VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE

Ford Bronco Sport20212026

Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.

TOP PICK
2024
Buyer Score 69/100
6
Years Analyzed
23
Total Recalls
952
Total Complaints
23
Reported Injuries
0
Reported Deaths

Best Years to Buy a Ford Bronco Sport

Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.

#1 PICK2yr old
2024
Good Buy · 69/100
Reliability69/100
Value window68/100
Recalls3
Complaints87
Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
#2 PICK1yr old
2025
Good Buy · 65/100
Reliability70/100
Value window55/100
Recalls4
Complaints24
Top issue: ENGINE

Ford Bronco Sport Years to Avoid

#1 WORST
2021

6 recalls · 502 complaints

4 reported injuries

Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

#2 WORST
2022

6 recalls · 233 complaints

5 reported injuries

Top issue: ENGINE

#3 WORST
2023

3 recalls · 105 complaints

12 reported injuries

Top issue: ENGINE

Ford Bronco Sport — Year-by-Year Comparison

Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.

YearRecallsComplaintsInjuriesDeathsReliabilityValueBuyer ScoreVerdict
202611
80
40
66
Excellent
20254241
70
55
65
Excellent
20243871
69
68
69
Good
2023310512
67
78
71
Good
202262335
57
85
67
Caution
202165024
50
88
63
Avoid

Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.

Known Ford Bronco Sport Problems

Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.

ENGINE
161
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
152
POWER TRAIN
127
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
90
SERVICE BRAKES
81
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
71
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
62
SUSPENSION
14

Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.

Shopping by Era

How each generation of the Bronco Sport compares — best year within each era shown.

2018–Present

Modern safety tech, refreshed platforms, updated powertrains. Higher purchase price but lower reliability risk. Best pick in this era: 2023 (Buyer Score 71).

Best: 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best year Bronco Sport to buy?+

The 2024 Ford Bronco Sport scores highest on our Buyer Score (69/100) — combining a reliability score of 69/100 with a value score of 68/100. It has 3 recalls and 87 NHTSA complaints on record.

Which Bronco Sport years have the most problems?+

The 2021, 2022, 2023 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2021 Bronco Sport leads with 6 recalls and 502 owner complaints.

What is the Buyer Score?+

The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.

What are the most common Bronco Sport problems?+

The most frequently reported Ford Bronco Sport issues involve: ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.

Deep-Dive Research

Found the right year? Verify the specific car.

A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.

Run a VIN Check →