How the 2025 Ford Bronco Sport Has an Edge Over the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek

The growing subcompact adventure vehicle class continues to expand in 2025 with some great options. If you’re shopping for something brand-new to upgrade to from your current vehicle due to high mileage, reliability issues, or just need more versatility than your current vehicle, we’re going to discuss in detail what makes the 2025 Ford Bronco Sport vs 2025 Subaru Crosstrek a great place to start. What both of these models bring to the table are versatility, utility, off-road capability of varying degrees, fuel economy, and roomy cabins for five adults to ride comfortably while still retaining cargo space for gear or luggage. With amazing outdoor getaways within a couple-hour drive no matter where you live in the Albany area, having a vehicle that can handle a dirt road or rugged path brings you exciting ways to spend your weekends with friends and family. 

Ford and Subaru have both offered exciting models that balance city and highway driving with the versatility needed to enjoy getting away from it all. With capable all-wheel drive or 4×4, these subcompact adventure vehicles offer excellent inclement weather driving on top of off-road ability while also offering favorable fuel economy. While that sounds as if these vehicles have no differences, we’ll dive deeper into the details to determine why we think the Ford Bronco Sport is the better choice in this class. 

Style and Functionality 

Style couldn’t be more subjective, but when style means performance, what an automaker offers for accenting and flair in this class should double as functional. Both the Bronco Sport and the Crosstrek do this well, but we believe the Ford pulls ahead. With its boxier designed appearance, that allows the Bronco Sport to gain more rear cargo space as well as headroom for the entire cabin. The Bronco Sport, with the rear seat up, offers 32.5 cu.ft. of rear cargo space and 62.5 cu.ft. with the rear seat folded flat. Compared to the Crosstrek’s 20 cu.ft. and 54.7 cu.ft. with the rear seat folded down, the Bronco Sport’s boxy design is a clear winner.

Another bonus of the boxier shape is a wider stance that offers more shoulder room on the inside, with 57.3 inches in each front seat, which can also lead to added stability on uneven terrain off-road. The Crosstrek only offers 56.8 inches of shoulder width. The Bronco Sport includes rocker and lower door cladding that is functional for protecting against rock, gravel, or deep brush scraping. Subaru also gave the Crosstrek this same cladding but extended it much higher on the body line, which, at a certain point, loses functionality and just gives the Crosstrek a similar appearance to a hiking boot.

Another styling element the Crosstrek has added is bright yellow accents on the front and rear bumper of some trims, located where recovery hooks would be placed. Although stylistically, these look sharp, unfortunately, they are not recovery hooks in any trim. The Bronco Sport has recovery hooks as part of the off-road outfitted Badlands trim, which also includes protective skid plates under the engine and body for more rugged backcountry adventures. There are no factory underbody skid plate options available for the Crosstrek. 

Although the Crosstrek Wilderness has exciting exterior design and accenting, it doesn’t hold a candle to the stunning retro graphics package of the Bronco Sport Free Wheeling. But looks aren’t anything if they don’t offer functionality, and functional performance is why you’re shopping for this class of vehicle. For that, we hand the blue ribbon to Ford. Subjectively, the Bronco Sport was designed to recall the classic original Ford Bronco of 1966, making it a real head-turner and a really unique vehicle that will add excitement to your daily driving.

Adventure-Ready Performance

When it comes to the powertrains available for the Bronco Sport and the Crosstrek, each automaker offers a signature pairing of the engine to the transmission that is very typical of each brand. Ford offers two engine options, a turbocharged 1.5L or a turbocharged 2.0L, paired with Ford’s durable 8-speed automatic transmission. Subaru also offers two engine size options, a 2.0L or a 2.5L, of their legacy BOXER engine without turbocharging. Subaru then pairs your preferred engine with their continuously variable transmission.

Despite Subaru offering a larger engine, the Bronco Sport is able to churn much higher horsepower and low-end torque with the available 2.0L EcoBoost engine producing 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque versus the Crosstrek revving up only 182 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. Essential for off-road performance, low-end torque is what your powertrain uses to climb roots and rocky terrain, out of a sandy rut, and up a steep uphill climb. Even though the Crosstrek has been rated to tow an estimated 800 lbs more than the Bronco Sport when put into action, the higher horsepower of the Bronco Sport will pull your trailer at highway speeds more efficiently, and the low-end torque is going to get you off the line from a dead stop on a hill with the extra weight on the back of the vehicle. 

The drive modes preprogrammed for each vehicle are a convenient way to prepare for the road ahead. The Crosstrek offers straightforward modes like X-Mode for snow and mud and Sport for an extra thrill in throttle response. The Bronco Sport, on the other hand, knows that an adventure vehicle should have more capabilities and offers G.O.A.T. Modes (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) with standard Normal, ECO, Sport, Slippery, Off-Road and, available for certain trims, Rock Crawl and Rally modes. These drive modes will adjust throttle, power, and 4×4 drivetrain response at each wheel to deliver the best performance for different driving conditions. With more to explore within the Bronco Sport options, we feel it’s the better-prepared vehicle for any backcountry surprises you may encounter during an off-pavement adventure when you depend on performance most.

Choose the Ford Bronco Sport for Roomier Comfort and Durability

Interior comfort and offered features are a highlight of any vehicle. You want your years of logging miles to bring you joy, and these models provide that. But for an adventure vehicle driver, seeking comfort also means seeking durability. The Bronco Sport’s interior options are far more rugged than the fabrics offered in the Crosstrek. With rubberized flooring and water-resistant seating, sand, dirt, and mud from your latest adventure won’t bother the Bronco Sport one bit. 

The Bronco Sport’s driver cockpit offers a more spacious design with a dedicated charging port holder built into the dash to keep your phone secure, large cup holders, and a rotary dial shifter to reduce space taken up by a stick gear shifter like the Crosstrek. The minimalist design offers a sleek look that’s less busy to the eye. Both offer comprehensive safety and driver assistance features as well as immersive audio systems, but the roominess, sleek modern design, and thoughtful storage make us push the Bronco Sport ahead. 

Come in and Check Out the 2025 Ford Bronco Sport Today

If you’re searching for backcountry performance that excels and offers a comfortable, roomier cabin to enjoy while cruising rugged terrain all weekend as a getaway from the weekday grind, you have to go with the Ford Bronco Sport over the Subaru Crosstrek. More drivetrain power, a bigger cabin, and exciting exterior features, including recovery hooks and skid plates, are a must for enjoying a good time in the wilderness, and the Ford delivers. Big things are in store for you when you invest in a brand-new Bronco Sport that is built to be adventure-ready. Our friendly team members will help you make the best trim decision as we walk you through our worry-free financial process for a budget-friendly financial plan. From dealership lot to trailhead, exciting times await you and your family in the Ford Bronco Sport!