Compare the2026 Ford BroncoVS 2026 Tesla Model Y

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Bronco 4-Door are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model Y doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Ford Bronco achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Tesla Model Y has not been tested.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Bronco. But it costs extra on the Model Y.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Bronco’s standard Hill Descent Control/Trail Control allows you to creep down safely. The Model Y doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control/Trail Control.

The Bronco has standard 911 Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model Y doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Bronco and the Model Y have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Bronco is safer than the Tesla Model Y:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are almost 14 times as many Ford dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Bronco’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. With 7 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Ford higher than Tesla.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ford 4 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

For better traction, the Bronco Raptor’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model Y (37 x 12.5R17 vs. 255/35R21).

The Ford Bronco’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Tesla Model Y only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Bronco has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Model Y; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Bronco Stroppe/Sasquatch/Raptor has an active front sway bar, which helps keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnects at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Model Y doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Bronco 4-Door’s wheelbase is 2.3 inches longer than on the Model Y (116.1 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Bronco is 2.9 inches wider in the front and 3.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Model Y.

For better maneuverability, the Bronco 2-Door’s turning circle is 4.3 feet tighter than the Model Y’s (35.5 feet vs. 39.8 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Bronco 2-Door has a 1.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Model Y (8.3 vs. 6.6 inches), allowing the Bronco to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Bronco 4-Door has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Model Y with its rear seat up (38.3 vs. 34.3 cubic feet). The Bronco 4-Door has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Model Y with its rear seat folded (83 vs. 76 cubic feet).

The Bronco 4-Door’s optional sliding cargo floor makes loading and unloading cargo easier and safer. The Model Y doesn’t offer a sliding load floor.

The Bronco’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the right swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Model Y’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Maximum trailer towing in the Tesla Model Y is limited to 3500 pounds. The Bronco offers up to a 4500 lbs. towing capacity.

The Bronco can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Bronco can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Model Y can’t be towed flat on the ground.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Bronco’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Model Y doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Bronco (except Soft Top) has a standard rear wiper. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

Consumer Reports rated the Bronco’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Model Y’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Bronco’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model Y doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Bronco has standard extendable sun visors. The Model Y doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Bronco is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the Model Y, which solely provides FM radio. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the Bronco offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM in the Model Y.

HD Radio boasts several benefits over conventional radio: superior sound quality with clearer and consistent FM broadcasts, CD-quality audio, and Multicast Channels offering up to four streams from a single station, adding programming choices. Cars like the Bronco optionally equipped with HD Radio provide an improved in-car entertainment experience. The Model Y, devoid of this technology, foregoes these benefits. Selecting the Ford Bronco empowers drivers to enjoy a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience while on the go.

Compared to the Tesla Model Y’s traditional radio, the Ford Bronco equipped with standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks.

The Bronco offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Model Y doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Ford Bronco comes in four door and soft top bodystyles; the Tesla Model Y isn’t available as a soft top.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Ford Bronco retains 45.81% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 39.16% resale value of the 2025 Tesla Model Y after five years, which can save the Ford’s owner up to $15367.09328 in depreciation.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Bronco as the 2022 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Model Y has never been chosen.