Used car safety, rank #140 of 188
Ford Bronco Sport 4WD Safety Rating (2021-23)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2021-23 Ford Bronco Sport 4WD, a small SUV, compared with its class and with the current model.
IIHS 2026 edition · 2021–2024 crashes. Results apply only to the model years and drivetrain shown. Read the new release and its limits · Browse the older edition. Prices and reliability from older model years have not been carried forward.
The 2021-23 Ford Bronco Sport 4WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 36 per million registered vehicle years against a small SUVs average of 38, which is 5% below the class average. That places it #140 of 188 used vehicles with a safety score of 33.1/100.
What the Ford Bronco Sport death rate means
At 36 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Ford Bronco Sport 4WD beats the small SUVs average of 38 by 5%. The 95% confidence interval is 17 to 54, so the upper end of the range overlaps the class average and the advantage is not certain.
The other-driver death rate of 38 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Ford Bronco Sport. Its 95% confidence interval is 23–53. It is higher than the Ford Bronco Sport's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for this class. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used SUVs
The safest small SUVs in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Ford Bronco Sport 4WD highlighted. It ranks 9 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WD at a death rate of 5.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WD | 2021-23 | 5 (0 to 15) | 76.9 | n/a | n/a |
| Ford Escape hybrid 4WD | 2020-23 | 6 (0 to 17) | 75.7 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Tucson hybrid 4WD | 2022-23 | 7 (0 to 22) | 74.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota RAV4 hybrid 4WD | 2020-23 | 15 (7 to 23) | 63.8 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD | 2020-23 | 17 (4 to 29) | 60.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Mazda CX-5 4WD | 2020-23 | 17 (8 to 27) | 60.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Tucson 4WD | 2022-23 | 20 (2 to 38) | 57.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Tucson 2WD | 2022-23 | 21 (0 to 45) | 56.3 | n/a | n/a |
| Ford Bronco Sport 4WD (this page) | 2021-23 | 36 (17 to 54) | 33.1 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for small SUVs: 38 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Ford Bronco Sport
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Ford Bronco Sport we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Ford Bronco | No award | 72.8 |
| 2026 | Ford Bronco Sport | No award | 71.6 |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 33.1 used-car score above.
Safety recalls for the Ford Bronco Sport 4WD
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
Do not drive
NHTSA says to stop driving this vehicle until that repair is done. Check the VIN before driving it. On a car this age the repair may still be outstanding.
14 recall campaigns on the 2023 model year, covering suspension, equipment, fuel system, gasoline, back over prevention, power train, electrical system, visibility, tires, service brakes, hydraulic, exterior lighting.
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Suspension: front, control arm, lower ball joint Do not drive
Risk: A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and repair the front lower control arm ball joints as necessary, free of charge.
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Equipment: electrical, engine block heater
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026.
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Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source, such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will update the engine control software. In addition, dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel rail assembly and fuel injectors, free of charge. As an interim repair, dealers will update the engine control software, free of charge. Interim
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Back over prevention: software
Risk: A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge.
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Power train: automatic transmission, control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Risk: An undetected low battery charge can result in a loss of electrical accessories such as hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will recalibrate the body control module and power train control module, free of charge.
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Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge.
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Electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery
Risk: Battery failure can result in a loss of electrical accessories, including the hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the 12-volt battery, free of charge.
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Visibility: windshield wiper/washer, motor
Risk: Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the windshield wiper motor as necessary, free of charge.
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Electrical system: body control module/bcm
Risk: An undetected low battery charge can result in a loss of electrical accessories such as hazard lights, or cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will recalibrate the body control module and power train control module, free of charge.
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Tires
Risk: A loss of vehicle handling and control increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the tires, as necessary, free of charge.
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Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will update the engine control software to include fuel injector leak detection and install a drain tube, free of charge.
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Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/module
Risk: A leak inside the ABS module can cause an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel or unexpected movement during an Auto Hold event, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ABS Module, free of charge.
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Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will update the engine control software to include fuel injector leak detection and install a drain tube, free of charge. Interim
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Exterior lighting: lighting control module
Risk: Flickering parking lights can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the LED Driver module, free of charge.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-16. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2023. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Ford Bronco Sport 4WD: Common Questions
Is the Ford Bronco Sport 4WD a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 36 per million registered vehicle years for the 2021-23 Ford Bronco Sport 4WD, 5% below the class average (38 for small SUVs). That earns a used-car safety score of 33.1 out of 100 and rank #140 of 188 used vehicles.
What is the Ford Bronco Sport 4WD driver death rate?
36 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 17 to 54. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Ford Bronco Sport died at a rate of 38 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2021-23 models.
How does the Ford Bronco Sport 4WD compare with other small SUVs?
The small SUVs class averages 38 driver deaths per million; the Ford Bronco Sport 4WD sits at 36. Among the 9 small SUVs compared above it ranks 9 by safety score; the top of that group is the Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WD with a death rate of 5.