G.O.A.T. Mode Question

[jstuart777]

Hello all,

My name is Jay! This is my first post. Just a question for you......

My 2021 Bronco Sport Big Bend edition does NOT have 4-wheel drive but of course, has the
G.O.A.T. modes. I live in the North East and was just wondering how your
experiences with the Sport has been in SNOW with only the G.O.A.T. Modes
and no 4-wheel drive.

Thanks to any and all responses!!!!

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[Bronco307]

Your Big Bend is 4wd, it just doesn’t have a 4wd lock button like the Badlands does. All Bronco Sports are active AWD, they are primarily in front wheel drive but shift power to the rear based on conditions. The awd system in your Big Bend will out perform just about any other awd system in a crossover, Subaru included. The GOAT modes are great, and change system mapping within the computer, but honestly, you’ll be fine if you never take it out of normal mode for 99% of conditions. Enjoy the Bronco Sport!

 

[Blair Simister]

You will be very please with the AWD - Don't worry, you will be impressed.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

Like said above, just don’t think it will make you invincible in the snow and ice. That just makes you stuck or worse. Tires make a huge difference if not more.

 

[Ponyrider]

What Escape2Bronco said about tires. Tires were a noticable weak point last winter for me.

 

[JAD67428]

This is the wife an I this past January in the middle of a blizzard with 2 feet of snow, all I did was put it in “Slippery “ Mode an off we went. You’ll be just fine in New Hampshire.

 

[Dmbleist]

The slippery/wet mode is amazing…I can “feel” the car sink into the tires (if that even makes sense). 10/10…this vehicle is amazing in the snow.

I live in Pennsylvania, currently driving a MY21 BS BB.

 

[jstuart777]

Your Big Bend is 4wd, it just doesn’t have a 4wd lock button like the Badlands does. All Bronco Sports are active AWD, they are primarily in front wheel drive but shift power to the rear based on conditions. The awd system in your Big Bend will out perform just about any other awd system in a crossover, Subaru included. The GOAT modes are great, and change system mapping within the computer, but honestly, you’ll be fine if you never take it out of normal mode for 99% of conditions. Enjoy the Bronco Sport!

Your Big Bend is 4wd, it just doesn’t have a 4wd lock button like the Badlands does. All Bronco Sports are active AWD, they are primarily in front wheel drive but shift power to the rear based on conditions. The awd system in your Big Bend will out perform just about any other awd system in a crossover, Subaru included. The GOAT modes are great, and change system mapping within the computer, but honestly, you’ll be fine if you never take it out of normal mode for 99% of conditions. Enjoy the Bronco Sport!

Hey there,

Thanks for the reply.

So you're basically saying that it is 4 wheel drive and the bronco decides
when to use it and when not to use it?

Jay

 

[magicbus]

Hey there,

Thanks for the reply.

So you're basically saying that it is 4 wheel drive and the bronco decides
when to use it and when not to use it?

Jay

Not really. Your BB is a very capable AWD, but not 4WD. Generally it will use front wheel drive but apply power as needed to any wheel. In another thread about deep sand travel I mentioned 3 BS vehicles I encountered at work and they all had two things in common. They were not Badlands models and they had all been stuck at least once. They learned to be careful about where they travel on the beach.

 

[Mark S.]

Hey there,

Thanks for the reply.

So you're basically saying that it is 4 wheel drive and the bronco decides
when to use it and when not to use it?

Jay

You are mostly correct. It is an automated, on-demand 4WD/AWD system. You can call it whatever you want; there are no "official" definitions. Ford calls it "intelligent 4WD." For everyday driving on dry pavement the car is front-wheel drive. This provides the best fuel economy.

The system incorporates a power transfer unit to get power to the rear wheels, and wheel-speed sensors to determine when and how to use the 4WD (let's stick with Ford's nomenclature) system. If the computer senses one wheel spinning faster than the others is assumes that wheel has lost traction. If that occurs on the front wheels the system automatically activates the power transfer unit to send power to the rear wheels. If one of the wheels loses traction while the power transfer unit is activated then the system applies the brakes on the slipping wheels to transfer power to the wheels that do have traction.

