Test drove a 2026 Badlands - do all Broncos have this much tire noise?

[TBird2003]

If you get Bronco, you get road noise. It's meant to be road not driven. I run with my doors and top off anytime I can. I have a 2026 Badlands Sasquach and just love the noise it makes.

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[profet]

I bought a Bronco because I like it better than a Jeep. People ask me all the time, “How do you like the Bronco?” I love it. It brings me right back to my youth.

But I always tell them: if you’re not a Jeep person or someone who loves 4x4s and off-road vehicles, don’t buy a Bronco just because you like the way it looks. It’s a different kind of vehicle, and if that lifestyle isn’t your thing, it’s probably not for you.

I wanted a manual (non-pickup) truck. If the 4runner was available with a manual, I honestly probably would have gone that route. But alas, the Bronco and the Jeep are the only game in town.

 

[Rupp]

No the op is still here. I went again today and test drove 3 more non-Sas Badlands and I'd love to hear wind noise but the tire drone is unbelievably loud. I have a convertible so I know what wind noise sounds like but it has to be the tires they are using. I'm going back tomorrow to test drive an Outerbanks (smaller more street like tires) to see if they offer any less tire noise. For those asking what I drive now - it's a 2022 RAM 1500 Limited and it's is quieter than my Lexus RX350. So the bar was set high. Now, as you guys have mentioned, I need to decide if the Bronco is the vehicle for me. Thanks for all of the information.

 

[crzyhawk]

Probably, but not necessarily true. Many, like me, just want a vehicle that goes where I want, does what I want like a truck, but I don't want or need a bed, or a panel van. I love camping but know I will never go rock crawling.

My 2 door Base is the perfect vehicle for me, with 16 inch road tires it is quiet, rides comfortably on and off road, and for 17,000 miles has averaged 24-26 mpg.

Tom

This. I drive cars that 10 year old me would approve of. I grew up in the 80s thinking that the 60s were peak aesthetic years (they were). 10 year old me would approve of of my 2008 mustang which looks like a modern interpretation of what I thought was the coolest thing going. 10 year old me would also approve my Bronco which looks a lot like the old Broncos and scouts that, while no 60s muscle, were cool in their own ways. 10 year old me grew up with a dad who "refused to buy any vehicle made after 1972 because they started putting that smog bullshit on" who put recap pizza cutters on his old 4X4 trucks that hummed when you drove em down the road.

Since I got out of the army, I've owned 4 vehicles: 2000 Mustang, 2006 Mustang, 2008 Mustang...then my 2024 Bronco. We won't count the 1968 Mustang in my sister's garage because I don't have anywhere to store it, or the time or inclination to work on it myself right now. All of them have 3 pedals. I never considered that third pedal optional.

What 10 year old me hated were 4 door anythings and automatics. The fastest way to ruin a nova, fairlane or impala was to have 2 extra doors in the back.

As an adult, having lived with Mustang cargo capacity for years, I really wanted to have an SUV. The FJ cruiser interested me, 2 door appearance...but no third pedal. It's the biggest thing that stopped me. Jeep? Meh. Fine vehicle, but the cult that surrounds them is offputting. Then Bronco comes along. 2 door? Check. Manual? Check. More cargo space than the Mustang? Check. So I wrote a check. Easy peasy.

Gas isn't any worse than any of the trucks my dad owned. Hell, he constantly bragged on how his J4000 Jeep pulled 19.8 MPG. It was loud, the tires hummed, and dad liked it, so naturally I thought it was a pretty cool truck. My Bronco is more comfy than his old Jeep, or his buddy's 64 Scout. It gets better gas mileage than either. It's far quieter for road noise purposes. Doesn't sound as cool as that Buick V8 in the J4000 that he loved so much though. That's a bummer.

Complaining about wind/roadnoise? Everytime I see a thread like this I can see my dad roll his eyes and hear him say "Candyass". You know what's quieter than my Bronco? Minivan. Don't forget to put a stick figure family sticker on with your dog, 3 kids with the empty spot where your ex-wife used to be.

 

[C6ZZGT]

Complaining about wind/roadnoise? Everytime I see a thread like this I can see my dad roll his eyes and hear him say "Candyass". You know what's quieter than my Bronco? Minivan. Don't forget to put a stick figure family sticker on with your dog, 3 kids with the empty spot where your ex-wife used to be.

I`m gonna have to save this somewhere and post it up everytime someone starts a post like this !!!

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

This. I drive cars that 10 year old me would approve of. I grew up in the 80s thinking that the 60s were peak aesthetic years (they were). 10 year old me would approve of of my 2008 mustang which looks like a modern interpretation of what I thought was the coolest thing going. 10 year old me would also approve my Bronco which looks a lot like the old Broncos and scouts that, while no 60s muscle, were cool in their own ways. 10 year old me grew up with a dad who "refused to buy any vehicle made after 1972 because they started putting that smog bullshit on" who put recap pizza cutters on his old 4X4 trucks that hummed when you drove em down the road.

Since I got out of the army, I've owned 4 vehicles: 2000 Mustang, 2006 Mustang, 2008 Mustang...then my 2024 Bronco. We won't count the 1968 Mustang in my sister's garage because I don't have anywhere to store it, or the time or inclination to work on it myself right now. All of them have 3 pedals. I never considered that third pedal optional.

