2022 Toyota Highlander vs 2022 Ford Bronco

The 2022 Toyota Highlander featured a modern, somewhat aggressive front-end design. Its flared fender arches and the third-row window's upward kick made the spacious Highlander appear smaller to the eye. However, once inside, the cabin offered ample space and clever storage solutions for items like iPads and juice boxes. The XSE trim, in particular, stood out with its bold red leather interior, unique exterior styling, ambient interior lighting, and sport-tuned suspension.

The Highlander came in several trims: L, LE, XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum. The base L trim included 18-inch alloy wheels, pushbutton start, three-zone climate control, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. Higher trims added features like LED fog lights, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power liftgate, synthetic leather upholstery, and a power moonroof. The Limited and Platinum trims offered high-end features such as heated and ventilated front seats, genuine leather upholstery, a hands-free power liftgate, and a panoramic sunroof.

The 2022 Ford Bronco, with its retro styling and go-anywhere attitude, was one of the most sought-after vehicles. It returned with two new range-topping models: the Everglades and the Bronco Raptor. The Everglades model was built for swamp trekking and deep water, featuring an intake snorkel, a Warn winch, and 35-inch Goodyear mud-terrain tires. The Bronco lineup expanded to seven trims, each with increasing off-road capabilities. Unfortunately, the 2022 models were already sold out.

All Broncos were designed with off-roading in mind, featuring short overhangs, low-profile bumpers, and tall ride heights. The Bronco's utilitarian appearance included large recovery hooks, removable fender flares, a full-size spare mounted to the tailgate, and modular construction for easy customization. Inside, the Bronco offered features like sealed switches, marine-grade vinyl upholstery, and drain plugs for easy cleaning. The G.O.A.T. mode dial allowed drivers to select specific drive modes for different terrains, enhancing its off-road prowess.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque. This power was routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission to either standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or available all-wheel drive (AWD). The transmission featured a tap-shift function, and certain trims included steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The drive-mode button offered Sport, Normal, and Eco modes, while the AWD system had Mud/Sand, Rock, and Normal modes.

The V6 engine provided better pickup once the Highlander was moving, shining more at highway speeds with ample power for overtakes. The XSE trim's sport-tuned suspension reduced body roll while maintaining a soft ride over bumps. The Highlander could tow up to 5,000 pounds and had a max payload of 1,685 pounds in the FWD L and LE trims.

The 2022 Ford Bronco's base engine was a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder producing 300 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. An optional turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 offered 330 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. The four-cylinder engine came with a seven-speed manual transmission, while the V6 had a mandatory 10-speed automatic. All Broncos featured four-wheel drive and an electronic two-speed transfer case.

Both engines delivered ample power, with the Bronco's off-road prowess varying across trims. The Everglades model excelled in challenging terrains, fording water up to 36.4 inches deep and handling steep rock climbs with ease. On pavement, the Bronco offered a smoother ride and better steering than its direct rival, the Jeep Wrangler. Wind noise was a minor issue, but overall, the Bronco performed well in various settings.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander provided up to 84.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the second- and third-row seats folded. With the second-row seats in use, there was 48.4 cubic feet of cargo space, and 16 cubic feet with all seats deployed. The seats were easy to lower and lift, and trims above the base L included a power liftgate. The cockpit featured an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, deep cargo pockets, and various storage compartments. The XSE trim's second-row captain’s chairs offered additional space and convenience, though the third row was less comfortable for adults.

The 2022 Ford Bronco's squared-off styling contributed to its spacious interior. Headroom was ample, and there was plenty of legroom and lateral space. Accessing the rear seats in the two-door model required some effort, but grab handles and side steps helped. Cargo capacity varied by model and roof type, with the two-door hard top offering up to 52.3 cubic feet and the four-door hard top up to 77.6 cubic feet. The rear seats didn't fold flat, complicating the loading of larger objects. The Bronco also featured clever storage solutions, including netted door pockets, a rubberized phone tray, and options for stowable doors and removable fender flares.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with a WiFi hotspot, five USB ports, and an 8-inch touchscreen supporting Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The infotainment system had a straightforward layout with hard buttons for easy use. Higher trims offered a wireless charging pad, USB-C ports, a digital instrument panel screen, and an 11-speaker JBL premium stereo system.

The 2022 Ford Bronco used technology to enhance its off-road capabilities while keeping the driver engaged. The G.O.A.T. modes optimized drivetrain and chassis settings for specific terrains, and a forward-looking trail camera provided confidence in navigating obstacles. The Bronco's Sync 4 infotainment system featured quick responses, sharp graphics, and helpful off-road apps. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with an available wireless charging pad.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with the Toyota Safety Sense suite, including forward collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, and automatic high beams. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, parking sensors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a surround-view parking monitor, a head-up display, and adaptive headlights. The lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist systems were very active, sometimes feeling intrusive.

The 2022 Ford Bronco included standard hill-start assist, hill descent control, and trailer sway control. Optional safety features included frontal collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear parking sensors, and automatic high beams. Higher packages added front parking sensors, a surround-view camera system, adaptive cruise control, and evasive steering assist. The Bronco received mixed crash test ratings, with four-out-of-five stars for frontal crash protection and three-out-of-five stars for rollover protection from NHTSA. IIHS awarded it "Good" ratings in most categories.