Pros Fresh new design that's still instantly recognizable as an icon A trim to suit (almost) every buyer Excellent suspension and off-road abilities Body panels come off easily
Cons Side mirrors stay on even when doors are off Rear and side visibility could be better Jeep has far more aftermarket support Too wide for Wrangler trails
An all-new off-road-focused SUV Offered in two- and four-door configurations Part of the sixth Bronco generation, revived for 2021
Pros Offers extraordinary level of customization Impressive all-terrain specifications Cool retro styling without being kitschy Smart off-road-specific technologies
Cons Base engine may be weak, especially for the four-door Manual transmission only offered on the base engine
The 2021 Ford Bronco is a throwback SUV in all the best ways.
Pros Bronco’s back Awesome retro looks Removable doors and roof Sturdy powertrains Ready to hit the trail out of the box
Cons How much will top trims cost? How bouncy will the ride be? Swing gate could be a problem in cities Fuel economy not likely to be great No word on hybrids, yet
Ford resurrects the Bronco nameplate for 2021, and it emulates the old-school vibe and off-road pedigree of its iconic mid-1960's predecessors. Now that Ford has revealed the thing, we have a much better idea of its capabilities and specifications. The new Bronco will arrive in dealerships in spring 2021.The base two-door Bronco starts at just under $30,000, but upgrading to upper trims gets expensive quickly. Our ideal configuration would be a four-door with the more powerful engine, and it needs to have the off-road hardware to live up to its roots. That points us towards the Bronco Wildtrack, which comes standard with 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels and huge 35-inch mud-terrain tires.
Ford has made a few tweaks to its mid-size crossover for 2021, such as making heated seats standard on the XLT, offering a heated steering wheel as an optional feature on that model, and including an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger's seat on the Limited, ST, and Platinum models. A Sport Appearance package is now available on the XLT trim, and it includes 20-inch aluminum wheels that are coated in Carbonized Gray paint.
Pros Smooth and controlled ride, cargo friendly interior design, comfortable front seats.
Cons Third row space is tight, plasticky interior bits, most desirable models are pricey.
The 2021 Ford Explorer is recognizable, but new. It should be on every family SUV shopper’s list.
Pros Wide range of powertrains Good looks Great active safety tech Available hybrid Quiet interio
Cons Hybrid isn’t refined Not a great value Cramped third row Clunky second row
New Sport Appearance package available on XLT trim.Minor changes to standard and optional feature availability.
Pros Strong engines for quick acceleration Rear-wheel-drive platform improves handling and towing Roomy cargo area
Cons Too much wind noise at highway speeds The price can get frighteningly expensive in a hurry Lackluster interior material quality
