Compact SUVs · model years 2021 to 2024
Ford Escape vs Ford Bronco Sport: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Escape looks better on 3 and the Bronco Sport on 1, with 3 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2021 to 2024 | Escape | Bronco Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 34,000 | 34,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 7.0 | 5.8 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 1 |
| NHTSA investigations | 2 | 3 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Escape owners complain about most is electrical, and it is the same for the Bronco Sport. Complaints citing structure make up 16% of all Escape complaints, against 1.6% on the Bronco Sport. The Bronco Sport leans the other way on electrical: 26% of its complaints, against 16% for the Escape.
Ford EscapeFord Bronco Sport
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Escape is brake wear (11% of its complaints). On the Bronco Sport it is stalling (15% of its complaints), against 9.5% on the Escape.
| Problem | Escape | Bronco Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 11% 83most in 2021 · 8k mi | 15% 193most in 2021 · 12k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 9.5% 7160k mi | 15% 202most in 2021 · 37k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 8.1% 6128k mi | 9.2% 120most in 2021 · 36k mi |
| Battery dies or the car will not start | 2.4% 18 | 12% 160most in 2021 · 40k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 6.0% 4542k mi | 4.5% 59most in 2021 · 54k mi |
| Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard | 4.0% 3075k mi | 4.1% 54most in 2021 · 75k mi |
| Engine overheats or leaks coolant | 2.9% 225k mi | 4.0% 53most in 2021 · 55k mi |
| Transmission fails or needs replacement | 2.3% 1787k mi | 2.7% 35most in 2021 · 83k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the Escape complaints that give a mileage come before 34,000 miles, and half the Bronco Sport complaints before 34,000. 71% of Escape reports and 67% of Bronco Sport reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Ford EscapeFord Bronco Sport
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 223 for the Escape and 438 for the Bronco Sport.
Worst and best years
The 2017 Escape draws 2.9 times the complaints of a typical Escape year for its age. The 2021 Bronco Sport draws 2.1 times the complaints of a typical Bronco Sport year for its age.
Ford Escape
Ford EscapeFord Bronco Sport
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Escape draws more recalls: 7.0 campaigns per model year against 5.8 for the Bronco Sport. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Ford Escape
28 recall campaigns and 2 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: electrical (6), fuel system (6) and engine (3).
- 24V-852 (equipment) covers 4 model years
- 24V-954 (electrical) covers 4 model years
Investigations
- RQ24008: Underhood fires caused by fuel leak (closed, led to a recall)
- PE23013: Failed door check arm attachment point (closed)
Ford Bronco Sport
23 recall campaigns and 3 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (6), suspension (3) and transmission and drivetrain (3).
- Do not drive 26V-340 (suspension), model years 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024
- 24V-267 (electrical) covers 4 model years
- 25V-158 (transmission and drivetrain) covers 4 model years
Investigations
- RQ24014: Loss of motive power (closed, led to a recall)
- RQ24008: Underhood fires caused by fuel leak (closed, led to a recall)
- PE24002: Loss of motive power (closed, led to a recall)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
Crashes turn up in about the same share of complaints on both (3.1% and 3.4%). Fire reports: 16 for the Escape and 41 for the Bronco Sport. Complaints on file report 1 death in the Escape and 0 in the Bronco Sport for these model years.
Ford EscapeFord Bronco Sport
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Ford Escape or the Ford Bronco Sport more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Escape looks better on 3 and the Bronco Sport on 1, with 3 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Escape has 751 complaints and the Bronco Sport 1,311 for model years 2021 to 2024, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Escape or the Bronco Sport?
The Escape has 28 recall campaigns and the Bronco Sport 23 across model years 2021 to 2024. The Escape draws more recalls: 7.0 campaigns per model year against 5.8 for the Bronco Sport.
What are the most common problems on the Escape and the Bronco Sport?
The most reported problem on the Escape is brake wear (11% of its complaints). On the Bronco Sport it is stalling (15% of its complaints), against 9.5% on the Escape.
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