I work in manufacturing, it is really hard right now to get accurate delivery dates for some supplies. Supply chains are a hot mess still.
They didn't try to compete with the Cherokee Trailhawk capabilities because only a small portion of Cherokee owners get the low range option and even fewer still use them. Most people buy cars based on looks/perception. I mean that's why Jeep slaps some skid plates on the Compass and call it a Trailhawk.To BS or not to BS... Cherokee Trailhawk is the question. For those who wondered about the Cherokee Trailhawk like the above poster and myself, here are my thoughts as an obsessed Bronco Sport Badlands+Badlands fan who has found compelling reasons to switch teams.
I just bought a Cherokee Trailhawk Elite (The latest - 2014-present - version of the Cherokee is known as a KL on the Cherokee forums) last Thursday (Aug 12, 2021). I traded in a 2019 Escape Titanium, which I really liked, but which lacked any off-road ability. I really wanted the Bronco Sport Badlands with the Badlands package (BL+BL), and placed an order for one in the beginning of May this year (2021). About 2 weeks ago I got a call from the dealership cancelling my order, after 3+ months of waiting, because no more 2021 BL+BL’s are going to be made. At this point the dealership doesn't know when Ford will be accepting orders for the 2022, but I was told it might March 2022 before one arrives. My previous order will be held and applied to 2022 BL+BL when Ford begins taking orders. I still haven’t cancelled my order yet in case the KL winds up being disappointing – it’s early, but so far it has not.
During my ongoing research of the BL I kept seeing comparisons of the BL and KL so, since the BL+BL is presently a ghost, I took a closer look at the KL. When I test drove the KL it seemed as okay as something can seem on a 1 test-hour drive (The sales guy had double booked me so he let me take it out a little longer than usual). I’ve now got just over 800km (500miles) on my new KL. I took it out on some great logging roads last weekend to test its abilities. Because I was really wanting – and looking forward to getting – the BL+BL, and did a lot of research on it over the past few months (hours on Youtube, forums, reviews, owner reviews, exploring the PDF manual, etc.) it’s still heavy on my mind, so I spent a lot of time comparing the KL and BL+BL – and also my traded in Escape, in my mind as I drove.
Observations:
My conclusion as someone who obsessed about, and looked forward to the BL+BL for months:
- 4-low: KL has it. BL does not. I think ford really missed the boat on this one. A lot of hard-core KL owners have taken swipes at the BL, saying that it’s not a real 4x4 because it does not have 4-low. I’ve been impressed with the BL’s abilities in Youtube videos so I really didn’t think 4-low would be a big deal but, after going up – and down – a few long, steep, loose-grade and rough logging roads with the KL, I found myself wondering how the BL would have handled it. Going up these hills the BL’s gear ratio would have forced the engine and drive train to work very hard. I’m not sure how manageable the BL would have been through the dips and rises going up the steep grade. With the KL on the other hand was was easy – I simply shifted into 4-low then manually shifted gears with the real shift lever, and the KL crawled along with very little effort or strain. Yes, the BL’s is about 500lb lighter and has quite a bit more torque, but I’m not sure if that would have been enough to compensate for a lack of 4-low. 4-low made it easy going up that hill with the KL. And what about downhill? Is the gearing in 1st gear, and engine compression in the BL enough to keep from having to ride the brakes the whole way down in on the rough, loose-surfaced and steep logging road? Yes the BL has Trail Control, but so does the KL (Hill decent control and selec-speed). Trail Control can’t change the BL’s gearing, and the 2.0 is too small to provide any significant engine braking… and, trail Control would have to make heavy use of the brakes. The BL’s liquid cooled PTU might help get it up the hill, even without 4-low, but I can’t imagine how the BL wouldn’t burn up the brakes going down this hill, even with Trail Control. In the KL I simply rode most of the hill down in 1st and 2nd gear in 4-low, using the brakes only as needed. Now that I’ve experienced the difference 4-low makes in the KL, I just can’t image how the BL could do the same road with as much ease. Just our of curiosity I may try that road again using 4-high to see how things work out. The only down side of this is that the rear locker only works in 4-low so it may not be a fair test.
- Locking rear diff. I’m not sure if this is an advantage off-road over the dual clutch in the BL. I understand that that dual clutch system in the BL is pretty damned good, and that the BL’s AWD system is second to none (a Youtube roller-test video was impressive). Only off-road testing would show if there is an advantage either way between locking rear on the KL and the dual clutch on the BL, or if they are comparable.
