Test Drove Badlands 2.3L Manual (Apex, NC)

[mikeheel]

My wife and I went with a friend to Crossroads Ford in Apex, NC yesterday to test drive a Cyber Orange Badlands the dealership has as its mannequin. In order to drive, you must have a reservation. They do NOT offer weekend reservations, so you must drive on a weekday. They offer reservations until 7pm on weekdays. Setting up the reservation is easy, and they confirm it with you via text on the day you'll drive.

When you arrive at the dealership, you check in with the info desk just inside the main entrance. The folks there were very enthusiastic about the Bronco and very friendly. They located a dealer plate, walked out to put it on the Bronco, asked if we had any questions, and then let us go out on our own. I was pleasantly surprised they don't have a salesman go with you. The only instruction was to "bring it back when [you're] done." I joked that I'd bring it back when mine is built. They generally expect that you will be out 30-45 minutes. We were out about an hour. Anyway, huge shoutout to the folks at Crossroads. I don't have my reservation there, but they were excellent to deal with in terms of the test drive.

I've seen a lot of Broncos before at SCE. I also rode in a Badlands there with Shelby Hall. I later went to a local dealer Bronco event (also at Crossroads) where we were able see and get inside a couple of Broncos. So, this was not my first Bronco exposure. I've been in and around them more than most folks. But this was my first chance to drive one.

If you want to see my impressions from prior events, you can find them in this thread. I won't do a full review post here, but I'll talk more about the driving experience and little things that stood out more this time around. I didn't take many pictures. My apologies for that, but there are lots of pictures out there, and I don't think I would have been adding much value with more pictures.

First, Cyber Orange is richer close up than I remembered. There are some very nice undertones within the paint. I do wish it were a tad more orange, but it still looks good. In fact, I haven't seen a color yet actually on a Bronco that I thought looked bad. They all look good.

This particular model is CO Badlands with 2.3L, manual transmission, tow package, power leather seats, factory soft top, and the high package (12" screen). It also had the upgraded beadlock capable 33" wheels.

I should note, there was also a Shadow Black Badlands with Sasquatch inside the building. It was a customer's build, so we were not allowed inside it. It was a sharp looking ride. I hope whoever is buying it posts here, too. Anyway, back to the one we got to play with.

That's my wife getting ready to drive after being a passenger for a bit.

Quick thoughts:

