Is anyone looking at the new Bronco vs the Land Rover offerings? As an old time former owner of a 1967 Bronco, I'm interested, because we are going to want another 4WD/AWD vehicle in a few years. I really don't want to be using my ancient electronic and computer skills to keep my present beast (2007 LR3) running after the next 10 years or so. Am over 70 and even though I have air and electric tools, I'm getting a bit long in the tooth for using them safely.... Comments are invited and welcome...

 

I owned a 2003 Discovery SE for about 12 years, and loved how easy it was to work on. Unfortunately, I think most new cars these days have a lot of electronics (more computer than machine). The Bronco has options such as safety nannies (lane keeping assist, etc.), full navigation system, automatic cruise control, etc. Until 3rd-party workarounds come out (like that magical 3-amigos box I had for my Discovery), I think we'll we dependent on the dealers regardless if it's Ford or Land Rover.

I have a first-day reservation for a Bronco First Edition, but went ahead and ordered a Defender last month. Coming from Land Rover in the past, I've missed my Discovery and it sounds like the Defender is the spiritual replacement.

Given the cars in your signature -- you may feel a similar kinship with a new Bronco!

Ed

 

Since you're talking brand new purchase...l'd go with the Bronco (and l'm no Ford fan by any means). Maybe wait a year or so, until they get the bugs worked out (which happens with any new release or model change). Personally, Land Rover offers nothing interesting. Range Rover has some nice looking "cars"...if you like that type of look.

 

Yes. The Bronco is gong to be a huge success, Ford hit a home run with it in every way from what I see.

 

Thanks folks, we'll be keeping this LR3 for a few more years but will be also looking closely at the Bronco, need a pretty tough 4x4 for the mountain roads during our rough snowy weather episodes...

 

the money you will spend on a bronco for a fraction you can build a pretty sick disco 2

 

I think Disco 2's are nearly as complex as LR3s and LR4s so it would be a while before I went down that path, I'm trying to stay away from outside servicing for hopefully many more years, so that when I'm longer in the tooth I can afford something shiny and new. And of course for those with a lot of cash and who are "early adopters" as they say in MBA-land, there's always the Rivian RS1, which sort of looks like a Land Rover but is all electric. The world of AWD/4WD vehicles is getting much more congested, and none of the offerings are getting simpler...

 

Ford’s CEO Converted a Land Rover Family To Bronco Sport Owners - Here’s How

Automotive executives like Jim Farley, Ford’s CEO, get to drive whatever they want from the company’s test fleet. This past October, Mr. Farley was enjoying a test drive of a pre-production Ford Bronco Sport when he stopped at a convenience store. When Mr. Farley came out, a family in a Land Rover LR3 was taking pictures of his Bronco Sport. A conversation ensued, the result of which was Ford earning a sale.

We will let the person who had the experience tell most of the tale:

“We were in the market for a new vehicle. The first delivery dates for the Bronco Sport were a ways out, so as we traveled around, we watched other vehicles on the road looking for inspiration. Nothing new interested us. Our local Land Rover dealer had offered us a deal on a Discovery Sport, but the styling was uninspiring, and past problems with our LR3 had left us considering a new SUV brand.

Our Land Rover dealer did have the all-new Land Rover Defender on the lot, totally updated with all the gadgets and gizmo’s, so we took it for a test drive. The only thing that stuck in my memory about it was the price. $80,000!

 

I think the new Bronco is going to be a great car. Ford is mainly going after the Jeep market with a better "jeep". It'll be more reliable and directly address a number of the Jeep Wrangler's shortcomings (on road comfort, reliability, underpower). Ford is also offering "built from the factory", taking a bite out of aftermarket and appealing to customers. Why would you buy a jeep that then needs $20k in tires/lift+install (no kidding, this is what people are paying) when its available from the factory!!?? This is most important for capturing that lucrative "bro money". Bro just wants to look cool with as few hurdles as possible and not be too terribly inconvenienced. Ford Bronco will do this with a car that drives well, has good power, and looks the part.

Bronco Sport is also smart as its the "off road" crossover. Why build a subaru forester when you can just buy the bronco sport??

If a pure 4x4 is needed, then I see the bronco being a better option than a new land rover mainly due to size. This is most apparent here on the east coast with tight trails. The new discovery is *just* about too big for east coast trails. The Jeep has proven to be a compact and maneuverable platform. Outwest, lol doesn't matter. Effing 1 t on trucks everywhere out there in the desert and whatnot.

The main reason the new bronco is going to be successful is it is priced competitively against the jeep. Land Rover is not priced competitively with this market instead existing above this price range. LR is happy making stupid margin on one $250k L405 vs minimal margin on 50 cheapo 4x4s. LR doesn't really care anymore about off road. Yeah they'll maintain it as they have to, but lets sell luxury cars instead. That is why they are throwing the V8 in the new defender. I bet they SAVE money getting rid of batteries and the new complex engine for the old V8, and they'll charge like, $30k more. So they'll once again, make stupid margin on one vehicle vs. many.

Direct comparison, the new bronco is going to have a smaller interior. My LR3 has me drunk on interior space and I'm not ready to give that up. Rear cargo area of the new bronco is going to be TINY. Back seat looks like it fits 2 people, not 3. While Fords are well built the new rovers are going to be leaps and bounds more comfortable and better appointed. Off the shelf the new bronco will be better off road (hard to compete with 33x12.50 factory off road tires) but on road, LOL. That said I can sit in my LR3 for 15 hours a day, weeks on end while I hear other people complaining about seat comfort in lesser vehicles (people complain about the JK seats, LOL TRY SERIES 3 SEATS FOR A DAY YOU SOFTIE). Lastly, towing capacity. Bronco ain't gonna have any. Inversely you can tow a new bronco with a new Discovery/RRS/RR. I know many individuals heavily interested in the bronco as it still has a manual transmission option (personally, I'm on the fence as both have their merit) but I think the tiny trunk space is going to put off many people.

Many will be drawn to the Bronco based on price and considering a new D5 will be 2x the price, its not hard to see people gravitating toward the Bronco for a better off road experience.

 

The new Bronco may be a game changer, we'll all have to wait and see, I'm starting to get more interested in electric vehicles because of their simplified drive trains, like the Rivian R1S at https://rivian.com/r1s (one motor for each wheel). The fact that there is no transmission, differentials, driveshaft or transfer case has a lot of appeal for me, but I'd prefer hydrogen fuel cell technology rather than the Li-ion batteries that seem to be the present preference. It's nice to dream and speculate but I'll just hang on to this old LR3 until it gets too expensive or too boring. I must admit that weighing in at about 5300 pounds empty, it is one safe beast to be in on long highway trips, and is the most comfortable 4WD/AWD machine I've ever owned, so downsizing to a Bronco might be hard on me mentally, but then again the Nissan X-Trail was even smaller than the Bronco. Oh well, nice to dream and speculate, I'm pretty sure I'll have the LR3 for the next 4 or 5 years, then it'll be time to move on...