2022 Lincoln Navigator vs 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

Ford had been teasing the new Bronco for years, and it recently revealed that the resurrected off-roader would be preceded by a smaller sibling: the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The Bronco Sport captured some of the same styling cues as its bigger brother but was a frameless (unibody) crossover with a more suburban focus—an everyday driver ready for weekend adventures. It had a modern retro look that wouldn’t be out of place in the Land Rover lineup, with short front and rear overhangs designed for trail driving. The front end echoed the Bronco, tying the Sport to its larger counterpart, while bold white lettering on the grille and tailgate announced the vehicle’s name as “BRONCO,” with a smaller “SPORT” postscript.

The Bronco Sport’s wheels played a significant role in its off-road and on-road abilities. The Base model came with 17-inch Sparkle Silver wheels, while the Big Bend model featured 17-inch Carbonized Gray-painted high-gloss aluminum wheels. The Outer Banks model stepped up to 18-inch machined-face aluminum Ebony Black-painted wheels with all-season tires, and the Badlands model used the same wheels but with 28.5-inch all-terrain tires. The First Edition model came with 17-inch Ebony Black-painted wheels and 29-inch all-terrain tires. The interior was tastefully rugged, with an uncluttered design and several convenient storage cubbies. The center stack was crowned by an 8-inch infotainment screen, and the rotary gear selector lived in the center console. Interior trim stepped up predictably from model to model, with options ranging from cloth seats to leather-trimmed, heated sport-contour bucket seats.

Lincoln made subtle styling changes to the 2022 Navigator, including new headlights, taillights, and wheel designs, with a 20-inch design now standard. The front end was restyled, featuring an Audi-esque grille with the Lincoln star and chrome detailing, which some felt resulted in less elegance and presence than before. Despite this, the remainder of the Navigator’s updates for 2022 were successful. Inside, the Navigator dazzled occupants with quality materials and mid-century modern design, featuring Lincoln’s Constellation instrumentation and infotainment display theme. The new Sync 4 infotainment system with a 13.2-inch touchscreen display was a significant upgrade, offering ample display acreage to keep the Navigator competitive in the screen size race.

The Navigator continued in standard and long-wheelbase styles with Standard, Reserve, and Black Label trim levels. The Black Label model in its new Central Park theme featured a green interior with second-row heated, ventilated, and massaging captain’s chairs separated by a large console. The total sticker price for the test vehicle came to $106,530, including the destination charge. The Navigator’s adaptive-damping suspension was updated with Road Preview, which identified bumps, cracks, and potholes ahead and prepared the suspension for appropriate damping forces. The new electronic brake booster improved brake pedal feel and response, addressing previous complaints about the brakes.

Ford set up a media drive at Holly Oaks ORV Park in Michigan, where several variants of the Bronco Sport were tested on groomed trails, designed obstacles, and public roads. The 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 putting out 245 hp and 275 lb-ft. All Bronco Sport models had an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive (AWD), along with a terrain management system with up to seven available G.O.A.T. modes (Go Over Any Type of Terrain).

The Bronco Sport performed well off-road, thanks to its short wheelbase (105.1 inches), four-wheel independent suspension, generous suspension travel, and decent ground clearance (7.8 to 8.8 inches, depending on tire and wheel size). On pavement, the crossover had good manners, with the 2.0-liter engine in the Badlands and First Edition trims better suited to the Bronco Sport’s character. The 1.5-liter engine could sound strained and thrashy when pressed hard.

The 2022 Navigator retained its twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, a 10-speed automatic transmission, and rear-wheel drive (RWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD). The V6 supplied a robust 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque, emitting a pleasing note under acceleration. Towing capacity ranged between 8,100 pounds and 8,700 pounds, depending on wheelbase and drivetrain selections. The Navigator’s adaptive-damping suspension was updated with Road Preview, which identified bumps, cracks, and potholes ahead and prepared the suspension for appropriate damping forces.

During testing, the Navigator’s adaptive suspension quelled unwanted ride motions, and the 22-inch wheels and tires supplied plenty of grip. The new electronic brake booster improved brake pedal feel and response. The Navigator’s twin-turbo effortlessly climbed past the snow line, unfazed by the SUV’s nearly three tons of curb weight. The Navigator 4WD was expected to return 18 mpg in combined driving, and during testing, it averaged 18.6 mpg.

The Bronco Sport offered fun, clever features beyond the usual compact crossover mold. The cargo space was designed to hold two 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes, and Ford launched a catalog of over 100 factory and aftermarket accessories for transporting kayaks, surfboards, skis, camping equipment, and other gear. The roof was rated to hold up to 150 pounds (100 with moonroof), and the 2.0-liter engine could tow up to 2,200 pounds, while the 1.5-liter could tow 2,000 pounds. The cargo hold featured a flip-up rear glass, an optional cargo management package with a slide-out work table, a 400-watt inverter, and liftgate floodlamps.

The front cabin’s storage compartments were ideal for sorting gadgets and tools. However, taller drivers might have found it challenging to see past the roof overhang to spot traffic lights, and a taller seating position would have been beneficial for off-road visibility.

The 2022 Navigator’s heated, ventilated, and massaging 30-way power-adjustable front seats were exceptionally comfortable. The second-row seat featured newly massaging, heated, and ventilated rear captain’s chairs, and the third-row passengers enjoyed roomy accommodations on a supportive seat. The Navigator offered generous storage and cargo space, with the long-wheelbase configuration recommended for big broods and loads. The Navigator carried 19.3 cubic feet of cargo behind its third-row seat (34.3 cubic feet for Navigator L), 57.5 cubic feet with the third-row seat folded (73.3 in Navigator L), and a maximum volume of 103.3 cubic feet with the second-row seats collapsed (120.2 cubic feet in Navigator L).

The Bronco Sport featured the latest available versions of Ford’s infotainment systems, including an 8-inch touchscreen with SYNC 3, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Ford+Alexa, and SiriusXM capability. FordConnect with 4G LTE WiFi hotspot was standard. The base audio system was an AM/FM stereo with six speakers, with a Bang & Olufsen sound system available on Outer Banks and above trim levels. The terrain management system on the Bronco Sport offered five drive modes on Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks trims, and seven modes on Badlands and First Edition models. Trail control technology added a cruise-control-like feature for off-roading.

Intelligent access with push-button start was included with all trim levels except the Base model. Heated and leather-wrapped steering wheels were available on Outer Banks and above, along with a 6.5-inch digital instrument panel.

The 2022 Navigator featured a new Sync 4 infotainment system with a 13.2-inch touchscreen display, offering two data panels to view navigation and music details simultaneously. The Navigator also had knobs for volume and stereo tuning and physical controls for climate functions. Sync 4 supported both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, with about 80 individual vehicle settings that could be saved to a user profile. The voice recognition system was improved but not perfect.

The upgraded Lincoln Play rear-seat entertainment system featured Amazon Fire TV, providing access to Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ programming. The test vehicle also had a new 28-speaker Revel 3D high-end audio system.

Each trim level of the Bronco Sport came standard with the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite of safety features, including pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, auto high-beam headlamps, and a reversing camera. Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist+ was available on all trim levels except Base, adding adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, a voice-activated touchscreen navigation system, and road-sign recognition. Trailer sway control was included as part of the available tow package. AWD and a terrain management system with G.O.A.T. modes were standard on all Bronco models.

Several new driver assistance systems debuted on the 2022 Lincoln Navigator, including Intersection Assist, Road Edge Detection, Active Park Assist 2.0, and ActiveGlide. A surround-view camera system was also newly standard. Intersection Assist could automatically brake during unsafe movements, and Road Edge Detection could sense where the pavement ended and steer the SUV away. Active Park Assist 2.0 allowed the Navigator to take complete control for parking, and ActiveGlide was Lincoln’s new semi-autonomous, hands-free driving technology. ActiveGlide was approved for use on 130,000 miles of North American roads, performing well within its operational limits.