• The power seats are very comfortable and offer good lumbar adjustment. But I previously was also satisfied with the manual MGV seats.
• The upgraded tires look really good. The 33" tires are a great fit for the Bronco and look awesome. The 35" tires look even cooler.
• The top is VERY easy to flip back, but you have to take out the windows to put it all the way down.
• With the top open, you get a lot of wind in the back seat, but the front seat is relatively calm.
• Views out the top are awesome. I love that it is not obstructed.
• The rear windows in the soft top are just bad. The top does not appear to fit properly, causing the windows to be saggy and warped. My wife absolutely refuses to order this top from Ford now.
• Getting in and out of the standard Badlands was fine for me (5'8" to 5'9" and my 5'6" or so wife). Our 6'4" friend also had no issues. But I do plan to get steps to add onto the rock sliders or replace the sliders with some that have integrated steps, depending on aftermarket alternatives.
• As noted by many others, the rear seats sit higher than the front seats. Despite that, our 6'4" friend had plenty of headroom in the back.
• Our 6'4" friend also had plenty of headroom and legroom in the front, and he had plenty of legroom in the back behind us.
• The rear floor vent does not do a good job of cooling the backseat. This is simply a poor design.
• The curtain side airbags drew my friend's attention. He was impressed with the number of airbags in the Bronco - especially when compared to the Wrangler.
• The sound system is thin and weak. Even when I tweaked the audio settings, we could not get a decent, full sound. I'm an audiophile and am still in the process of making my peace with this issue, but the sound system is not the reason I'm buying a Bronco; so I'll live with it or find a way to improve it. This is, IMO, the only negative of not having the crossbar like the Wrangler does. NOTE - AFTER SOME THOUGHT, I DON'T THINK THIS HAD THE FULL B&O SYSTEM.
• Controls are relatively intuitive across the board.
• The digital dash is ok but not great, IMO. But I might like it more if played with it a bit and tweaked how it's set up.
• The E-brake is located on the lower part of the dash at your left knee. I would greatly prefer a manual hand brake, but the E-brake functioned well.
• There is plenty of leg room in the front. The cockpit is much roomier than that of a Wrangler.
• The clutch is easy to use and pretty forgiving but has a somewhat long travel. Note that to shift into reverse, you have to lift the cuff on the shifter. This is natural and intuitive if you've used one similar, but maddening if you don't know that. This will prevent accidental shifts into reverse or the crawler gear.
• The 2.3L does feel a tad underpowered in the Badlands to me. It was noticeably slower to accelerate than the 2.4L 4-cyl in my wife's Subaru Ascent (but the Ascent also weighs less than the Badlands). The 2.3L is sufficient for most things and might be much peppier in lighter trim levels, but this ride confirmed my decision to go with the 2.7L with my Badlands build.
• When we latched the top back down, it seemed to have a lot more noise right about the back of the driver's side rear door. I note that's near where the velcro is for the rear window. The velcro did not appear to be fully sealed in that area. That may have just been my fault for playing around with the top a bit before we closed it back up. It did not seem as loud before we opened it and then closed it.
• Talking in the cabin with the roof closed is fine but takes a little effort for the backseat passenger to hear.
• Talking in the cabin with the roof open is fine in the front but takes a good bit of effort for the backseat passenger to hear.
• The rubberized floor mats were quite nice. The rear mat goes across the entire floor and has a Bronco logo in the middle section.
• From behind the wheel, the Bronco feels tall and narrow on the road.
• Steering was much more reasonable than on a Wrangler.
• The suspension reminded me more of my prior 4Runner than of most modern pickups.
• Ride quality was very good overall. The ride is pretty smooth at speeds up to at least 80mph.
• There is a reasonable degree of body roll in tight turns, much like my prior 4Runner.
• The view out the front was good, and the trail sights are also nice to have on the road.
• The rubberized controls for windows and mirrors works well and feels good.

Overall, this was a great experience. The only negatives were anticipated: the quality of the roof and the lack of depth with the sound system. But driving around was terrific and very enjoyable. This is a livable truck, much like my 4Runner was. I have driven Wranglers but never been able to pull the trigger to purchase one because they just didn't seem as livable - the cabin was too cramped and the drive was too loose. For my driving, the Bronco is a much better fit.

I'm still in love with the Bronco. The exterior look (other than the windows on the soft top) is awesome. The interior is attractive and well-thought out (other than rear vents and speaker placement).

Again, huge thanks to Crossroads Ford of Apex. They were awesome for this experience.

If you have specific questions I didn't cover, fire away. I'll answer if I can.

I didn't take many pictures, but here are a few others.

Sponsored

 

[Mr. Nice]

My wife and I went with a friend to Crossroads Ford in Apex, NC yesterday to test drive a Cyber Orange Badlands the dealership has as its mannequin. In order to drive, you must have a reservation. They do NOT offer weekend reservations, so you must drive on a weekday. They offer reservations until 7pm on weekdays. Setting up the reservation is easy, and they confirm it with you via text on the day you'll drive.

When you arrive at the dealership, you check in with the info desk just inside the main entrance. The folks there were very enthusiastic about the Bronco and very friendly. They located a dealer plate, walked out to put it on the Bronco, asked if we had any questions, and then let us go out on our own. I was pleasantly surprised they don't have a salesman go with you. The only instruction was to "bring it back when [you're] done." I joked that I'd bring it back when mine is built. They generally expect that you will be out 30-45 minutes. We were out about an hour. Anyway, huge shoutout to the folks at Crossroads. I don't have my reservation there, but they were excellent to deal with in terms of the test drive.

