2020 Jeep Renegade vs 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

The 2020 Jeep Renegade was easily recognizable with its signature Jeep round headlights, 7-slot grille, and trapezoidal wheel arches. It offered a purposeful yet expressive design, available in various trims including Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk, with special editions like the Jeepster and High Altitude. The base Renegade Sport started at $25,210, while the High Altitude trim, loaded with extras, reached an MSRP of $36,515. The High Altitude trim featured extra-cost paint, dark gray 19-inch wheels, and a dual-pane panoramic glass roof, giving it a surprisingly grown-up look. However, the interior, dominated by hard plastic and an all-black color scheme, felt inexpensive despite the fancy details.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, a smaller sibling to the anticipated Bronco, captured a modern retro feel reminiscent of the Land Rover lineup. It featured a short front overhang for a better approach angle and tall fender wells designed for trail driving. The front and rear ends echoed the larger Bronco, with bold white "BRONCO" lettering on the grille and tailgate. The Bronco Sport's wheels varied by trim, from 17-inch Sparkle Silver wheels on the Base model to 18-inch Ebony Black-painted wheels on the Outer Banks and Badlands models. The interior was tastefully rugged, with an uncluttered design, multiple storage cubbies, and an 8-inch infotainment screen. The trim levels offered a step-up in interior features, from cloth seats to leather-trimmed, heated sport-contour bucket seats.

The 2020 Jeep Renegade offered two engine choices: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque, and a turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine with 177 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque. The nine-speed automatic transmission was standard, with FWD on base models and AWD on higher trims. The turbocharged engine provided peak torque at 1,750 rpm, but suffered from turbo lag and a transmission calibrated for fuel economy, leading to a lack of responsiveness. The Renegade Trailhawk trim offered the best off-roading capability with its Active Drive Low AWD system. However, the Renegade's driving dynamics were hampered by a flinty ride, sloppy steering, and a loud cabin. The turbocharged engine required premium fuel and averaged 23.6 mpg, below the EPA estimate of 26 mpg.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport featured two engine options: a 1.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 181 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque for the Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks trims, and a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 245 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque for the Badlands and First Edition trims. All models came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and AWD, along with a terrain management system with up to seven G.O.A.T. modes. The Bronco Sport excelled off-road with its short wheelbase, independent suspension, and generous ground clearance. On-road, the 2.0-liter engine provided better performance, while the 1.5-liter engine felt strained under pressure.

The 2020 Jeep Renegade's interior felt larger than its competitors due to its boxy design, panoramic glass roof, and vertical side glass. The eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat made it easy to get comfortable, but the front passenger seat lacked height adjustment. Rear seat space was cramped, with no air conditioning vents for rear passengers. The Renegade had limited interior storage and cargo volume, with 18.5 cubic feet behind the back seat and 50.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport offered clever features for active buyers, such as cargo space designed to hold two 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes and over 100 factory and aftermarket accessories for transporting outdoor gear. The roof could hold up to 150 pounds (100 with moonroof), and the 2.0-liter engine could tow up to 2,200 pounds. The cargo hold featured a flip-up rear glass, a slide-out work table, a 400-watt inverter, and liftgate floodlamps. The front cabin had ample storage compartments, but taller drivers might struggle with outward visibility due to the roof overhang and hood bulges.

The 2020 Jeep Renegade impressed with its Chrysler Uconnect infotainment system, featuring an 8.4-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa integration, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The system was user-friendly, with volume and tuning knobs and logically arranged menu buttons. The Renegade also offered a comprehensive driver information center and a parking assist system for parallel and perpendicular spaces.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport came with the latest SYNC 3 infotainment system on an 8-inch touchscreen, compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Ford+Alexa, and SiriusXM. FordConnect with 4G LTE WiFi hotspot was standard. The base audio system had six speakers, while a Bang & Olufsen sound system was available on higher trims. The Bronco Sport's terrain management system featured up to seven G.O.A.T. modes, adjusting steering, transmission, and throttle response for different conditions. Trail control technology provided a cruise-control-like feature for off-roading. Higher trims included intelligent access with push-button start, heated and leather-wrapped steering wheels, and a 6.5-inch digital instrument panel.

The 2020 Jeep Renegade offered an Advanced Tech Group with adaptive cruise control, full-speed forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Safety and Security Group added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning. The Renegade earned a 4-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with a 3-star rating for rear-seat side-impact protection. The IIHS gave it commendable scores but did not carry forward its Top Safety Pick rating from 2019.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport came standard with the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite, including pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, dynamic brake support, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, auto high-beam headlamps, and a reversing camera. The Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control, lane centering, evasive steering assist, a voice-activated touchscreen navigation system, SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link, and road-sign recognition. Trailer sway control was included in the tow package. AWD and the terrain management system with G.O.A.T. modes enhanced safety. Crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not yet available.