Crossovers are everywhere these days. The demand for small, car-shaped vehicles with extra ground clearance and AWD seems to increase every year. However, very few of these crossovers are designed to really go off-road. The Ford Bronco Sport and some of its competition are unique in that they actually have decent ability off-road. Most crossover buyers aren’t looking for extreme off-roading ability, so pavement manners still usually make the sale.
Let’s take a closer look at how the Ford Bronco Sport stacks up against some of its crossover competition both on and off-road.
Bronco Sport vs. Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
The Ford Bronco Sport was obviously designed to take on the Jeep crossover family, and specifically the Cherokee. In order to compare two trail-ready trims, you’d have to compare the Badlands trim of the Bronco Sport. In terms of price, the Bronco Sport Badlands still rings up at about $4,000 less than the Trailhawk. However, for interior comfort, the Bronco Sport can’t really beat the Jeep Cherokee as the latter offers comfortable bucket seats, ample side support, and ventilation. In handling, the Bronco Sport wins out against the heavier Cherokee as it feels nimble and sporty on the road. Off-road, both are capable, but the Cherokee Trailhawk offers a lower range and more underbody protection.
Bronco Sport vs. Honda CR-V
When it comes to pavement manners and all-around practicality, it’s pretty hard to beat the Honda CR-V. It’s still one of the most popular compact crossovers, and for good reason. It offers loads of interior room for cargo and passengers, a hybrid version, and good fuel economy no matter what the trim. The Ford Bronco Sport handles nicely on-road and it definitely has the solid off-road ability, however, interior space is tight, and cabin materials are mostly hard plastic. Standard features are also pretty basic when compared to the CR-V. Buyers looking for a comfortable and efficient city-dweller are likely to be more satisfied with the CR-V. The CR-V also has a lower starting price.
Bronco Sport vs. Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester is another popular choice for small SUVs. You could say that the Forester falls somewhere in between the Cherokee Trailhawk and the CR-V in comparison to the Bronco Sport. It doesn’t have the polished refinement and excellent reliability of the CR-V, nor does it have the Jeep-style off-road chops of the Cherokee. It actually matches up quite well with the Bronco Sport as both can hold their own off-road, and both also have different features to offer on-road. The Bronco Sport is surprisingly nimble on-road, but the Forester has a more refined cabin and comfortable seats. However, the Forester’s 2.5-liter engine feels underpowered compared to the Bronco Sport’s optional 2.0-liter turbo-four.
Ultimately, the Ford Bronco Sport is a nice new small SUV with good off-road ability when you spring for the adventurous 4WD trims. It can generally hold its own on-road, but if you mostly stay on the road, there are better and more refined options like the Honda CR-V.
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