2021 Ford Bronco vs 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2021 Ford Bronco had been a long-awaited revival, with Ford teasing its return since 2004. The new Bronco Sport, a compact crossover SUV based on the Ford Escape platform, featured standard all-wheel drive and adventure-ready styling. The original Bronco, produced from 1966 to 1996, was renowned for its off-road capabilities and remains a popular choice for customization. The new Bronco embraced "Retrofuturism," blending classic design elements with modern technology and materials. Its exterior featured a single-piece grille, round headlights, and bold B-R-O-N-C-O lettering, with options for 32-inch or 35-inch tires. The Bronco was available in two-door and four-door configurations, with a choice of a black soft-top or a modular removable hardtop. Inside, the Bronco combined retro styling with modern technology, including a color touchscreen and a digitized instrument cluster.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, launched in 2005 and in its second generation since 2014, received an interior and exterior refresh in 2018. This refresh introduced the dual-screen center console, a defining feature of Land Rover interiors. The Range Rover Sport offered various trims, including SE, HSE Silver, HST, HSE Dynamic, Autobiography, SVR, and SVR Carbon Edition. Standard features on the base SE trim included leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, an eight-speaker Meridian sound system, and the dual-screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims added features like quad-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, and a 19-speaker Meridian sound system. The HSE Dynamic and Autobiography trims featured a supercharged V8 engine, while the SVR models offered even more powerful performance and sport-oriented features.

The 2021 Ford Bronco offered two engine options: a standard 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-four-cylinder engine producing 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, and an optional 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine with 310 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. The 2.3-liter engine came with a seven-speed manual transmission, while the 2.7-liter engine was paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, which was also optional for the 2.3-liter engine. All Bronco models featured standard four-wheel drive. During test drives in challenging weather conditions, the Bronco demonstrated its off-road prowess, handling mud, slick rock, and treacherous trails with ease. The 2.7-liter engine and 10-speed automatic transmission provided smooth power delivery on the streets, while the Bronco's off-road capabilities shone on various terrains.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered multiple powertrain options. The base P360 mild-hybrid powertrain combined a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with a 48-volt electrical system, producing 355 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of torque. The HST model featured a more potent P400 version, rated at 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. The HSE Silver Edition offered plug-in hybrid and diesel powertrains, with the P400e plug-in hybrid delivering 398 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, and the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 producing 254 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. The HSE Dynamic and Autobiography trims featured a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine with 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque, while the SVR models boasted a more powerful version of this engine, making 575 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. All models had an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive. The Range Rover Sport's height-adjustable air suspension and Terrain Response system provided impressive off-road capabilities and smooth on-road performance.

The 2021 Ford Bronco's designers and engineers took inspiration from the marketplace, competition, and classic Bronco owners to create a modular and functional SUV. The Bronco featured removable doors with dedicated storage bags, integrated grip handles, and simple electrical connections. The chassis had standard protection and optional skid plates, while the fenders, bumpers, and grille were all removable for easy repair and replacement. The hood's trail sights served as tie-down points for roof-mounted cargo. Inside, the Bronco had a row of buttons for suspension settings and beefy toggle switches for auxiliary equipment, making it easy to operate off-road features without distraction.

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 but reduced cargo space to 10.8 cubic feet. Both the first and second rows offered ample headroom and legroom, while the third row was best suited for children. The Range Rover Sport's interior combined space and luxury, making it suitable for road trips and daily use.

The 2021 Ford Bronco featured the SYNC 4 infotainment system with enhanced voice recognition. The base model had an 8-inch touchscreen, while higher trims offered a 12-inch touchscreen. The Lux Package included a 10-speaker B&O sound system, voice-activated touchscreen navigation, and a wireless device charging pad. The G.O.A.T. system provided up to seven drive modes for various terrains. The Bronco also had push-button start, a proximity key entry system, and a rear-view camera with backup assist lines. The Sasquatch Package added position-sensitive Bilstein shock absorbers for increased off-road capability.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport's interior was dominated by a dual-screen center console. The lower screen controlled climate settings and vehicle functions, while the upper screen housed the infotainment system. The system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but it had a learning curve and occasional bugs. The lower screen's dials controlled multiple functions, including fan speed, temperature, and off-road settings. The upper screen had reasonably sized icons for easy navigation. Despite some usability issues, the Range Rover Sport's infotainment system offered a range of features and connectivity options.

The 2021 Ford Bronco's safety features were packaged by trim level. The base model included airbags, while higher trims added features like a reverse sensing system, Ford Co-Pilot 360 with pre-collision assist, blind-spot information system, lane-keeping system, auto high-beam headlamps, and a rear-view camera with backup assist grid lines. The High Package added a 360-degree camera, forward-sensing system, and side-view mirror LED approach lamps. The Bronco's side curtain airbags were designed to deploy appropriately in off-road situations, considering lean angle and roll speed. Crash-test ratings from NHTSA and IIHS were not yet available.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came with standard driver assistance features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and front-and-rear parking sensors. Adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert were available as options. Other available features included a surround-view parking camera, traffic sign recognition, driver drowsiness monitoring, and parallel and perpendicular park assist. A head-up display was also available.