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2021 Ford Bronco vs. 2021 Land Rover Defender
2021 Ford Bronco ・ Photo by Ford
Despite the vast difference in price, the Ford Bronco and the Land Rover Defender have a great deal in common. First, of course, is their bloodlines. The Ford Bronco was instrumental in starting the sport-utility craze back in the 1960s, and it continued to build a reputation for ruggedness in various forms before it was discontinued at the turn of the millennium. The Land Rover Defender’s heritage dates back even farther; it is the spiritual successor to the original Land Rover, the go-anywhere vehicle that has created a sterling reputation over the course of 70 years.
Virtually from the moment Ford canceled the Bronco at the conclusion of the 1996 model year, its fans have clamored for its return. But Ford executives never felt the climate was right for a new Bronco until recently when the ongoing rise of the Jeep brand could no longer be ignored. The Defender has also appeared in fits and starts over the years, but Land Rover is again committed to offering the model in the U.S. So here is the comparison between the Ford Bronco and the Land Rover Defender.
Exterior Style
When one takes a first glance at these two vehicles, it is impossible not to see a close resemblance in their exterior styling. First off, both are available in two-door and four-door versions. The Bronco simplifies the naming by calling the two-door the 2-Door and the four-door the (you guessed it) 4-Door. In Land Rover parlance, the two-door is the 90 and the four-door is the 110. Beyond that, both vehicles are slab-sided with wide window glass and accompanying low beltlines. Both have distinctive front “faces.” The Ford proclaims BRONCO in bold letters in its otherwise understated grille. The Defender is a bit less intimidating, with Defender spelled out in chrome letters across the hood, flanked by sleepy-eyed headlights. The Bronco sports prominent (and easily removable) fender flares, while the Defender eschews them. Both vehicles are good-looking, and neither looks like a Jeep Wrangler.
: Ford Bronco
Photo by Ford
Interior Design & Comfort
British vehicles are known for their beautiful interiors. Those interiors might not work well from an ergonomic standpoint, but from an esthetic standpoint, they are topnotch. The Defender continues in that tradition. The Defender’s cabin is certainly not as lush as a Range Rover’s, but it takes interior refinement to a luxury level. The dash is handsomely spare with a prominent center infotainment screen. The most distinguishing factor is the gear selector jutting out of the lower dash instead of occupying its more conventional spot in the console between the front seats. Again, there are similarities between the Defender’s interior and the Bronco’s. The Bronco is also fitted with a rather stark dash that features grab handles at each end to aid in clambering inside the vehicle. The Bronco’s optional center-mounted infotainment screen is larger than the Defender’s. The Bronco 2-Door will accommodate four passengers, while the Defender 90 (two-door) can carry up to six in two rows. The Bronco 4-Door is a five-passenger vehicle, and the Defender 110 can transport seven.
Photo by Jaguar Land Rover
Infotainment & Technology
The good news on the entertainment front is that the Defender doesn’t use the sometimes baffling systems of some recent Land Rovers. The new system is much faster, more responsive, and doesn’t require the user to have the skills of a piano virtuoso to manipulate. Its interface is a 10-inch touchscreen display. Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and integral navigation are standard across the lineup. An onboard Wi-Fi hotspot and 6-speaker audio are standard as well. Meridian upscale audio systems are optionally available, and high-end Defenders have head-up display. The Bronco is equipped with SYNC 4, Ford’s fastest and most advanced infotainment management system. An 8-inch touchscreen is standard with the exception of the sold-out First Edition trim, while a 12-inch touchscreen is widely available as an option. The infotainment system has Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. Its 360-degree camera gives off-road-oriented views for rock crawling, and its FordPass Performance app offers off-road navigation.
: Ford Bronco
Photo by Ford
Powertrains
Both vehicles offer engine and drivetrain choices. What they don’t offer is a front-drive or rear-drive model. All Broncos and Defenders have four-wheel-drive. The base engine in the Defender is a 296-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that offers 295 lb-ft of torque. A 395-horsepower 3.0-liter in-line 6-cylinder that delivers a stout 406 lb-ft of torque is optional. Both are backed by 8-speed automatic transmissions. For the 2022 model year, the Defender also offers a 518-horsepower supercharged V8 that turns it into a hot rod. The 2021 Bronco is powered by two engines that are widely used on Ford vehicles. The base engine is a 300-horsepower 2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. It delivers 325 lb-ft of peak torque when using premium-grade gasoline, and it is available with either a 7-speed manual transmission with ultra-low “crawler” gear or 10-speed automatic transmission. A 330-horsepower 2.7-liter V6 backed by a 10-speed automatic transmission is the up-level engine.