What 10 year old me hated were 4 door anythings and automatics. The fastest way to ruin a nova, fairlane or impala was to have 2 extra doors in the back.

As an adult, having lived with Mustang cargo capacity for years, I really wanted to have an SUV. The FJ cruiser interested me, 2 door appearance...but no third pedal. It's the biggest thing that stopped me. Jeep? Meh. Fine vehicle, but the cult that surrounds them is offputting. Then Bronco comes along. 2 door? Check. Manual? Check. More cargo space than the Mustang? Check. So I wrote a check. Easy peasy.

Gas isn't any worse than any of the trucks my dad owned. Hell, he constantly bragged on how his J4000 Jeep pulled 19.8 MPG. It was loud, the tires hummed, and dad liked it, so naturally I thought it was a pretty cool truck. My Bronco is more comfy than his old Jeep, or his buddy's 64 Scout. It gets better gas mileage than either. It's far quieter for road noise purposes. Doesn't sound as cool as that Buick V8 in the J4000 that he loved so much though. That's a bummer.

Complaining about wind/roadnoise? Everytime I see a thread like this I can see my dad roll his eyes and hear him say "Candyass". You know what's quieter than my Bronco? Minivan. Don't forget to put a stick figure family sticker on with your dog, 3 kids with the empty spot where your ex-wife used to be.

Posts like this are the cowboy poetry of Bronco6g.com

 

[Ratfink33]

I guess everything is relative.... I have the MOD top and a really really think mine is rather quiet for what it is....

Turn up your volume and tell me if this is obnoxiously loud.... I am curious what other think.

and yes I spelled acceleration with an "e" This is with some rather aggressive MTs. - I was testing out my new exhaust.

Wait.... How are you getting the video up on your screen at that speed?!?

 

[5GENIDN]

Wait.... How are you getting the video up on your screen at that speed?!?

Can Opener... 4D tech.

 

[3pedals]

We test drove a couple non-SAS Badlands in manual and are doing an extended 4 hour test drive tomorrow before ordering. Noise is one of my concerns.

I have read that the tires make a huge difference. KO3s are much quieter than the Goodyears and are quieter than KO2s. But the 33"s that it comes with are likely Goodyears leading to much of the problem. Also, any hardtop that is MIC instead of Shadow Black or body matched painted tends to be louder than the painted ones. The tops are different.

I did some interior noise tests. At 75mph my Benz GLC AMG 43 with the sport exhaust and AC on runs about 73-76db interior noise. My wife's Audi e-tron GT sedan is not as quiet and runs 83-86db interior noise. Most of what I have seen says the Bronco on 33" tires should run in the 83-85db range but BESTOP swears with their fully electric convertible soft top, they get around 75db interior noise similar to my Benz. I still don't want a soft top. I'll be testing the Bronco on the test drive to see how it compares to my other two cars when I drive it tomorrow.

 

[Snowdogyyz]

I put Goodyear Duratracs on my 4Runner several years ago- worst mistake I ever made. Those tires were full on crap. Quiet for about 5k miles and then sounded like mud tires. I’ll never put another set of GY’s on anything. Had great luck with the BFG KO2’s, minus wet road traction. Now I’m running MT Baja boss- love them though they’re not the quietest tire. Tires definitely make a difference. My wife’s OBX is much quieter than my WT so I’m sure the OP will notice a difference. Enough to make a purchase remains to be seen!

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

No the op is still here. I went again today and test drove 3 more non-Sas Badlands and I'd love to hear wind noise but the tire drone is unbelievably loud. I have a convertible so I know what wind noise sounds like but it has to be the tires they are using. I'm going back tomorrow to test drive an Outerbanks (smaller more street like tires) to see if they offer any less tire noise. For those asking what I drive now - it's a 2022 RAM 1500 Limited and it's is quieter than my Lexus RX350. So the bar was set high. Now, as you guys have mentioned, I need to decide if the Bronco is the vehicle for me. Thanks for all of the information.

As someone mentioned earlier, the dealership probably has them way overinflated. Check the PSI — you can do it from the dash console. Mine were in the mid-40s. I now run at 36.

 

[rpaluch1]

Simple story. 2022 Outerbanks non sas. I changed the stock tires BFG for a wider aggressive look and went to Falken Wildpeak. When they were new the noise was a bit louder than stock. As they wore it got louder and louder. So you’ll get less tire noise in a non sas Outerbanks. However the hard top at 70 + is still noisy. It’s the nature of the beast.

 

[Dan-O]

Tire noise????? I can’t hear any tire noise, all the wind in the echo chamber drown out any tire noise

 

[Tone007]

What did you say? Come again. I can’t hear you If that’s what your worried about I don’t think the Bronco is for you.

 

[Kevin Scarbel]

Guys,
I want a Bronco so bad. I've been test driving several different Badlands (non Sasquatch) and I'm not sure I can live with the tire noise on this vehicle. Do all full size 4 door Broncos make this much tire noise?

TIA

None of my Broncos (all SAS) have above average tire noise.........for such a vehicle.
Perhaps a crossover, e.g. a non-Trailsport Passport or Pilot with all-season tires, would better suit your interior noise preference.

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