I've seen a lot of Broncos before at SCE. I also road in a Badlands there with Shelby Hall. I later went to a local dealer Bronco event (also at Crossroads) where we were able see and get inside a couple of Broncos. So, this was not my first Bronco exposure. I've been in and around them more than most folks. But this was my first chance to drive one.

If you want to see my impressions from prior events, you can find them in this thread. I won't do a full review post here, but I'll talk more about the driving experience and little things that stood out more this time around. I didn't take many pictures. My apologies for that, but there are lots of pictures out there, and I don't think I would have been adding much value with more pictures.

First, Cyber Orange is richer close up than I remembered. There are some very nice undertones within the paint. I do wish it were a tad more orange, but it still looks good. In fact, I haven't seen a color yet actually on a Bronco that I thought looked bad. They all look good.

This particular model is CO Badlands with 2.3L, manual transmission, tow package, power leather seats, factory soft top, and the high package (12" screen with B&O system). It also had the upgraded beadlock capable 33" wheels.

I should note, there was also a Shadow Black Badlands with Sasquatch inside the building. It was a customer's build, so we were not allowed inside it. It was a sharp looking ride. I hope whoever is buying it posts here, too. Anyway, back to the one we got to play with.

That's my wife getting ready to drive after being a passenger for a bit.

Quick thoughts:

• The power seats are very comfortable and offer good lumbar adjustment. But I previously was also satisfied with the manual MGV seats.
• The upgraded tires look really good. The 33" tires are a great fit for the Bronco and look awesome. The 35" tires look even cooler.
• The top is VERY easy to flip back, but you have to take out the windows to put it all the way down.
• With the top open, you get a lot of wind in the back seat, but the front seat is relatively calm.
• Views out the top are awesome. I love that it is not obstructed.
• The rear windows in the soft top are just bad. The top does not appear to fit properly, causing the windows to be saggy and warped. My wife absolutely refuses to order this top from Ford now.
• Getting in and out of the standard Badlands was fine for me (5'8" to 5'9" and my 5'6" or so wife). Our 6'4" friend also had no issues. But I do plan to get steps to add onto the rock sliders or replace the sliders with some that have integrated steps, depending on aftermarket alternatives.
• As noted by many others, the rear seats sit higher than the front seats. Despite that, our 6'4" friend had plenty of headroom in the back.
• Our 6'4" friend also had plenty of headroom and legroom in the front, and he had plenty of legroom in the back behind us.
• The rear floor vent does not do a good job of cooling the backseat. This is simply a poor design.
• The curtain side airbags drew my friend's attention. He was impressed with the number of airbags in the Bronco - especially when compared to the Wrangler.
• The sound system is thin and weak. Even when I tweaked the audio settings, we could not get a decent, full sound. I'm an audiophile and am still in the process of making my peace with this issue, but the sound system is not the reason I'm buying a Bronco; so I'll live with it or find a way to improve it. This is, IMO, the only negative of not having the crossbar like the Wrangler does.
• Controls are relatively intuitive across the board.
• The digital dash is ok but not great, IMO. But I might like it more if played with it a bit and tweaked how it's set up.
• The E-brake is located on the lower part of the dash at your left knee. I would greatly prefer a manual hand brake, but the E-brake functioned well.
• There is plenty of leg room in the front. The cockpit is much roomier than that of a Wrangler.
• The clutch is easy to use and pretty forgiving but has a somewhat long travel. Note that to shift into reverse, you have to lift the cuff on the shifter. This is natural and intuitive if you've used one similar, but maddening if you don't know that. This will prevent accidental shifts into reverse or the crawler gear.
• The 2.3L does feel a tad underpowered in the Badlands to me. It was noticeably slower to accelerate than the 2.4L 4-cyl in my wife's Subaru Ascent (but the Ascent also weighs less than the Badlands). The 2.3L is sufficient for most things and might be much peppier in lighter trim levels, but this ride confirmed my decision to go with the 2.7L with my Badlands build.
• When we latched the top back down, it seemed to have a lot more noise right about the back of the driver's side rear door. I note that's near where the velcro is for the rear window. The velcro did not appear to be fully sealed in that area. That may have just been my fault for playing around with the top a bit before we closed it back up. It did not seem as loud before we opened it and then closed it.
• Talking in the cabin with the roof closed is fine but takes a little effort for the backseat passenger to hear.
• Talking in the cabin with the roof open is fine in the front but takes a good bit of effort for the backseat passenger to hear.
• The rubberized floor mats were quite nice. The rear mat goes across the entire floor and has a Bronco logo in the middle section.
• From behind the wheel, the Bronco feels tall and narrow on the road.
• Steering was much more reasonable than on a Wrangler.
• The suspension reminded me more of my prior 4Runner than of most modern pickups.
• Ride quality was very good overall. The ride is pretty smooth at speeds up to at least 80mph.
• There is a reasonable degree of body roll in tight turns, much like my prior 4Runner.
• The view out the front was good, and the trial sights are also nice to have on the road.
• The rubberized controls for windows and mirrors works well and feels good.

