There’s no shortage of used SUVs out there these days, and even if you restrict things to subcompact models, you’ll still find a wide range of available vehicles. One that (rightly) gets a lot of attention is the Ford Bronco Sport, the smaller sibling to the relatively recently resurrected Bronco. When one looks at a used Ford Bronco Sport for sale, it’s clear that this is a modern vehicle with plenty of amenities and bold performance on offer. But is it all that special compared to similar vehicles made by other brands that are out there? That’s a great question and one that I’m going to explore today by considering how the Bronco Sport stacks up to its competition from brands like Chevy, Subaru, and Jeep.
Some Basics of the Ford Bronco Sport
Before I start making any comparisons, let’s take a moment to go over some basic details about the Bronco Sport so that we have a good sense of what it brings to the road. It’s a subcompact SUV, just like the other models I’ll compare it to—keeping things fair—with a design that’s clearly meant to resemble the larger Bronco. It’s only been around since the 2021 model year, which means it doesn’t have a storied legacy like some other models out there, but it’s certainly proven quite popular since it first hit the market. A big part of that popularity is its impressive performance and a clear focus on off-road capabilities.
The Ford Bronco Sport has two engines available, starting with a 1.5L EcoBoost turbocharged I-3 that provides 181 hp and 190 lb-ft of torque. That engine isn’t about to set any land-speed records, but it’s plenty of power for a small vehicle like this and a solid place to start. What takes things to another level is the available 2.0L EcoBoost turbocharged I-4 engine that delivers 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Now, that’s genuinely impressive for a subcompact SUV, which we’ll see as we compare it to other models.
The other big part of what the Bronco Sport has going for it is its off-road capabilities and design, which are among the best out there. For starters, every Bronco Sport comes with four-wheel drive, which might be an available option for some other models but not standard. You’ll also find Ford’s new Goes Over Any Type of Terrain (GOAT) Modes on the Bronco Sport, with five modes standard: Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, and Sand. The Badlands trim takes things further and adds two more: Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl, creating an off-road machine that’s perfect if you’re looking for something small and fun to drive.
Functionality and tech features are also quite good with the Bronco Sport, even if they’re not necessarily best-in-class. For example, the Bronco Sport has up to 32.5 cu.ft. of rear cargo space on offer and up to 65.2 cu.ft. of total cargo volume behind the front seats (models with the more powerful engine lose a bit of this space). An eight-inch infotainment display is standard inside all models before the 2025 redesign, which is great, but you’ll have to upgrade to a new model for anything larger, which can be a bit disappointing if you like big screens. The standard 4.2-inch instrument cluster display is underwhelming, and the optional 6.5-inch screen improves it only slightly; the available 10-speaker B&O sound system, on the other hand, is anything but underwhelming.
Bronco Sport vs Chevy Trax and Trailblazer
In comparing the Bronco Sport, I thought Chevy was a great place to start since it is Ford’s biggest domestic competitor. Chevy has two subcompact SUVs that can compete with Ford’s model, so we’ll quickly look at both of them. The Trax is the less-expensive model and dates back to 2015. Models built prior to 2024 come with a 1.4L engine that offers 155 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, falling short of the standard engine for the Bronco Sport, and newer models are even less powerful. We find two engines with the Trailblazer, but its standard engine is even less impressive; the available 1.3L I-3 is similar to the Trax’s engine, so Ford still has both models beat. Both of these SUVs come with front-wheel drive and have all-wheel drive available (the Trax lost all-wheel drive as part of its 2024 redesign); seven-inch infotainment displays are standard on both before 2024, though the Trailblazer has an eight-inch screen available. When you see that they also have less cargo space than the Bronco Sport, it’s clear that Ford has the winner here.
Bronco Sport vs Subaru Crosstrek
The Crosstrek is a popular subcompact SUV with a lot to offer, but it falls behind the Bronco Sport in pretty much every way. There are three engines available in recent pre-owned Crosstrek models, including a plug-in hybrid, but the best they can offer is 182 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque, failing to surpass even the Ford SUV’s starting engine. The Crosstrek comes with Subaru’s Symmetrical AWD standard, which is nice to see, but it’s still not exactly an off-road machine. The standard 6.5-inch infotainment display in 2018 to 2023 models is about the smallest you’ll find on comparable vehicles, plus it only has about 20 cu.ft. of rear cargo space, making it not terribly functional. The new Wilderness trim that was introduced for 2024 is a decent option for light off-roading, but that doesn’t help when you’re looking at a lot of used options out there.
Bronco Sport vs Jeep Renegade and Compass
Since the Bronco Sport is an off-road machine, it seems only fair to take a look at proper competition in the form of what Jeep has to offer. Jeep delivers two subcompact SUVs you can find on the used market, so let’s consider both. The 2018 to 2022 Compass seems decent at first with its 2.4L Tigershark engine that delivers 180 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque, but there’s no option for better performance unless you upgrade to a newer model. In fairness, however, the 2022 Compass introduced a standard 8.4-inch infotainment display and an available 10.1-inch infotainment screen that surpasses what you can find in a pre-2025 Bronco Sport. With front-wheel drive standard and all-wheel drive available, however, it’s not much of an off-road machine unless you opt for the Trailhawk version.
The Jeep Renegade is a better comparison when it comes to off-road capabilities, though it’s still lacking in some key ways. For starters, the standard 1.3L engine in the 2019 to 2023 Renegade provides 177 hp and 210 lb-ft of torque, which is completely respectable. The flaw, however, is that the optional 2.4L engine is actually less powerful, thanks to its lack of a turbocharger. Sadly, front-wheel drive is standard for the Renegade, though all-wheel drive is available to turn this into a proper off-road machine. The real competition for the Bronco Sport is the Renegade Trailhawk, which features a Selec-Terrain Traction Management system that includes Rock mode along with four other modes: Auto, Snow, Sand, and Mud—two fewer than the seven GOAT Modes of the Bronco Sport Badlands.
Ford Has a Winner With the Bronco Sport
As you can see, even when we compare it to the best off-road options that other brands offer in its segment, the Ford Bronco Sport delivers in a big way. This shouldn’t be a surprise because Ford clearly took aim at Jeep and every other brand out there while designing the Bronco Sport to ensure it came out on top. Since its release, other companies have been working overtime to catch up and compete—like I said, the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness is a clear example of this. But when you’re looking at used models, what you’ll often find is that the Bronco Sport surpasses everything else out there in terms of performance, spaciousness, and capability. Its price tag is a little high as a result, but that just makes pre-owned models even more compelling since they let buyers save some bucks.
