2022 Jeep Compass vs 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport had been eagerly anticipated, and it finally made its debut as a smaller sibling to the upcoming Bronco. While the larger Bronco was designed to compete with rugged off-roaders like the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota 4Runner, the Bronco Sport offered a more suburban-friendly, unibody crossover experience. It featured a modern retro aesthetic reminiscent of Land Rover, with short front and rear overhangs, tall fender wells, and a tucked-in body designed for trail driving. The bold "BRONCO" lettering on the grille and tailgate, along with the modest Ford blue oval badge, tied the Sport to its larger counterpart.

The Bronco Sport's wheels varied by trim, with options ranging from 17-inch Sparkle Silver wheels on the Base model to 18-inch machined-face aluminum Ebony Black-painted wheels on the Outer Banks. The interior was rugged yet tasteful, with a unique HVAC vent design, an 8-inch infotainment screen, and a rotary gear selector. Interior trim levels progressed from cloth seats to leather-trimmed, heated sport-contour bucket seats, and the First Edition featured Navy Pier Leather power front seats. The cargo area was practical, with options for rubberized flooring and a rubberized cargo floor.

The 2022 Jeep Compass, despite exterior updates and new wheel designs, retained much of its look from the 2017 redesign, resembling a shrunken Grand Cherokee. The High Altitude test vehicle featured 19-inch multi-spoke wheels with a dark sparkly finish, giving it an upscale appearance. Inside, the Compass High Altitude impressed with a new dashboard design, updated digital instrumentation, and luxury-grade leather seats. Soft-touch surfaces and added sound deadening enhanced its premium feel.

The High Altitude was the priciest Compass model, starting at $26,020 and reaching $35,085, excluding a $1,595 destination charge. Our test vehicle, equipped with AWD and various option packages, had an MSRP of $40,470. The interior featured eight-way power-adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats. The dual-pane panoramic sunroof, premium leather upholstery, and redesigned dashboard added to the sense of sophistication. The Compass offered 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, expanding to 59.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport offered two engine choices tied to trim levels. The Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks trims featured a 1.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. The Badlands and First Edition models came with a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 245 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. All models had 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, thanks to its short wheelbase, four-wheel independent suspension, and generous ground clearance. On-road, it handled well, with the 2.0-liter engine providing a better match for the vehicle's character. The 1.5-liter engine, while adequate, could feel strained under pressure.

The 2022 Jeep Compass came with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 177 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 172 pound-feet of torque at 3,900 rpm. Despite its "Tigershark" name, the engine lacked the power to compete with other SUVs. A turbocharger would have improved performance, especially at higher altitudes. The engine was paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission for AWD models and a six-speed automatic for FWD models.

The Compass' transmission aimed to maximize fuel efficiency but often resulted in a busy and unrewarding powertrain. The automatic stop/start system was slow to re-engage, leading to hard engagement when accelerating from a stop. The Compass averaged 23.8 mpg in combined driving, slightly below the EPA's estimate of 25 mpg. The Compass AWD had 8.1 inches of ground clearance, suitable for light off-roading, while the Trailhawk trim offered enhanced off-road capabilities with a low range, hill descent control, and 8.6 inches of ground clearance.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport catered to active buyers with features like a cargo space designed to hold two 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes. Ford offered over 100 factory and aftermarket accessories for transporting outdoor gear. The roof could support up to 150 pounds (100 with a moonroof), and the 2.0-liter engine could tow up to 2,200 pounds, while the 1.5-liter engine could tow 2,000 pounds.

The cargo area 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, including big door pockets and multiple cubbies. However, taller drivers might have found visibility challenging due to the roof overhang and hood bulges.

The 2022 Jeep Compass shared similar interior dimensions with the Renegade and Cherokee, making it spacious enough for four adults and their luggage. The High Altitude trim featured eight-way power-adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats. The dual-pane panoramic sunroof, premium leather upholstery, and redesigned dashboard added to the premium feel.

The new Uconnect 5 infotainment system, available with an 8.4-inch or 10.1-inch touchscreen, supported wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The Compass offered 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, expanding to 59.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. The hands-free power liftgate provided easy access to the cargo area.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport featured an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with SYNC 3, 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 terrain management system offered up to seven G.O.A.T. modes, and trail control technology provided a cruise-control-like feature for off-roading.

Intelligent access with push-button start was included on all trims except the Base model. Heated and leather-wrapped steering wheels and a 6.5-inch digital instrument panel were available on higher trims.

The 2022 Jeep Compass featured the new Uconnect 5 infotainment system, which was five times faster than the previous generation. An 8.4-inch touchscreen was standard, with a 10.1-inch touchscreen available as an upgrade. Uconnect 5 supported wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, satellite radio, and voice text-to-reply capability. Over-the-air updates kept the system current.

The Compass offered a navigation system, connected services, a WiFi hotspot, Alexa Built-In, and a wireless device charging pad. A nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system was available. The voice recognition system was fast and accurate, though it had some limitations in finding specific locations.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport came standard with the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite of safety features, 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, and more. AWD and a terrain management system with G.O.A.T. modes were standard on all models. Safety ratings from IIHS and NHTSA were not yet available.

The 2022 Jeep Compass included forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Highway Assist, combining adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance, was to be added later in the model year. A parallel and perpendicular parking assistance system and a 360-degree surround-view camera system were also available. Safety ratings from IIHS and NHTSA were not yet available, but the previous rollover resistance rating was three stars.