Compare the2022 Chevrolet EquinoxVS 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

For enhanced safety, the Chevrolet Equinox’s rear seat shoulder belts have child comfort guides to move the belt to properly fit children. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages children to buckle up. The Ford Bronco Sport doesn’t offer comfort guides on its rear seat belts.

The Equinox LT/RS/Premier offers an optional Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Bronco Sport only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Equinox and the Bronco Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Equinox the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 119 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Bronco Sport has not been tested, yet.

The Equinox’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Bronco Sport’s (6 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Equinox third among compact suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The Bronco Sport isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 16th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 12th in reliability, above the industry average. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 22nd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Chevrolet 5 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 13 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 190) than the Bronco Sport’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Equinox AWD gets better fuel mileage than the Bronco Sport Badlands/First Edition 4 cyl. (25 city/30 hwy vs. 21 city/26 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Equinox uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Bronco Sport Badlands/First Edition requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Equinox higher (7 out of 10) than the Ford Bronco Sport (5 to 7). This means the Equinox produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Bronco Sport every 15,000 miles.

The Equinox stops much shorter than the Bronco Sport:

The Equinox’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Bronco Sport’s optional 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Equinox offers optional 19-inch wheels. The Bronco Sport’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Equinox has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Equinox’s wheelbase is 2.2 inches longer than on the Bronco Sport (107.3 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

The Equinox’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56% to 44%) than the Bronco Sport’s (57.7% to 42.3%). This gives the Equinox more stable handling and braking.

The Equinox Premier AWD handles at .86 G’s, while the Bronco Sport Outer Banks pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Equinox Premier executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Bronco Sport Badlands (27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Equinox has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Bronco Sport Base/Big Bend (7.9 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the Equinox to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Equinox has standard flush composite headlights. The Bronco Sport has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The Equinox uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Equinox’s rear seats recline. The Bronco Sport’s rear seats don’t recline.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Equinox LT/RS/Premier’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Equinox (except LS) offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the Equinox Premier, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

The Equinox can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Equinox can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Bronco Sport can’t be towed flat on the ground.

When two different drivers share the Equinox Premier, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Equinox Premier’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Equinox’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Bronco Sport does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Equinox’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Bronco Sport’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

The Equinox’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford only offers heated mirrors on the Bronco Sport Big Bend/Outer Banks/Badlands/First Edition.

When the Equinox Premier is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Bronco Sport’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Equinox Premier’s standard rear view mirror and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Bronco Sport offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Equinox and the Bronco Sport offer available heated front seats. The Equinox Premier also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Bronco Sport.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Equinox Premier keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Equinox Premier’s optional Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Equinox is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Chevrolet Equinox, based on reliability, safety and performance.