Why Would Anyone Buy the Ford Bronco Sport Instead of the Jeep Renegade?
The Ford Bronco Sport is here, and almost everything you read about it suggests that it reminds people of the Jeep Renegade. That’s because it’s the first rival to compete against the Jeep Renegade, and Ford may have a swing and a miss with this one.
Ford Bronco Sport VS Jeep Renegade
While the boxy design of the Ford Bronco Sport reminds people of the Jeep Renegade, it’s prices do not. The Ford Bronco Sport starts around $28k while the highest trim option, the Badlands edition, is around $32k.
The 2020 Jeep Renegade is a more economical off-roader that starts around $22k. For the beefiest off-roading trim, the Trailhawk, the price is about $28k. So that will provide about $4k in savings with all the off-roading bells and whistles compared to the Ford Bronco Sport Badlands.
The Jeep Renegade is better for off-roading
A variety of sources claim that the Ford Bronco Sport is only available in all-wheel-drive, but this is false. The Ford Bronco Sport does have 4×4. However, it is built on the Ford Escape platform, which is a notorious city SUV now.
Instead of having a body on frame design, which is better for off-roading, the Ford Bronco Sport has a more car-like build. This could make it challenging for the Ford Bronco Sport to keep up with the Jeep Renegade that’s already proven its abilities in the wild.
RELATED READ: The Mazda BT-50 is the Banned Ford Ranger We Need
Plus, the Jeep Renegade is taller with a ground clearance of 8.7”. The Ford Bronco Sport sits at 7.8,” limiting its ability to climb over obstacles. Also, the Ford Bronco Sport has a crawl ratio of 18:1 compared to 20:1 with the Jeep Renegade.
The Ford Bronco Sport can go water fording up the 17.1” deep, losing to the taller Jeep Renegade again. The Jeep Renegade can traverse streams up to 19” deep thanks to its high air intake system and water-resistant seals. But the Badlands can go into water up to 23” deep with the Trailhawk can only forge water up to 20” deep.
Both of these little SUVs are equipped with a variety of off-roading modes. There are modes for driving in the mud, sand, rock, and more. However, the Jeep Renegade also comes with hill descent control.
Also, both SUVs have an independent front suspension with a multi-link suspension in the rear. But the Ford Bronco Sport does have hydraulic gas-pressurized shocks to help absorb impacts. The Ford Bronco Sport may have a smoother ride on the pavement.
Jeep Renegade and Ford Bronco Sport features
The Ford Bronco Sport and Jeep Renegade are pretty similar in size. The Bronco sport has 102 cubic feet of passenger volume compared to 100.5 cubic feet of passenger volume in the Renegade. The Ford Bronco Sport has 32 cubic feet of cargo space with each of the seats in place, while the Renegade has 50 cubic feet.
Plus, the Jeep Renegade is currently safer. While the Ford Bronco Sport hasn’t been tested, the Jeep Renegade is an IIHS top safety pick. While we aren’t sure what safety features the Ford Bronco Sport has, the Renegade comes with rear-cross traffic alert, parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, and more.
The Jeep Renegade comes with more off-roading abilities in almost every category. It’s taller, has a better crawl ratio, has more off-roading tech, could be safer, and more. Plus, it costs less to go on adventures, and you don’t have to wait for reviews to see what it can do. The Jeep Renegade has already earned its trail-rated badge.
