I own a 23’ Badlands Bronco Sport and this thing seriously impresses me every single time I take it off road. I’ve done two long distance overlanding trips and have impressed the group with how it handles. I kept up with Rubicons, 4 Runners on 37’s, Raptor’s, Tacoma’s with mid-travel setups etc. The only thing really holding it back is clearance. I taco’d my exhaust on a very rugged trail climbing up a mountain. I had to trail fix it and limp it back home 400 miles. A decent sized lift and bigger tires would serve it well but you can only put tires on so big since you have to start cutting unfortunately. Still incredibly capable car and Ford outdid themselves.
@@protectork9831 How boring the endless stories of reliability are becoming. Speaking of dependable appliances, you'll be fascinated to know that I have a Kenmore washer and dryer we bought new in 1991 and the darn thing still works like new even after raising all our kids and the endless wash cycles. I asked my kids if they wanted them and none of them took me up on the offer but had a good laugh instead.
@@OnTheRocks71 I think you're right. We both agree that it'll be some little switch or knob that will break from becoming brittle and we won't be able to source a replacement and that'll be what necessitates replacing the whole appliance. For the heck of it, I checked Kijiji, and there's still quite a few good shape 25+ yr old Kenmore and Inglis washers and dryers for sale. Probably a better investment than a new LG that will need expensive repair after 4 years.
This bronco sport never ceases to amaze me. Toyota knows off road and this bronco sport makes it look like it’s in another class when it comes to off roading.
Toyota was not focusing on off-roading with that Rav 4 even though it's a TRD. I wouldn't even bother with the Rav 4, a base model 4wd 4Runner runs circles around it.
I wouldn’t buy a bronco anything over a 4Runner or any Toyota when it comes reliable especially after a lot of bronco motors were blowing up at around 5.000 miles even if they fixed that problem I don’t trust the reliability of the broncos , but a trd 4Runner will outclass any bronco
I have to really thank you guys for doing reviews like this!! These are 2 everyday vehicles and we get to see how they perform in a way a test drive won't tell you. Keep it up!
As others have said, the more capable Badlands version only comes with the 2.0 liter - which is an awesome powerful engine. The 1.5 liter has mixed reviews and many issues reported by owners. Our ‘23 Badlands with full options cost us $43k. We love it!
I guess the problem is there are people like us willing to pay Ford’s price because when we look at the competitors they don’t offer what we value. Headroom for 6’4”, roomy boxy shape, styling that does not look like every other Honda, Toyota or Subaru, quality 4WD system meeting our needs for snow and light duty off-road, decent gas mileage, 2” tow hitch for two heavy e-bikes on a bike rack, etc. etc.
@@tedbellWRV true, nice cars just overpriced. Drove one and Subaru forester wilderness. Ford should have priced them at that level. I they had I would go for the ford
@@tedbellWRVI completely agree. I'm starting to look at potential vehicles and to be honest I wasn't considering the sport before seeing this. It impressed me, definitely more off road capable than the RAV4 trd.
My wife got the ‘23 Badlands with just the 400A and trailer tow packages, total MSRP was $41480, so yes, you can definitely lower the price on the Bronco Sport.
I wasn’t a fan of the Bronco Sport, but I can appreciate it’s appeal for people that want a solid road trip vehicle. I’d take the Ford, given these two choices.
Problem is that the broncos sport is too small /smaller, less reliable and gets worse gas mileage. Not a good combo for any car but especially not for road trips
16:00 Except you can't get the badlands with the 1.5. Now try to make sense of this: The ford maverick XLT Tremor edition gives you the 2.0 and the rear locker and is based off of the same escape/BroncoSport platform and starts at $35k. I can't justify the bronco sport badlands $41k starting pricetag.
@@ALMX5DP Yes, my mistake and I have corrected my post. The point remains you cannot get the badlands with the 1.5. The 1.5 is the least desirable engine. Ideally you would be able to equip one of the lower trim levels with the rear locker and 2.0 but ford forces the badlands trim for those options.
My bronco sport badlands cost me 36,000. Although still a little high priced I feel it’s well worth it, I love this little SUV. And it’s so much fun to drive. To me the 2.0 liter is the only way to go. Just my opinion.
@@americanautotransportllc Now when you go to fords online builder 2024 badlands is $38,390 MSRP plus destination and other fees. I love the looks of the bronco sport but the other condition that was holding me back is the 2200lb tow capacity. The escape is up to 3.5K and maverick has the 4k tow. Also a nissan frontier SV can be had in the $36k range. So there is a lot of options but each have their good and bad points.
You can't get the 1.5L engine in the Badlands. The 2.0L is standard. The Heritage option is available on the Big Bend trim which has the 1.5L engine standard.
I’m no one to tell yall what to do but it would be cool to see any and all hills and obstacles with stats. Like elevation and especially degrees as you climb up and down. Maybe even ambient temp. So people can have a better idea of what they can do with what they will see in their own experiences.
I'm assuming it's to keep from breaking things. Just letting it spin and spin until it finds traction is how you break things. Happens all the time on Jeeps, and those differentials are _way_ stronger than these independent suspensions.
It has a lot to do with burning up clutches inside the transmission (Or belts in the case of CVTs). Without a low range, there is not enough gearing to overcome the load being placed on the drive train. And in some cases, its not that they are cutting power, its just that there is not enough gearing to even get the tires to spin.
It would be great if at the start of one of these videos you drove a stock Land Rover Discovery or Toyota 4Runner up the hill to provide some perspective, for when the crossovers attempt the hill climb.
