Jul 28, 2021
Barbee’s Freeway Ford in Denver got their demo unit last Friday and I got to get in for a test drive today. I’d already did a Bronco ride along in Moab so I more or less knew what the interior was like but wanted to give it a try.
This Black Diamond was a 4-door with the 2.3 and manual with MGV and a pretty basic options package. It was about 100 degrees today and I drove it around with the rear windows removed on the top.
Pros:
Crawler gear is no joke. When I got back to the dealer lot, I tried to stall it in 2H, Crawler and holding the brake. It will overpower quite a bit of brake there. I put it in 4L and then tried Crawler and it came super close to overpowering the brakes. Granted this was on pavement but the gear reduction is super nice. I can see using 1-2 on most trails in low range and then crawler when it gets really tough.
The fuel economy gauge showed 21mpg and it had a shade over 500 miles on it already.
I am even more pumped for my Bronco to come in and super glad we switched to the 2.7. The 2.3 and manual is definitely for a very specific crowd, which I thought I was, but I guess not. Ford knocked this thing out of the park!
This Black Diamond was a 4-door with the 2.3 and manual with MGV and a pretty basic options package. It was about 100 degrees today and I drove it around with the rear windows removed on the top.
Pros:
- The cockpit layout, feel and visibility is amazing. It doesn’t feel cramped like a Jeep and it doesn’t feel like the dash is taking over like a 4-runner
- MGV felt great. A little sweaty but it was 100 out
- The AC is amazing. I was able to keep comfortable at about mid fan speed on the AC WITH part of the top off!
- The road noise is extremely low. Even with part of the top off, it still seemed quieter than new Jeeps (I regularly rent Jeeps for work travel) with hard tops and soft tops
- The motor feels great, after about 2500 rpm
- Shifts are smooth and quick
- Clutch feels very good
- The 2.3 seems pretty anemic below 2500rpm. I had figured this from looking at ranger dyno charts. Merging and changing lanes in street traffic took a bit of getting used to. There is just no “go” below 2500rpm
- I was rowing gears to keep the motor where it felt “good”. Granted, this is no sports car and I was test driving in rush hour.
- With the short gears, the motor revv’s quick. I was into the rev limited a couple times on accident. This one had the 4.46 rear end
- The dash vents near the grab handles you kinda have to wiggle your hand in there to adjust them.
- Backup camera resolution seemed pretty low. My 2017 F150 has better resolution. It seemed a lower quality than the Badlands we did a ride along in.
Crawler gear is no joke. When I got back to the dealer lot, I tried to stall it in 2H, Crawler and holding the brake. It will overpower quite a bit of brake there. I put it in 4L and then tried Crawler and it came super close to overpowering the brakes. Granted this was on pavement but the gear reduction is super nice. I can see using 1-2 on most trails in low range and then crawler when it gets really tough.
The fuel economy gauge showed 21mpg and it had a shade over 500 miles on it already.
I am even more pumped for my Bronco to come in and super glad we switched to the 2.7. The 2.3 and manual is definitely for a very specific crowd, which I thought I was, but I guess not. Ford knocked this thing out of the park!
Speed Devil, bdawson24
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Jul 28, 2021