2.3 in Squatched 2-Doors Sufficient?

[Scott R Nelson]

Never buy the base engine, you'll always wonder what you could've had. Will the 2.3L move it? Yes. Is it adequate? Barely.

I totally disagree with your opinion.

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[kodiakisland]

Never buy the base engine, you'll always wonder what you could've had. Will the 2.3L move it? Yes. Is it adequate? Barely.

No, it’s well above just adequate.
That said, the only solid reason for the 2.3l is the MT. If auto is your thing, get the 2.7l.

 

[MCG DAWG]

Never buy the base engine, you'll always wonder what you could've had. Will the 2.3L move it? Yes. Is it adequate? Barely.

Come ride with me in my 2.3 manual. We'll drop it in sport mode, run the turbo up to double digit PSI and around 5K RPM before each shift, and I'll guarantee you I'll change your mind. Helluva fun ride.

 

[67BroncoG1]

I have a 2.3L Auto 2 Door BaseSquatch and it has plenty of power. It isn't a sports car and doesn't want to be driven fast on the road. It has the power to drive fast but remember that you are talking about a high center if gravity and short wheelbase. Off road it pushes the truck as fast as you want to go on dirt trails. Crawling is really more about gearing than power. The 4.70 gears and 35" tire work great together. They will likely be fine if I ever put 37" tires on it. I would not want to turn the 35" tires with 3.73 gears with either the 2.3L or the 2.7L. Sure the 2.7L would do better with the wrong gearing but that is just helping hide a gearing problem that will get exposed when you need crawl at slow speeds.

 

[NC_Pinz]

I'm Squatched with the 2.3L and auto. The engine does well. Not as torquey as the 2.7L but it gets up and moves with traffic. I've not had a time so far that I was lacking power and I'm not known to drive slow. Folks that haven't driven it or come in with a bias don't really have an objective view. I've driven all three variants of Bronco drivetrain in either Badlands or Squatch form.

 

[Markco]

The title pretty much says it all.

Getting concerned about all the hand wringing over the 2.7 issues on this forum. I went with it for my build due to generally always leaning towards the more powerful engine when purchasing vehicles and only test driving one in a Squatched 2-door.
But now I'm reconsidering since the 2.3 is already used in 4-doors as well. Basic reasoning would lead me to believe the lighter weight of the 2-door may do just fine with the smaller engine. Just not sure if adding the Sasquatch package will make it too anemic...

Can any of you lucky souls that have already received 2-doors with the 2.3 AND the SAS package provide your personal feedback/opinions?

Thanks in advance!

Im very happy with the 2.3 plenty power.

 

[JT58Bronc]

I have the 2.7 in a 2 door Squatch, just got it. I think the key is gears. With the 4.7 and 10 speed transmission you will be all set with the 2.3. Probably not much difference between the 2.7 and 2.3, actually. Low gears and lot of speeds. The 2.3 will yield MPG in the 20's- hard time getting that with the 2.7. For my driving style (it's a tall 4 X 4 meant to go on road and be very capable off road, I drive it slow and easy) I probably should have gone with the 2.3L. But I went with the biggest engine is the lightest model- base. I would not go 2.3 if you do not go Sas and want to put on 35" tires at a later date. Get the 4.70 gearing. If you want to install 35" tires on non Sas I'd then opt for the 2.7.

 

[PrepVet]

Nope. You need a minimum of the 6.2.

 

[ChetC]

This question and the people downplaying the 2.3L slays me. The 2.3L, in its stock form, is rated at 300hp and 325 lb ft of torque. If it were a light duty pickup truck it would rank 7th on the 2021 most powerful list. If you go back a few years it would top the list.

I just pulled a 1500lb camper from Las Vegas to Indiana, averaged 17.64 (hand calculated) MPG and never had to shift the ol’ manual below 5th to pull any hill on the way.

Anyone who says the 2.3L isn’t enough for the Bronco is either expecting sports car acceleration or has a mental issue with 4cyl power plants.

 

[Mr. Nice]

This question and the people downplaying the 2.3L slays me. The 2.3L, in its stock form, is rated at 300hp and 325 lb ft of torque. If it were a light duty pickup truck it would rank 7th on the 2021 most powerful list. If you go back a few years it would top the list.

I just pulled a 1500lb camper from Las Vegas to Indiana, averaged 17.64 (hand calculated) MPG and never had to shift the ol’ manual below 5th to pull any hill on the way.

Anyone who says the 2.3L isn’t enough for the Bronco is either expecting sports car acceleration or has a mental issue with 4cyl power plants.

It's not so much of the lack of power it's all about finding it.
Don't get me started on the deficient vacuum assist brakes that come on the 2.3's.

Although the four-pot emits a less-than-invigorating thrum and is easier to catch off boost, particularly with the manual, it only gives up 30 horses to the V-6.
CAR and DRIVER


Both engines provide adequate response and low-end torque once geared down in four-low, but the 2.3-liter needs time for the turbo to wind up in daily driving.
HAGERTY

The rest of the transmission's gearing is excessively tall, and we had to change gears later than we normally would lest low revs magnify whatever turbo lag the 2.3-liter engine exhibits. As we charged up the steep inclines that give Texas Hill Country its name, we found we often had to downshift to fifth or fourth to maintain our mile-a-minute pace.
MOTORTREND

The clutch is somewhat vague, which combined with the 2.3's less-predictable throttle tuning made for a rather disappointing experience.
motor1


