The sales figures don't tell the entire story that exists between these competing 4x4s.
Jeep
The Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco are engaged in one of the fiercest competitions in the automotive industry. Both SUVs have storied pasts and droves of die-hard fans behind them, with both automakers laying claim to the American 4×4 crown. With the first quarter of 2023 now behind us, we have a chance to see just how these two SUVs shaped up in terms of sales volume.
During the first quarter of 2023, Jeep managed to sell 37,971 Wranglers. The Blue Oval wasn’t able to match that sales volume with their own 4×4, with Bronco sales totaling just 32,430 units during that same stretch. While on paper that makes it seem like the Wrangler had a more successful start to the year, things really aren’t that simple. Those nearly 38,000 Wrangler sales actually represented a decline of 17 percent when compared to Q1 of 2022. The Bronco’s sales total, on the other hand, increased 37.6 percent over that same period.
Ford
It is also important to note that Ford has not had an easy time getting Broncos to waiting customers. Ford still had such a backlog of orders at the end of 2022 that ordering books for the 2023 model year were limited to previous reservation holders. The goal of that restriction was to try and catch up on the overflow of reservations that have been coming in since the SUV’s debut. Ford did eventually open ordering books to new customers for a single day late last month. The Blue Oval has gone as far as to pause the Everglades trim for 2023, as well as the manual transmission option in an effort to streamline production. Back in January, Ford even offered Bronco buyers up to $2500 if they agreed to cancel their orders and re-order a Bronco model without options that were severely production-constrained.
Jeep can certainly be proud of its hold over the Bronco during the early part of this year, but the strength of its Wrangler offerings aren’t solely responsible for that. That’s not to say that the Bronco is somehow a superior off-roader, but the level of demand for the two vehicles is clearly different. In the end that’s only a good thing for Jeep and Ford fans alike, as the two brands continue to push and evolve their products to stay competitive. The market is better off with both of these fan-favorite SUVs among the ranks.
Jeep Lucas Bell Born and raised in Metro Detroit, associate editor Lucas Bell has spent his entire life surrounded by the automotive industry.
Keyword: Jeep Wrangler Outsells Bronco Through The Start of 2023