Test Drove 2.3L Ranger & 2.7L in F150 and was disappointed... Options to improve off the line?

[Panzer948]

First of all I promise I am not a troll. If you see my posts they are just like everyone else's. Excited about the new Bronco and am willing to still get it on day 1 even though I wish some of the options were more available (mostly MIC Top and interior choice concerns). But I am new to Ford and have no idea about the performance of the 2.3 or 2.7L engines (or Ford Performance in general). Even though I am already 99% sure I will opt the 2.7L, I wanted to atleast get a feel between the two choices by back to back test driving. My Dealer was kind enough to let me do so last night by test driving a new Ranger w/ 2.3 and F150 w/ 2.7L. Disclaimer: I do not expect the Bronco to be a race car but would like to have above average power/acceleration to get in and out of traffic (I live off a freeway where I have to pull out in front of cars going 60 to 70 mph every day). However, I do like spirited driving as well and always opt my vehicles with the most power available. For comparison I do have a Jeep Grand Cherokee with the optional 5.7L Hemi as well as a BMW M4, the latter of which is also a twin turbo I6. I do not expect the Bronco to be up there with them. I am sure after a couple of years Bronco will have power options closer to what the more established GC offers while M cars are for performance and not offroading.

Concerning test drive, I will not even bother to discuss the 2.3L... For the 2.7L, I felt it had good midrange, maybe even similar to the Hemi's midrange; upper end seemed fine too for what I could test. I would hope the Bronco would be slightly better due to weighing less than F150?? Where I was very disappointed was the low end from simply flooring it from a dead spot. It seemed to take forever to get going with what even felt like a delay. Even the sales guy admitted that Ford's turbos have some significant turbo lag. The naturally aspirated hemi powered GC can easily throw your head back from a stop position. My twin turbo BMW obviously can and with no turbo lag. I recall when BMW put out their twin turbo engines 15 years ago there was so much pushback about worry from turbo lag. But that went away once enthusiasts realized they did a great job to eliminate lag. I previously had a lower model BMW (335) that also had a twin turbo I6 and never experienced any real lag. To be honest, I didn't even know what turbo lag felt like but think I just did last night. Is Ford simply behind in turbo engines?

One thing I am wondering about that could have made the issue worse is that awful feature of engine cut off at stop. Both my Jeep and BMW have that but you can turn that off in the settings (which I did on Day 1). The sales person said that you can't disengage that in the Ford models!!! Could that be true?? I will have to look into a tune/reprogramming to get that removed ASAP.

Sorry about long post but I really just want to know from Ford Enthusiasts if this slow to takeoff issue can be overcome? Perhaps I can feather the gas instead of just mashing the accelerator. I only drove it for 10 mins so really didn't have enough time to play around with acceleration technique. I am also hoping a new tune could remove that lag as well. Is there hope for such improvements?

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[FJ 432]

Wow, I was pleasantly shocked by the power of the 2.3. I loved the 2.7.

I find myself in very few rare occasions where the first 100 feet needs to be balls to the wall.

 

[Cholondo]

I know the "lag" you're talking about from driving my father in laws ecoboost engine.. It takes his truck a second or two before it gets up there -- It's a matter of perspective I guess because I'll be coming from my 2017 Jeep V6 engine.... I can only imagine that the 2.7 will be far better.. if it's not, I'll be very disappointed.

 

[Vigor]

First of all I promise I am not a troll. If you see my posts they are just like everyone else's. Excited about the new Bronco and am willing to still get it on day 1 even though I wish some of the options were more available (mostly MIC Top and interior choice concerns). But I am new to Ford and have no idea about the performance of the 2.3 or 2.7L engines (or Ford Performance in general). Even though I am already 99% sure I will opt the 2.7L, I wanted to atleast get a feel between the two choices by back to back test driving. My Dealer was kind enough to let me do so last night by test driving a new Ranger w/ 2.3 and F150 w/ 2.7L. Disclaimer: I do not expect the Bronco to be a race car but would like to have above average power/acceleration to get in and out of traffic (I live off a freeway where I have to pull out in front of cars going 60 to 70 mph every day). However, I do like spirited driving as well and always opt my vehicles with the most power available. For comparison I do have a Jeep Grand Cherokee with the optional 5.7L Hemi as well as a BMW M4, the latter of which is also a twin turbo V6. I do not expect the Bronco to be up there with them. I am sure after a couple of years Bronco will have power options closer to what the more established GC offers while M cars are for performance and not offroading.

