1.5 Engine at highway speeds

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Hey all, I have an order in for a Big Bend and I plan to do some highway driving and some road trips once or twice a year (think 1000-1500 miles). I'm just curious how the 3 cyl performs on the highway. I'm not planning to do more than 75mph usually and don't need huge performance, just cruising for long periods (I got the CoPilot+ just for the Adaptive cruise for long trips lol).

Also, what are the rpms usually at around 70-75 mph?

Thanks! Very excited for this as it's my first brand new vehicle. Just debating if I should wait another year to save a bit more to get the 2.0 Badlands. I know the 3 cyl will be fine for my daily drive, just concerned about the highway.
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I came from 435hp V8 and I think the 1.5 does just fine.
I drive about 350 highway miles a week. My speed is around 68-73 mph. I find the Bronco Sport does a good job. RPMs are right 2000.
Oh sweet! Thank you! That is very awesome to hear.

I'm only coming from a 2006 Civic Si so not a lot of power at all (197hp 139lbft), just geared speedier with a 6-speed. It would scream on road trips though at 3500rpm and I was hoping the BS was geared better. My test drive felt good but it was in stop and go traffic. Thank you for your insight. It really reassures me about the 1.5.

Have a great day!
 

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I’m not on the interstates much but when I am it’s I 75 and if I drove 68 to 73 I’d be a traffic hazard, that would cause a back up.
Last time I was on 75 I set the cruise control at 78 and was fine with my Base model…
For chits n giggles I did take it up to 90, forgot the Rpms but it was under 3 grand.
My 1.5 never complained.
At 90 a quick throttle up netted a down shift and it accelerated. But i didn’t want to piss off a cop so I got back to 78
Handled great but above 80 sports car like lane changes are not smart. Both hands on the wheel are.
 
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AWallace151

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Hey all, I have an order in for a Big Bend and I plan to do some highway driving and some road trips once or twice a year (think 1000-1500 miles). I'm just curious how the 3 cyl performs on the highway. I'm not planning to do more than 75mph usually and don't need huge performance, just cruising for long periods (I got the CoPilot+ just for the Adaptive cruise for long trips lol).

Also, what are the rpms usually at around 70-75 mph?

Thanks! Very excited for this as it's my first brand new vehicle. Just debating if I should wait another year to save a bit more to get the 2.0 Badlands. I know the 3 cyl will be fine for my daily drive, just concerned about the highway.
The copilot and 360+ are absolutely amazing for long road trips. The thing can literally drive itself, even in turns, although you do have to keep your hands on the wheel. Intelligent cruise is also very nice to use. Took mine on a 2k mile trip this past summer and it performed flawlessly. Wouldn’t change a thing.
 
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The copilot and 360+ are absolutely amazing for long road trips. The thing can literally drive itself, even in turns, although you do have to keep your hands on the wheel. Intelligent cruise is also very nice to use. Took mine on a 2000k mile trip this past summer and it performed flawlessly. Wouldn’t change a thing.

Awesome! I'm fine with having hands on the wheel, it's just so nice to be able to take some of the mental stress away on long drives. My grandmother has a Toyota Avalon with the feature and I used it for a weekend to haul a bunch of people in and out of the city near me and the Adaptive Cruise made the high traffic highways a breeze. That's when I decided my next vehicle needed it.
 

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Hey all, I have an order in for a Big Bend and I plan to do some highway driving and some road trips once or twice a year (think 1000-1500 miles). I'm just curious how the 3 cyl performs on the highway. I'm not planning to do more than 75mph usually and don't need huge performance, just cruising for long periods (I got the CoPilot+ just for the Adaptive cruise for long trips lol).

Also, what are the rpms usually at around 70-75 mph?

Thanks! Very excited for this as it's my first brand new vehicle. Just debating if I should wait another year to save a bit more to get the 2.0 Badlands. I know the 3 cyl will be fine for my daily drive, just concerned about the highway.
I normally drive that speed too, if you're cruising you love it there as you'll maximize on fuel... Once you get over 75 you start to see it breach 2k rpms. I get about 31mpg with AT tire. I don't think I got on the highway (surprising for NJ) before I removed the continentals, so the numbers may even be better.
 

SportWest

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Fine at highway speeds, even in regions where 70 mph means "hurry up, slowpoke!" Never had an issue or concern with power and acceleration, although I'd probably grab a Badlands if it had all my must-haves, like CoPilot 360+, and wasn't overpriced.

