Well, we didn’t quite expect this result.
When you think about rugged SUVs like the Jeep Wrangler, Toyota FJ Cruiser, or indeed the new Ford Bronco, you’re expecting off-road clout. To get a better sense of that, you need go no further than our latest TFLoffroad video. That said, we do live in a strange age — one where even “old-school” (or at least old-school flavored) SUVs can pack some serious punch. At least, that’s the case on paper. Take the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe, a plug-in hybrid with 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. The Ford Bronco manages 330 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. Sure, the Toyota FJ Cruiser doesn’t make a whole lot of power — we mainly just wanted to represent Toyota in this race, and hopefully they’ll be along with a new 4Runner pretty soon — but the point stands that these SUVs aren’t slouches when it comes to grunt.
But how well do the on-paper specs actually translate to real-world performance? In the video below, that’s exactly what Roman and Andre aim to find out as we put these off-roaders head-to-head. Now, most folks won’t even come near a drag strip with any of these three — maybe with a Wrangler 392. However, it can still be helpful to know a car can get out of its own way when, say, accelerating onto the highway. That’s a point where some straight-line acceleration comes in handy.
Things look good for the Wrangler 4xe, but what about the Bronco?
Fortunately, the Jeep Wrangler 4xe definitely brings that to the table. Not just on paper, but the actual performance on the drag strip is pretty impressive, considering its 5,200 pound curb weight. The Bronco weighs in about the same, while the Toyota actually does come in substantially lighter. It still has an archaic V-6 engine and five-speed automatic transmission, but at least it has relative lightness on its side.
So how did the new Bronco compare? Find out in the video below:
