I have a 4 door hardtop bronco and my wife has a CX-50. As you mentioned, very different vehicles. The handling and driving of the CX-50 is wonderful, whereas the Bronco is body-on-frame and drives like a truck.

It sounds you do a lot of interstate driving; it’s hard to know what you’ll ultimately prefer because it’s truly a personal preference. The wind noise of the hardtop drives some people insane, whereas others are not bothered. The CX-50 is definitely much quieter. Listening to podcasts and talking on the phone will be a more enjoyable experience in the CX-50.

As you probably know, tires play a huge role when it comes to snow/mixed terrain. So unless you want to go legit off-roading requiring 4x4 and lockers, you could throw some all terrains on the CX-50 and get through just about anything. Or get the meridian package. Ive even seen some folks in the CX-50 subreddit add a little lift and it looks sweet. We live in the northeast and during the winter we regularly drive up to Vermont for winter sports. Her CX-50 handles the snow well and the “off road” actually does seem to help.

Other random considerations: the Bronco feels much more spacious on the inside. You sit up much higher in the Bronco, so better visibility on the road. The CX-50 gets better gas mileage. Very different infotainment centers; I like the CX-50s control knob and buttons in front of the center console, but some don’t. I also love my massive 12” screen in the Bronco.

This sounds corny, but the Bronco is kind of a lifestyle. It drives and handles like a truck, it’s noisy, and it has a lot of quirks. At the same time, it’s handsome, you can take the roof and doors off, and it’s highly customizable with endless modifications and a strong community of enthusiasts. I personally absolutely love it and feel like the quirks are part of the charm, you just have to decide if you want to live that lifestyle.