Anyone Else Enjoy the Intelligent 4WD Display?

[christopheru]

Awww, Man, I didn't know. Fumbling through the menu is, as you say, tedious. That sucks.
Why the heck would they eliminate that switch on some models?
When you want (or need) to turn off Traction Control, you want to do it right NOW.....not 16 keystrokes on the touch screen from now.
Thanks for letting me know.

So very very true.

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[christopheru]

This was driving me batty, because the UI/UX "scrollable list" hint in the settings menu is •too• subtle.

6 inch digital dashboard, center section Intelligent 4WD per-wheel power visualization:

From the Steering Wheel, click "Menu" (right side button). If you just see "Settings" and "Display", click steering-wheel Up or Down Arrow •twice• (next to "Menu" button) to get to the other items in the settings menu, one of which allows you to select which information screens get displayed. Within that list is the "Intelligent 4WD" item, if your vehicle trim level includes it (Badlands, don't recall which others).

Doesn‘t exist in the BigBend. Might in the OuterBanks. Didn’t think to look when I test drove that one. Our other car has this and it shuffles power similarly to what people in this thread have said happens with the BS.

 

[Bronclahoma]

Thank you for telling me that my car does not have low range. I never would have guessed that without your help.

1) You drive a badlands. Good for you.
2) I drive a big bend. Good for me.

In the big bend, there is a low mode since we do not have a manual mode. Your shifter has a M in the middle of it, mine a L. In case you have never driven an automatic before, the L stands for low and shifting it there puts the vehicle in first gear. In the big bend, we have to menu dive in order to disengage traction control. The badlands has a button.

In terms of usability, the badlands wins hands down.

Try reading a spec sheet before shooting your mouth off?

I have no interest in the lower trims, so no I've not researched them. I will add that driving in first gear is not the same as having a low range. I'd like to have seen the BS with a low range.

 

[christopheru]

I have no interest in the lower trims, so no I've not researched them. I will add that driving in first gear is not the same as having a low range. I'd like to have seen the BS with a low range.

Then cease being snide to those who drive them. Or, if you plan on commenting - and please do - at least do some cursory research to make sure you know what you are on about. There’s a thought.

I agree though, low range would have been amazing in this vehicle, but mostly what it would do is poach sales from the big bronco. Honestly, a good compromise between the Sport and the big Bronco would be the Ranger. While not an “SUV” per say (or at all actually), it has a lot of the features of both vehicles and a price someplace in between.

Cheerio for now!

 

[NapsterKnowHow]

Then cease being snide to those who drive them. Or, if you plan on commenting - and please do - at least do some cursory research to make sure you know what you are on about. There’s a thought.

I agree though, low range would have been amazing in this vehicle, but mostly what it would do is poach sales from the big bronco. Honestly, a good compromise between the Sport and the big Bronco would be the Ranger. While not an “SUV” per say (or at all actually), it has a lot of the features of both vehicles and a price someplace in between.

Cheerio for now!

In a refresh they might want to consider a real low range as the Compass Trailhawk has a 4Low and could arguably be a competitor with the Bronco Sport. They just refreshed the Compass for 2022 and it looks like a very solid vehicle (reliability yet to be seen though).

 

[fourthgear]

I have no interest in the lower trims, so no I've not researched them. I will add that driving in first gear is not the same as having a low range. I'd like to have seen the BS with a low range.

Lower trims ? Not really , some of you Bad Lands owners really are a little arrogant .

Low works pretty good , only a couple of touches to switch off the traction control , what's the hurry , if you already know your going to need them , it takes about 10 seconds to push the "Low" button & switch off the Traction control , get over your self .

I have to activate two switches on my Super Duty , to lock in the rear differential & to activate real four wheel drive .

 

[Cabezone]

In a refresh they might want to consider a real low range as the Compass Trailhawk has a 4Low and could arguably be a competitor with the Bronco Sport. They just refreshed the Compass for 2022 and it looks like a very solid vehicle (reliability yet to be seen though).

The Compass 4low is just 1st gear, same as the Sports. The only vehicle in this segment with a true low range gearbox is the Cherokee.

What's interesting is it turns out the Sport used the same line of AWD systems that's in the Cherokee:

https://www.aam.com/media/story/aam-s-ecotrac-ptu-featured-on-ford-bronco-sport

I actually thought they were using a different manufacturer but this press release came out after I stopped looking. So they could have added the option for low range if they wanted to. Perhaps it's something they'll consider in the future.

 

[NapsterKnowHow]

The Compass 4low is just 1st gear, same as the Sports. The only vehicle in this segment with a true low range gearbox is the Cherokee.

What's interesting is it turns out the Sport used the same line of AWD systems that's in the Cherokee:

https://www.aam.com/media/story/aam-s-ecotrac-ptu-featured-on-ford-bronco-sport

I actually thought they were using a different manufacturer but this press release came out after I stopped looking. So they could have added the option for low range if they wanted to. Perhaps it's something they'll consider in the future.

