In the off-road SUV world, there are two brands that have always gone head to head—Jeep and Land Rover. Both of their lineups consist of SUVs equipped with four-wheel drive systems that can go deep in the trails.

The Jeep Wrangler and the Land Rover Defender and their predecessors have competed against each other for a long time, showing off their capabilities and going places where few can. But the Ford Bronco also captivated the off-road world with its rock crawling abilities and 4x4 traction.

With a new Ford Bronco coming out soon and the Land Rover Defender about to come back to U.S. soil, can the Jeep Wrangler keep the title as the best off-road SUV?

Ford Bronco: What We Know

Ford Bronco rendering for MotorTrend by Avarvarii

After a two-decade break, the Ford Bronco is set to return sometime this year. Although details are scarce, we know it will share the next-generation Ford Ranger's platform, which means it will sport a body-on-frame configuration. We still don't know anything about its approach, departure and breakover angle—three key components for off-road capability, but given the experience that Ford has under its belt with the F-250 and F-350Tremor and the F-150 Raptor, we're pretty sure the Bronco will be quite competent off-road.

Ford hasn't revealed any official images on the Bronco, but a few leaked images suggest its design will be very compelling. If these pictures are true, the Bronco will sport a retro design with contemporary elements. Its grille will have the Bronco letters spelled out, and its circular headlights will incorporate daytime running lights, making the front end look awesome. We also expect the Bronco to follow the footsteps of the Wrangler by featuring a removable roof and doors.

There's no date set for Ford to reveal the Bronco, but given that it was initially intended to be shown at the New York auto show in early April, we hope to see the production version soon.

Land Rover Defender: It's here (well, almost)

2020 Land Rover Defender 110 Kaokoland 87

The Defender was shown for the first time in America at the L.A. Auto Show last year, and it should be arriving at dealers soon. But the most important thing, however, is that the SUV ditched its body-on-frame platform for a monocoque construction, changing the way it has been in past generations. The live axles are also gone, and in some cases steel springs have been replaced for an optional air suspension. How can the Defender compete against the Wrangler with these changes?

Features editor Christian Seabaugh had the chance to drive a Defender 110 (four-door) in Africa a couple of months ago, and because of the way it was designed, the Defender brings huge capabilities. The Defender 110 has a 38-degree approach, 29-degree breakover, and 40-degree departure angle, beating the Wrangler Rubicon's breakover and departure angles (20- and 37-degrees, respectively). Besides that, its 11 inches of ground clearance and 35.4 inches of wading depth help the Defender conquer the outdoors.

Of course, its full-time four-wheel drive system and transfer case also help manage the torque to provide traction in difficult situations, and its auto-locking diffs act as both limited-slip and locking-differentials. Unlike the Wrangler Rubicon, the Defender lacks a locking front differential, which would help in extreme off-road situations.