Concerning test drive, I will not even bother to discuss the 2.3L... For the 2.7L, I felt it had good midrange, maybe even similar to the Hemi's midrange; upper end seemed fine too for what I could test. I would hope the Bronco would be slightly better due to weighing less than F150?? Where I was very disappointed was the low end from simply flooring it from a dead spot. It seemed to take forever to get going with what even felt like a delay. Even the sales guy admitted that Ford's turbos have some significant turbo lag. The naturally aspirated hemi powered GC can easily throw your head back from a stop position. My twin turbo BMW obviously can and with no turbo lag. I recall when BMW put out their twin turbo engines 15 years ago there was so much pushback about worry from turbo lag. But that went away once enthusiasts realized they did a great job to eliminate lag. I previously had a lower model BMW (335) that also had a twin turbo V6 and never experienced any real lag. To be honest, I didn't even know what turbo lag felt like but think I just did last night. Is Ford simply behind in turbo engines?

One thing I am wondering about that could have made the issue worse is that awful feature of engine cut off at stop. Both my Jeep and BMW have that but you can turn that off in the settings (which I did on Day 1). The sales person said that you can't disengage that in the Ford models!!! Could that be true?? I will have to look into a tune/reprogramming to get that removed ASAP.

Sorry about long post but I really just want to know from Ford Enthusiasts if this slow to takeoff issue can be overcome? Perhaps I can feather the gas instead of just mashing the accelerator. I only drove it for 10 mins so really didn't have enough time to play around with acceleration technique. I am also hoping a new tune could remove that lag as well. Is there hope for such improvements?

Thanks for the insight

I think everyone's mileage (no pun intended) will vary on what they feel is enough power
A little concerned about the statement of the auto shut off not being able to be disabled. I turn it off everytime in my SO's BMW

 

[Dubfound]

Interesting. I'm coming from a few Audi S model cars so I'm now curious about the acceleration. They must have a way to shut off that auto start/stop function. I have to click a button in my Audi S3 every time I start it. If it has something like that I'm ok with it.

 

[pan-y-cerveza]

Thanks for the insight

I think everyone's mileage (no pun intended) will vary on what they feel is enough power
A little concerned about the statement of the auto shut off not being able to be disabled. I turn it off everytime in my SO's BMW

A quick google search shows that there are a number of ways to completely disable it. I'm not familiar enough with Fords to know if they have, or the Bronco will have, a button to shut it off or not.

 

[ILoveTacos]

Did you not feel that the 2.3 had more “low end” power by comparison? I plan to do the same test drive on Monday.

 

[lightbulb]

I have not driven a 2.3 or 2.7. For comparison, my current rig with all the extra weight of bumpers and armor is in the ballpark of the bronco. After tuner, intake, exhaust the HP/Torque is in the ballpark. No complaints daily driving. Get it loaded with all the gear you need for a week of fun and it could use a little extra go.

 

[Spooled]

The Bronco in most cases won't be lighter than an F-150, unless it's a 2-Door non Sasquatch. Most F-150's are under 5,000lbs.

The 2.7 F-150 and GC Hemi have similar acceleration numbers with the 2.7 being quicker in a few tests (sub 6 seconds 0-60). Some of the lag you feel is due to torque management limiters from the factory. A turbocharged engine is always going also have lag off idle... that's just science.

 

[Blksunshine06]

Man I test drove those as well and was very surprised with how well they did over my expectations. I didn't encounter driving with the auto shutoff function, I told the dealer I wasn't interested in that and am assuming he turned it off before I got in. I DD a tuned 2014 3.5 ecoboost and wasn't expecting either of them to feel as fast as my current vehicle. I didn't do any wide open throttle, only driving up to 45mph headed to the highway and merging onto a 65 mph highway but before I got to traffic I was in the 70's. The ranger seemed a little quiet to me with the F150 sounding closer to my truck before the exhaust was added.

 

[Vigor]

A quick google search shows that there are a number of ways to completely disable it. I'm not familiar enough with Fords to know if they have, or the Bronco will have, a button to shut it off or not.

Here's what Google tells me when I type in "turn off auto off on ford"


You can turn off auto start-stop on the Ford F150 by using FORScan modifications, unplug the connector from the battery, use a jumper wire, and remove the black wire from the box.


Hope it's that easy, if its not in the settings

 

[Rayder]

Ford does allow you to turn off the auto stop/start. Also turning on sport mode will disable it. The 2.3 being a twin scroll design will have less turbo lag, but some of that on the 2.7 is not turbo lag, its intentionally tuned that way for fuel efficiency.

 

[BurntToast]

I'm not trying to troll you @Panzer948, but your M4 and your previous 335 have inline 6's, not v6's. Both awesome cars btw, lucky man!

 

[Opossum]

Please do not take this as anything more than how it is meant, but I knew you were going to write that you drove a BMW before I read the sentence listing your M4. ?

 

[Norville]

I have an Escape as a work vehicle and it has the same hard button to turn off the start stop ... ?

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