We drove about 1,500 miles in a 2025 Ford Bronco rented from my go-to rental company: Enterprise. They initially offered a Jeep Cherokee — no complaints there — but right next to it sat a Bronco. It looked like it had a bit more ground clearance, and considering our route through high desert, mountain passes, and BLM backroads, that felt like the smarter option.

I asked if I could take the Bronco instead. They tossed me the keys. Off we went.

On the open road, the Bronco was genuinely enjoyable to drive. The ride was smooth and quiet. It handled long stretches of highway and rolling plains like a champ, with excellent cabin insulation and stability. The seats were supportive, the climate control worked flawlessly in the high desert heat, and the vehicle was roomy enough that we could’ve slept in the back if we’d needed to.

Even with our gear packed in, we had ample personal space — a rarity for road trips of this length. This is the kind of vehicle you don’t mind sitting in for five hours at a stretch.

Like many modern vehicles, the Bronco leans heavily on automated driving aids. Some of them helped — lane assist was useful in gusty winds. But when it failed, it failed hard. It had trouble with road seams and imperfect lane markings, sometimes yanking the steering wheel aggressively with no warning.

Worse was the anti-collision system. One wet morning in Yellowstone, glare off the road confused it, and it slammed on the brakes three separate times — once nearly causing an accident. You expect driver aids to help you avoid danger, not create it.

Another major annoyance: throttle lag. On winding roads or gravel, the 1–2 second delay between pedal and power felt like forever. It made tight turns feel clumsy and unpredictable. Once moving, the Bronco coasted too easily — especially on dirt roads, where you'd expect a bit more engine braking.

We wondered if part of the issue was the tires — they were standard passenger car tires, not all-terrain or light truck-grade. That might have contributed to the vehicle’s unwillingness to slow down naturally on gravel. I suspect the drivetrain was also running in some kind of overly gentle “eco” or cruise mode. On pavement, maybe that’s fine. Off-road? It’s not just inconvenient, it’s unsafe.

The worst moment came while descending from the Bighorns. We were on a recently graded BLM road — not exactly a rock-crawling trail. Just gravel, some steep grades, and maybe a rut or two. Nothing that should’ve stressed the tires. Still, we blew one.

We pulled over and got ready to change the tire. There was no spare. Just a cheap patch kit that did nothing to help the situation.

Thankfully, we had cell service. AAA answered the call and sent a tow truck up from Greybull. During the two hours we waited we took in the scenery, made dinner, and I took a couple of photos with the 4x5. It's not every day you get stranded in such a nice place.

Since it was a Sunday in rural Wyoming, we got towed all the way to Cody where Walmart was the only shop open. During the drive over we chatted with the driver about the car, the tire, and our ongoing vacation. The general consensus was that the tires probably weren't meant ot go on gravel, but that the failure of the tire still seemed a bit premature. By this point the tire had totally separated from the rim. The mechanics there took one look at the tire and confirmed what we suspected: it was nearing age-related failure. They were surprised it had even made it down the mountain on gravel.

After roughly 38 hours behind the wheel, I was relieved to hand the Bronco back. I wanted to like it. On paper, it had everything — space, comfort, and solid road manners. But in practice, the overbearing automation, lack of driver feedback, and that tire fiasco ruined the experience.

I went home in my “dumb” 2008 FJ Cruiser — no lane assist, no braking sensors to fail, and no throttle delay. Just a seat-belt dinger, and I can work around that!