I love my Bronco Sport Badlands. It feels incredibly safe and reliable to drive in nearly any weather condition, which is what I wanted since living in the North East can lead to some fairly unpredictable weather scenarios.
I know Tommy said the Rav4 was cutting a lot of power on Dare, but I believe he left it in Rock mode instead of changing it to Sand, which would've allowed more aggressive power delivery and wheel spin.
Thanks for the comparison. I recently bought a 2024 Big Bend Bronco Sport with some extra options for about $31,000. I'm very happy with it, but I haven't driven it off road.
considering the rav 4 also has an awd system that overheats i'd for sure give this one to the bronco sport. I'm a subaru guy for sure but i gotta acknowledge the capability of the bronco sport.
Our fearless leaders tommy and Andre and big brother blaze. What your doing is important because if you go to Gatlinburg Tennessee you will have these situations a lot. And the right way to handle it is very helpful. For trying to get unstuck most people freeze up and don’t know how to get out of a steep hill. Well done 🅰️
I've got a '21 rav4 hybrid limited. I've taken that thing into mud bogs, miles and miles of dirt roads, and even across stream crossings deep enough to trigger the bumper sensors. It absolutely wasn't designed for that, but it got me out regardless. I will forever be impressed by the rav4 capacity.
I just bought a fully loaded Bronco Sport Badlands. During the test ride I was blown away by the massive amount of options. The power was amazing. It was always in the right gear and shifted very smoothly. Not being a Ford fan I was surprised how well the little Bronco drove. Seems Ford has come a long way. Only complaint is the amount of road noise that comes inside the vehicle. And the massive price tag. That is something Ford needs to address.
Any Bronco Sport with the twin clutch rear has a 4 cylinder. I have watched and read a lot of reviews of the Badlands and everything in this class including Subaru gets beat by the Badlands. I saw even a modified CrossTrek take on a stock Badlands and the Badlands still made it look easy compared to the CrossTrek. That was a strange in this test how relatively poor the twin clutch worked, typically it is more effective. Ford’s traction control works really well with the AWD system. I was unimpressed with our 22 RAV4 AWD system (yes I know electric in the hybrid) vs our current VW AWD system. The power balance and snow performance is much better in the VW even on similar tires.
I think it was because in this case, he had off-road cruise control on, and it simply hit a ridge that was enough to over-come a, relatively speaking, high first gear. The moment he took the cruise control off, and gave it a bit more throttle, it went up easily, with NO run up; not taking 3 goes like the Toyota !!
@@arkhsm True, BUT, that lt rear tire was spinning as the rt rear just sat still. That should not have happened according to the earlier tests(like the TFL slip test) I have seen. Assuming this vehicle had the "locking" rear dif.
It does show that for most people the Rav4 is the right vehicle. We have a 2023 Rav4 limited hybrid. The Bronco Sport is the more capable off roader. For that money a basic big Bronco or 4Runner would make more sense if you really want to off road. We also have a 2014 Trail 4Runner and with a true rear locker and low range it would rock either of those lines and have plenty of extra capability. Look forward to seeing what the 2025 4Runner is like. More power, tech and fuel economy will be great. Just hope it's not 70K.
Happily get the Bronco Sport. I think Andre had the right idea getting the Badlands, rather than the Classic. But I would keep the bigger engine or you might run into the same issue you had with the RAV4.
7:15. I find it difficult to believe that the car didn't have enough torque or gearing to get over that rock. Seems far more likely that it had 2 spinning wheels and the TC system couldn't figure it out. Despite what Tommy was saying, the rear left wheel is clearly spinning. And I strongly suspect the front right is also spinning, but you can't really see it.
It’s just a soft-roader. I picked up a 2020 RAV4 TRD Off Road earlier this year. It serves its intended purpose as a daily driver and weekend kayak transporter. If I need anything more substantial, I just hop into my 2011 Tacoma TRD Off Road. Because that VVT 4.0 V6 is a warhorse of an engine.
The rav4s descent control speed is controlled with the brake and gas pedals. Get it to the speed that you want, let off the pedals, and let it do it’s thing. Gets down to 1mph
Needed to turn off the traction control button on the RAV4. Would have got more power down and the system wouldn’t have cut power. Makes a difference on our RAV4 TRD.
They only feel insane because real world earnings haven't kept up with inflation. A 2001 Ford Escape with AWD and the V6 and no other options is like 40,000 dollars today adjusted for inflation, and we're talking about a vehicle with 200hp, a 4-speed auto, and A Radio with maybe a CD Player and probably A/C. The new cars have tech, efficiency, performance and safety that would have been a dream back in 2000. So I don't think the modern cars are overpriced (maybe the Bronco Sport but they chose the most expensive and dumbest trim imo), I think people are just underpaid.
And that’s why I have a Jeep Compass Trailhawk, because I can tackle a lot of trails for a way cheaper price tag and great Offroad capability and protection
I love the Bronco Sport but if you order a badlands with a few options then you are at the same price as a 4 Runner TRD off road. The 4 Runner is a true off roader.
Both look capable but I have yet to see a crossover that tops my 2019 Cherokee TrailHawk that has 9” of ground clearance, AT tires, skid plates, low range, rear locker, naturally aspirated V6, tow hooks, and multiple terrain modes. I think it kicks butt on both of these.
