The all-new 2021 Ford Bronco has returned with designs to fit your style. With six trim levels plus a First Edition model and a choice of over 300 accessories, you can truly make it your own. The 2021 Jeep Wrangler is another outstanding off-roader to compare. Let’s take a look.
Design and Style
The 2021 Ford Bronco has returned with innovative features, retro-styling, and impressive off-road capabilities. It offers a convertible style, along with two-and four-door body styles, soft tops or hard tops, and removable body panels. Its cabin features durable, waterproof surfaces to protect your interior when your doors or roof are removed. You can design your adventure with Ford’s off-roading trims, from the Base Essential trim that comes with the absolute essentials and standard 4X4 to the fully loaded First Edition that combines the best of all Bronco’s trims. Trims in between include Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Badlands, and the Wildtrak that takes thrills head-on with the standard Sasquatch Package. This package features 35-inch tires wrapped around 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, and front and rear-locking differentials. The Bronco Sport has 32.5 cubic feet of cargo space with its rear seats up and 65.2 cubic feet with the seats folded down.
The 2021 Jeep Wrangler also lets you choose from two styles for seating. The two-door Wrangler models seat four, and the four-door Wrangler Unlimited models seats five. The two-door models offer easier second-row access and additional legroom; and the Wrangler’s boxier shape helps taller passengers by providing enough headroom in both rows. Its entire interior is durable and water-resistant, making it easy to clean and last longer, but some rivals offer a more luxurious cabin. Removable top and doors provide a capable off-road experience. It comes standard with a soft-top roof that is easy to remove and fold onto the rear tailgate; a hardtop is available. Cargo space is better in the four-door Wrangler Unlimited, with 31.7 cubic feet behind its rear seats and 72.4 cubic-feet with them folded down. The two-door Wrangler has 12.9 cubic feet of cargo space with its rear seats up and 31.7 cubic feet with them folded down. You can choose between four trims: Sport, Sport S, Sahara, Rubicon.
Powertrain Choices and Price
For the Bronco you have the choice of two powerful engines that are paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The standard engine is a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four that makes 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. The optional 2.7-liter V-6 engine will give you 310 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. A seven-speed manual transmission is also available with the smaller engine, and it comes in handy for taking obstacles at low speeds. It can take on rough terrain with its hardy suspension, multiple skid plates, and standard all-wheel-drive system. Each engine sends power through either a standard four-wheel or an available all-wheel-drive system, and they are rated to tow 3,500 pounds. The Base Essential Bronco starts at $28,500 and ranges to $59,305 for the fully loaded First Edition.
Wrangler’s base engine is a 3.6-liter V6 with 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque – an optional version of this V6 is a mild-hybrid eTorque system that boosts torque during acceleration. Its available powertrains include a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine with 260 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. An additional option is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors that combine to produce 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. It comes with four-wheel drive, and either a standard six-speed manual transmission or an available eight-speed automatic that is standard in turbo-four and diesel engines. Later in 2021, the Wrangler 4xe will join the lineup, featuring a plug-in hybrid with 375 horsepower and two electric motors with a turbocharged engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base Wrangler Sport starts out at $28,295 and pricing ranges to $42,195 for the Rubicon four-door models.
Safety and Technology
The Bronco is available with a suite of driver-assistance technology, including automatic high-beams, parking sensors, forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. It also has equipment that makes low-speed rock crawling and trail driving easier. Ford’s all new Sync 4 software will power an 8.0- or 12.0-inch touchscreen. This new setup will allow over-the-air updates and will also connect to the cloud and user’s smartphone wirelessly. It supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot. Upgraded options include built-in navigation and a more powerful B&O stereo.
The Wrangler’s available safety features include blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, rear parking sensors, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. A rearview camera is standard. Its standard infotainment system is the Uconnect and it comes with a 5-inch touch screen, an eight-speaker audio system, Bluetooth, and a USB port. Available features include a 7- or 8.4-inch touch screen, a nine-speaker Alpine audio system, satellite radio, HD Radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hotspot, additional USB ports, and navigation.
Overview
The all-new 2021 Ford Bronco is Ford’s most rugged SUV and was built with plenty of class-leading designs and capability features. It will take the outdoor enthusiasts wherever the off-road calls with its powerful performance. The 2021 Jeep Wrangler delivers a grand performance of its own with its recognizable appeal and off-road capabilities, but you will need to opt for one of Jeep’s available engines to get more power.