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2023 Bronco Sport Badlands - Heavy Rain, Localized Flooding
Our long-term testing of the Ford Bronco Sport Badlands started with a first day of use in driving rain, high wind, and localized flooded streets. New England has been ridiculously wet this season, and the day we drove the new ‘23 Bronco Sport Badlands home, the rain was as strong as we ever get it. Our ride consisted of about 45 minutes of secondary and highway driving. During this period, we experienced no hydroplaning in situations where we would have expected it. The added ground clearance was also a big benefit. Many low-slung coupes and sedans were up to their hoods in water in the flooded areas. Ford rates the Badlands water fording depth at 23.6 inches.
2023 Bronco Sport Badlands - Off Pavement
Our Bronco Sport Badlands for the present and future of our testing is not a media test vehicle but my own personal vehicle. For that reason, I will not be doing any extreme off-roading. New England is a strange place for off-roading, to begin with. Many trails are for foot traffic only, and the trees grow so closely together that even ATVs are often too wide to pass. Frankly, I don;t want to destroy my daily driver, so off-roading in sand pits and the like is not part of my plan. That said, I do like to explore unmaintained dirt roads, logging trails, and that sort of off-pavement environment, which we have in abundance in central New Hampshire, where I do most of my testing.
During its first week of ownership, I went looking for challenging trails and roads in the Bronco Sport Badlands and found exactly what I hoped for. The recent rains have done quite a bit of damage to the dirt roads in the area. Wash-outs from left to right across the roadway are common. Washouts down hills are also everywhere if you know where to look. Since these are not “Off-road trails,” they can actually be even more challenging than areas where off-roaders often go. The roads can be washed out to the point where they are impassible, so scouting ahead is sometimes prudent.
Heading down washed-out roads was easier in many ways. It gives you an option of backing up if need be, and momentum is on your side. Descending the washed-out dirt roads is a great way to test the various drive modes offered by the Bronco Sport Badlands. Locking the vehicle into four-wheel drive and enabling the rear differential is super easy. One simply pushed the buttons.
Trail Control is also very easy to use. During a lot of the time I spent off-pavement on sketchy roads, I would use it intermittently to see how it worked versus my own control. Using the “cruise control” up and down button, the wheel changes the speed, and one can enable and disable the system with the button on the center console. It is very simple to learn.
Although the many G.O.A.T. modes seem cool, and I will use them in certain situations, using the 4WD lock button and rear differential lock along with the ground clearance, skid plates for security, and the outstanding Falken WildPeak A/T3W tires is more than enough for most dirt roads. Traction is not a problem, and the suspension articulation is enough for most situations (before you actually tip and lift a wheel).
On some of the more groomed sections of dirt roads where visibility of the road ahead allowed for it, I would switch to Sport Mode and have a bit of fun throwing gravel with the tires and sliding a bit in corners. The compact footprint of the Bronco Sport means you have a lot of road to use.
Uphill, the Bronco Sport does quite well on loose-surfaced dirt roads without enabling anything. Adding 4WD lock and the rear diff does seem to make the tire slippage a bit less.
Overall, the Bronco Sport Badlands is ideal for dirt road use. I did not air down the tires, but if I were planning to do a full afternoon of driving on dirt roads, I would drop the pressure by about five pounds just for comfort.
2023 Bronco Sport Badlands - Highway Driving
Getting to the fun can often mean hours of highway driving. The Bronco Sport Badlands has thus far been a great highway vehicle. It feels stable and safe at elevated but responsible speeds. The tracking is great so far, with the Bronco Sport driving straight without any need to compensate for misalignment. The vehicle does not require any steering inputs when the road is straight. Many vehicles we test do require constant small adjustments.
The all-terrain Falken tires don’t hum very loudly on the highway, but if you turn off the radio, close up the glass and listen closely, you can definitely hear them. The sound is not unpleasant. My ear seems to pick up the tire sound most at about 50 MPH with the glass down. It is not a negative, just an observation. All-season touring tires would likely make this Bronco Sport very quiet indeed.
Steering is pretty precise for a tall vehicle equipped with A/T tires with a tall sidewall. Honestly, I was relieved the Bronco Sport was so comfortable on the highway. I had expected it to be more “trucky” than it is.
2023 Bronco Sport Badlands - Winter Snow Testing
In case you missed our prior review of the 2021 Bronco Sport First Edition, which is very similar to the Badlands we now own, you can check that report out right here. It’s all good news!
After having spent about 900 miles in total in the Bronco Sport First Edition media loaner and Badlands I own combined, the vehicle has impressed us. It is a perfect combination of off-pavement capability and on-road enjoyment. Watch Torque News for an update to this long-term test in the fall or sooner if we have any news to report.
Image of 2023 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands by John Goreham. Image of Ford Bronco Sport First Edition by John Goreham. Road not maintained by town sign image by John Goreham.
John Goreham is an experienced New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can follow John on Twitter, and connect with him at Linkedin.
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