Photo by Jaguar Land Rover
4-Wheel-Drive Systems
The goal for both vehicles is to enable their owners to go virtually anywhere a vehicle could conceivably go. In the Defender, the Land Rover Permanent 4-Wheel-Drive is standard with both engine choices. Locking center and active locking rear differentials are available in 6-cylinder 110s. Terrain Response and Terrain Response 2 mode selection is widely available across the Defender lineup. The Bronco offers two 4-wheel-drive systems. The more sophisticated of them has a 2-speed electromechanical transfer case that will automatically select between 2H rear-drive and 4H 4-wheel-drive high. Electronic locking front and rear differentials are available. The Bronco also has what Ford calls G.O.A.T. Modes to fine-tune the vehicle for various types of terrain. Seven driver-selectable modes are available — Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Sand, Baja, Mud/Ruts, and Rock Crawl.
: Tie
Photo by Jaguar Land Rover
Driving Impressions
What stands out in driving both the Bronco and Defender on the tarmac is how refined and quiet they are. While you wouldn’t choose either for an afternoon race around curvy mountain roads, they offer good feedback and have reasonably high limits… especially for vehicles that will traverse 30-inch-deep streams. These aren’t just purpose-built off-roaders that beat you up if you drive them day to day. Of course, both the Defender and Bronco really come into their own off-the-beaten-track. Both are exceptionally capable go-anywhere vehicles with the chops for a variety of dirty duty. The Bronco’s Trail Control acts like cruise control for ultra-low-speed driving enabling it to maintain a set speed no matter how difficult the terrain. Its Trail One-Pedal Drive enables both acceleration and braking using a single pedal. The Bronco also offers the advantage of top-off, doors-off driving, which is a wonderful way to experience the outdoors as only these vehicles can bring it to you.
: Ford Bronco
Photo by Ford
Cargo Space
The Ford Bronco and the Defender offer very similar cargo areas. That’s not surprising since in both two-door and four-door configurations, they are about the same size. The Bronco 2-Door is 173.7 inches long, and the Defender 90 is 170.2. The Bronco 4-Door is 189.4 inches long and the Defender 110 is 187.3 inches long. (Both Defender numbers are sans rear-mounted spare tire.) With the rear row of seats up for use, the Defender 90 has 15.6 cubic feet of cargo space, compares to 22.4 cubic feet in the Bronco 2-Door. With the four-doors, the Defender has an edge of 36.2 cubic feet versus 35.6. In overall cargo volume behind the front seats, the Defender 90 and Defender 110 are somewhat roomier than the Broncos, but the differences aren’t huge. Broncos are rated to tow up to 3,500 pounds, while the Land Rover Defender is rated to tow 1,653 pounds of “unbraked towable” load.
: Land Rover Defender
Photo by Ron Sessions
Trim Levels
Both the Ford Bronco and Land Rover Defender offer a variety of trims and engine options. For the 2022 model year, the Defender 90 is offered in eight trim levels, and the Defender 110 is offered in nine. The top two trims on both two-door and four-door Defenders feature the new-to-Defender supercharged V8 engine. The exclusive new Carpathian Edition represents the ultimate expression of Defender design, performance, and capability, according to Land Rover. The Bronco is a bit more grounded. It is available in seven trims – Base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Badlands, Wildtrak, and First Edition. Each is designed to cater to a particular type of buyer. For instance, the Badlands trim is designed to be the ultimate in Bronco 4x4 off-road capability. It has a unique suspension that includes the ability to disconnect the front stabilizer bar.
: Ford Bronco
Pricing & Value
In some ways, this is an unfair comparison because the Ford Bronco is significantly less expensive than the Land Rover Defender across the lineup. A base 2021 Ford Bronco 2-Door has a starting price of around $28,500. The 2021 Defender 90’s starting price is around $48,000. A mid-level Ford Bronco Outer Banks 4-Door has a suggested list price of about $42,000. The mid-level Defender 110 X-Dynamic SE has a list price just barely over $65,000. The Bronco Wildtrak 4-Door Advanced has a starting MSRP of around $50,000, while the most luxurious 2021 Defender 110 has a starting price of about $80,000. The 2022 Defender 110 V8 Carpathian Edition has a suggested list price of $107,200.
: Ford Bronco
Photo by Ford
The Winner
You might view the battle between the Bronco and the Defender like a choice between fine caviar and a great bacon cheeseburger. Both are wonderfully delicious. Both please those who favor them very well. And some of us like one, while some would prefer the other. The Land Rover Defender is an off-road icon that has millions of fans. It is known around the world for its derring-do off-road capabilities. This Ford Bronco, despite its strong heritage, is a newcomer to the off-road fray. By all of our research and testing, it appears to have all the right stuff. And certainly we have already driven it over the most difficult terrain imaginable with no problems whatsoever. So when you look at the two value propositions — both of them appealing — the winner is the 2021 Ford Bronco.
: Ford Bronco
Photo by Ford