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The 2021 Ford Bronco Already Has A Few Big Advantages over the Jeep Wrangler

Photo credit: Ford
Photo credit: Ford

From Road & Track

The arrival of the 2021 Ford Bronco means that, for the first time in decades, the Jeep Wrangler has a true, direct competitor. And though we haven't driven the new Bronco yet, it's clear that Ford is serious about taking on the most established off-road nameplate in America.

Because when you're going up against a product as popular as the Wrangler, it's not enough to match what your competitor is already doing. You have to unseat the king. In a few key ways, it looks like Ford's done just that.

Photo credit: Ford
Photo credit: Ford

High-Speed Stability and Steering

One of the more controversial decisions Ford made with the new Bronco was the choice to go for independent front suspension over a solid axle like the Wrangler has. It's not an unpopular design choice—in fact, now that the G-Wagen has gone to an independent front suspension, Jeep is the only one making solid front axle vehicles for the U.S. market. But Jeep fans and hardcore off-roaders often mention that solid axles offer a lot of durability and high articulation. Articulation is the amount of vertical wheel travel relative to the body of the vehicle, with greater articulation allowing an off-roader to take on more uneven surfaces without losing contact with the ground.

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But there's a reason Ford went with an independent front suspension. Solid axles are heavy, with greater unsprung weight making ride and body control more difficult. They also take up a ton of room, require a less precise steering mechanism, and often contribute to a busier ride at speed.

All of that means that the Bronco will likely maintain more composure in higher-speed off-road situations, have better steering, and be more docile on the highway when compared to a Wrangler.

Ground Clearance, Departure Angle, Breakover Angle, and Fording Depth

Ford's quite proud of the cleverness of the available "Sasquatch Package." Like the mythical creature, Bronco's that go for this come with some seriously big feet. It includes 35-inch tires, which help give the Bronco a class-leading 11.6-inches of ground clearance. Wrangler Rubicons sit 10.8 inches above the ground. That increased ground clearance gives it better departure and breakover angles than the Jeep.

Photo credit: Ford
Photo credit: Ford

Power (For Now)

The all-EcoBoost launch lineup of the Bronco offers 270 hp standard from a turbocharged 2.3-liter and up to 310 hp from a 2.7-liter V-6. While the Jeep's base V-6 beats the 270-hp four-banger, no Jeep powerplant makes as much hp as the 2.7. Its 400 lb-ft of torque also bests all of the gas Wranglers, though the EcoDiesel engine offered by Jeep beats Ford's 2.7 with 442 lb-ft of twist.

Of course, none of that will matter if Jeep goes through with the 6.4-liter V-8 Wrangler Rubicon 392. It's only a concept for now, but a source confirmed to Road & Track that it was destined for series production. Competition is a good thing, though. It's no coincidence that the V-8 Jeep concept was announced on the Bronco's reveal day. Here's to hoping we'll get a Raptor-ized Bronco with a V-8 or 3.5 EcoBoost.

The Doors

Anyone who has taken the doors off of a Wrangler knows that it's easy to drive a car without doors, but pretty annoying to drive one without mirrors. You don't realize how much you use the Jeep's door-mounted mirrors subconsciously until you lose them entirely.

For the Bronco, Ford chose to mount the mirror on the bodywork. That means you'll be able to slide the doors off without massively impacting situational awareness. Ford also claims that they're seriously simple to take off. At the very least, they're frameless doors. That makes them way more compact, light, and easy to store. Just roll down the windows, slide 'em off, and drop 'em in the back.

Photo credit: Ford
Photo credit: Ford

The Little Details

One thing Ford has proven with the new F-150, Bronco, and Bronco Sport is its ability to nail the little lifestyle things that make owning a car better. They all have built in bottle openers for tailgating, the Bronco Sport has camp-illuminating floodlights, and the Bronco is packed with well-thought-out touches like that.

There's a little rail on the dashboard to mount your phone and GPS, so you can keep things from sliding around without the need for a view-blocking suction cup mount. There's a slide-out seat on the tailgate for sitting around or prepping gear. There's room to store the roof panels and the doors on board. Everything can be optioned to be water-resistant and, in the case of the floors, drainable. There's a clear mounting point for a winch and hood-mounted tie-downs. Ford's even offering an app to store trail maps.

Sure, the JL Wrangler took a big leap forward in terms of usability. But clearly Ford has thought about the little things. These aren't the flashy, headline-grabbing options, but the things owners will come to appreciate over years.

The Bad News

None of this means that Ford's bloodied and battered the segment veteran. The older and more established Jeep still has a few objective benefits over the Bronco. It may not have the clearance of the Bronco, but it has a better approach angle. That means it should be able to approach steeper obstacles without scraping, though the Bronco's better breakover and departure angles will help when you've already gotten onto an obstacle. The solid axle also increases wheel articulation, another area where the Wrangler shines.

Plus, the Bronco is launching with over 200 available accessories. Impressive, but there are few vehicles with as much aftermarket support as the Wrangler. If you want to immediately modify your truck mechanically, it'll probably take a few years for the support for the Bronco to be as robust as the Jeep.

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