- Vented seats: KL has them, BL+BL does not – period. I’m in BC and we’ve had some serious heat-waves this summer. My test-drive KL had no vented seats and, even with the A/C on, the seats were quite hot on my back – enough for my back to be wet. My KL Elite has vented seats, and I have to admit I like them a lot more than I thought I would. What a difference on a hot day, even with AC. Perhaps the BL will get this option down the road;
- On-road. My only experience driving the BL-BL was for a 30min test drive on pavement, which included a short freeway run. I really liked the power and handling of the 2.0L in my 2019 Escape that I traded for the KL, so I think I would like the BL+BL engine and power as well. I find the KL to be a solid ride on the road. I’m still wearing in the engine on the KL so I haven’t driven it hard yet to see what it can do. I’ll push it harder after 1,600km (Yes I know there are 2 schools of thought on engine wear-in – I’m in the take-it-easy-at-the-beginning school). The KL’s combination of lower torque and additional weight of about 500lbs means it won’t handle or accelerate like a sports car. So far the KL feels powerful enough, feels planted when driving, holds the road well and is better than expected in turns. I was really worried the KL's road-worthiness after a fair amount of KL bashing that I’ve read, but my driving experience so far has been surprisingly enjoyable, especially considering I was pro BL+BL all the way, and not even considering the KL before my 2021 BL+BL order was cancelled. I don't think anyone should be concerned about how the KL performs or handles on-road. One thing: The KL has poorer fuel economy than the BL. The cost of this is partially compensated being able to use 87 octane without any loss of horsepower. BL needs 92+ to get its max horsepower. The downside for the KL is that it has the same fuel capacity as the BS so it won't go as far on a tank of gas - I think there is about an 80Km/50mile difference between KL and BS under ideal conditions. Fuel economy is not at its best during the engine wear-in so I'll get a better sens of this later. That said, I think a naturally aspirated non-direct injected engine, along with the additional off-roadie equipment that add the extra 500lbs to the KL may be a worthwhile trade-off. Still, I wish the KL had a bigger fuel tank to make up for the extra thirst.
- Off-road: I was very impressed with how the Cherokee handled, especially with the 4-low and the locking diff. I was at one spot where the wheels were spinning so much, without the KL moving at all, that I thought I’d top-centered on a mound. When I checked, I found I had plenty of ground clearance, I just wasn’t gaining any gaining traction on the steep, loose surface. I shifted the KL into 4-low and and it walked out like it was on dry pavement – enormous difference. Again, I think Ford really erred in not including a 4-low with the BL. The BL would be direct competition for the KL with 4-low. In fairness, while a lot of people are comparing the BL with the KL, my understanding is that Ford was aiming the BL squarely at the Compass, NOT the KL. The Compass also has no 4-low. I personally think the Compass was the wrong one to compete with since… does anyone really cares about the compass as an off-road machine?
- Under body protection: The KL protection seems quite comprehensive and confidence inspiring. I’m not confident with the thoroughness of the underbody protection of the BL, especially since the radiator is left completely vulnerable. And I don’t understand why the wheel-wells are lined with felt... for sound dampening? I noticed my Escape had the same thing, but I never took the escape off-road so it didn’t matter as much. The KL has a good old-fashioned hard, smooth wheel-well surface that will minimize stuff sticking to it. Makes sense if I ever happen to go through mud;
- Interior: The KL Elite is beautifully finished. One of my favourite things is that there’s an actual shift lever on the console. The leather seats are beautiful, the dash leather with red stitching is tasteful and classy, there’s leather on the padded arm rest on the doors, the armrest console has tiered internal compartments to organize stuff (the pre 2020 escapes had this too, but for some reason Ford got rid of these and did not include them with the BS), there are 2 seat-position memory settings for the driver seat, which can be connected to a specific fob for automatic adjustment when getting in the vehicle. Even my 2019 Escape had the seat-position memory settings. I’m disappointed that the BL+BL doesn’t have seat-position memory settings at all. One plus with the Escape is that the rear headrests can be folded down for easy rear-seat folding. I think this is also the case on the BS. On the KL I have to either remove the headrests, or move the front seats forward (good thing I have seat-position memory) before I can fold the rear seats down fully.
- Console screen: I found the KL screen laggy at times. I don’t know if it’s not as good as the screen layout on the Escape - which is similar to the one on the BS (Though the BS's is bigger), or if I just have to get used to something different. The screen on the KL is smaller but not terrible. I’m still undecided about how I feel about the screen size and layout on the KL. I do think the BS’s screen is better. Also, I have to pay a subscription fee to use the phone app with the KL. Ford has made this free, so the BS will have this without a subscription.
