Compare the2023 Ford BroncoVS 2023 Land Rover Discovery

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Bronco 4-Door are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Discovery doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Bronco has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Discovery doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

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

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Bronco 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Land Rover covers the Discovery. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Discovery ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 15 times as many Ford dealers as there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Bronco’s warranty.

The Bronco has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Discovery doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in long-term dependability. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Land Rover is rated below average.

The Bronco has more powerful engines than the Discovery:

As tested in Car and Driver the Bronco Raptor 3.0 turbo V6 is faster than the Discovery P360 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid (automatics tested):

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Bronco uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The Discovery requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Bronco has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Discovery doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Bronco offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Discovery doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

A 10-speed automatic is available on the Ford Bronco, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Discovery.

For better traction, the Bronco Raptor’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Discovery (37 x 12.5R17 vs. 285/40R22).

The Ford Bronco’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Land Rover Discovery only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Bronco has a standard full size spare so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare costs extra on the Discovery. Without the option you must depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Bronco Badlands has an active front sway bar, which helps keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnects at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Discovery doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The Bronco’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Discovery doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Bronco Raptor’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the Discovery (116.5 inches vs. 115.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Bronco is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Discovery.

For better maneuverability, the Bronco 2-Door’s turning circle is 5.2 feet tighter than the Discovery’s (35.5 feet vs. 40.7 feet). The Bronco 4-Door Sasquatch’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Discovery’s (39.9 feet vs. 40.7 feet).

The Ford Bronco may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 550 pounds less than the Land Rover Discovery.

The Bronco 4-Door is 5.7 inches shorter than the Discovery, making the Bronco easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Bronco 4-Door has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Discovery with its rear seat up (38.3 vs. 9.1 cubic feet). The Bronco 4-Door has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Discovery with its rear seat folded (77.6 vs. 74.3 cubic feet).

The Bronco 4-Door’s optional sliding cargo floor makes loading and unloading cargo easier and safer. The Discovery doesn’t offer a sliding load floor.

A standard locking glovebox and standard locking center console (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Bronco. The Discovery doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Bronco’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the right swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Discovery’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The Bronco 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 Bronco can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Discovery can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Bronco’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 Discovery does not have an oil pressure gauge.

On a hot day the Bronco’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Discovery can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Bronco’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Discovery doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its InControl can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Bronco has standard extendable sun visors. The Discovery doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Bronco (except Base) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Discovery doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Ford Bronco comes in four door and soft top bodystyles; the Land Rover Discovery isn’t available as a soft top.

Insurance will cost less for the Bronco owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Bronco will cost $750 to $6655 less than the Discovery over a five-year period.

The Bronco will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Bronco will retain 55.78% to 58.62% of its original price after five years, while the Discovery only retains 50.7% to 50.86%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Ford Bronco will be $24498 to $26535 less than for the Land Rover Discovery.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its December 2021 issue and they ranked the Ford Bronco Badlands 2-Door higher than the Land Rover Discovery R-Dynamic S.

The Bronco was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” in 2022. The Discovery has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

The Ford Bronco outsold the Land Rover Discovery by over 44 to one during the 2022 model year.