Best option mid and high/lux equipped trims for 2024? (Everglades vs. Badlands)

Fillups

I know, odd question. But I keep looking at 2024 options and really irritated that Ford combined High and Lux. My 2022 with high has what I feel is the best combo of useful without over the top options. Namely, I like the 360 degree camera but dont care about heated wheel, phone charger, etc. We just did Moab OR and there were several times I felt the front and side cams would have helped.

if I were to order a 2024 Ford model, it would be primarily to change to an auto transmission. I like my 7MT a lot, but an auto would be for the greater good of the family and easier trail driving. The trail control uphill at OR was pretty cool too. And now cannot order the 2.3 with auto in BL trim, so the price really takes off adding 2.7, auto, and Lux. And if you forgo Lux, does it make sense to look at a trim with only mid-options? For added perspective, we got thru some gnarly ledges in Moab with only rear lockers and not using the stay bar.

I was not considering Everglades prior, but started looking closer after adding Sasquatch, roof rails, auto, etc to a black diamond. It looks like the Everglades is a clear value winner, when adding in the sliding tailgate and OEM winch. I probably don’t need a snorkel and high water bits in the near future, but otherwise, it’s basically a four-door BD Sasquatch with a four-cylinder, and some other nice touches, correct?

• Everglades -- Factory winch, and Sasquatch at a decent price.
• Hertitage -- Factory hard top, Sasquatch pkg, and Mid package for a good price, but lacking a lot of the trail armor.
• Black Diamond Sasquatch w/ 2.7L -- Comes with one-pedal drive, which is a handy feature.
• Badlands 2.7L -- One-pedal drive and stabar disconnect.

TK1215

My feelings are the same. I have the High package on my 2022 BL as I didn’t want the heated steering wheel, phone charging pad and adaptive cruise control. But in regards to the camera, I have all the camera features. You should have all of the front, side, rear and overhead camera settings at your disposal with the High Package. Double check and if not they may need to fix something. Note: the Everglades does not have the camera features due to the winch.

RagnarKon

Yeah, the High package was by far the best "bang for you buck" equipment package. By making the 12-inch screen standard, that really kind of put the the High package in a weird spot, so I can understand why they combined the High and Lux packages together. But it is a bummer, because there are a lot of reasons why someone would want to specifically avoid the Lux package.

I agree with you, the 2.3L engine on the Black Diamond doesn't makes sense unless you are buying manual and/or skipping the Sasquatch package. And given current pricing I do think the Everglades is a MUCH better buy nowadays than it was in the past. In my mind you have to decide between four choices:

• Everglades -- Factory winch, and Sasquatch at a decent price.
• Hertitage -- Factory hard top, Sasquatch pkg, and Mid package for a good price, but lacking a lot of the trail armor.
• Black Diamond Sasquatch w/ 2.7L -- Comes with one-pedal drive, which is a handy feature.
• Badlands 2.7L -- One-pedal drive and stabar disconnect.

On paper the Heritage is a good buy, but you'll probably be waiting forever to get one, and so much of it is dependent on if you actually like that look. So... that's up to you.

For Badlands... I think we can agree that while the stabar disconnect is a really cool feature, it's usefulness in the "real world" is actually somewhat limited, and given the way prices are headed on the Badlands trim it is starting to not look like a great purchase. So it my mind the real choice is between the factory winch on Everglades OR a BD 2.7L with one-pedal drive.

Jakob1972

Love the Everglades the 2.3L is plenty of Motor. it does not have the 360 camera but does have the 12" but that is standard for MY24 all models. The snorkel is great for Dusty locations it is not really for high water although it helps. And the Everglades is still pretty rare. you get the Better wheels, better fenders, snorkel and a winch, My opinion. you get the roof rack but I took mine off because I wanted to take my tops off easier, you can take the tops off but it is a PITA. One pedal drive would be nice but since you drive a manual once you get used to two footing it, it is pretty easy.

Fillups

Snorkel helps with dust? Had not heard that, but interesting. Agree on the rack, if not needed for a trip, best left in the garage. Love your tan color, wish that was still offered.

Fillups

I do have all the cams on my ’22 Badlands, and enjoy them, even if mostly for backing into parking spots So far. LoL. I meant we didn’t have cams on the BL we drove at the Off Rodeo. Sorry for the confusion. It would be cool if there was an after market front cam to go on the winch mount…

RagnarKon

In my mind you have to decide between four choices:

• Everglades -- Factory winch, and Sasquatch at a decent price.
• Hertitage -- Factory hard top, Sasquatch pkg, and Mid package for a good price, but lacking a lot of the trail armor.
• Black Diamond Sasquatch w/ 2.7L -- Comes with one-pedal drive, which is a handy feature.
• Badlands 2.7L -- One-pedal drive and stabar disconnect.