I had a first generation, first allotment Ford broncos sport 2021 has such they were very hard to find at that time and so I found an Outer Banks with the three cylinder turbo. It went anywhere and everywhere I needed to go without even changing the drive modes as a full-time Olander, and at that time I was sporadically, pulling a 1000 pound teardrop camper. Sadly, I had a water pump fail on the way back from Overland Expo west and I got suffered poor gas mileage, but wasn’t really sure what was going on because I had no check engine lights or warnings or erratic gauge readings until I got back to home and decided to get an oil change and they said that my coolant level was very low. The vehicle sat waiting for a water pump for four months, after the water pump was repaired, it failed to get anywhere near the advert fuel mileage and so I traded it in on a used jeep grand Cherokee limited. my biggest complaint with the Broncos sport was simply the fact that it didn’t have any towing capacity to speak of that 1000 pound trailer was literally the max at that thing could tow and Offroad it struggled. So I needed more towing capacity. My bronco sport was completely stock with the exception of Tires and Wheels. I had falcon wild Peak, AT3W‘s, on Black rhino wheels. And I don’t know where this 50 grand price tag comes from because I paid $34,000 for my high-end trim level bronco sport Outer Banks, and it was fully loaded with the safety suite copilot 360 assist, and all the fancy options including leather interior.
Love the Bronco Sport . . . a Badlands without the Heritage Edition pricetag (but I love the yellow!) would like get her price under the shown rav4 TRD and still give you lots of options.
Yep, the Heritage and Heritage Limited are both way over priced appearance packages. Get a Badlands, with all the other non appearance options and save +4K$ and maybe double that. Not likely to get a deal on a Heritage and if you put in a little effort, way more likely to get one on a Badlands.
Great video as usual! But, what was with that spinning tire with the baby Bronco's "locked" rear dif? As Tommy said, it was not acting all that locked. But Tommy, didn't that same Bronco Sport just kill it on your wheel slip/roller test? And on your Onyx course with wheels in the air? What was going wrong here on Tombstone hill? I expected the Bronco to have a much easier time than the RAV 4, on the harder left side just as it did the easier right. But that did not quite happen. I'm wondering why? I would blame driver error or harder line picked, but that lt rear tire kept spinning at 12:24. It should not have been doing that based on earlier slip and Onyx trail testing. Perhaps "Rock" should have been chosen, if available? Would that give a more aggressive lock up/wheel breaking? Or, did this trim actually even have the faux locking rear dif? I get confused on which models have it. Thoughts?
@OmarZ7 I find the ergonomics in the 4Runner actually quite good, it's very intuitive to use. Especially as it still has all physical controls. I agree though about the vehicle overall being pretty dated, especially the engine and transmission.
@OmarZ77 lol the only reason you repeated what you heard about the 4runner trans is because you don't know any better. Smooth as silk & the truck is comforable as hell.
@@TimeMariner no because everyone knows it. Watch TheTopher’s drive of the 4Runner. Watch Driving Sports TV’s video of the Tacoma vs Frontier. That 6-speed is super dated and badly programmed. Wait for the new 8-speed.
Badlands trim only has the 2.0 L engine. The heritage edition is a badlands with all the extras + special paint and wheels. Order a BS Badlands exactly as you want for less.
So a fancy RAV4 and a retro looking Ford escape. I mean I don't want to constantly break down so I'll stay with Toyota. Though the TRD off road on the RAV4 is a gimmick package. I will take.... a 4runner or a Tacoma. 😅
That Bronco Sport Heritage is getting very close to 4Runner SR5 Premium 4WD price territory, so I'd rather skip Starbucks and spend the $ on the T4R. The RAV4 TRD Pro doesn't even tempt me to test drive it let alone try a trail with it.
The Cherokee is not a comparable vehicle probably also not comparably priced but then again after Fiat bought Jeep who knows maybe the Cherokee is just a comparable vehicle to a RAV4😅😂
Unfortunately, you cannot get the Bronco Sport with the 1.5t I3 and the twin clutch rear differential. The only way to get the twin clutch differential is to get a Badlands or Heritage Limited, with the 2.0t which pushes the price into the mid-40k range. The Black diamond package adds underbody protection and more aggressive tires, but it doesn't do anything for the drivetrain. With the Bronco Sport pushing into the mid 40s and combined fuel economy of 23 mpg, to me, it makes more sense to buy the full size bronco at that point which has better resale.
In the end they are both street cars that will over heat pretty fast. But if you only need a few moments of traction go Ford Escape Bronco Sport Edition.
They Both Are Over Priced. I wish the bronco sports was similarly sized, priced, similar gas gas mileage and as reliable as a Subaru Forester. Oh! And had the ground clearance of a Forester Wilderness 😅😁. Or make that the ground clearance of a outback wilderness 😉
Where did you get the Ford? Their website does not show an option for the Heritage with 2.0, advanced 4WD, etc. They own show those for Badland and no yellow either
Love this content even though pretty much no one buying this will ever do a trail that gnarly. I wish the Bronco Sport came with a manual transmission. It's the perfect size for me but I'll likely end up with it's bigger brother simply so I can row my own gears.
I don't even like Subaru, but the Forester wilderness is the one to buy. More capability than both, and definitely more reliable than the Bronco, for mid 30s.
@@mitchaser5159I think the Ford bronco sport actually has the better performing / functioning I AWD drive system when you're on a nasty road. But I don't remotely trust Ford's reliability/ safety. The bronco sport is also too small in way the hell to over priced. Inferred also decided just to throw in bad gas mileage as an "extra bonus" you 😅
Yes, 100% agree. I have one in USA but also live in U.K. and travel to France regularly. The Bronco sport would sell like hot cakes in Europe and the smaller 3 cylinder engine is more than adequate… it has much more chunky “Tonka Toy” appeal that the Ford Escape… and the big bronco has limited appeal compared to say a Land Rover Discovery or Defender in U.K. at least. Nissan Qasqui or Bronco?…. No brainer…
You're lucky to have those tires on the Bronco Sport. The BS Badlands I got for my spouse had crummy pirelli tires that are allegedly 'all terrain' but they're just bad for off-road.