Overall, this was a great experience. The only negatives were anticipated: the quality of the roof and the lack of depth with the sound system. But driving around was terrific and very enjoyable. This is a livable truck, much like my 4Runner was. I have driven Wranglers but never been able to pull the trigger to purchase one because they just didn't seem as livable - the cabin was too cramped and the drive was too loose. For my driving, the Bronco is a much better fit.

I'm still in love with the Bronco. The exterior look (other than the windows on the soft top) is awesome. The interior is attractive and well-thought out (other than rear vents and speaker placement).

Again, huge thanks to Crossroads Ford of Apex. They were awesome for this experience.

If you have specific questions I didn't cover, fire away. I'll answer if I can.

I didn't take many pictures, but here are a few others.

Thanks for putting this out there. A lot of info.
Nice write up.

I guess we know a lot of things now that quite a few folks have seen and driven one.

There is much to like here but much more to like if one chooses to option it to their likening.

1. The 2.3 will disappoint many.
2. The soft top option will disappoint many. It also does nothing for the 4 dr’s looks and it already needed some help.
3. Standard audio is not that good, but the cost to upgrade may not make sense.
4. The rear AC is going to make people hot.
5. Gas mileage is going hurt big time.
6. Manual transmission is just OK.
7. Rear back door not very conducive due to the tire size.
8. Leather seats have nothing over the vinyl.
9. Most wheels/tires are too small looking.

The vehicle is fine for what it is but order correctly and understand what your getting. They aren’t cheap…

 

[BigFootie]

Thanks for the write up. The lack of power with the 2.3 and with MT and 33’s is a bit concerning. But coming from my Lightning, I wasn’t expecting a race truck. Kind of like going from my crotch rocket to a 1700cc v-twin. One didn’t get going until 7k, the other, well, no tach, so who knows! Anyways, thanks for the review. That’s my build at this point. Too bad NC is a million miles away.

 

[Holliday]

Thanks for the info! I'm in Durham so will go check this out. I'm a night one reservation but begrudgingly switched to a soft top. Hopefully the ease of up and down will make me feel better about the switch and those terrible rear windows. I'm not sure how much closer it gets me though with 2.7L, squatch, and lux dragging on my build.

 

[AMK610]

Thanks for putting this out there. A lot of info.
Nice write up.

I guess we know a lot of things now that quite a few folks have seen and driven one.

There is much to like here but much more to like if one chooses to option it to their likening.

