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4dr BB soft top 2.3 vs BL 2 door 2.7 impressions

HBTFD

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I was lucky enough to drive a 4 door soft top big bend 2.3 mid auto and a 2 door badlands non SAS lux 2.7. Both demos. Takeaways-

1) 2 door sound level is not much different than the soft top. The soft top down, windows up is quiet enough at 70 to use Bluetooth. The tires on the BL seemed to have more road noise.

2) Engines don’t have much difference for non drag or Baja racers.

3) The 12” screen kicks ass

4) The badlands was more nimble. Not sure if wheelbase, suspension or combination drives that.

I prefer the higher stance of the badlands or Sasquatch vs the big bend. Driving them got me all fired up again. Allegedly 5-8 weeks more before delivery of my Bronco 🤞
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Joey.calc

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Review looks good with one exception:

“Badlands was more nimble”

The Badlands is heavier (even if it is a 2-dr and the Big Bend is a 4-dr). Sasquatch package with giant tires and softer suspension would make it much less nimble. It has the 2.7 which, while giving more torque, feels more sluggish once you get up and going than the 2.3.

I bring these points up because I too drove two Broncos this past weekend (although I’ve had the pleasure of testing out 5 different Broncos so far). One was a 4-door Big Bend 2.3 auto and the other was a 4-door Wildtrak (2.7 auto of course). The Big Bend felt much quicker (even with the smaller engine and taller gearing), more nimble, had better road manners, and was quieter. The Wildtrak looked better and would have eaten the Big Bend alive if I went off-roading, of course.

What you are noticing with the 2-door Badlands is the shorter wheelbase. If that Badlands was a 4-door, the Big Bend would have blown it out of the water in terms of “on-road performance”.

My point is: if you want nimble and/or good on the road, don’t let the 2-door Badlands fool you. If you are getting a 4-door, it will lose that nimbleness you seem to have liked!
 
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HBTFD

HBTFD

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Review looks good with one exception:

“Badlands was more nimble”

The Badlands is heavier (even if it is a 2-dr and the Big Bend is a 4-dr). Sasquatch package with giant tires and softer suspension would make it much less nimble. It has the 2.7 which, while giving more torque, feels more sluggish once you get up and going than the 2.3.

I bring these points up because I too drove two Broncos this past weekend (although I’ve had the pleasure of testing out 5 different Broncos so far). One was a 4-door Big Bend 2.3 auto and the other was a 4-door Wildtrak (2.7 auto of course). The Big Bend felt much quicker (even with the smaller engine and taller gearing), more nimble, had better road manners, and was quieter. The Wildtrak looked better and would have eaten the Big Bend alive if I went off-roading, of course.

What you are noticing with the 2-door Badlands is the shorter wheelbase. If that Badlands was a 4-door, the Big Bend would have blown it out of the water in terms of “on-road performance”.

My point is: if you want nimble and/or good on the road, don’t let the 2-door Badlands fool you. If you are getting a 4-door, it will lose that nimbleness you seem to have liked!
I don’t have a bias towards either for nimbleness or anything else. Just posted some observations.
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