Im a massive car noob but one is a family road going SUv from the ground up and thr other is a 4WD from the ground up ? Makes far more sense to compare a 4 runner or new land cruiser when released?
You can also get a used Rav4 for pretty cheap since they've been around forever. People are much more inclined to take a vehicle off road if it's already 5 or 6 years old and approaching 100k miles. Compared to a Bronco Sport that's only been around a couple years.
@@backwoodstherapy 100%, there’s no reason to trust a bronco sport to hold up off-road after 10’s of thousands of miles or more. It still has to prove its reliability. People know they can beat on their affordable rav 4 all day and it’ll take it and keep going.
You can't get a 1.5L Bronco Sport with a twin-clutch rear drive unit. The twin-clutch RDU is only available on the Badlands trim, which comes only with the 2.0L engine.
just because its says toyota doesn't mean is automatically more reliable. Would it last longer sure; no turbo but that doesn't mean its not going to have issues.
@leehall5447 reliability isn't the only criteria when buying a vehicle. Everyone is so caught up in Toyota reliability. Yet nobody mentions how terrible the visibility is out of the 4 runner and tacoma. Nobody talks about how Toyota still have issues even with being super reliable. My Tundra had belt and pulley issues within 100 miles of me buying it brand new from the dealer.
The Bronco Badlands with dual clutch emulated rear locker (not referred to just limited slip) ( and not paying more for this cheesy retro one here) is $40K ....this TRD Rav4 is $42 >> 15:11
U guys killing it as always. Respect 🫡
I own a 23’ Badlands Bronco Sport and this thing seriously impresses me every single time I take it off road. I’ve done two long distance overlanding trips and have impressed the group with how it handles. I kept up with Rubicons, 4 Runners on 37’s, Raptor’s, Tacoma’s with mid-travel setups etc. The only thing really holding it back is clearance. I taco’d my exhaust on a very rugged trail climbing up a mountain. I had to trail fix it and limp it back home 400 miles. A decent sized lift and bigger tires would serve it well but you can only put tires on so big since you have to start cutting unfortunately. Still incredibly capable car and Ford outdid themselves.
So glad I got my Bronco Sport in March 2022…. Base model and cost 29,000 all in. It’s been fantastic fun and faultless.. 👍
By 2032 you would forget you ever had a bronco. While the rav4 owner would be passing on to another family member
@@protectork9831 How boring the endless stories of reliability are becoming. Speaking of dependable appliances, you'll be fascinated to know that I have a Kenmore washer and dryer we bought new in 1991 and the darn thing still works like new even after raising all our kids and the endless wash cycles. I asked my kids if they wanted them and none of them took me up on the offer but had a good laugh instead.
@@cwqrpportable When they buy all new LG appliances it will be your turn to laugh.
@@OnTheRocks71 I think you're right. We both agree that it'll be some little switch or knob that will break from becoming brittle and we won't be able to source a replacement and that'll be what necessitates replacing the whole appliance. For the heck of it, I checked Kijiji, and there's still quite a few good shape 25+ yr old Kenmore and Inglis washers and dryers for sale. Probably a better investment than a new LG that will need expensive repair after 4 years.
Sequoia TRD pro vs expedition timberline. Get it done
This Bronco Sport keeps up with its bigger brother. Tough little vehicle.
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA no…
@@MarkSixFilms 😂
This bronco sport never ceases to amaze me. Toyota knows off road and this bronco sport makes it look like it’s in another class when it comes to off roading.
Toyota knows off road, but they prioritize sales, profit and optimization.
Toyota was not focusing on off-roading with that Rav 4 even though it's a TRD. I wouldn't even bother with the Rav 4, a base model 4wd 4Runner runs circles around it.
Except one is a Ford, the other a Toyota.
I wouldn’t buy a bronco anything over a 4Runner or any Toyota when it comes reliable especially after a lot of bronco motors were blowing up at around 5.000 miles even if they fixed that problem I don’t trust the reliability of the broncos , but a trd 4Runner will outclass any bronco
@@hugolafhugolaf After having a very expensive Toyota (Lexus GX-470) and more than a few Fords, I've had less problems with the Fords than the Lexus!
I have to really thank you guys for doing reviews like this!! These are 2 everyday vehicles and we get to see how they perform in a way a test drive won't tell you. Keep it up!
Paid 32K for my wifes Bronco Sport Big Bend... she loves it!
As others have said, the more capable Badlands version only comes with the 2.0 liter - which is an awesome powerful engine. The 1.5 liter has mixed reviews and many issues reported by owners. Our ‘23 Badlands with full options cost us $43k. We love it!
They are good but overpriced. Should be around 36,000
I guess the problem is there are people like us willing to pay Ford’s price because when we look at the competitors they don’t offer what we value. Headroom for 6’4”, roomy boxy shape, styling that does not look like every other Honda, Toyota or Subaru, quality 4WD system meeting our needs for snow and light duty off-road, decent gas mileage, 2” tow hitch for two heavy e-bikes on a bike rack, etc. etc.
@@tedbellWRV true, nice cars just overpriced. Drove one and Subaru forester wilderness. Ford should have priced them at that level. I they had I would go for the ford
@@tedbellWRVI completely agree. I'm starting to look at potential vehicles and to be honest I wasn't considering the sport before seeing this. It impressed me, definitely more off road capable than the RAV4 trd.
the 2 liter, 4 cylinder engine you have is the one that is known to have issues reported by owners.
