Outer Banks vs Badlands

[Rubber Ducky]

Had a BB with the 1.5 and i couldn't stand the vibration and shake the engine had. I hope the people who have them have zero issues up to whatever mileage they go up to but it made me nervous thinking of a 1.5 with the vibration lasting.

It is sad that Ford does not offer the 2.0 in all the models.

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[delm]

I think this topic has been beat to death but it will never die.

The reality is, it's a false comparison to try to compare the Outer Banks to the Badlands. It's a comparison that should not even exist. The two are not comparable....they are significantly different vehicles.

The Outer Banks is the luxury version of the Big Bend, not the luxury version of the Badlands. The Badlands + Premium Package is the luxury version of the Badlands. The Badlands stands alone in the Bronco Sport line up. The OBX and BB are a legitimate comparison.

 

[Tigger]

I think this topic has been beat to death but it will never die.

The reality is, it's a false comparison to try to compare the Outer Banks to the Badlands. It's a comparison that should not even exist. The two are not comparable....they are significantly different vehicles.

Delm, I respectfully disagree. The comparison is made so that people who are buying one, can decide which better fits their needs. This thread has done a decent job of explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the two and I think Ford did a good job in offering the choice.

Now, the falseness in this thread is when people state one is the best like Rubber Ducky did about the Badlands. It can be his opinion but if you read this thread it is easy to say, he is wrong (and I’m willing to bet he did not read the whole thread).

 

[BroncMan]

Omg. I'm so done with this pompous thread.

Yes, I live where there's a lot of snow and I'm on the road in the morning before the plows. I've come to a stop, and then kept going...literally. Powered through plenty of drifts. No issues whatsoever. I have standard rubber floor mats...my seats and steering wheel are heated, but that's neither here nor there. Sure the BL has a limited slip clutch diff but from what ive experienced the OB engages if I keep the power down. I've been on some of the same trails I had my cj7 on (35's with lockers) and this is one of the best performing adaptable AWD's I've seen. I do have a lift with AT tires but i would have done the same if i had a BL. The 2.0 is great, no doubts there. But I am supper impressed with the 1.5's power and mpg, glad I have that right now.
Its a light vehicle. The 2.0 can tow more but the engine doesn't change the load rating...and I didn't buy it for towing.
So, overall. Is the BL a better vehicle? Sure, but not by much. And for me personally, not worth another 5k.

Absolutely agree!
There is nothing better or of no advantage with a Badlands over an Outer Banks, except for the extreme off-road fanatics, who think its cool to go motorized up steep hills or through steep, boulder revines. There only a couple of additional features that only apply in those most unusual situations and make no difference in every day life, meaning getting through bad weather, snow, ice and slush safely or pass trucks fast.
Cheers

 

[Blair Simister]

I have the 2.0 Badlands - Drive my first Road trip, the fuel mileage was incredible 7.7L /100 KM - And wow the power was amazing. Just think about passing and you are up to 140KM/H

Love this badlands

 

[Barry S.]

Let's not leave out the Big Bend. Except for some interior changes, it has all the capabilities of the Outer Banks.

 

[GoatsyBanks]

Absolutely agree!
There is nothing better or of no advantage with a Badlands over an Outer Banks, except for the extreme off-road fanatics, who think its cool to go motorized up steep hills or through steep, boulder revines. There only a couple of additional features that only apply in those most unusual situations and make no difference in every day life, meaning getting through bad weather, snow, ice and slush safely or pass trucks fast.
Cheers

I am an avid off roader and like I said, continuously impressed with what it can do.

 

[Blue oval fan]

I have done around 4500 mile on my Big Bend this month. The 360+ is the best feature and the driving factor for getting a bronco sport, AWD was also a must. The only situation the 1.5 lacks is cruising at 78mph and having to gun it to pass. It will get going but just not quite as swift, it gets the job done though. Around 27mpg from my calculations, highway using cruise control at 78-79mph. Didn't get this vehicle for any sort of off-road capabilities. Would get a big bronco for that and not a unibody lifted escape.

 

[PaulOinMA]

Count me in the group that gladly paid the Badllands upcharge for the 2.0T, among other things, in my wife's '23.

Had the previous 2.0T in my '14 Escape Ti 4WD. Have the newer 2.0T in my '22 Escape Ti AWD.

 

[DemonGT]

The wife and I both feel the badlands rides nicer then our BB.

 

[SkyKing]

In addition to the better engine it’s important to consider the Badlands twin clutch AWD system which provides significant traction advantages in snow and sand as well as off road. It’s an incredible technology that makes the Badlands far more capable and durable than it appears. Read here:


Off-road traction
More than traction control, new AWD systems are getting very good at optimizing traction.

Take for example the Bronco Sports optional AWD system. Supplied by DANA, it’s an on-demand AWD system. The Bronco Sport with this system uses a cooled Power Transfer Unit or PTU that attaches to transaxle and sends power to the Rear Drive Unit, or RDU. Bronco Sport’s class-exclusive twin-clutch rear-drive 4×4 system with differential lock feature. The system can divert virtually all rear axle torque to either wheel.

The RDU has 2 clutches, one on each axle shaft that takes the torque from the prop shaft and distributes it to the wheel that needs it. These 2 clutches handle front-to-rear as well as side-to-side speed and torque biases, effectively eliminating 2 differentials, the center, and rear. When AWD is commanded, such as when the “center lock” button is pressed, the 2 rear RDM clutches engage at the same time, allowing torque to go to the rear axle. When turning sharply, the computer partially disengages the clutch on the inside wheel of the RDM allowing it to slip to deal with the speed difference a differential would normally handle. When you “lock” the “rear diff” you are commanding more pressure more often to those clutches. The buttons are programming tricks to tell the computer you prefer traction over smooth on-road driving but “lock” nothing, not really. Even when “locked” the systems will know to allow the required slip for turning for example.

Despite this, the system is very effective, allowing for at least half and probably more up to 70% or so of the engine torque to go to the rear axle and “almost all” that torque to go to a single rear wheel according to Ford. The front differential is your run-of-the-mill open type and is managed through braking individual wheels to simulate traction on a slipping wheel and allow more torque to go to a gripping one.

The old Explorer was locked into part-time operation, which meant slick surfaces only. This lets the old beast send more torque to the secondary axle compared to the Bronco Sport, all of it in fact. However, the front differential was open with a limited-slip rear as optional, which meant that no more than 50% engine torque could ever make it to a single front wheel and only a little more than that to the rear.

 

[DWG]

Count me in the group that gladly paid the Badllands upcharge for the 2.0T, among other things, in my wife's '23.

Had the previous 2.0T in my '14 Escape Ti 4WD. Have the newer 2.0T in my '22 Escape Ti AWD.

Dito! The 2.0 was the initial reason why we went with the badlands, even giving up a couple of the convince features that I got used to on my other Ford's like automatic wipers. I was already used to driving the 2.0T as I currently have 3 other Fords with the 2.0T and traded another one in for a total of 4 previous Fords with the 2.0T. It is just what I am used to. I did get the chance to drive the 1.5 engine in a 23 Escape and 23 Big Bend and did not like the way it felt.

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