The 2.3-liter turbo-four seems to have enough grunt on paper, but it felt a bit sluggish in spots, especially when climbing a grade. I found myself downshifting more than I expected to, and it wasn’t until I hit some open highway late in the drive that I found myself using fifth and sixth gears. I wonder how the four-cylinder can handle the extra weight of the four-door – and how it works in concert with the 10-speed, regardless of door count.
The Truth About Cars

The 2.3-liter turbocharged engine definitely needs boost to have any amount of low-end torque. Starting off in first gear, I found myself lugging the engine a bit as the motor began building boost, taking a moment to accelerate out of the hole.
jalopnik

I went with the Bronco my id would want: a loaded, red, two-door Badlands trim model with a seven-speed manual transmission (only available with the smaller but still capable 2.3-liter inline-four engine). It was not the ideal choice for Austin, which was much hillier than I anticipated
GEAR PATROL

Quote Repl

 

[JoshuaPrieto]

The title pretty much says it all.

Getting concerned about all the hand wringing over the 2.7 issues on this forum. I went with it for my build due to generally always leaning towards the more powerful engine when purchasing vehicles and only test driving one in a Squatched 2-door.
But now I'm reconsidering since the 2.3 is already used in 4-doors as well. Basic reasoning would lead me to believe the lighter weight of the 2-door may do just fine with the smaller engine. Just not sure if adding the Sasquatch package will make it too anemic...

Can any of you lucky souls that have already received 2-doors with the 2.3 AND the SAS package provide your personal feedback/opinions?

Thanks in advance!

The 2.3l is very efficient and a reliable motor(knock on wood ) You didn't imply this, but I feel a ton of people think this is a Rocket ship- both motors have great getup and passing, and if you decided to drag-race them, the 2.3l will get the jump, but lose by the time you reach 70mph.

Regarding off-road capability, of course the torque of the 2.7l will make it superior, but I do not believe the 2.3l is any slouch

 

[NC_Pinz]

Quotes from car magazines versus folks who own them and drive them daily. Hmmm, which will have a more in depth knowledge? Lol.

Update...was just thinking of my past off road trucks. Most were sitting right at 90 hp both in 4 cyl and 6 cyl form. The biggest was 8600lb worth of truck and 90 hp was plenty moving it around off road. On road it was a slug. I think 300 hp will be just fine for all situations.

 

[ChetC]

It's not so much of the lack of power it's all about finding it.
Don't get me started on the deficient vacuum assist brakes that come on the 2.3's.

Although the four-pot emits a less-than-invigorating thrum and is easier to catch off boost, particularly with the manual, it only gives up 30 horses to the V-6.
CAR and DRIVER


Both engines provide adequate response and low-end torque once geared down in four-low, but the 2.3-liter needs time for the turbo to wind up in daily driving.
HAGERTY

The rest of the transmission's gearing is excessively tall, and we had to change gears later than we normally would lest low revs magnify whatever turbo lag the 2.3-liter engine exhibits. As we charged up the steep inclines that give Texas Hill Country its name, we found we often had to downshift to fifth or fourth to maintain our mile-a-minute pace.
MOTORTREND

The clutch is somewhat vague, which combined with the 2.3's less-predictable throttle tuning made for a rather disappointing experience.
motor1


The 2.3-liter turbo-four seems to have enough grunt on paper, but it felt a bit sluggish in spots, especially when climbing a grade. I found myself downshifting more than I expected to, and it wasn’t until I hit some open highway late in the drive that I found myself using fifth and sixth gears. I wonder how the four-cylinder can handle the extra weight of the four-door – and how it works in concert with the 10-speed, regardless of door count.
The Truth About Cars

The 2.3-liter turbocharged engine definitely needs boost to have any amount of low-end torque. Starting off in first gear, I found myself lugging the engine a bit as the motor began building boost, taking a moment to accelerate out of the hole.
jalopnik

I went with the Bronco my id would want: a loaded, red, two-door Badlands trim model with a seven-speed manual transmission (only available with the smaller but still capable 2.3-liter inline-four engine). It was not the ideal choice for Austin, which was much hillier than I anticipated
GEAR PATROL

Quote Repl

That’s an impressive amount of homework you did there. Now go drive one. I am and I don’t agree with any of those downfalls. Is there a little bit of turbo lag, yes but it last for a split second. The reason the turbo is on there is to produce torque. Why would it be a downfall of needing the turbo to produce torque if that’s why the turbo is on there?

I don’t know why I bother to argue this stuff and won’t past this point. All I can say is that I am extremely happy with the power plant and transmission in my Bronco which is a manual 2.3l and if I were to write a review it would be very different than the ones you provided. I should also add that I moved into the Bronco out of the Ram 1500 with a hemi, so I know what more power feels like towing this trailer and I don’t miss it at all not to mention I’m pretty stoked to be getting 3 more MPG while doing it.

 

[ChetC]

Don't get me started on the deficient vacuum assist brakes that come on the 2.3's.

On this note; vacuum assisted brakes have been around forever and anyone who grew up driving with them knows if you need heavy braking you give a quick double pump and they’re there. If you give a single stab you’re going to be sorely disappointed. It’s all about the technique, not the brakes. The brakes are fine.

 

[Scott R Nelson]

Is there a little bit of turbo lag, yes but it last for a split second. The reason the turbo is on there is to produce torque. Why would it be a downfall of needing the turbo to produce torque if that’s why the turbo is on there?

I noticed the turbo lag a lot more on the manual transmission 2.3 that I test drove. I don't notice it at all on my automatic. And I like manual transmissions, but I feel that the Bronco is better with the automatic.

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