1. The 2.3 will disappoint many.
2. The soft top option will disappoint many. It also does nothing for the 4 dr’s looks and it already needed some help.
3. Standard audio is not that good, but the cost to upgrade may not make sense.
4. The rear AC is going to make people hot.
5. Gas mileage is going hurt big time.
6. Manual transmission is just OK.
7. Rear back door not very conducive due to the tire size.
8. Leather seats have nothing over the vinyl.
9. Most wheels/tires are too small looking.

The vehicle is fine for what it is but order correctly and understand what your getting. They aren’t cheap…

The back door situation looks a lot better than my JLUR. It’s a PITA getting my dog in there with how little room is between the door and the rear tire and fender. The bronco has so much more room in that regard, that was one of the first things I looked at when I checked out a wildtrak demo. I was happy with it

 

[CROSSROADSFORDAPEX]

My wife and I went with a friend to Crossroads Ford in Apex, NC yesterday to test drive a Cyber Orange Badlands the dealership has as its mannequin. In order to drive, you must have a reservation. They do NOT offer weekend reservations, so you must drive on a weekday. They offer reservations until 7pm on weekdays. Setting up the reservation is easy, and they confirm it with you via text on the day you'll drive.

When you arrive at the dealership, you check in with the info desk just inside the main entrance. The folks there were very enthusiastic about the Bronco and very friendly. They located a dealer plate, walked out to put it on the Bronco, asked if we had any questions, and then let us go out on our own. I was pleasantly surprised they don't have a salesman go with you. The only instruction was to "bring it back when [you're] done." I joked that I'd bring it back when mine is built. They generally expect that you will be out 30-45 minutes. We were out about an hour. Anyway, huge shoutout to the folks at Crossroads. I don't have my reservation there, but they were excellent to deal with in terms of the test drive.

I've seen a lot of Broncos before at SCE. I also rode in a Badlands there with Shelby Hall. I later went to a local dealer Bronco event (also at Crossroads) where we were able see and get inside a couple of Broncos. So, this was not my first Bronco exposure. I've been in and around them more than most folks. But this was my first chance to drive one.

If you want to see my impressions from prior events, you can find them in this thread. I won't do a full review post here, but I'll talk more about the driving experience and little things that stood out more this time around. I didn't take many pictures. My apologies for that, but there are lots of pictures out there, and I don't think I would have been adding much value with more pictures.

First, Cyber Orange is richer close up than I remembered. There are some very nice undertones within the paint. I do wish it were a tad more orange, but it still looks good. In fact, I haven't seen a color yet actually on a Bronco that I thought looked bad. They all look good.

This particular model is CO Badlands with 2.3L, manual transmission, tow package, power leather seats, factory soft top, and the high package (12" screen with B&O system). It also had the upgraded beadlock capable 33" wheels.

I should note, there was also a Shadow Black Badlands with Sasquatch inside the building. It was a customer's build, so we were not allowed inside it. It was a sharp looking ride. I hope whoever is buying it posts here, too. Anyway, back to the one we got to play with.

That's my wife getting ready to drive after being a passenger for a bit.

Quick thoughts:

• The power seats are very comfortable and offer good lumbar adjustment. But I previously was also satisfied with the manual MGV seats.
• The upgraded tires look really good. The 33" tires are a great fit for the Bronco and look awesome. The 35" tires look even cooler.
• The top is VERY easy to flip back, but you have to take out the windows to put it all the way down.
• With the top open, you get a lot of wind in the back seat, but the front seat is relatively calm.
• Views out the top are awesome. I love that it is not obstructed.
• The rear windows in the soft top are just bad. The top does not appear to fit properly, causing the windows to be saggy and warped. My wife absolutely refuses to order this top from Ford now.
• Getting in and out of the standard Badlands was fine for me (5'8" to 5'9" and my 5'6" or so wife). Our 6'4" friend also had no issues. But I do plan to get steps to add onto the rock sliders or replace the sliders with some that have integrated steps, depending on aftermarket alternatives.
• As noted by many others, the rear seats sit higher than the front seats. Despite that, our 6'4" friend had plenty of headroom in the back.
• Our 6'4" friend also had plenty of headroom and legroom in the front, and he had plenty of legroom in the back behind us.
• The rear floor vent does not do a good job of cooling the backseat. This is simply a poor design.
• The curtain side airbags drew my friend's attention. He was impressed with the number of airbags in the Bronco - especially when compared to the Wrangler.
• The sound system is thin and weak. Even when I tweaked the audio settings, we could not get a decent, full sound. I'm an audiophile and am still in the process of making my peace with this issue, but the sound system is not the reason I'm buying a Bronco; so I'll live with it or find a way to improve it. This is, IMO, the only negative of not having the crossbar like the Wrangler does.
• Controls are relatively intuitive across the board.
• The digital dash is ok but not great, IMO. But I might like it more if played with it a bit and tweaked how it's set up.
• The E-brake is located on the lower part of the dash at your left knee. I would greatly prefer a manual hand brake, but the E-brake functioned well.
• There is plenty of leg room in the front. The cockpit is much roomier than that of a Wrangler.
• The clutch is easy to use and pretty forgiving but has a somewhat long travel. Note that to shift into reverse, you have to lift the cuff on the shifter. This is natural and intuitive if you've used one similar, but maddening if you don't know that. This will prevent accidental shifts into reverse or the crawler gear.
• The 2.3L does feel a tad underpowered in the Badlands to me. It was noticeably slower to accelerate than the 2.4L 4-cyl in my wife's Subaru Ascent (but the Ascent also weighs less than the Badlands). The 2.3L is sufficient for most things and might be much peppier in lighter trim levels, but this ride confirmed my decision to go with the 2.7L with my Badlands build.
• When we latched the top back down, it seemed to have a lot more noise right about the back of the driver's side rear door. I note that's near where the velcro is for the rear window. The velcro did not appear to be fully sealed in that area. That may have just been my fault for playing around with the top a bit before we closed it back up. It did not seem as loud before we opened it and then closed it.
• Talking in the cabin with the roof closed is fine but takes a little effort for the backseat passenger to hear.
• Talking in the cabin with the roof open is fine in the front but takes a good bit of effort for the backseat passenger to hear.
• The rubberized floor mats were quite nice. The rear mat goes across the entire floor and has a Bronco logo in the middle section.
• From behind the wheel, the Bronco feels tall and narrow on the road.
• Steering was much more reasonable than on a Wrangler.
• The suspension reminded me more of my prior 4Runner than of most modern pickups.
• Ride quality was very good overall. The ride is pretty smooth at speeds up to at least 80mph.
• There is a reasonable degree of body roll in tight turns, much like my prior 4Runner.
• The view out the front was good, and the trail sights are also nice to have on the road.
• The rubberized controls for windows and mirrors works well and feels good.

Overall, this was a great experience. The only negatives were anticipated: the quality of the roof and the lack of depth with the sound system. But driving around was terrific and very enjoyable. This is a livable truck, much like my 4Runner was. I have driven Wranglers but never been able to pull the trigger to purchase one because they just didn't seem as livable - the cabin was too cramped and the drive was too loose. For my driving, the Bronco is a much better fit.

I'm still in love with the Bronco. The exterior look (other than the windows on the soft top) is awesome. The interior is attractive and well-thought out (other than rear vents and speaker placement).

Again, huge thanks to Crossroads Ford of Apex. They were awesome for this experience.

If you have specific questions I didn't cover, fire away. I'll answer if I can.

I didn't take many pictures, but here are a few others.

We are glad you were able to enjoy your experience with the Bronco and my store. Yes we are very excited about the Bronco and know it will be great selling vehicle once they can catch up on production. Please feel free to let us know if you have any questions.

Sponsored