We got a Bronco Sport last year. It's a very capable little SUV. It reminds me of the classic Jeep Cherokee XJs!
Sorry but I couldn't help but laugh when Tommy was talking to the windshield and Blaze was looking at him like he lost his marbles 😅
I have driven both and the Bronco Sport out performs the RAV every time. Even the lower Bronco Sport models out performs the TRD RAV.
Not surprised to see the Bronco to outperform the RAV4. Though for not having a true 4x4 system the RAV4 did a good job.
I’m very impressed by Bronco Sport. Definitely not as capable as the Big Bronco, I think the Sport carries the Bronco name well!
My wife got the ‘23 Badlands with just the 400A and trailer tow packages, total MSRP was $41480, so yes, you can definitely lower the price on the Bronco Sport.
Bronco sport is really impressive to me, I would rather have a bronco sport on some KM3's than its bigger brother.
I wasn’t a fan of the Bronco Sport, but I can appreciate it’s appeal for people that want a solid road trip vehicle. I’d take the Ford, given these two choices.
Problem is that the broncos sport is too small /smaller, less reliable and gets worse gas mileage. Not a good combo for any car but especially not for road trips
@@RRr-yl8zrGets less gas mileage, BUT, gets more power !!
Really nice presentation--the two best presenters on TFL by far.
16:00 Except you can't get the badlands with the 1.5. Now try to make sense of this: The ford maverick XLT Tremor edition gives you the 2.0 and the rear locker and is based off of the same escape/BroncoSport platform and starts at $35k. I can't justify the bronco sport badlands $41k starting pricetag.
Andre said 1.5, which is the smaller 3 cylinder offering.
@@ALMX5DP Yes, my mistake and I have corrected my post. The point remains you cannot get the badlands with the 1.5. The 1.5 is the least desirable engine. Ideally you would be able to equip one of the lower trim levels with the rear locker and 2.0 but ford forces the badlands trim for those options.
My bronco sport badlands cost me 36,000. Although still a little high priced I feel it’s well worth it, I love this little SUV. And it’s so much fun to drive. To me the 2.0 liter is the only way to go. Just my opinion.
I own one too and it’s an amazing vehicle! The perfect vehicle for winter when there is a lot of snow!
@@americanautotransportllc Now when you go to fords online builder 2024 badlands is $38,390 MSRP plus destination and other fees. I love the looks of the bronco sport but the other condition that was holding me back is the 2200lb tow capacity. The escape is up to 3.5K and maverick has the 4k tow. Also a nissan frontier SV can be had in the $36k range. So there is a lot of options but each have their good and bad points.
You can't get the 1.5L engine in the Badlands. The 2.0L is standard. The Heritage option is available on the Big Bend trim which has the 1.5L engine standard.
But no cool rear diff, unless you get the 2.0 only Wildtrack !!
@@arkhsmUnless you’re counting Latin American countries, there’s no Bronco Sport Wildtrak
I’m no one to tell yall what to do but it would be cool to see any and all hills and obstacles with stats. Like elevation and especially degrees as you climb up and down. Maybe even ambient temp. So people can have a better idea of what they can do with what they will see in their own experiences.
I can’t stand when manufacturers cut the power when you need it most……
I'm assuming it's to keep from breaking things. Just letting it spin and spin until it finds traction is how you break things. Happens all the time on Jeeps, and those differentials are _way_ stronger than these independent suspensions.
It has a lot to do with burning up clutches inside the transmission (Or belts in the case of CVTs). Without a low range, there is not enough gearing to overcome the load being placed on the drive train. And in some cases, its not that they are cutting power, its just that there is not enough gearing to even get the tires to spin.
It would be great if at the start of one of these videos you drove a stock Land Rover Discovery or Toyota 4Runner up the hill to provide some perspective, for when the crossovers attempt the hill climb.
I love my Bronco Sport Badlands. It feels incredibly safe and reliable to drive in nearly any weather condition, which is what I wanted since living in the North East can lead to some fairly unpredictable weather scenarios.
Those prices are crazy.
I know Tommy said the Rav4 was cutting a lot of power on Dare, but I believe he left it in Rock mode instead of changing it to Sand, which would've allowed more aggressive power delivery and wheel spin.
Thanks for the comparison. I recently bought a 2024 Big Bend Bronco Sport with some extra options for about $31,000. I'm very happy with it, but I haven't driven it off road.
I always had enjoyed these VS videos on the trail, even if I had no interest in the vehicles. Still love this style of video. Thanks guys!!
Awesomeness you guys..id take the bronco
considering the rav 4 also has an awd system that overheats i'd for sure give this one to the bronco sport. I'm a subaru guy for sure but i gotta acknowledge the capability of the bronco sport.
Bronco sport Heritage/Badlands all the way!.Eric
Overpriced
@@billricheter5678everything is overpriced.
Bronco is both overpriced and unreliable. @@CaponeXTF
Our fearless leaders tommy and Andre and big brother blaze. What your doing is important because if you go to Gatlinburg Tennessee you will have these situations a lot. And the right way to handle it is very helpful. For trying to get unstuck most people freeze up and don’t know how to get out of a steep hill. Well done 🅰️
I’d like to see a return to cliffhanger 2.0… that’s a fun test trail.
If I remember right that trail was shut down.
@@tomahawk7259just checked TrailsOffroad, it’s still open. It’s 458.1.
You can get the big bend with the Black Diamond package. Gives you the cool wheels and tires at less cost.
yall should do a cx50 comparison since that one has a good bang for money from the bottom to the higher trims
Don't take that beauty off road, not meant for that
Tommy and Andre are great at evaluating vehicles relative to what they are designed to deliver and generating enthusiasm for second tier offroaders.
