Compare the2025 Honda CR-VVS 2025 Ford Bronco Sport

The Honda CR-V has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Bronco Sport’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Honda CR-V achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Ford Bronco Sport has not been tested.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda CR-V is safer than the Bronco Sport:

The Honda CR-V achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Bronco Sport last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2023.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the CR-V’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Bronco Sport’s camshafts. If the Bronco Sport’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Honda CR-V’s reliability 16 points higher than the Bronco Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Ford With 33 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Honda higher than Ford.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 13th.

The CR-V’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (190 vs. 181) than the Bronco Sport’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda CR-V turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Ford Bronco Sport turbo 3 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V gets better mileage than the Bronco Sport:

Regenerative brakes improve the CR-V Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CR-V has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Bronco Sport. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

The CR-V has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the CR-V’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Bronco Sport:

The CR-V stops much shorter than the Bronco Sport:

For better traction, the CR-V has larger tires than the Bronco Sport (235/60R18 vs. 225/65R17).

The CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 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 CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid has standard 19-inch wheels. The Bronco Sport’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CR-V’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Bronco Sport (106.3 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CR-V is 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Bronco Sport.

The CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid handles at .85 G’s, while the Bronco Sport Outer Banks pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CR-V EX-L AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the Bronco Sport Outer Banks (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the CR-V has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Bronco Sport Base/Big Bend (8.2 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the CR-V to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

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

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid is quieter than the Bronco Sport Badlands (72 vs. 73 dB).

The CR-V has .4 inches more front hip room, .6 inches more front shoulder room, 4.1 inches more rear legroom and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Bronco Sport.

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

The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Bronco Sport with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 32.5 cubic feet). The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Bronco Sport with its rear seat folded (76.5 vs. 65.2 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CR-V EX-L/Sport-L/Sport Touring has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the CR-V Sport Touring, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

The CR-V EX-L/Sport-L/Sport Touring’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 CR-V’s standard front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, 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 CR-V EX-L/Sport L/Sport Touring’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches. With the Bronco Sport Outer Banks/Badlands’ power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

Consumer Reports rated the CR-V’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Bronco Sport’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

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

Insurance will cost less for the CR-V owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the CR-V will cost $20 to $965 less than the Bronco Sport over a five-year period.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda CR-V and the Ford Bronco Sport, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The CR-V was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “5Best Trucks/10Best” for 2025 and 5 more times in the last 24 years. The Bronco Sport has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The Bronco Sport has never been chosen.

The Honda CR-V outsold the Ford Bronco Sport by over three to one during 2024.