2021 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport was a highly anticipated addition to the Ford lineup, designed as a smaller sibling to the rugged Bronco. It featured a modern retro aesthetic reminiscent of the Land Rover, with short front and rear overhangs for better approach angles and tall fender wells for trail driving. The exterior was marked by bold "BRONCO" lettering on the grille and tailgate, with a modest Ford badge on the tailgate. The wheels varied by trim, from 17-inch Sparkle Silver on the Base model to 18-inch Ebony Black-painted wheels on the Outer Banks and Badlands models. The interior was rugged yet tasteful, with an uncluttered design, convenient storage cubbies, and an 8-inch infotainment screen. The trim levels offered a step-up in interior features, from cloth seats to leather-trimmed, heated sport-contour bucket seats, and a rubberized cargo floor for easy cleaning.

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe, on the other hand, offered a more upscale and refined look and feel. The exterior featured a redesigned front end with new running lights, a reworked grille, and a new bumper. The interior was upgraded with new colors, patterns, and textures, moving the Santa Fe upmarket. The Calligraphy trim, in particular, exuded quality with premium Nappa leather, a suede-like headliner, and quilted stitching. The Santa Fe also featured a new bridge-style center console with storage underneath and a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel. The Calligraphy trim came with Stormy Sea paint, AWD, 19-inch wheels, and Black premium leather, making it a luxurious choice for a midsize SUV.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport offered two engine choices. The Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks trims were equipped with a 1.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. The Badlands and First Edition models featured a more powerful 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 245 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. All models came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, along with a terrain management system with up to seven G.O.A.T. modes. The Bronco Sport excelled off-road, thanks to its short wheelbase, independent suspension, and generous ground clearance. On-road, it offered good manners, though the 1.5-liter engine could feel strained under pressure.

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe provided three new powertrains. The SE and SEL trims came with a 191-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid models featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine combined with an electric drive motor, producing a total of 226 horsepower. The Limited and Calligraphy trims boasted a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed wet-plate dual-clutch transmission. The Santa Fe offered Normal, Sport, and Smart driving modes, with the turbocharged engine providing impressive performance and fuel efficiency. The SUV felt solid and robust, with excellent body control, a pleasant ride, and athletic handling.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport was designed with active buyers in mind, offering clever features like cargo space engineered to hold two 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes. Ford provided a catalog of over 100 factory and aftermarket accessories for transporting various outdoor gear. The roof could hold up to 150 pounds (100 with a moonroof), and the 2.0-liter engine could tow up to 2,200 pounds. The cargo hold featured a flip-up rear glass, a slide-out work table, a 400-watt inverter, and liftgate floodlamps. The front cabin had ample storage compartments, though taller drivers might find outward visibility challenging due to the roof overhang and hood bulges.

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a spacious and comfortable interior, especially for those who didn't need a third-row seat. All trims included dual-zone automatic climate control, with stain-resistant fabric seats in lower trims and leather in higher trims. The Calligraphy trim featured premium Nappa leather, a suede-like headliner, and quilted stitching. The SUV provided excellent comfort with power-adjustable seats, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The rear seat was spacious and comfortable, with air-conditioning vents, quick-charge USB ports, a power outlet, and rear side-window sunshades. The Santa Fe offered 36.4 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 72.1 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport came equipped with the latest infotainment systems, including an 8-inch touchscreen with SYNC 3, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Ford+Alexa, and SiriusXM capability. A 4G LTE WiFi hotspot was standard, and higher trims offered a Bang & Olufsen sound system and a 360-degree camera. The terrain management system featured up to seven G.O.A.T. modes, adjusting steering, transmission, and throttle response for different conditions. Trail control technology provided a cruise-control-like feature for off-roading. Intelligent access with push-button start was available on all trims except the Base model, and higher trims included a 6.5-inch digital instrument panel.

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy was loaded with technology, including a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a surround-view camera system, and an 8.5-inch color head-up display. The basic 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the 10.25-inch touchscreen provided wired versions, upgraded voice-recognition technology, and enhanced Blue Link connected services. The Harman Kardon surround-sound system with Clari-Fi digital music restoration technology was available with the larger screen. Blue Link offered a range of connected services, including remote engine start, climate control adjustment, and seat heating or ventilation activation. The Santa Fe also featured Digital Key and Remote Smart Parking Assist technology.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport came standard with the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite of safety features, including pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, auto high-beam headlamps, and a reversing camera. The Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, a voice-activated touchscreen navigation system, and road-sign recognition. Trailer sway control was available with the tow package. All models featured AWD and a terrain management system with traction control, anti-lock braking, and electronic stability control. Crash-worthiness ratings from IIHS and NHTSA were not yet available.

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe offered an impressive array of safety features, especially in the Calligraphy trim. The forward-collision warning system included pedestrian, cyclist, and junction turning assistance. Safe Exit Assist used blind-spot monitoring sensors to warn occupants of approaching vehicles or cyclists. The rear-occupant alert system detected movement within the SUV for up to 24 hours, alerting parents via a smartphone app. The Blind-Spot View Monitor displayed a video view within the digital instrument cluster when the turn signal was active. Highway Driving Assist combined adaptive cruise control with lane-centering and lane-following technologies. The Santa Fe earned a "Top Safety Pick" rating from IIHS with LED projector headlights.