Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs Ford Bronco Sport

The 2025 Ford Bronco Sport was a compact SUV that embraced rugged styling, setting itself apart from the more urban-focused Ford Escape. Its design featured a rectangular grille with round headlights and "Bronco" lettering, reminiscent of the larger Bronco model. The Bronco Sport maintained a square silhouette with a long, flat hood and upright greenhouse, giving it a cute yet capable appearance. For 2025, the addition of off-road packages like the Black Diamond and Sasquatch enhanced its rugged appeal with modular steel bumpers and underbody protection.

Inside, the Bronco Sport's interior was functional, with center-console grab handles and auxiliary switches for off-road accessories. While the design was less distinctive than the exterior, it offered practical features like a device tray with USB ports and a wireless charging pad. The materials felt durable, aligning with the vehicle's off-road focus.

The 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer received a refresh that retained its upright stance and large windows but introduced a modern illuminated grille inspired by the all-electric Wagoneer S. The new Upland trim added front recovery hooks, enhancing utility without compromising elegance. Inside, the Grand Wagoneer boasted a clean design with strong horizontal lines, and while the 12-inch infotainment screen seemed small for such a large vehicle, it offered redundant controls for convenience.

The interior materials were premium, with options for Nappa and Palermo leather and a suede headliner. The seats were comfortable and highly adjustable, making long drives pleasant. The Grand Wagoneer's fit and finish were impressive, with solid-feeling components throughout the cabin.

The 2025 Ford Bronco Sport carried over its powertrain options from the previous year. Most trims featured a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque. The Badlands model offered a more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Both engines came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, with the latter featuring a dual-clutch rear-drive unit for torque vectoring.

The Bronco Sport excelled in off-road capabilities, offering features like Trail Control and a new one-pedal feature for 2025. The Sasquatch Package added 29-inch all-terrain tires, off-road suspension, and steel underbody protection. The Bronco Sport's G.O.A.T. modes allowed it to tackle various terrains, and it impressed with its on-road comfort and composure despite its off-road focus.

The 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer featured a standard 3.0-liter Hurricane twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engine, delivering 420 horsepower and 468 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided smooth and effortless power, even in a vehicle weighing around 6,000 pounds. The Grand Wagoneer also offered a range-extended electric powertrain with a 92-kilowatt-hour battery pack and a 3.6-liter V6 gasoline engine, producing an estimated 647 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque.

Despite its large size, the Grand Wagoneer was surprisingly agile and easy to drive. It absorbed bumps well and offered a quiet ride, with comfortable seats for long journeys. The vehicle's size and design made it easy to navigate, and it provided a comfortable driving experience for extended periods.

The 2025 Ford Bronco Sport offered practicality alongside its off-road capabilities. It provided more headroom in both rows compared to competitors like the Jeep Compass Trailhawk and Subaru Forester Wilderness. While it excelled in first-row legroom, it lagged in second-row legroom. The Bronco Sport offered 32.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 65.2 cubic feet with them folded, although higher trims had slightly reduced cargo capacity.

The Bronco Sport featured a rotary shifter, generous cupholders, and multiple USB ports for convenience. It could tow up to 2,700 pounds with the turbo-four engine, surpassing the Jeep Compass Trailhawk but falling short of the Subaru Forester Wilderness.

The 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer excelled as a people mover, offering three rows with ample leg and hip room. It could comfortably seat up to eight passengers, with a surprisingly spacious third row. While using the third row reduced cargo space to 27.9 cubic feet, the long-wheelbase version nearly doubled this capacity to 42.6 cubic feet. The Grand Wagoneer could tow up to 10,000 pounds when properly equipped.

The Grand Wagoneer featured three-zone automatic climate controls, heated-and-ventilated front seats, and power-operated seats. The Upland trim offered Quadra-Lift air suspension, front recovery hooks, skid plates, and all-terrain tires for light off-roading.

The 2025 Ford Bronco Sport upgraded to the Ford Sync 4 infotainment system, featuring a larger 13.2-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, enhancing the vehicle's premium feel. The infotainment system provided detailed graphics and animations, and the split-screen setup for Apple CarPlay was user-friendly.

The Bronco Sport also offered a 360-degree camera system, which functioned as both a safety feature and an off-road aid. The cameras provided overhead and low-angle front views, making it easy to spot obstacles during off-road adventures.

The 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer came equipped with a 12-inch touchscreen display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless phone charger, and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. Higher trims offered additional features like a front console cooler, a digital rearview mirror, and a 23-speaker McIntosh premium sound system.

While the tech generally performed well, the wireless phone charger struggled to charge an iPhone 16 and overheated the device. The 12-inch infotainment screen felt small for the vehicle's size, and the removal of adjustable pedals for 2026 was a notable change.

The 2025 Ford Bronco Sport received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with top scores in frontal and side crash tests. The IIHS awarded it "Good" scores in several tests and an "Acceptable" rating in the updated side-impact test. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. Reverse automatic emergency braking and traffic sign recognition were available on higher trims.

The 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer was equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitors, and a driver-attention monitor. Available features included automated parking assist, a head-up display, and a surround-view camera system. The Grand Wagoneer received mixed ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, with some lower scores in crash tests.