They don’t even show the half of what the Bronco is capable of! This is not a real test for this Bronco, this is an amateur review!
I've got a '21 rav4 hybrid limited. I've taken that thing into mud bogs, miles and miles of dirt roads, and even across stream crossings deep enough to trigger the bumper sensors. It absolutely wasn't designed for that, but it got me out regardless. I will forever be impressed by the rav4 capacity.
which tires are you running? I have a 20202 Rav4
@@wavesummit believe it or not, they were OEM tires.
I just bought a fully loaded Bronco Sport Badlands. During the test ride I was blown away by the massive amount of options. The power was amazing. It was always in the right gear and shifted very smoothly. Not being a Ford fan I was surprised how well the little Bronco drove. Seems Ford has come a long way. Only complaint is the amount of road noise that comes inside the vehicle. And the massive price tag. That is something Ford needs to address.
Get the big Bronco baby😎. Nice review.
Good content. May I suggest giving context on the pricing bz the trim and options matter. You can spec a much cheaper version
Any Bronco Sport with the twin clutch rear has a 4 cylinder. I have watched and read a lot of reviews of the Badlands and everything in this class including Subaru gets beat by the Badlands. I saw even a modified CrossTrek take on a stock Badlands and the Badlands still made it look easy compared to the CrossTrek. That was a strange in this test how relatively poor the twin clutch worked, typically it is more effective. Ford’s traction control works really well with the AWD system.
I was unimpressed with our 22 RAV4 AWD system (yes I know electric in the hybrid) vs our current VW AWD system. The power balance and snow performance is much better in the VW even on similar tires.
I think it was because in this case, he had off-road cruise control on, and it simply hit a ridge that was enough to over-come a, relatively speaking, high first gear. The moment he took the cruise control off, and gave it a bit more throttle, it went up easily, with NO run up; not taking 3 goes like the Toyota !!
@@arkhsm True, BUT, that lt rear tire was spinning as the rt rear just sat still. That should not have happened according to the earlier tests(like the TFL slip test) I have seen. Assuming this vehicle had the "locking" rear dif.
It does show that for most people the Rav4 is the right vehicle. We have a 2023 Rav4 limited hybrid. The Bronco Sport is the more capable off roader. For that money a basic big Bronco or 4Runner would make more sense if you really want to off road. We also have a 2014 Trail 4Runner and with a true rear locker and low range it would rock either of those lines and have plenty of extra capability. Look forward to seeing what the 2025 4Runner is like. More power, tech and fuel economy will be great. Just hope it's not 70K.
Happily get the Bronco Sport. I think Andre had the right idea getting the Badlands, rather than the Classic. But I would keep the bigger engine or you might run into the same issue you had with the RAV4.
7:15. I find it difficult to believe that the car didn't have enough torque or gearing to get over that rock. Seems far more likely that it had 2 spinning wheels and the TC system couldn't figure it out. Despite what Tommy was saying, the rear left wheel is clearly spinning. And I strongly suspect the front right is also spinning, but you can't really see it.
It’s just a soft-roader. I picked up a 2020 RAV4 TRD Off Road earlier this year. It serves its intended purpose as a daily driver and weekend kayak transporter.
If I need anything more substantial, I just hop into my 2011 Tacoma TRD Off Road. Because that VVT 4.0 V6 is a warhorse of an engine.
The rav4s descent control speed is controlled with the brake and gas pedals. Get it to the speed that you want, let off the pedals, and let it do it’s thing. Gets down to 1mph
Needed to turn off the traction control button on the RAV4. Would have got more power down and the system wouldn’t have cut power. Makes a difference on our RAV4 TRD.
But is it all the way off? No.
love the vids you guys do. but you guys know that the rav4 awd overheats. pushed to far you'll have to wait for cool down.
Toyota has been dropping the ball lately on the smaller AWD vehicles
Nice to see how much difference a Hybrid Rav4 would do this seeing the rear wheels are driven by an electric motor.
that wasn’t a hybrid 😉
Trd RAV4 aren't hybrid
Lol!
Great video, but $42k for a rav4 and $46k for a baby bronco?? These car prices are insane and the people buying them are too lol.
They only feel insane because real world earnings haven't kept up with inflation. A 2001 Ford Escape with AWD and the V6 and no other options is like 40,000 dollars today adjusted for inflation, and we're talking about a vehicle with 200hp, a 4-speed auto, and A Radio with maybe a CD Player and probably A/C. The new cars have tech, efficiency, performance and safety that would have been a dream back in 2000. So I don't think the modern cars are overpriced (maybe the Bronco Sport but they chose the most expensive and dumbest trim imo), I think people are just underpaid.
it sounds overpriced at first, but, compared to what? A 4Runner is now $70k!!!
Yer just wanting something for nothing.
6:46. I have the exact same vehicle. You should have put it in Sand/Mud mode. You wouldn't have lost power like that.
And that’s why I have a Jeep Compass Trailhawk, because I can tackle a lot of trails for a way cheaper price tag and great Offroad capability and protection
Case needs to be featured in more of these tests!
Heads up fellas Badlands Bronco sport is only available with the 2.0L any trim below that will have the 1.5L I-3
Is it just me, or have we been missing Nathan around these reviews? Hope all is good with him? Good review fellas!
He ate himself into a coma.
💯Definitely more Blaze reviews! 🐕
More to come!
I do wish that the vehicles were running the same tread patterns/brands to eliminate the x factor of the tires in the equation.
