Sam Krahn 
American automakers have had their fair share of rivalries over the years. But now, a new rivalry is emerging. With the introduction of the Ford Bronco, Jeep has their first true Wrangler competitor in decades. Unsurprisingly, Jeep is feeling the heat on this one, and Bronco6G forum uncovered a comparison guide salespeople at dealerships will use to go into battle against the Bronco. Some arguments are valid, others are a stretch. The best line of them all, though, is on the front page, where Jeep says the Bronco is the “sincerest form of flattery.”
It’s not immediately clear where these documents came from, they are definitely official, and we wouldn’t be surprised if every Jeep salesperson will be studying these. The front page has a general overview of the two off-roaders, and sets up the “Jeep Heritage” argument.
The rest of the guide has more specific Wrangler advantages. The available powertrains are probably the strongest arguments in the pamphlet, as the Wrangler has a diesel and incoming hybrid powertrain the Bronco lacks. That being said, the Bronco will get at least a hybrid in due course, so that claim won’t hold up forever. Jeep also dings the Bronco’s lack of a V8 option, but that’s not the strongest claim when the 392 V8 Wrangler is still a concept. Still, the Wrangler 392 looked very production ready, so hopefully this indicates it’s indeed coming.
The fold down windshield and benefits of a solid front axle in wheel articulation are also very valid, but the rest of the arguments have Jeep reaching a bit too far. They claim the Wrangler has a lower belt line for better visibility, but that’s purely subjective for customers who sit in both. Jeep also says their mirror system is better than the Bronco’s.
The mirrors on the Bronco are mounted on the windshield cowl rather than the doors (like the wrangler), which is a clever solution to keeping the mirrors in place when the doors are off. The Wrangler can’t do this, but claims there system is better because it decreases the width of the vehicle when off-roading. Obviously this is true, but we aren’t sure if the benefits of width outweigh the drawbacks of limited rearward visibility.
The weakest points are everything about the Jeep community being better than the Bronco’s. While it’s certainly strong, the Ford Bronco already has an impressive fanbase, and it should only grow when the SUV is finally out.
Overall, this document is exactly what we’d expect as a defensive move in the off-road SUV rivalry that’s just now exploding. Many of the Bronco’s features are directly aimed at Wrangler deficiencies, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see a similar guide leak from Ford dealers.