On paper the Heritage is a good buy, but you'll probably be waiting forever to get one, and so much of it is dependent on if you actually like that look. So... that's up to you.

For Badlands... I think we can agree that while the stabar disconnect is a really cool feature, it's usefulness in the "real world" is actually somewhat limited, and given the way prices are headed on the Badlands trim it is starting to not look like a great purchase. So it my mind the real choice is between the factory winch on Everglades OR a BD 2.7L with one-pedal drive.

Deano Bronc

Not that I want to muddy the waters, I really like the stabar disconnect on the Badlands. Not that I need the extra articulation that much, but it really seems to help to disconnect it on really bumpy trails. I'm not saying that it feels like a Raptor flying across the desert smooth, but definitely much smoother than having it connected. I've been on quite a few trails that didn't require 4WD but used it anyways just so I could use the disconnect.

Deano Bronc

Not that I want to muddy the waters, I really like the stabar disconnect on the Badlands. Not that I need the extra articulation that much, but it really seems to help to disconnect it on really bumpy trails. I'm not saying that it feels like a Raptor flying across the desert smooth, but definitely much smoother than having it connected. I've been on quite a few trails that didn't require 4WD but used it anyways just so I could use the disconnect.

Fillups

The OEM winch and slide out tailgate (Everglades) seem like a decent trade for sta-bar disconnect on the usefulness scale vs BL.

So Everglades would include trail control, but not one-pedal drive? I could handle that, after playing with them both at the OR.

RoboticsRob

Yep, raising the air intake with the snorkel gets it further up and out of the dust. Turning it around to face the rear drops dust intake even more.

We have High on our 23 BL 7MT and I agree it was the best package, and now they’ve made it a significantly harder sell to get the cameras. When we were ordering, the sole Lux option we actually wanted was the garage door opener on the visor, which could be added after you took delivery by just swapping the visor.

I’m going to have to agree that right now (if you want a 4 door) the Everglades seems like the way to go. If you’re set on the two door and the 7MT and you are good with the 33’s, the Badlands non-Sas is the way to go.

RagnarKon

Yes. Trail Control is a feature of the automatic transmission. The one-pedal drive is a feature of the 2.7L. What you'll loose by switching to the automatic transmission is Hill Decent Control—that is a manual transmission exclusive. But I'm sure most people would argue that Trail Control is more valuable than Hill Decent Control anyway.

I think I personally would lean towards Everglades... which is kind of surprising because I had a hard time recommending it back when it was launched for 2022MY. The stabar disconnect is a really handy feature and definitely increases comfort/stability off-road, no doubt about that. But there is very few situations where I would consider it to be "necessary", and there is always the option of adding manually-disconnecting stabilizer bar links in the future. So unless you really wanted the one-pedal drive... just seems like Everglades is a better purchase.

Jakob1972

I agree with this, one big reason I switched from a Nonsquatch Badlands high package Manual to the 1 option(Dessert Sand) Everglades is I felt it was my best chance at getting a Bronco in MY22. For $5,000 more, I lost 360 camera, zone lighting, and stabar disco. But I gained the color, wheels, fenders, roof rack, wench, and Sasquatch. So it was a win for me. And I am glad I switched I love this thing.

Now I wonder if they made the changes to the high/lux and the other trim levels in an attempt to make the Everglades more palatable. But it really is great trim.

Fillups

Interesting price note, that Everglades was about $5k more in the past. It seems harder to make the BL non-sas comparison now, since you can’t spec a 2.3 with auto in BL. But if comparing the 7MT 4door BL with mid, MIC, rails, etc to Everglades now, the BL is about $1k less. So the auto trans upcharge would make the BL a little higher, if you could get the auto 2.3L. So about even on price now.

Would be nice to have an exclusive color still. Seems odd if they are trying to make the Everglades more appealing if only allocating very small production numbers. Like 2% from what my dealer showed me.

timhood

I think the best anyone can do for someone else is to point out the differences between trim levels and packages and let someone else decide what has value or not. We've taken some long trips with the Bronco and I am completely hooked on Adaptive Cruise Control. Gone are the days of constantly disengaging and restarting due to variations in speed, having to brake for cars that cut into my lane ahead of me and are going slower, etc. It really makes those drives even easier. Lux also includes B&O, which some people complain about, but for others, it's a way to get a stereo upgrade that works fine for their needs. If I had the base stereo, I knew I'd need to put time and money into making it better. But the B&O (at least in two-door form) works fine. (I've not heard it in the four-door, but I suspect that the rear speakers being so far back may be an issue for them.) When we ordered, the 12" screen and B&O were requirements. It turned out that the ACC was something I didn't realize I wanted until I had it.

I already knew I was going 2.7 and auto. The Badlands has the skid plates, front and rear lockers I knew I would spec, and the disconnecting anti-sway bar was the icing on the cake. So, in my use case, the non-Sas Badlands is peak Bronco. 😁