2021 Ford Edge

Carrying over with a whole host of changes for the 2021 model year, the Ford Edge a 2 L turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and an eight-speed automatic transmission. For this year, Ford Edge prices start at MSRP $31,250 and it competes against the Chevrolet Blazer, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Toyota RAV4.

The Ford Edge is offered in a wide variety of trim levels, namely four trim levels along with the ST trim which is not covered in this review. It starts with the base SE trim level and goes up to the Titanium trim level. A fully equipped Ford Edge can cost north of $40,000 but the range starts at an amazing $31,250. Let us take a detailed look at the trim levels below.

Which trim should you buy?

 Although the base trim level is a bit too bare-bones considering the rivals that are currently in the market, we find that the Ford Edge has a stronghold over the budget midsize SUV segment. The trim that makes the most sense to us is the SEL trim level that adds simulated leather upholstery, power-adjustable, and heated front seats, and makes the car eligible for several options such as Ford CoPilot360 Assist+ as well as the Convenience Package. This might still deprive you of several features that you might find in the rivals but still makes a lot of sense on a tight budget.

Under the hood of the Ford Edge is a 2 L in-line turbocharged four-cylinder engine that generates 250 hp. Then there is a V6 engine that is offered in the ST trim level. The base engine itself is pretty athletic and capable of doing 0 to 60 mph in just 7.6 seconds. Although this is not something to write home about, it should be enough for most people.

When it comes to quarter-mile acceleration figures the Ford Edge performs adequately well with a 15.9 second time which is definitely quick. It does not feel extremely quick but makes the SUV pretty light on its feet which is a good thing. The transmission is also one that does its duties very well but can feel slow to enthusiastic drivers.

The Ford Edge is the most expensive car in this category despite being a rather dated one. However, it is the most powerful car in its segment when you look at the figures on paper. Ford Edge has the most powerful engine but the Hyundai Santa Fe is the fastest accelerating car as we can see from the real-world tests. However, the abundance of torque that you can find in the Ford does give it excellent drivability throughout its rev range.

How well does the 2021 Ford Edge SUV handle? 

The Ford Edge does not appreciate being thrown around corners and feels a bit lethargic when doing so. There are much better handling cars in the segment which have set the benchmark for midsize crossover SUVs and the Ford falls short. That does not mean that it is not enjoyable to drive, the car is stable but it is not very responsive to sudden inputs.

It also packs one of the most engaging steering mechanisms that you can find in an SUV. The steering is quick and precise in terms of feedback and also weighs rather nicely. When it comes to riding quality, Ford has done an excellent job because the SUV feels like it glides over imperfections on the road. 

2021 Ford Edge SUV Braking Performance 

One of the biggest drawbacks of the car is that it is the heaviest in the segment and its scope weight of 3958 lbs does not do it any favors in the braking department. The pedal is a bit firm but does deliver a bit of confidence to our liking. The car is fitted with 12.4 inch rotors both front and back which are the largest in the category. These rotors are enough to bring the car to a halt from 60 mph in 129 feet.

The Toyota RAV4 is the lightest vehicle in this category and the Ford is heavier than the car by about 600 lbs. As a result of this and being equipped with nearly the same size rotors as the Ford Edge, this car can bring itself to a halt from 60 mph in just 120 feet which sets the class benchmark. The Chevrolet Blazer comes next at 126 feet and the Ford Edge only manages to come to a halt at 129 feet. This might be disappointing to some buyers but does not make a very big difference in terms of real-life performance.

We can feel that the Ford Edge is definitely dated when you look at its fuel efficiency figures despite not having the best performance around. It only returns 21 MPG in the city, 29 MPG on the highway, and 24 MPG combined. This is not a very impressive figure and with the fuel tank capacity being 18.5 gallons which is not the largest in its class, this SUV is only able to return a range of 389 miles in the city and 537 miles on the highway.

The Ford loses out to the Toyota again in terms of fuel efficiency figures. The Toyota RAV4 is the most impressive because it delivers 27 MPG in the city, 35 MPG on the highway, and 13 mpg combined so even with a much smaller fuel tank of just 14.5 gallons, it has nearly the same range. The Chevrolet has the largest fuel tank but is the least efficient in its category, saving a lot of embarrassment for the Ford. One can see that Hyundai and Toyota have taken strides in terms of the fuel efficiency department whereas the Americans have stayed put where they were several years ago.

