2021 Honda Pilot vs 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

The 2021 Honda Pilot aimed to balance styling with reliability, safety, comfort, and performance. Despite a 2019 refresh and a 2020 Black Edition, the SUV's exterior design remained polarizing. The 2021 lineup included seven trims: LX, EX, EX-L, Special Edition, Touring, Elite, and Black Edition, with prices ranging from $32,250 to $49,920. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available for an additional $2,000, except on the Elite and Black Edition, where it was standard. The new Special Edition trim added black 20-inch alloy wheels, blacked-out exterior trim, wireless smartphone charging, and a hands-free power tailgate. The Black Edition featured exclusive black leather upholstery with red accents and ambient lighting, but its black floor mats were a hassle to clean, especially for pet owners. The interior quality was high, but the design felt more like a minivan, which, along with its exterior, didn't do the Pilot any favors.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, a smaller sibling to the anticipated Bronco, offered a modern retro look reminiscent of Land Rover. Its design featured short front and rear overhangs, tall fender wells, and minimal adornment, making it trail-ready. The front and rear ends echoed the larger Bronco, with bold "BRONCO" lettering on the grille and tailgate. Wheel options varied by trim, from 17-inch Sparkle Silver wheels on the Base model to 18-inch machined-face aluminum Ebony Black-painted wheels on the Outer Banks. The interior was rugged yet uncluttered, with a unique shape for the HVAC vents and an 8-inch infotainment screen. The center console featured a rotary gear selector and multiple storage cubbies. Interior trim levels ranged from cloth seats to leather-trimmed, heated sport-contour bucket seats, with the First Edition offering Navy Pier Leather power front seats and rubberized flooring.

The 2021 Honda Pilot featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The engine was smooth and refined, providing quick acceleration. A nine-speed automatic transmission powered the front wheels, with an optional torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system that could direct up to 70% of engine output to a single rear wheel. The Pilot included Hill Start Assist and Intelligent Traction Management with Normal, Snow, Mud, and Sand modes. Fuel-saving features like variable-cylinder management and automatic engine stop/start helped achieve an EPA rating of 22 mpg combined for AWD models, with a test average of 21.5 mpg. The suspension setup provided a comfortable ride and surprisingly athletic handling, aided by the torque-vectoring AWD system and 20-inch wheels on the Black Edition. However, the Pilot's off-road capability was limited by its 7.3 inches of ground clearance and all-season tires.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport offered two engine choices: a 1.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder with 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque for Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks trims, and a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder with 245 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque for Badlands and First Edition trims. All models featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, with a terrain management system offering 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 of 7.8 to 8.8 inches. On-road, it handled well, with the 2.0-liter engine providing a better match for the vehicle's character. The 1.5-liter engine, while adequate, could feel strained under heavy load.

The 2021 Honda Pilot offered ample space for families, seating up to eight with a second-row bench seat. The test vehicle's leather-wrapped, heated, and ventilated front seats were comfortable, with 10-way power adjustment for the driver and four-way for the front passenger. Second-row captain’s chairs were optional on Touring and standard on Elite and Black Edition trims, providing nearly the same comfort as the front seats and sliding forward for easier third-row access. The third-row seats were less comfortable for adults due to a low, flat bottom cushion. Storage was abundant, with compartments in the door panels, center console, and front seatback pockets. The power tailgate, standard on EX-L and higher trims, revealed 16.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 46.8 cubic feet with the third row folded and 83.9 cubic feet with both rear rows down.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport catered to active buyers with features like a cargo space designed to hold two 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes. Ford offered over 100 accessories for transporting outdoor gear. The roof could support up to 150 pounds (100 with a 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 area 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 had ample storage, including large door pockets and multiple cubbies. However, taller drivers might struggle with visibility due to the roof overhang and hood bulges. The seating position could also be higher for better off-road visibility.

The 2021 Honda Pilot came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, text-messaging support, satellite radio, and a basic version of HondaLink connected services. The Special Edition added wireless phone charging, while the Touring trim included navigation, a WiFi hotspot, a 10-speaker premium audio system, and more. The system was adequate but had a small screen and lacked a tuning knob. Voice recognition required specific prompts, and HondaLink services were limited to higher trims. The Touring trim also added a rear-seat entertainment system with a 115-volt power outlet, an HDMI port, and a Cabin Talk feature for easier communication with rear-seat passengers.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport featured an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with SYNC 3, compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Ford+Alexa, and SiriusXM. FordConnect with 4G LTE WiFi hotspot was standard. The base audio system had six speakers, with a Bang & Olufsen sound system available on higher trims. The Bronco Sport also offered a 360-degree camera with split view and a washer, useful for off-road driving. The terrain management system included 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 standard on all trims except Base, with heated and leather-wrapped steering wheels and a 6.5-inch digital instrument panel available on higher trims.

The 2021 Honda Pilot came standard with Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. Starting with the EX trim, it also included blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning. The system was functional but not very refined. The Pilot received favorable crash-test ratings, with a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and mostly "good" ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), except for an "acceptable" score for front passenger small overlap frontal-impact protection.

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, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, auto high-beam headlamps, and a reversing camera. The Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package, available on all trims except Base, added adaptive cruise control, lane centering, evasive steering assist, a voice-activated touchscreen navigation system, and road-sign recognition. Trailer sway control was included in the tow package. All Bronco Sport models featured AWD and a terrain management system with G.O.A.T. modes, enhancing traction and stability. Crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not yet available.