You can save yourself from being a victim of SUV buyers’ remorse. It’s important to do your research before buying an off-roader like a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco. But one woman jumped right in and found out she has to live with three annoying issues the hard way. 

3 things to know about the Ford Bronco before buying 

My heart goes out to TikTok user and Ford Bronco owner, @malloryonthemoon. She and her rugged SUV aren’t exactly living happily ever after. Mallory has identified three things that she wishes she was warned out before making her purchase. 

1. Pining for the Bronco hardtop 

Mallory wishes she bought a Ford Bronco with a hardtop. But at the time, there was a severe shortage, and hardtop models were on backorder. I do recall when the hard top models debuted with problems that needed to be fixed, and struggled due to supply chain shortages.

Anyways, now it costs $5,000 to even consider upgrading to a hardtop, and the soft top is loud. She complains about being able to hear everything, especially on the highway.

2. The soft top is difficult to take off 

Unfortunately, she feels it’s difficult to take the soft top off of the Bronco. Reportedly, doing anything with it, even just taking the windows off, is super complicated. Then it’s hard to put things back on.

3. The Bronco is thirsty 

The final complaint is that the Ford Bronco isn’t that great on gas. Mallory complains about the lack of range after filling up and how much it costs to fill up. She’s frequently stopping to pump gas.

I’ve reached out to malloryonthemoon to see which engine her Bronco has, as that could make a major difference on gas. 

How many mpg does the Ford Bronco get? 

The 2022 Ford Bronco gets an EPA-estimated 20 mpg in the city and up to 21 mpg on the highway with the 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. 

With the 2.7-liter V6 engine, it gets about 19 mpg in the city and up to 20 mpg on the highway. Going for the Badlands trim reduces these figures to about 17 mpg. 

The amount of range the Bronco has on a single tank of gas varies based on terrain, driving habits, and trim level. Typically, they go between 350 to 400 miles between fillups.

Is the soft top or hardtop better? 

I drive all the things, sometimes multiple times. I’ve reviewed a few different types of Bronco and Jeep Wrangler models. When the Ford Bronco first made its return, everyone freaked out. They said it was so quiet compared to the Wrangler. 

I disagree with them because with both the hardtop and softtop, the Bronco hurts my ears at highway speed. Also, the Wrangler recently got extra sound-dampening materials added to the frame that now make it quieter than the Bronco. 

But I’m not here to argue which SUV is better. Anyways, yes, typically hardtops are quieter than soft tops. 

Also, the hardtop on the Bronco is extremely easy to remove since it breaks down into lightweight panels. On the other hand, the Bronco’s soft top is one giant piece that can be difficult to lift. It’s best to remove it with help.

The soft top is more affordable, but the hardtop provides more roof strength for extra cargo storage. Sorry to bring up the Wrangler again, but the power soft top is pretty epic. I haven’t tested the new power soft top on the Bronco, yet.

What do the comments say? 

Well, a lot of comments kindly remind Mallory that one doesn’t buy a Ford Bronco for the gas mileage. The super helpful people mentioned that using the eco mode makes a difference, and others asked if she read the sticker on the window before buying. 

Comments about the soft and hardtops vary. Some say they prefer the soft top, and others claim the hardtop is worth it. But others ask if she tested its function before buying. Perhaps watching a few YouTube videos on how the soft top works would help. 

Others claim that the Jeep Wrangler has the exact same problems. So, I’m not the only one who brought a Jeep to a Bronco fight! But the Wrangler 4xe is a solid off-roader for those who want more efficiency, but it costs more than an entry-level Bronco.