Jeep has been a strong contender in the leisure 4x4 off-road vehicle segment for many years now, with the Wrangler a consistently popular choice with consumers. In 2021 however,  the Ford Bronco has its sights set on the Wrangler’s dominance, but how do they compare from a consumer perspective? In this insight, we will look through the feature fitment of both vehicles and see which vehicle is offering the most to the consumer.

Feature Comparison

Using VehiclePlannerPlus, it is possible to analyse how the two vehicles compare when it comes to the fitment of important features. Below, we identified the subset of features we used in the analysis. If you're interested in additional features for this analysis, please reach out:

• Dual Front Air Conditioning Zones
• Dual Rear Air Conditioning Zones                
• Head-up Display
• Navigation System                                                   
• Wireless Charging
• Premium Audio System                                                
• Android Auto (wireless)
• Apple CarPlay (wireless)                                    
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Blind Spot Monitoring                                     
• Heated Drivers Seat
• Ventilated Drivers Seat                                            
• Moonroof / Sunroof
• Offroad Suspension                                           
• All Terrain Tires

Using these features and their fitment on the two vehicles, a scoring system can be created to show how much customers are getting for their money, and which one is better value for their money. The scoring system works as follows:

Feature is Standard on the vehicle: 2 Points.

Feature is Optional on the vehicle: 1 Points.

Feature is N/A on the vehicle: 0 Points.

Using this scoring method, the below chart can be created. This showcases the score for each trim against its minimum MSRP.

 

 

The key takeaways from this chart are:

1. The 2021 Ford Bronco is more feature rich than the comparable 2021 Jeep Wrangler in most cases.
2. In instances where two trims have the same feature score, the 2021 Ford Bronco has a lower MSRP in almost all cases.

Convenience and Usability

Looking at it from another angle, some performance and convenience statistics are also important when comparing off-road vehicles. Those considered to be important are outlined below:

• MPG
• Maximum Interior Volume
• Maximum Towing Capacity

Because of the variance in these figures across vehicle trims, the 5 high level trims of the 2021 Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler have been used, and pricing has been averaged across this range.

 

 

Towing capacity is consistent across the lower and higher-level trims for both models, neither standing out from the crowd.

Maximum interior volume is slightly higher on all three of the Jeep Wrangler models, with the standard Ford Bronco trims performing worst. The Bronco Sport trim is a slight improvement, but still does not come close to the Wrangler’s 150 cubic feet of interior volume.

Fuel Efficiency is again relatively consistent across both models, with the standard Ford Bronco performing worst at just below 20MPG and the Bronco Sport performing best at just below 25MPG. The Jeep Wrangler 4xe is a bit of a standout in the category, as it is the only hybrid trim available in the comparison, but this success is somewhat dampened by its considerably higher average price. As with many hybrids, the cost / benefit conclusion by consumers will depend on their specific situation, especially regarding miles driven, and the cost of fuel in their area.

Conclusion

In summary, we found that the 2021 Ford Bronco is offering the consumer a lot of feature richness for the money when compared to the Wrangler. This is because the Bronco comes with more features as standard, or as an option, when compared with a similarly priced Wrangler. Conversely, even though the Bronco platform is more modern and includes more features, this doesn’t necessarily make it a better vehicle for the target audience (with the Wrangler having a larger interior volume, average MPG and a comparable towing capacity). After analyzing this subset of features, it became clear to us that although these two vehicles look very similar, they do seem to be catering to a slightly different buyer.

A customer's decision may well come down to what they value more in a vehicle. The Bronco appears better equipped, while the Wrangler seems more practical.

 

To learn more about this analysis, or to ask any questions, please contact us.