The different drive modes (GOAT modes) change when and how the system responds to conditions. How it does that is a fairly long discussion that's covered elsewhere on the form. Suffice it to say It's a fairly sophisticated system, but it cannot mechanically connect the engine directly to the wheels like a true 4WD system, thus the arguments over how the system should be labeled. You can call it whatever you like, but as others have noted Ford did its homework on the system design, and it has been rated very highly by most reviewers in the automotive press.

 

[jstuart777]

You are mostly correct. It is an automated, on-demand 4WD/AWD system. You can call it whatever you want; there are no "official" definitions. Ford calls it "intelligent 4WD." For everyday driving on dry pavement the car is front-wheel drive. This provides the best fuel economy.

The system incorporates a power transfer unit to get power to the rear wheels, and wheel-speed sensors to determine when and how to use the 4WD (let's stick with Ford's nomenclature) system. If the computer senses one wheel spinning faster than the others is assumes that wheel has lost traction. If that occurs on the front wheels the system automatically activates the power transfer unit to send power to the rear wheels. If one of the wheels loses traction while the power transfer unit is activated then the system applies the brakes on the slipping wheels to transfer power to the wheels that do have traction.

The different drive modes (GOAT modes) change when and how the system responds to conditions. How it does that is a fairly long discussion that's covered elsewhere on the form. Suffice it to say It's a fairly sophisticated system, but it cannot mechanically connect the engine directly to the wheels like a true 4WD system, thus the arguments over how the system should be labeled. You can call it whatever you like, but as others have noted Ford did its homework on the system design, and it has been rated very highly by most reviewers in the automotive press.

Hi there,

Thank you for that explanation!

Jay

 

[RiotfunK]

The BS is an awd vehicle. Despite what literature says. The rear “lock” is more like an LSD. It also has the center diff lock also which provides equalish power to front and rear. Drive off-road with the intelligent screen in and you’ll see the power go to the rear. Or just accelerate at a decent rate and you’ll see it and feel it as it works.

G.O.A.T. Modes are part of the overall Terrain Management System (TMS) in the Bronco Sport. All Bronco Sports have the TMS with five G.O.A.T. modes but the Badlands and First Edition trims also have Trail Control and two additional G.O.A.T. Modes in their TMS.

First let’s look at which G.O.A.T. Modes are included in which trims. Here’s the breakdown:

• Included in all Bronco Sports
• Normal
• Eco
• Sport
• Slippery
• Sand
• Additional Modes Available in Bronco Sport Badlands and First Edition
• Mud/Ruts
• Rock Crawl

Those last two modes are both tied to the advanced 4x4 system that comes with the Badlands and First Edition, specifically the 4x4 Lock and Rear Differential Lock features.

Now for the novices out there, lets define some terms. G.O.A.T. Modes adjust throttle response, transmission shift points, steering feel, and braking calibrations. Lets make sure that we understand each of those.

• Throttle Response: This is your Go-Fast variable and is all about how quickly the engine can increase power output based on the instructions the driver sends through the accelerator pedal.
• Transmission Shift Points: The transmission controls how much of that engine power is being transmitted to the rest of the vehicle’s drivetrain that ultimately makes it to the wheels. Shift points control when the automatic transmission shifts between gears. For example, staying in a lower gear longer will help you accelerate faster but will burn fuel fast because the engine is working harder.
• Steering Feel: : Fairly self-explanatory, this variable adjusts what it feels like to control the vehicle through the steering wheel. Automotive manufactures can adjust this through adjusting the friction on the steering column so it feels harder or easier to turn in addition to other means of adjustment.
• Braking Calibrations : The Go-Slower variable, Braking Calibrations in reference to G.O.A.T. Modes probably controls braking and torque vectoring (raising or lowering the amount of torque put into the wheels/axles) for certain situations without input needed.

If you’re new to these terms, you can find more information at www.automotivedictionary.org. Definitions out of the way, lets look at the modes.

