer was body on frame. Even came as a 2dr. For the time it was pretty good.

 

[Tricky Mike]

and it has a damn touch screen

I didn't realize what a big deal this was til we started shopping for a car for my wife. It was down to a TLX and CX9 and they both had non-touch screens and terrible controls. She choose the CX9 and I'm glad I don't have to drive it

 

[tourproto]

This is the first automatic transmission vehicle I've driven with the dial controls and I have to say I do not like it at all. I much prefer the physical lever for getting in and out of gear.

Was looking at this for my wife. The dial shifter was the deal breaker for her

The Bronco Sport is basically a Ford Escape. It is really more of a crossover SUV than even an SUV. The 4-cylinder is pretty peppy. The interior space is decent but the surfaces are even worse than my 2022 Bronco, it just screams "cheap" (just like the rotary dial shifter).

The poor rear visibility is the reason my wife won't consider an Explorer. They have made them so "tunnel-like" in the rearward vision that even I don't like them. The Bronco Sport is "better" in that regard, but not by much.

We are now looking at a 4 door Ranger...

 

[adam1991]

We are now looking at a 4 door Ranger...

I was stunned at how car-like the Ranger drives--better than the Bronco, probably because of the tires.

 

[KDWright5407]

pray tell, what "confidence" do you need when making the ONE TIME switch from park to drive? While you're stopped and can look at it and put all of your attention to it if needed?


You drove it what...once? Anyone who drives a car regularly gets used to things like this quickly. This is why I put little to no credence in car reviews on items like this. The reviewer drives dozens of cars a week. The buyer buys once every several years. There's a big difference.

As for "critical function," what are the consequences of not making it into "drive" from "park"? Or the other way around? The consequences are that you have to adjust the rotation. Important function, sure; "critical"? No way. Brakes perform a critical function. Not this. (It's like the difference between involved and committed, as described by a ham and eggs breakfast.)


I don't disagree, but there's a HUGE difference between "I use these controls constantly while using the tool" and "I use this dial once when I pick up the tool and then not again until I put down the tool".

Move to D. Drive to wherever you're going. Move to P.

Now, if you told me this was the "new interface for the manual transmission," sure that would be a bad idea. What, move a dial around from gear to gear and coordinate it with the clutch? The dial as a practical matter requires visual feedback--as does the silly screen controls, which need to go away. But my point is, with an auto trans you're switching it to "drive" ONCE--while you're stopped and can pay any amount of attention to the task. Same with switching it back to "park".

One simple example from when I owned a 22 Ram 1500 with a dial for the shifter: At least weekly if not multiple times a week, for over a year I would back out of my driveway or parking spot and turn the knob the wrong way and throw the truck into Park vs Drive.....Not catastrophic, but annoying.

 

[adam1991]

One simple example from when I owned a 22 Ram 1500 with a dial for the shifter: At least weekly if not multiple times a week, for over a year I would back out of my driveway or parking spot and turn the knob the wrong way and throw the truck into Park vs Drive.....Not catastrophic, but annoying.

sorry, but I go back to "if this confuses you, you shouldn't be piloting a couple tons of metal on the road in traffic"--especially if it's your DD.

 

[KDWright5407]

sorry, but I go back to "if this confuses you, you shouldn't be piloting a couple tons of metal on the road in traffic"--especially if it's your DD.

Apparently it takes a while to unlearn 20+ years of habits. Oh well, I was never in danger or put anyone else in danger because of it. It was just an annoyance when you're used to physical shifters that provide feedback when shifting.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion. Have a good day.

 

[JT58Bronc]

Im constantly reminded how really well ford dialed in the big Bronco. For a truck with 35s the thing drives like a really nice car. If it didn’t suck down so much gas I would drive it full time.

I am so in agreement with this. Absolutely love our 2 door Sas but it is a weekend driver only. It just burns too much gas to daily drive to work for me for my long 70 mile round trip commute. We were in the market for a new mid size truck- one that can tow a small camper. Was going to by a new Ranger but trading my Miata for it the cash difference was too much so instead bought a very low mileage 2023 Chevy base Colorado. Found out it only has the 2.7 turbo engine not the turbo max so it can't tow. The dealer will give us a full refund and was thinking instead to get a Bronco Sport for my commuter vehicle as a replacement for the Miata. But in the meantime the Colorado has been averaging over 35 MPG on my work commute. I just might keep it as my commuter vehicle. But still going to look at a new Bronco Sport this weekend.

 

[BigFootie]

I am so in agreement with this. Absolutely love our 2 door Sas but it is a weekend driver only. It just burns too much gas to daily drive to work for me for my long 70 mile round trip commute. We were in the market for a new mid size truck- one that can tow a small camper. Was going to by a new Ranger but trading my Miata for it the cash difference was too much so instead bought a very low mileage 2023 Chevy base Colorado. Found out it only has the 2.7 turbo engine not the turbo max so it can't tow. The dealer will give us a full refund and was thinking instead to get a Bronco Sport for my commuter vehicle as a replacement for the Miata. But in the meantime the Colorado has been averaging over 35 MPG on my work commute. I just might keep it as my commuter vehicle. But still going to look at a new Bronco Sport this weekend.

Unless you get the 1.5 motor, the 2.0 Sport won’t get close to 35mpg. I’m averaging 23 with mine. If I drive the 2dr and mind my rev’s, I can get within a couple of miles of that. They both have their purpose in my garage. I’ll take the 2 door most days over the Sport but the Sport is my winter daily driver. The 2 door takes a 6 month break. Sodium is not good for maintaining is good looking body! . It is also better at hauling crap.

I wouldn’t get hung up on the shifter. I’ve gotten used to it and it’s fine.

 

[Aonarch]

I recently started dating a lady who owns a bronco sport... I'm not sure the relationship will last because every time she calls her vehicle a bronco I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from correcting her

Eww.

I encounter that all of the time.

I also had a "car guy," who when he learned that I owned a Bronco said, "oh man those things are tiny." I go, "huh they are larger than the Wrangler???" He apparently didn't know the Bronco and Bronco Sport were two different things, and in his mind the Bronco Sport was the Bronco.

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