- Manufacturing: The KL is built in the US in Detroit, Michigan. BS is built in Mexico. I’m Canadian, but manufacture location still means something. I’m all for giving jobs to Americans for an American product (though I would not complain if it were built in Canada
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- KL Elite cost (with dealer fees in) $46,761.35 + taxes (Canada). This is about $3,000 less than for the BL+BL that I may or may not see in March 2021.
I think Ford sends a mixed message with the BL. First, they call it a Bronco (Sport), which implies some relatively serious off-roading chops. Ford highlights of the water-fording abilities, made the BL’s ground clearance 0.01” more than that of the KL, market the BL’s rugged off-road worthiness, tout the G.O.A.T modes, then pull back on the things that would really make it a truly capable off-roader. It’s a mixed message to brag about how rugged the BL is off road, then aim to compete with the Jeep Compass which, aside from being a Jeep, is not really that much of an an off-roader. Why give the BL so much capability, but then fall short with no 4-low and inadequate under-body protection? Ford may never have intended the BL to compete with the KL, but I think they should have since they came so close anyway before pulling back. Does anyone who wants to go off-road really even consider the Compass? I still love the form-factor of the BS, and the AWD system on the BL is second to none but I think, overall – without a 4-low and comprehensive under-body protection, the BL went right up to the line of greatness then stopped before crossing it. If Ford taken these two additinal steps, they’d have knocked it out of the park with the BL, and I would get the BL+BL in a heartbeat… if that heartbeat were to occur in March of 2022.
Now that I’ve had some time with the KL I've gained some perspective on the BL and I can see how close Ford came to making the BL a great off-roader. I’m very disappointed because I really wanted a BL, and I’m a little irked because I’m afraid that the KL may have ruined the BL for me or, more accurately, that Ford may have ruined the BL for me.
I think the BL is a very capable vehicle if you want it as a means to get to a particular destination, like a trail head or camping spot, but you have to go over some rough terrain to get there. On the other hand, if you actually like exploring, and rough terrain IS your destination, then I think the KL is the superiorvehicle, especially if you also spend a lot of time on pavement and don’t want to go hard-core with a fully decked out beast like a Wrangler or the big Bronco. Both the BL and KL have their place, but I really don’t think that the BL can be fairly compared with the KL as the BL is presently built, no matter how good it’s AWD system is. To be fair, Ford I don't think Ford everintended it to be. The KL has forced me to grudgingly manage my expectations of the BL. I wish I it wasn't so.
It can be towed behind a RV but you must unhook the battery and disengage a cable or something like that. It's in the manual. Hopefully Ford can start fulfilling these orders soon.
No, that's just outright wrong. Here's what the manual actually says:
I appreciate your feedback. Note that it wasn't my intention to be biased, or elevate one vehicle over the other, only to differentiate what each might be best suited for - that's why I gave full disclosure on my experience (or lack of) with the BL. Each one may be better than the other for what they do. I don't want a full sized beast that has no AWD on pavement because what I do doesn't require such a beast. I do want something decent on pavement that can also climb some rough terrain with little effort. FOR ME this is the Cherokee. For the person I responded to it may also be the Cherokee - or not. For yourself and many others it would be the BL. There is only a right or wrong choice based on what you want to use it for, how much novelty matters, and whether you want one now or in 2022. The Cherokee was available NOW.Very well written however since you have only driven a BL for 30 min and spent hours reading and watching vids about it I find your review quite bias. To each their own; but you can praise your KL that way ??? over on the jeep forum. I've ridden and drove a KL, my buddies got Wranglers and Willies stock and modified and I would still choose my BL. It has everything I need and then some and I'm not going to be rock crawling in it so I am good. Ford designed the BL to be a factory made off-road capable vehicle with upgraded features. Hence now I see EVERY car manufacturer coming out with an off-road version in commercials but lacking in the upgraded features. IMO the KL is underpowered, tight interior, and has no real WOW factor to me besides rear lockers (which only work on 4L so that sucks as well, my dual clutch engages all the time as soon as I lock it ?‍)I wanted best of both worlds. ?????
I agree - limited availablility is why I didn't get the BL, though I'm glad for now that it worked out that way now that I better understand the value of 4-low for my purposes. Yes, the Cherokee has been around many years and has had time to be refined, through admit I wish it had that front facing camera like the BS. It's true, the BS is brand new and has lots of room for refinements over the coming years. I'll keep watching because I think it's a great vehicle. If Ford does come out with a BS trim level that includes 4-low and proper bash plates, I'll be first in line for the BL+BL. Enjoy your BS if you managed to get one.
Good points about only a small portion of owners wanting/using the low range option, and their interest in looks/perception.
There's no doubt that the BS is solid, and very capable. Congrats if you were able to get one.
Stand corrected guess I recalled what I read wrong. I'll have to go back and look it over.
