08:15 06-06-2026

Ford Bronco: engineers considered a fixed roof to fight cabin noise

Ford briefly considered a fixed roof for the Bronco Filson to cut wind noise, but engineers chose acoustic upgrades instead. The result: 23 sones, on par with the Land Rover Defender.

Ford briefly toyed with the idea of a fixed roof while developing the premium Bronco Filson trim. The trigger was one of the SUV’s biggest sore points: the removable roof delivers freedom and an open-air feel, but it leaves the cabin noticeably louder than rivals with a conventional closed body.

Bronco chief engineer Ed Krenz explained that Ford benchmarked the model against premium off-roaders like the Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser. Both have fixed roofs and far better wind insulation. Engineers did run the numbers on what a hard roof would do for the Bronco, but they dropped the idea quickly. According to Krenz, the open top is the model’s “superpower,” and Ford had no intention of giving up that card.

Instead, the company went the refinement route. The Bronco Filson gets acoustic glass, upgraded seals, a softer headliner, revised seatback materials and reworked airflow aerodynamics. As a result, perceived wind noise dropped by 20% compared with the standard Bronco.

Ford measures cabin noise in the 2027 Bronco Filson at roughly 23 sones — the same level as the Land Rover Defender at cruising speed. For reference, the 2021 Bronco came in around 30 sones. In other words, engineers almost caught up with closed-roof SUVs without sacrificing the removable top. Open construction always means compromises on noise and comfort, and the Filson trim shows that Ford is pushing the Bronco toward a more grown-up, premium feel without turning it into just another closed SUV.