2022 Honda Passport vs 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport was introduced as a smaller sibling to the anticipated Bronco, drawing inspiration from the classic 1966-1996 Bronco. It was designed as a unibody crossover, offering a modern retro aesthetic reminiscent of a Land Rover, with a focus on urban driving while still being capable of weekend adventures. The Bronco Sport featured a short front overhang for improved approach angles and a design that minimized unnecessary adornments, making it suitable for trail driving. Its bold styling included prominent "BRONCO" lettering on the grille and tailgate, with a modest Ford badge on the rear. The interior was rugged yet tasteful, with a cohesive design and practical storage solutions, including an 8-inch infotainment screen and a rotary gear selector. The trim levels offered a progression in interior features, from cloth to leather-trimmed seats and various flooring options.

The 2022 Honda Passport shared its platform with the Ridgeline, Odyssey, and Pilot, resulting in a familiar design that mirrored the Ridgeline from the doors forward. The Passport was essentially a shorter Pilot without a third row, featuring a new nose design for a tougher look. Available in three trims—Sport, TrailSport, and Touring—the Passport introduced the TrailSport trim, aimed at appealing to off-road enthusiasts with its rugged appearance and 20.5 cm ground clearance. While the TrailSport was more about aesthetics than capability, it offered traction management modes for various conditions. The Passport's pricing ranged from $45,570 to $52,170, with the TrailSport trim adding unique wheels, a roof rack, and skid plates. Inside, the Passport boasted a spacious interior with quality materials, orange stitching, and ambient lighting in the TrailSport trim.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport offered two engine options. The Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks trims were equipped with a 1.5-litre EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder engine, delivering 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. The Badlands model featured a more powerful 2.0-litre EcoBoost turbo four-cylinder engine, producing 245 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. All models came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, along 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 decent ground clearance. On-road, it provided a comfortable ride, with the 2.0-litre engine being better suited to the vehicle's character.

The 2022 Honda Passport retained its 3.5-litre V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive in Canada. The V6 was smooth and responsive, with a combined fuel economy rating of 11.3 L/100 km. The Passport's AWD system, i-VTM4, offered mechanical torque vectoring, delivering up to 70% of the engine's power to a single rear wheel when needed. While the Passport was capable off-road, it was more suited to on-road driving, offering a firm ride, athletic handling, and good steering feel. However, the brakes could become less confidence-inspiring on mountain descents, despite the Passport's 2,268-kilogram towing capacity.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport catered to active buyers with features like a cargo space designed to accommodate two 27.5-inch mountain bikes. Ford offered over 100 accessories for transporting outdoor gear, and the roof could support up to 68 kilograms. The 2.0-litre engine could tow up to 997 kilograms, while the 1.5-litre could tow 907 kilograms. The cargo area featured a flip-up rear glass and an optional cargo management package with a slide-out work table and inverter. The front cabin offered ample storage, though visibility could be challenging for taller drivers due to the roof overhang and hood bulges.

The 2022 Honda Passport provided easy access with large doors and a low step-in height. The front seats were comfortable, with leather upholstery and heated features standard. The TrailSport trim added heated rear seats, while the Touring trim offered ventilated front seats. The Passport's interior was spacious, with ample legroom and a bright, airy feel. Storage was plentiful, with a large centre console and door panel shelving. The cargo area was generous, offering 1,430 litres of space behind the rear seat and 2,854 litres with the seats folded down. The Passport's utility and comfort made it a practical choice for daily use.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport featured an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with SYNC 3, compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. FordPass Connect with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot was standard, and a Bang & Olufsen sound system was available on higher trims. The terrain management system offered various drive modes, with additional off-road modes on the Badlands model. Trail control technology provided a cruise-control-like feature for off-roading. Intelligent access with push-button start was available on all trims except the Base, and higher trims offered a digital instrument panel.

The 2022 Honda Passport's infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Satellite radio was available on the TrailSport trim, while the Touring trim added navigation, a premium audio system, and HondaLink services. The system had shortcut buttons and a volume knob but lacked a tuning knob. Apple CarPlay was preferred over the clunky navigation system. Wireless smartphone charging was standard on all but the base trim. The Passport's technology was basic but functional, appealing to those who preferred simplicity.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport came standard with the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite, including pre-collision assist, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and more. Co-Pilot360 Assist+ was available on most trims, adding adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, and navigation. The Bronco Sport received top safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA, with a five-star overall rating and a four-star rollover resistance rating.

The 2022 Honda Passport featured the Honda Sensing suite, with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and more. It also included blind-spot monitoring and a rear-seat reminder system. However, some driver aids were less refined, with lane-departure warning and lane-centring assist being intrusive. The Passport received five-star ratings from the NHTSA, except for a four-star rating in front passenger protection and rollover resistance. The IIHS gave it top ratings, with an Acceptable rating for front-passenger protection in a small overlap collision.