Owner Review: 2021 Ford Bronco Big Bend
Delay after delay led this young buyer to the Bronco — a vehicle still delayed for many others
While some may be relaxing in a hammock that Ford has sent them — a token meant to soothe delivery delays for Bronco reservation holders — at least one young owner managed to get his hands on one of the off-roaders (and didn’t have to pay double the price ) and he is loving every moment in his brand-new 2021 Ford Bronco Big Bend.
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Robby Randhawa, who lives in Mississauga, Ontario, says he has zero regrets about this purchase, and couldn’t be happier. However, the Bronco wasn’t originally his first choice; in fact, an off-roader wasn’t even at the top of the list when he decided he needed a new vehicle.
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As the pandemic hit (so many, many months ago — I mean, does anyone even remember what it was like before the pandemic?) Randhawa found himself working from home and without the need of his own vehicle. So, in August 2020, he was able to get out of his lease for a 2018 Hyundai Elantra Sport GT Ultimate. He doesn’t personally own any other vehicles, but lives with his family, and there are usually other cars (a 2018 Ford Escape, 2017 Audi S4, and 2017 Honda Accord) at home, if needed.
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Before jumping into the Bronco, Randhawa had his sights set on a few other vehicles that varied across the spectrum. He first looked at the Tesla Model 3. “I wasn’t sure I was fully ready to commit to an electric-only vehicle,” he said.
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Then, he set his sights on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 , and despite having the same reservations as the Tesla, he even placed a deposit to pre-order the car. However, when the release got pushed further back, he didn’t want to wait any longer for it, and moved on to a brief encounter with the Genesis GV70 — which he concluded had luxury features he didn’t need, figuring there would be plenty of time to enjoy luxury rides when he’s older.
In a bold move, he chose fun over luxury and began looking into the Jeep Wrangler. “I actually purchased a Wrangler Sahara Unlimited in March 2021; however, due to the chip shortage and COVID delays, my order was constantly delayed,” he explained. And once again, he gave up on waiting and cancelled the order.
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Ultimately, in need of another car, Randhawa said, “I decided I was going to buy whatever Jeep Wrangler was on the lot.” He called the original salesman, who didn’t respond, then reached out to another dealership — also no response.
And then, it seems like fate led him to the Bronco. A salesperson at the Ford dealership called him with news that a few Broncos came in and he should check it out. As luck — the most luck in the world, considering how many are currently waiting for their reserved Bronco — would have it, the next day, he went to test drive the Bronco and the decision was made. The rest, as they say, is history only a few weeks old.
Needless to say, everyone is in awe, as many are still waiting for their reserved Bronco. Passersby haven’t been able to stroll by without stopping to take a look at it on his driveway, with one even holding up traffic at an intersection to ask about it, said Randhawa.
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“The Bronco is a better daily driver than the Wrangler,” said Randhawa.
While he hasn’t been off-roading yet , Randhawa said that at this point, the main purpose of the car is for fun. Working from home means he doesn’t often get the chance to drive as much as some people, but he enjoys driving, and when he does — whether it’s the 30-minute drive to the golf course, or shorter commute to the gym or neighbourhood plazas — he is able to completely take advantage of the top down (in the summertime) and blast some of his favourite music.
“I love it! I do not regret my choice at all! At first, I was a little hesitant about the soft top,” he said, and though his music drowns that out, he also noted that it could be a problem for others if they find the wind noises irritating.
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He also said the Bronco has good pickup, “especially in Sport mode.” And the gas mileage is what’s to be expected of a larger and heavier SUV. As he hasn’t had the car for too long, he’s put just over 1,000 km on it. “I usually leave my car in Eco mode and I’m averaging 12 L/100 km,” he noted, which isn’t far off from the 11.7 city and 10.7 highway ratings the Ford website lists.
“I really like the interior of the Bronco as everything feels like it’s put in the right spot and wasn’t an afterthought,” said Randhawa, who noted that the infotainment screen is embedded in the dashboard, as opposed to sticking out as in some vehicles.
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He said the top is extremely easy to fold down and the open-air experience is a game-changer, but that being said, it may not be the car for everyone. “The Bronco isn’t aerodynamic, so driving at high speeds isn’t as easy as it is with a luxury vehicle. You can feel the car moving from the wind at high speeds.”
While Randhawa mentioned he had no issues in parking lots, he did caution, “It may be more difficult for people who may not be used to driving a bigger vehicle.” And while the reverse camera doesn’t have the greatest resolution, he said, “it gets the job done.” The upside of its larger size is that there is plenty of room in the back for passengers, as well as ample cargo space.
Finally, his only other qualm with the Bronco is “the lack of aftermarket parts at the moment, but that will be resolved in due time.”
Randhawa has come a long way from the first car he owned, a 2012 Mazda3, that he says was great on gas, but “it had no pickup and wasn’t fun at all.”
“If money was no option,” he commented, “my dream car would be a Lamborghini Urus or a Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet.” However, he is more than satisfied with his current purchase, adding, “At a more reasonable cost, I am thrilled with my Bronco.”
His next goal is to get some aftermarket parts to customize the large SUV, and then, he says, “maybe, I wouldn’t care about the other two (Lambo and Porsche) vehicles.”