That's some confusing marketing. Are you sure? 4Low is the terminology they use. 4Low typically means a real gearbox.

 

[Cabezone]

That's some confusing marketing. Are you sure? 4Low is the terminology they use. 4Low typically means a real gearbox.

The 4low in the Compass locks it into 1st gear and also locks the PTU so it splits the power font and back at all times. The crawl ratio would be at least in the 40's with a dual speed gearbox.

JEEP® ACTIVE DRIVE LOW 4x4 SYSTEM

Dial in optimum performance. The available Selec-Terrain® Traction Management System allows the driver to choose from up to five on- and off-road modes to tackle a variety of surfaces. The Selec-Terrain® Traction Management System includes a fifth mode–Rock–for your off-road adventures.

• 20:1 Crawl Ratio for controlled off-road driving (2.4L engine only)
• Disconnecting power take off unit helps maximize efficiency

• 4-Low mode locks front and rear driveshafts for low-speed power, rock crawling and towing
• Includes Selec-Terrain® Traction Management System with Hill Descent Control and five customized modes: Auto, Snow, Sand, Mud and Rock

All manufactures are mucking up the terminology. It's just like how both Jeep and Ford call their cars 4x4 or 4wd but if you go to the actual manufacturer of their drive systems they call it AWD. Traditionally 4x4 meant a mechanically locking center differential.

 

[AllTerrain]

I quickly got bored with watching my gas mileage and all of the other info on the display, so I went to the Calm Screen. As I was poking the up/down lever on the right side of the steering wheel I came across the Intelligent 4WD option and it has become my favorite. It surprised me how much time the BS uses only the front wheels for drive. I was taking a left from a standing stop onto a cross road and realized a car was coming over a hill, so I punched it. Having had many front wheel drive cars I was expecting a big torque pull on the wheel from this maneuver but instead I smoothly pulled through the accelerating turn. I happened to glance at the display and it was pretty cool to see how the power was distributed to different wheels until I was on the straight-and-narrow and then it all went to the front wheels.

If you haven't tried this display setting it is worth a look for a bit of entertainment.

Like it shows power to wheels!
The sales guy I'm working with is very knowledgeable and pointed out to me that the Bronco sport uses power to all four wheels when it's taking off even in normal mode on the street and then transfers the power to front wheels really cool to see that glad you brought it up. That's in normal mode! Pretty Neat!

 

[christopheru]

In a refresh they might want to consider a real low range as the Compass Trailhawk has a 4Low and could arguably be a competitor with the Bronco Sport. They just refreshed the Compass for 2022 and it looks like a very solid vehicle (reliability yet to be seen though).

It doesn’t really as it turns out. It has a nine speed transmission with a really low first gear that they call 4Low. It normally starts in second. The awd system is apparently the same system as in the bronco sport.

 

[Glamdring70]

Our Bronco Sport is actually a 9 speed that Ford chopped a gear out of. Maybe they took out that 1st low crawl gear. There was a bigger discussion of this on here a while ago; I dug it up:
https://www.broncosportforum.com/forum/threads/the-oddity-of-close-2-3-gear-spacing-and-the-ford-8f35-8-speed-automatic-in-bs.3949/

 

[Osco]

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll give it a look. I've read that in Sport mode it puts something like 60% of the power to the rear wheels. Watched a YouTube review and the reviewer commented that the Intlligent 4WD is so good, you almost don't need the GOAT modes.

I’ve yet to need Goat even once.
But when I use mine and engage the Low gear I can feel that my engine is not working as hard as when I do nothing while I’m climbing my 14% gravel and rock road up to my place.

 

[Ridn Dirty]

A friend of mine who works for Ford tells me the Bronco Sport when in Sport GOAT mode in the snow is a drift missile.
I live in Minnesota...

Why did you tell me this? Now I have to thoroughly verify the claim...in the name of science, of course.

 

[VirtualJMills]

Our Bronco Sport is actually a 9 speed that Ford chopped a gear out of. Maybe they took out that 1st low crawl gear. There was a bigger discussion of this on here a while ago; I dug it up:
https://www.broncosportforum.com/forum/threads/the-oddity-of-close-2-3-gear-spacing-and-the-ford-8f35-8-speed-automatic-in-bs.3949/

OP on that thread. They subtracted a gear that would have been 3a in the sequence (assuming we kept the same gear-numbers as currently quoted in the 8F35).

I too wish they'd done a crawler-ratio for 1 , kept it nominally a 9 speed (or call it a 8+C), and had road operations just run 2 . 3 . 3a . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8

It is also possible that doing a crawler-ratio would have resulted in downstream change requirements to other components (PTU, CV joints, etc…) due to increased output torque from the transmission.

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