2021 Nissan Armada vs 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport had been eagerly anticipated as a smaller sibling to the resurrected Bronco. It featured a modern retro design reminiscent of the original Bronco, with a focus on being an everyday driver ready for weekend adventures. The Bronco Sport's exterior boasted short front and rear overhangs, tall fender wells, and a tucked-in body designed for trail driving. The bold "BRONCO" lettering on the grille and tailgate, along with various wheel options, added to its rugged appeal. Inside, the Bronco Sport offered a tastefully rugged interior with an uncluttered design, convenient storage cubbies, and a range of seating options from cloth to leather-trimmed, heated sport-contour bucket seats.

The 2021 Nissan Armada, a close cousin of the Nissan Patrol, underwent a significant facelift for the model year. It featured a new grille, front fenders, bumpers, and LED headlights and taillights, giving it a more modern look while retaining its traditional beefy and athletic body styling. The Armada came in S, SV, SL, and Platinum grades, with the popular Midnight Edition Package available on the SL trim. The redesigned exterior included body-color over fenders, dark-painted roof rails, and an acoustic windshield and front side windows. Depending on the trim level, the Armada rode on 18-, 20-, or 22-inch aluminum alloy wheels wrapped in all-season tires.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport offered two engine choices tied to trim levels. The Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks trims featured a 1.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. The Badlands and First Edition models came with a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 245 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. All models had 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 with its short wheelbase, independent suspension, and decent ground clearance, while also offering good on-road manners.

The 2021 Nissan Armada was equipped with a 5.6-liter V8 engine paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission, delivering 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel. The Armada came standard with rear-wheel drive, with automatic four-wheel drive available. Despite its weight, the Armada was a capable off-roader with a skid plate, double-wishbone suspension, and up to 9.2 inches of ground clearance. However, its fuel economy was on the low end, with RWD models getting an EPA-estimated 14 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway. The Armada had a best-in-class towing capacity of 8,500 pounds when properly equipped.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport catered to active buyers with features like cargo space designed to hold two 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes and a catalog of over 100 accessories for transporting outdoor gear. The roof could hold up to 150 pounds, and the 2.0-liter engine could tow up to 2,200 pounds. The cargo hold featured a flip-up rear glass, an optional cargo management package, and various storage compartments in the front cabin. However, taller drivers might find outward visibility challenging, especially when spotting traffic lights or navigating trails.

The 2021 Nissan Armada offered practicality and functionality for families. It featured standard running boards and in-cabin handles for easy access. The broad dashboard housed a new 12.3-inch touchscreen, though some controls were a bit far from the driver. The first and second rows provided comfortable seating, with power-adjustable front seats and optional second-row captain's chairs. The third row was less comfortable for adults but could fit in a pinch. The Armada had 16.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 95.4 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. However, the high load floor made loading and unloading a chore for petite adults.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport featured an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with SYNC 3, compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also had FordConnect with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot and an available Bang & Olufsen sound system. The terrain management system offered up to seven G.O.A.T. modes, and trail control technology provided cruise-control-like assistance for off-roading. Higher trims included intelligent access with push-button start, heated and leather-wrapped steering wheels, and a 6.5-inch digital instrument panel.

The 2021 Nissan Armada boasted a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, the largest in its class, with navigation, satellite radio, Bluetooth, USB ports, a WiFi hotspot, and wireless Apple CarPlay. Available features included a wireless charging pad, a 13-speaker Bose audio system, a rearview camera mirror, and a second-row entertainment system. The Armada Platinum trim came with all these features as standard. The analog tachometer and speedometer were functional but less attractive compared to other SUVs.

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

The 2021 Nissan Armada was equipped with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which included automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and rear automatic braking. Additional standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and rear door alert. Buyers could add a rear camera mirror and surround-view camera system. However, the Armada lacked advanced driving assist technologies like Nissan ProPilot Assist or Super Cruise. The NHTSA gave the Armada a three-star rollover rating due to its 23.7-percent rollover risk.