The Ford Bronco has only been back in the saddle since 2021, but Ford has made continuous updates to keep it competitive in the burgeoning mid-size off-road SUV segment.
Even before you start looking deeper, there’s a lot to love, like a short wheelbase, truly handsome styling, and even an available manual transmission with a starting MSRP of $37,995. At first glance, it may seem hard to find vehicles that directly compete with such a multi-talented truck, but here are three alternatives that can certainly make a case.
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Jeep
Jeep Wrangler
It’s the most obvious competitor, and arguably, the Wrangler is completely to blame for the Bronco’s reemergence. The Jeep Wrangler dominated a segment left almost completely unchecked for literal generations, favored by off-road or would-be off-road enthusiasts who valued durability and simplicity over lavish creature comforts like power windows and locks, which only became standard this year.
It’s probably not surprising, then, that the Wrangler’s price significantly undercuts the Bronco’s—$32,690 compared to $37,995 for base, two-door models.
The Wrangler has the distinction of being the only other SUV you can buy with only two doors, which is part of what makes it such a close rival to the Bronco. It’s also the only other competitor that offers removable body panels and the only one you can also get with a manual transmission. The Jeep and Bronco share standard four-wheel drive and similar power figures – 285 horsepower from a naturally-aspirated V6 in the Wrangler and 275 horsepower in the Ford from a turbo four-cylinder.
Jeep
There are differences, though, that may make the Jeep better suited for your needs. For better or worse, the Wrangler offers more powertrain variants. You can choose from a plug-in hybrid, turbo-four, V6, or V8. The Bronco means living with either a turbocharged four- or six-cylinder. The Jeep comes standard with larger 17-inch wheels and tires with more sidewall. It’s also smaller overall and around 200 pounds lighter while still offering more front- and second-row headroom.
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Jeep
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As someone who has spent a significant amount of time driving Wranglers, I think its pricing relative to the Bronco tells the whole story. You’ll spend less and certainly won’t lose any off-road prowess, but the Bronco almost definitely has better on-road manners. The Jeep community is huge, too, and modifications and resources are easy to find, making it a superior choice for tinkerers.
Toyota
Toyota 4Runner
To clarify, Toyota does make a vintage-influenced off-roader that seems much more in line with the Bronco’s ethos: the Land Cruiser. Unfortunately, its nearly $57,000 MSRP means it competes more directly with luxury alternatives like the Land Rover Defender, which commands just $200 more at base MSRP.
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner, then, is the more direct rival at $40,770, with a long-running line of off-road rig history itself.
The 4Runner doesn’t offer a manual transmission or removable body panels, so it’s arguably a little less fun right out of the box. It’s five inches longer, two inches wider, and stands just slightly taller than the Bronco. Thanks to third-row seating, which isn’t available in the Bronco, the 4Runner also gains more usable space for first and second-row seating. On the surface, the 4Runner looks like a straight downgrade.
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Toyota
However, the 4Runner builds value in lots of other ways. It boasts seating for seven people and offers a total of 84.4 cubic feet of cargo space, about a foot and a half more than the Bronco. With the second row in place, the Toyota offers 44.8 cubic feet of cargo space, compared to the Bronco’s 38 cubic feet. The 4Runner can also tow up to 6,000 pounds, which is significantly more than the Bronco’s 3,500-pound towing capacity.
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While the two SUVs start around the same price, the 4Runner offers 12 different trim levels that extend up to $66,900, including off-road specialists like the 4Runner Trailhunter and TRD Pro.
Unfortunately, that’s a bit of a double-edged sword since for anything more than a base 2025 4Runner, you’re paying at least $47,250 – almost on par with the $50,095 top-trim Bronco Badlands. The 4Runner is the closest three-row competitor to the Bronco, though, and it’s definitely worth checking out.
Honda
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Honda Passport
Like the Bronco, the Passport is a more recent revival, coming back to the game in 2019. Honda markets it between the CR-V and the three-row Pilot, which makes it the perfect size to fight the Ford Bronco. It, too, is a two-row SUV whose designers were rather fond of right angles, and pricing ranges from around $44,000 to around $55,000—pretty similar to the Bronco. The two are almost identical in length, height, and ground clearance.
Despite the similarities, the Passport does a great job dwarfing the Bronco in terms of cargo space. Honda says the SUV offers a maximum of 44 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, compared to the Bronco’s 38 cubic feet. Folding down the second row nets a closer figure, with both offering around 83 cubic feet of storage space. The Bronco does offer more headroom in both rows, though the Passport offers four more inches of second-row legroom.
Honda
Unlike the Bronco, the Passport relies on a naturally aspirated 285 horsepower V6. That’s more than the base Bronco but less than the V6-powered versions, which make 330 ponies. It tows more – up to 5,000 pounds – but relies on an all-wheel drive system instead of four-wheel drive.
The Passport also comes packed with amenities and features that the Bronco goes a bit light on, specifically, driver assistance tech. Blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control are all standard, but both come with CarPlay and Android Auto, similarly sized touchscreen displays, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
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The Passport is likely a better option for those less dedicated to pursuits past the pavement. Though a decidedly tougher-looking truck when gussied up with TrailSport additions, its extensive on-road driver aids, AWD system, and higher towing capacity seem to gear it more towards staying on the beaten path. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
Final thoughts
The Bronco’s manual transmission and endearing style make it hard to beat, especially since it’s paired with a price tag that is decidedly reasonable. The 4Runner—though I haven’t driven a new one—is my front runner here, mostly because I suspect it will hold value the best and remain relatively reliable.
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