Ford Bronco vs Land Rover Defender: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Ford Bronco burns about $2,950 of fuel annually against $3,800 for the Land Rover Defender. That $850 yearly gap compounds to roughly $4,250 over five years and $6,800 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Ford Bronco is the stronger commuter at 20 mpg city, while the Land Rover Defender pulls ahead on the interstate at 23 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Ford Bronco is recorded with 2 distinct engine configurations (SIDI & PFI, SIDI), the Land Rover Defender with 2 (SIDI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI). Across 66 recorded Ford Bronco configurations and 54 for the Land Rover Defender, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Ford Bronco is offered with Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, the Land Rover Defender with 4-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Ford Bronco emits 424 g/mile of CO2 versus 444 g/mile for the Land Rover Defender. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.