The only times I 'notice' having a 3-cyl 1.5L is when going up large hills or mountains.

Hand-calculated fuel economy during my last road trip was 30 mpg. Not bad for a brick going 70 mph.
 


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Hey all, I have an order in for a Big Bend and I plan to do some highway driving and some road trips once or twice a year (think 1000-1500 miles). I'm just curious how the 3 cyl performs on the highway. I'm not planning to do more than 75mph usually and don't need huge performance, just cruising for long periods (I got the CoPilot+ just for the Adaptive cruise for long trips lol).

Also, what are the rpms usually at around 70-75 mph?

Thanks! Very excited for this as it's my first brand new vehicle. Just debating if I should wait another year to save a bit more to get the 2.0 Badlands. I know the 3 cyl will be fine for my daily drive, just concerned about the highway.
I drive 60000 miles a year and this unit with a 1.5 does just fine. I've tested the unit out and achieved 110 miles per hour no issues at all. At 75 mph revs around that 2200 rpm. Also a respectful 32mpg on hwy no issues.
 

AndyMac204

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we like it, no problems.
in hilly or mountain areas, pop it in sport mode.
also, dont mash the gas pedal. kinda roll into the pedal.
once that turbo starts spoolin, passing is no problem.
 

dejones64

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we like it, no problems.
in hilly or mountain areas, pop it in sport mode.
also, dont mash the gas pedal. kinda roll into the pedal.
once that turbo starts spoolin, passing is no problem.
First time turbo for me. How does one know it’s spooled up to speed? Thanks.
 

VirtualJMills

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First time turbo for me. How does one know it’s spooled up to speed? Thanks.
TL;DR: Absent a boost-pressure gauge (or equivalent OBD-II/Ford CANbus data), or a good human ear with the windows down on a quiet road, it's seat-of-the-pants. You'll literally feel a lag between request for acceleration, and the onset of "substantial" acceleration which is •not• related to any transmission gear-downshift(s).


Turbo lag (delay between power demand and point where turbo has spooled-up from exhaust-gas pressure sufficiently to deliver an intake-air pressure boost) manifests as a seeming "sluggishness" that goes away as you lean into the throttle (i.e. press on the "gas pedal"). Larger turbos, and poorly designed throttle-plate sectors in mechanical-throttle vehicles increase the likelihood of substantial turbo lag.

Ford uses drive-by-wire for throttle control, so the "gas pedal" really has only a passing relationship to the throttle-plate angle/aperture itself, with maps (response-curves) for "gas pedal" position to throttle-plate angle changing depending on G.O.A.T. mode (among other factors).

A more aggressive response-curve in Sport mode means an "N% press" of the "gas pedal" will result in a larger throttle-plate angle/aperture than it would in Eco mode, for example. More air in -> more fuel in -> more power and exhaust gas out -> more turbo pressure "sooner".

These response-curves may (NOT A FORD ENGINEER!) also take into account rate-of-change in "gas pedal" motion in order to predict throttle demand, and transiently "spike" the throttle-plate open a bit further/faster than would occur for a slower pedal-press, resulting in reduction of human-perceived turbo-lag because the throttle-plate, engine, and turbo are actually reacting to predicted imminent demand, rather than actual measured demand. I've driven at least one vehicle from another manufacturer where this was done in order to provide non-turbo-like engine characteristics for people coming from larger displacement naturally-aspirated sport engines.

The turbo in both of the Ford Bronco Sport engines itself is likely sized appropriately for the engine, and throttle response-curves tuned to minimize turbo lag. But, in this thread's scenario, you're also talking about a 1.5 litre intercooled-single-scroll-turbo I3 on a ~3900 lb vehicle. There will still be •some• lag.

You'd notice turbo lag most in Eco mode, where the goal is best fuel economy, and not best ("crispest") throttle responsiveness.

You'd notice turbo lag least in Sport mode, where the goal is best ("crispest") throttle responsiveness and maximum output (horsepower and torque) from the engine when requested.


EDIT: One addendum, I checked with FORScan Lite, there is no turbocharger specific sampling data available, but you can look at the difference in measured absolute barometric and manifold pressures to extrapolate when the turbo is pushing air, manifold > barometric == turbo definitely making pressure.
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