The Badlands has the 2.0 only and worth every penny! You can save $10k by getting a Badlands without the premium package.
Great comparison. I'd love to see the comparison a couple years from now with a couple hundred thousand miles on them. 😊
0:41 i was like "Someone in the backseat has a great head of hair!"
I love the Bronco Sport but if you order a badlands with a few options then you are at the same price as a 4 Runner TRD off road. The 4 Runner is a true off roader.
That little Bronco is clearly better off-road but I'd still rather get the quality and reliability of the RAV4.
Both look capable but I have yet to see a crossover that tops my 2019 Cherokee TrailHawk that has 9” of ground clearance, AT tires, skid plates, low range, rear locker, naturally aspirated V6, tow hooks, and multiple terrain modes. I think it kicks butt on both of these.
I mean from those 2.. by looks and design.. the Rav 4 slays that banana wagon
I’d love to see the Renegade thrown in here too!
I have the same RAV4. Turn the traction off and put it in snow mode and it will go anywhere!
So glad to see Blaze back. As we msged when you got blaze. Ive lost my blaze. He got sick. .. so glad to see your blaze is doing great. ❤
I had a first generation, first allotment Ford broncos sport 2021 has such they were very hard to find at that time and so I found an Outer Banks with the three cylinder turbo. It went anywhere and everywhere I needed to go without even changing the drive modes as a full-time Olander, and at that time I was sporadically, pulling a 1000 pound teardrop camper. Sadly, I had a water pump fail on the way back from Overland Expo west and I got suffered poor gas mileage, but wasn’t really sure what was going on because I had no check engine lights or warnings or erratic gauge readings until I got back to home and decided to get an oil change and they said that my coolant level was very low. The vehicle sat waiting for a water pump for four months, after the water pump was repaired, it failed to get anywhere near the advert fuel mileage and so I traded it in on a used jeep grand Cherokee limited. my biggest complaint with the Broncos sport was simply the fact that it didn’t have any towing capacity to speak of that 1000 pound trailer was literally the max at that thing could tow and Offroad it struggled. So I needed more towing capacity. My bronco sport was completely stock with the exception of Tires and Wheels. I had falcon wild Peak, AT3W‘s, on Black rhino wheels. And I don’t know where this 50 grand price tag comes from because I paid $34,000 for my high-end trim level bronco sport Outer Banks, and it was fully loaded with the safety suite copilot 360 assist, and all the fancy options including leather interior.
Ford has raised the prices on the BS every year since it was introduced. The MSRP on all trims is really high now.
Love the Bronco Sport . . . a Badlands without the Heritage Edition pricetag (but I love the yellow!) would like get her price under the shown rav4 TRD and still give you lots of options.
Yep, the Heritage and Heritage Limited are both way over priced appearance packages. Get a Badlands, with all the other non appearance options and save +4K$ and maybe double that. Not likely to get a deal on a Heritage and if you put in a little effort, way more likely to get one on a Badlands.
Great video as usual! But, what was with that spinning tire with the baby Bronco's "locked" rear dif? As Tommy said, it was not acting all that locked. But Tommy, didn't that same Bronco Sport just kill it on your wheel slip/roller test? And on your Onyx course with wheels in the air? What was going wrong here on Tombstone hill? I expected the Bronco to have a much easier time than the RAV 4, on the harder left side just as it did the easier right. But that did not quite happen. I'm wondering why? I would blame driver error or harder line picked, but that lt rear tire kept spinning at 12:24. It should not have been doing that based on earlier slip and Onyx trail testing. Perhaps "Rock" should have been chosen, if available? Would that give a more aggressive lock up/wheel breaking? Or, did this trim actually even have the faux locking rear dif? I get confused on which models have it. Thoughts?
I saw 2023 4Runners discounted to $44,000. So I'd do that over these.
If you so much off roading, sure. But on-road usability, the 4Runner is really dated with a really annoying transmission and ergonomic.
@OmarZ7 I find the ergonomics in the 4Runner actually quite good, it's very intuitive to use. Especially as it still has all physical controls. I agree though about the vehicle overall being pretty dated, especially the engine and transmission.
@OmarZ77 lol the only reason you repeated what you heard about the 4runner trans is because you don't know any better. Smooth as silk & the truck is comforable as hell.
@@TimeMariner no because everyone knows it. Watch TheTopher’s drive of the 4Runner. Watch Driving Sports TV’s video of the Tacoma vs Frontier.
That 6-speed is super dated and badly programmed. Wait for the new 8-speed.
Yah🙂 but then the ride quality, handling and gas mileage 😮😢
Badlands trim only has the 2.0 L engine. The heritage edition is a badlands with all the extras + special paint and wheels. Order a BS Badlands exactly as you want for less.
So a fancy RAV4 and a retro looking Ford escape. I mean I don't want to constantly break down so I'll stay with Toyota. Though the TRD off road on the RAV4 is a gimmick package. I will take.... a 4runner or a Tacoma. 😅
That Bronco Sport Heritage is getting very close to 4Runner SR5 Premium 4WD price territory, so I'd rather skip Starbucks and spend the $ on the T4R. The RAV4 TRD Pro doesn't even tempt me to test drive it let alone try a trail with it.
Put a Cherokee Trailhawk in the mix.. see who comes on top
The Cherokee is not a comparable vehicle probably also not comparably priced but then again after Fiat bought Jeep who knows maybe the Cherokee is just a comparable vehicle to a RAV4😅😂
Unfortunately, you cannot get the Bronco Sport with the 1.5t I3 and the twin clutch rear differential. The only way to get the twin clutch differential is to get a Badlands or Heritage Limited, with the 2.0t which pushes the price into the mid-40k range.
