2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport was introduced as a smaller sibling to the much-anticipated Bronco, capturing a modern retro aesthetic reminiscent of the original 1966-1996 Bronco. It was designed as a unibody crossover, focusing on everyday usability with a flair for weekend adventures. The Bronco Sport featured a short front overhang for optimal approach angles and a similarly efficient rear overhang. Its design included tall fender wells and a tucked-in body, minimizing unnecessary adornments for trail driving. The vehicle's bold "BRONCO" lettering on the grille and tailgate, with a subtle "SPORT" postscript, tied it visually to its larger counterpart. The interior was rugged yet tastefully designed, with a focus on functionality and convenience, offering a range of seating and trim options from cloth to leather.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, in its second generation since 2014, continued to impress with its luxurious and refined design. The 2018 refresh carried over into 2021, featuring a dual-screen center console that became a hallmark of Land Rover interiors. The Range Rover Sport offered a variety of trims, each with increasing levels of luxury and performance. The base SE trim included leather upholstery and a dual-screen infotainment system, while higher trims like the Autobiography and SVR added features such as 22-way power-adjustable seats and a supercharged V8 engine. The SVR Carbon Edition further enhanced the sporty appeal with carbon fiber accents and 22-inch alloy wheels.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport offered two engine options, both paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks trims were equipped with a 1.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder engine, delivering 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. The Badlands and First Edition trims featured a more powerful 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 245 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. The Bronco Sport excelled off-road, thanks to its short wheelbase, independent suspension, and generous ground clearance. It also featured a terrain management system with up to seven G.O.A.T. modes, enhancing its capability on various terrains.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a diverse range of powertrains, starting with the P360 mild-hybrid system in the SE and SE Silver Edition, which combined a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with a 48-volt electrical system, producing 355 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque. The HST model upgraded to the P400 powertrain, delivering 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. The HSE Silver Edition also offered a plug-in hybrid option with 398 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque, as well as a diesel variant. The HSE Dynamic and Autobiography trims featured a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine with 518 horsepower, while the SVR and SVR Carbon Edition boasted 575 horsepower. All models came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive, along with a height-adjustable air suspension and Terrain Response system for superior off-road performance.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport was designed with active lifestyles in mind, offering clever features like a cargo space capable of accommodating two 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes. Ford provided a catalog of over 100 accessories for transporting various outdoor gear. The roof could support up to 150 pounds, and the vehicle could tow up to 2,200 pounds with the 2.0-liter engine. The cargo area featured a flip-up rear glass and an optional cargo management package with a slide-out work table and liftgate floodlamps. The interior offered ample storage compartments, though some drivers noted challenges with visibility due to the roof overhang and hood bulges.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport provided a maximum of 63.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, and 31.7 cubic feet with the second row in use. An optional third row increased seating capacity to seven, though it offered only 10.8 cubic feet of cargo space and was best suited for children. The first and second rows provided generous headroom and legroom, with luxurious appointments throughout. The third row, however, was notably tight.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport featured an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with SYNC 3, compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It offered Ford+Alexa and SiriusXM capability, along with a standard FordConnect 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Higher trims included a Bang & Olufsen sound system and a 360-degree camera. The terrain management system's G.O.A.T. modes provided tailored settings for various driving conditions. Intelligent access with push-button start was standard on all but the Base model, and higher trims offered additional tech features like a digital instrument panel.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport's interior was dominated by a dual-screen center console, with the lower screen handling climate controls and vehicle settings, and the upper screen managing infotainment. While the system had a learning curve, it offered functionality through integrated dials and a simplified touchscreen layout. The system supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though some users found it less intuitive than competitors.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport came standard with the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite, including pre-collision assist, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and more. The Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added features like adaptive cruise control and evasive steering assist. All models featured AWD and a terrain management system with built-in traction control and electronic stability control. However, crash-worthiness ratings from IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered standard safety features like forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking. Additional features like adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring were available at an extra cost. Other options included a surround-view camera, traffic sign recognition, and a head-up display.