For decades, the Jeep Wrangler, with its legendary off-road capabilities, has been the vehicle of choice for adventurous outdoor spirits who love to head for the toughest trails. However, the Wrangler has some serious competition from the Ford Bronco. This model had a previous incarnation as an SUV, but production stopped in 1996.
After a 25-year hiatus, the Bronco nameplate was revived on a vehicle designed to take the off-road crown from the king-of-the-trails Wrangler. Below, our Huffines Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram (CJDR) Plano team compares the vehicles side by side.
2024 Wrangler vs. Bronco: Trims and Features
The Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco are available in two- and four-door body styles. They come standard with four-wheel drive and removable doors and roofs. You can personalize your vehicle with many soft and hardtop roof options and appearance and performance packages.
Trim Levels
For 2024, you can choose the Jeep Wrangler Sport, Sport S, Willys, Rubicon, and Rubicon X models with two or four doors. The Sahara and Rubicon 392 trims are available only with four doors.
The 2024 Ford Bronco is available in the Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Heritage Edition, Badlands, Everglades, Wildtrak, Heritage Limited Edition, and Raptor trims. The Everglades and Raptor are the only four-door models.
Exterior Features
With the base Wrangler, you get a premium soft top, a fold-flat windshield, a color-keyed grille, fog lamps, and skid plates. Tow hooks, a class 4 receiver hitch, and seven- and four-pin wiring harnesses are standard. All but the Sport trim feature a Corning Gorilla Glass windshield, automatic headlights, heated power mirrors, and rear privacy glass.
The Willys trim has a unique black grille and decals, LED headlights, fog lamps, and rock rails. The Rubicon adds LED taillights, while the Rubicon X gets a body-color three-piece hardtop, a dual-vented hood, steel bumpers, and a factory-installed Warn winch with an 8,000-pound capacity.
The two-door Broncos have a hard top, while that of the four-door models is soft. Standard features include LED headlights, fog lamps, tow hooks, heated power mirrors, and deep-tinted rear windows. The Heritage Edition has unique bumpers, fenders, graphics, and a white hardtop and grille.
The Black Diamond boasts bash plates, rock rails, and heavy-duty bumpers. Moving up the trims gets you full underbody bash plates, steel bumpers, side steps, and more. The Raptor has a unique hood, heavy-duty bash plates, and rock rails with a removable running board. A receiver hitch and wiring harness are optional.
Interior Amenities
Inside, the Wrangler Sport’s modern and functional cabin offers a push-button start, cloth seating, climate control, and ambient lighting. The Rubicon trim and above feature a 7-inch digital instrument display, automatic climate control, and a 115-volt power outlet.
The Sahara adds a remote start, heated front seats and steering wheel, and Selec-Speed Control, an off-road system that monitors the engine torque and brakes to maintain a constant speed. The top two trims expand the list of features with Nappa leather upholstery, a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The Rubicon 392 adds a power-adjustable passenger seat.
The Bronco Big Bend’s interior amenities include a push-button start, an 8-inch digital instrument panel, vinyl seating, and an air-conditioning system. The Outer Banks trim offers a remote start, cloth upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone temperature control, ambient lighting, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and an AC power outlet. In the Raptor, you’ll find a 12-inch gauge cluster and paddle shifters.
Specs and Dimensions
For 2024, the Jeep Wrangler has three available powertrains across its trims. Most models have a 3.6-liter V-6 producing 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. There’s the standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional eight-speed automatic. You can choose a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo delivering 270 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, available only with an eight-speed automatic.
Under the Rubicon 392’s hood is a powerful 6.4-liter V-8 engine that generates 470 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. It’s only available with an automatic transmission. Properly equipped two-door Wranglers can tow up to 2,000 pounds, while the four-door models have a 5,000-pound capacity. An exception is the Rubicon 392, which has a limit of 3,500 pounds.
The Ford Bronco also offers three engine options. Standard on most trims is a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 300 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. A seven-speed manual transmission is standard, or you can choose a 10-speed automatic. An available 2.7-liter V-6 turbo delivers 330 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Powering the Raptor trim is a 3.0-liter V-6 turbo that delivers 418 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque via the 10-speed automatic. Most Bronco models offer a 3,500-pound towing capacity, while the Raptor can manage 4,500 pounds.
Safety and Tech
Standard tech for the Wrangler includes the Uconnect 5 infotainment system with a 12.3-inch touch screen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, a Wi-Fi hotspot, a hands-free phone and audio, and an eight-speaker audio system with satellite radio. The antenna is integrated into the windshield to protect it on the trails.
The top trims add a navigation system, integrated voice command, and a nine-speaker Alpine sound system with HD Radio. Standard in these models and available for others is a grille-mounted TrailCam. This gives you a forward-facing view of the trail nearest your bumper, improving visibility of the terrain.
The Bronco features the SYNC 4 multimedia system, which includes a 12-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone compatibility, voice recognition, and a seven-speaker sound system with satellite radio. Higher trims add a navigation system.
Both vehicles offer a range of standard and available safety and driver-assistance technologies.
Test-Drive the Jeep Wrangler Today
Although the Ford Bronco runs it close, the Jeep Wrangler is still the best SUV. Its entire range has stronger off-road capability and offers more standard technology features. Besides the Rubicon 392, every Wrangler trim costs less than its Bronco equivalent. Visit Huffines CJDR Plano today to view the 2024 Jeep lineup, or contact us to arrange a test drive of the iconic Wrangler.