Are you looking for a smaller SUV that won’t fall apart when the paved roads end? The 2024 Ford Bronco Sport and Jeep Compass are more than capable of cruising around town and handling all sorts of routine traffic tasks. Still, they have a level of off-road capability that you won’t find in many of their competing compact SUVs.
First of all, both Ford and Jeep come standard with all-wheel drive. In addition, they each have equipment specifically designed for more demanding off-road adventures. For the Bronco Sport it is the Badlands model and for the Jeep it is the Trailhawk.
Would you like to find out more? Read on to discover the highlights of the Ford Bronco Sport and Jeep Compass.
2024 Ford Bronco Sport
The 2024 Ford Bronco Sport starts at $31,390, including factory-to-dealer shipping costs. The retro-style Free Wheeling model has been added to the lineup, which now includes five main trims: Big Bend, Heritage, Free Wheeling, Outer Banks and Badlands.
A 181-horsepower 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive is standard. Offered exclusively in the Badlands is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine with 250 horsepower that produces noticeably more noise when you step on the accelerator.
Ford Bronco Sport highlights
Badlands model: The Bronco Sport Badlands gets much more than just a more powerful engine. It includes skid plates, off-road suspension settings, all-terrain tires, front tow hooks and a forward-facing camera for maneuvering around potentially hidden obstacles.
Old school looks: The Free Wheeling and Heritage models pay special homage to the retro appeal of the Ford Bronco Sport. With Free Wheeling you get large red, orange and yellow exterior stripes as well as alloy wheels with red accents. It’s straight from the 1970s and we love it. The Heritage trim provides a look reminiscent of the original 1966 Bronco. It features a white roof, white grille, white painted wheels and checkered interior seats.
A dog-friendly SUV: Ford wants you to take the pooches for a spin. The Dog Outfitter package includes a storage box, seat covers and a rear cargo mat.
Lots of headroom: The boxy shape of the Ford Bronco Sport is great as it provides plenty of headroom and extra cargo space. It also allows for the installation of an optional indoor bike rack.
Check out this week’s fair purchase price or view Bronco Sport models near you.
Jeep Compass 2024
The Jeep Compass is available in five trim levels: Sport, Latitude, Latitude Lux, Limited and Trailhawk. Prices start at $27,495, including destination charges, and rise to around $35,000 for the top-of-the-line Trailhawk model. That’s about $4,000 cheaper than the Ford Bronco Badlands.
Every 2024 Compass is powered by a 200-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, paired with an 8-speed automatic and all-wheel drive.
Highlights of the Jeep Compass
Highway assistant: This driving assistance system is offered for the Limited and Trailhawk trim levels. It uses a combination of adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning to enable semi-automated driving with your hands on the steering wheel and your eyes on the road.
Trailhawk model: Similar to the Ford Bronco Badlands, the Compass Trailhawk is aimed at SUV buyers who like to venture off-road. It features an extra inch of ground clearance, all-terrain tires, a 20:1 crawl ratio, skid plates, front and rear tow hooks, hill descent control and an additional “Rock” drive mode.
Easy-to-use infotainment: We’re fans of the UConnect 5 infotainment system that the Compass comes with. The easy-to-navigate 10.1-inch screen features standard wireless smartphone connectivity, voice recognition and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Upgrades include a 10.25-inch digital instrument display, Amazon Alexa and wireless device charging.
Classic Jeep shape: Admittedly, it’s not as dated as the Ford Bronco Sport, nor is it as fancy as Jeep’s own beefy Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. Still, classic Jeep design cues – including the seven-slot front grille – are present on the Compass and should make fans of the brand happy.
Check out this week’s fair purchase price or view Compass models near you.
similarities
The Ford Bronco Sport and Jeep Compass both play up the adventure aspect, but are still practical choices for those looking for a smaller SUV with city-friendly proportions. They’re definitely less “soft on the road” than many competing models that lack the same go-anywhere ability.
Diploma
This is certainly close compact SUV competition. The Ford Bronco Sport offers the choice of two engines versus just one in the Jeep Compass. Nevertheless, it is the Jeep that has slightly lower fuel consumption and slightly more legroom in the rear. It’s also generally cheaper than the Ford.
The Ford Bronco Sport’s vintage charm and higher ride height bring back some points. It also has a larger cargo space and a ton of useful travel essentials, from rooftop tents to bikes to furry friends. For us, it’s the Ford Bronco Sport that comes out on top in this comparison.
| 2024 Ford Bronco Sport | Jeep Compass 2024 | |
| Starting price | $31,390 | $27,495 |
| Popular powertrains | ||
| engine | 1.5-liter three-cylinder with turbocharger | 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder |
| Horsepower | 181 hp at 6,000 rpm | 200 hp at 5,000 rpm |
| Torque | 190 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm | 190 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm |
| transmission | 8-speed automatic | 8-speed automatic |
| Fuel consumption MPG | 25 city/29 highway/26 combined | 24 city/32 highway/27 combined |
| Also available | Turbo 2.0-liter 4-cylinder | |
| Specifications | ||
| Basic guarantee | 3 years/36,000 miles | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| NHTSA Total Safety | 5 Stars | THE |
| Maximum seating capacity | 5 | 5 |
| wheelbase | 105.1 inches | 103.8 inches |
| overall length | 172.7 inches | 173.4 inches |
| Width | 74.3 inches | 73.8 inches |
| Height | 70.2 inches | 64.6 inches |
| turning diameter | 37.4 feet | 36.2 feet |
| Front headroom | 41.5 inches | 39.2 inches |
| Headroom, rear | 41.7 inches | 38.5 inches |
| Front legroom | 42.4 inches | 41.8 inches |
| Rear legroom | 36.9 inches | 38.3 inches |
| Shoulder room at the front | 57.3 inches | 56.7 inches |
| Shoulder room at the back | 55.6 inches | 55.1 inches |
| Freight volume | 32.5 cubic feet | 27.2 cubic feet |