• Modes in All Bronco Sports:
  • Normal - This is the base line for everyday driving and commuting. It’s also the default mode that is selected with each ignition cycle. This means that, regardless of what mode is selected when you turn off your Bronco Sport, Normal mode will be selected when the vehicle starts again. Ford describes Normal mode as the perfect balance of excitement, comfort, and convenience. We think that this is probably about getting as much giddy-up as you can while still maintaining competitive fuel economy. Obviously, that balance is going to be subjective but we’re hoping to see a tuning that gets you a little thrill when you’re getting up to speed on a highway ramp but that can also handle dirt and unimproved road surfaces comfortably.
  • Eco - It’s included in every trim of Bronco Sport and it’s for the responsible driver. It’s for the driver that doesn’t have to get there quickly, the one that feels a little twinge of guilt about not buying a hybrid but still wouldn’t be caught dead in one. Ford says that this mode helps deliver maximum fuel efficiency and helps driving range. Just how much the mode stretches your gas tank will probably be heavily dependent on the driver’s habits and road conditions. We’re sure testing will give us a range once the Sport is in independent tester’s hands. Currently, we imagine this being a great mode to swap to when you’re right on the line of making it out of the backroads to the gas station and need a little extra confidence.
  • Sport - Also, included in every trim, Sport mode is the opposite of Eco mode. Sometimes you need a little more exhaust rumble, livelier steering, and better acceleration. According to Ford, Sport mode increases throttle response, provides a sportier exhaust sound and steering feel, and quickens shifting. This is probably accomplished by the transmission holding gears longer than in other modes. Increasing the amount of time in lower gears before shifting should get you up to highway speeds faster and might making pulling out into tight spots in traffic easier.
  • Slippery - Snowy and similarly low-traction environments require a different set of optimizations to how the drivetrain functions from normal driving conditions. Slippery mode lowers throttle response and optimizes shifting for slippery surfaces, according to Ford. Sure to be a favorite in northern climes, Slippery mode should help on snowy commutes and icy outings.
  • Sand - The Sand mode is a bit more of a mystery. Ford commentary on the mode is a bit un-committal, saying, “May help get vehicle unstuck from deep snow or sand.” Like the other modes, this may impact throttle response and gear changes but we can’t confirm.
• Badlands and First Edition Exclusive Modes
  • Mud/Ruts - Ford says Mud/Ruts engages 4x4 lock so that you can keep going even if you have a tire that can’t get traction. It does not engage the Rear Differential Lock. However, 4x4 lock can be selected independently of the GOAT modes. This seems to mean that when you select Mud/Ruts there’s something more that the system does than just engage the 4x4 Lock but we don’t have details on what those additional optimizations are.
  • Rock Crawl - Rock Crawl mode engages both 4x4 Lock and Rear Differential Lock and adjusts throttle and transmission response. Our guess is that those adjustments are centered around keeping as much torque as possible in the low range so you can get more power into a slower wheel turn that is less likely to lose traction. Again, both 4x4 Lock and Rear Differential Lock are selectable outside of the GOAT mode dial so if you don’t like the decisions that the system is making, it looks like you can select those and exert more control over what the vehicle is doing. Similar modes in other Ford trucks, like the F150 Tremor, change transmission, traction control, and other systems to improve the vehicle’s low-speed crawling capability.

 

[magicbus]

I’m glad you mentioned traction control at the end which should be turned off for sand driving if you want to save your brakes and have more control.

Also, Sand Mode keeps you in (I think) second gear until you hit 16 mph. Mildly annoying on a hard beach, but a real asset on deep sand.

 

[Tigger]

Hi Jay and welcome to the forum. You will like your BS in the snow. A few things I want to say about driving it the couple of times we had over a foot of snow:
1) the first large snow was with the stock tires and the second big snow I had my all-terrain tires. Like they said, big improvement and loved the feel
2) only switch from normal to slippery mode when there is unplowed snow 100% covering the street. Otherwise, normal is sufficient
3) I did notice that Eco mode was not great in the snow. I’d use Normal.

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