The Black diamond package adds underbody protection and more aggressive tires, but it doesn't do anything for the drivetrain.
With the Bronco Sport pushing into the mid 40s and combined fuel economy of 23 mpg, to me, it makes more sense to buy the full size bronco at that point which has better resale.
In the end they are both street cars that will over heat pretty fast. But if you only need a few moments of traction go Ford Escape Bronco Sport Edition.
When did 200 hp become low power for a 4 cylinder NA
Because the vehicle also becoming heavier every generation, so the torque weight ratio is getting worse a little bit....
My Badlands Bronco Sport with 2.0 gets about 29 mpg combined.
They Both Are Over Priced.
I wish the bronco sports was similarly sized, priced, similar gas gas mileage and as reliable as a Subaru Forester. Oh! And had the ground clearance of a Forester Wilderness 😅😁. Or make that the ground clearance of a outback wilderness 😉
Where did you get the Ford? Their website does not show an option for the Heritage with 2.0, advanced 4WD, etc. They own show those for Badland and no yellow either
Love this content even though pretty much no one buying this will ever do a trail that gnarly. I wish the Bronco Sport came with a manual transmission. It's the perfect size for me but I'll likely end up with it's bigger brother simply so I can row my own gears.
It's strange what some people think is "way too gnarly'"🙄 well I guess if you're driving a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla 😅
4runner would def bang these out for the price, but the bronco does serve a cool factor purpose that a 4Runner wouldnt scratch without kitting up
I don't even like Subaru, but the Forester wilderness is the one to buy. More capability than both, and definitely more reliable than the Bronco, for mid 30s.
Lower gas mileage, lower long term reliability, and higher vehicle depreciation with a Subaru versus Toyota
@@mitchaser5159I think the Ford bronco sport actually has the better performing / functioning I AWD drive system when you're on a nasty road. But I don't remotely trust Ford's reliability/ safety. The bronco sport is also too small in way the hell to over priced. Inferred also decided just to throw in bad gas mileage as an "extra bonus" you 😅
Too bad we don't get the Ford Bronco Sport in Europe, so far... make a hybrid Ford and sell it in Europe too.
Yes, 100% agree. I have one in USA but also live in U.K. and travel to France regularly. The Bronco sport would sell like hot cakes in Europe and the smaller 3 cylinder engine is more than adequate… it has much more chunky “Tonka Toy” appeal that the Ford Escape… and the big bronco has limited appeal compared to say a Land Rover Discovery or Defender in U.K. at least. Nissan Qasqui or Bronco?…. No brainer…
nice i like these kind of videos
RAV4 TRD Offroad towing 3,500lbs Bronco Sport 2,200lbs
🙄And they of course are two totally different vehicles
Put the sport against the prime with a tire upgrade
You're lucky to have those tires on the Bronco Sport. The BS Badlands I got for my spouse had crummy pirelli tires that are allegedly 'all terrain' but they're just bad for off-road.
I managed two pop two Pirelli tires on the first major trail I went on, lol... Swapped them for bigger K02s and never looked back.
@@arrdubu I mean, it's not like they changed the tires, the Pirelli is the stock tire and the Wildpeaks are an upgrade option.
Im a massive car noob but one is a family road going SUv from the ground up and thr other is a 4WD from the ground up ? Makes far more sense to compare a 4 runner or new land cruiser when released?
No they are both family crossovers… the real bronco is in the 4Runner class
Sorry but i would love to have the subaru Forester…and i hope they stop the CVT
I think that RAV4 would have been fine with a more proper off-road tire. That terrain didn't want to cooperate with the tire.
I see way more rav-4’s off-road then I see Bronco Sports, but then again there are significantly more Rav-4’s on the road in general.
You can also get a used Rav4 for pretty cheap since they've been around forever. People are much more inclined to take a vehicle off road if it's already 5 or 6 years old and approaching 100k miles. Compared to a Bronco Sport that's only been around a couple years.
@@backwoodstherapy 100%, there’s no reason to trust a bronco sport to hold up off-road after 10’s of thousands of miles or more. It still has to prove its reliability. People know they can beat on their affordable rav 4 all day and it’ll take it and keep going.
You can't get a 1.5L Bronco Sport with a twin-clutch rear drive unit. The twin-clutch RDU is only available on the Badlands trim, which comes only with the 2.0L engine.
You can't get the Badlands with the 1.5 litre. Come on guys, it comes standard with the 2.0.
Is the bronco sport more capable? Probably. Is the rav4 more reliable? Definitely
just because its says toyota doesn't mean is automatically more reliable.
Would it last longer sure; no turbo but that doesn't mean its not going to have issues.
@@sixpest overall what brand is more reliable, Ford or Toyota?
@leehall5447 reliability isn't the only criteria when buying a vehicle. Everyone is so caught up in Toyota reliability. Yet nobody mentions how terrible the visibility is out of the 4 runner and tacoma. Nobody talks about how Toyota still have issues even with being super reliable. My Tundra had belt and pulley issues within 100 miles of me buying it brand new from the dealer.
@@krover01 it’s just a comment don’t get your jimmies rustled
@@leehall5447 Is that even a question? Toyota by a mile and then some!
The Bronco Badlands with dual clutch emulated rear locker (not referred to just limited slip) ( and not paying more for this cheesy retro one here) is $40K ....this TRD Rav4 is $42 >> 15:11
You can not get the badlands with out the 2.0 liter.
But I was 39k Out the door on my badlands with no options beside a tow package.
What happened with the FJ Cruiser you guys bought