The interiors of the Ford are a bit dated but they offer a lot of space and a comfortable cabin for five passengers. Although one would hope for a better fit and finish, the material quality is definitely nice. Their interior design is also nice to look at and offers a lot of functional storage spaces. Overall it is a very practical cabin and can definitely impress buyers.

The seats are decently supportive ones and remain comfortable for long journeys as well as for enthusiastic driving. The controls are also very easy to use and the switchgear is placed very well so one can say that it is an ergonomic cabin. It is also easy for ingress and egress and offers good adjustability inside.

Ford has definitely given its interior space the long thought because it provides both excellent passenger and cargo space. The Chevrolet Blazer has the lowest space in this category. However, the Ford has 39.2 ft.³ cargo space that should swallow up luggage like it’s nothing. The Santa Fe has the most amount of space inside and also has a very nicely designed cabin which impresses a lot. There are also a host of very nice features inside the Ford Edge. Some standard features include:

• Leather seats
• Cruise control
• Heated front seats
• Tinted rear windows
• Heated steering wheel
• Power adjustable steering wheel

What’s there to keep you entertained? 

The Ford Edge as a model might be dated but its infotainment system is brand-new. The car gets an audio system based on Ford’s Sync 4 operating system with this one of the best ones we’ve seen in the segment. An 8-inch touchscreen that we have seen in the previous model year is replaced by a 12-inch touchscreen interface that comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. There is also a nine-speaker audio system while a 12 speaker Bang and Olufsen audio system are available as an option. Other features include satellite radio, a voice-activated navigation system, 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, and so on.

Some features of the infotainment system include: 

• 12-inch touchscreen SYNC 4A infotainment system
• Premium 9-speaker audio system
• Optional 12-speaker Bang and Olufsen audio system
• 4G Wi-Fi Hotspot
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Two USB ports 
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio
• Voice-activated navigation system
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Wireless Charging Pad

Although it has been around for a while, the Ford Edge still looks pretty decent. It does not look as modern or sharp as its competition, with cars like the Chevrolet Blazer retaining very distinct design cues borrowed from the iconic Chevrolet Camaro. To our eyes, it looks better than the Hyundai and the Toyota which have not exactly nailed the modern design language that they went after. The Ford also has its proportions which are very much perfect and is a treat to look at.

Despite the heavyweight, luckily the Ford is not the biggest car in its category. The Chevrolet Blazer is much bigger than its rivals in terms of all dimensions. However, the Ford in the Toyota has the best ground clearance which is an important parameter in the segment. The Toyota RAV4 is much smaller and hence is lighter. We are overall very impressed because the Ford has excellent cargo space as well as interior space despite not being the largest car. Some standout features include:

• 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels
• Chrome Window Trim
• Rear Lip Spoiler
• Powered Lift-gate
• Fully Automatic Projector Beam LED headlights
• LED taillights 

Ford has time and again proven itself as a manufacturer that has a definite focus on safety with all its models nearly having five-star safety ratings from the NHTSA. The case is no different when it comes to the as it has scored an excellent five stars overall safety rating from the NHTSA. The Ford Edge also performed very well in the IIHS crash test and it was named as a Top Safety Pick which is the organization’s second-highest honor. This is due to having features like automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring not as options, but as standard features. Some of the standout safety features include:

• Automatic emergency braking
• Evasive steering assist
• Post-collision braking
• Lane Departure Warning
• Blind Spot Monitoring
• Lane Keep Assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Front and rear park assist
• Blind-spot monitoring

2021 Ford Edge Vs. 2021 Chevrolet Blazer

The Ford Edge has a more powerful engine and consequently better performance than the Chevrolet. The Edge is, however, much heavier while also being smaller and is not nearly as modern as the Chevrolet Blazer. One of the biggest advantages that the Ford has is in terms of cargo space, but the Chevrolet performs very badly

2021 Ford Edge Vs. 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe

 The Santa Fe is more for the tech-savvy and the ones that need a very modern design language. While the Ford is not exactly a blast to drive, it is certainly better to drive, even with the Santa Fe offering faster acceleration. The Hyundai offers a lot of space in the interiors and also much better warranty terms.

2021 Ford Edge vs. 2021 Toyota RAV4

 The Toyota RAV4 is not the most equal contender that Ford has. To begin with, it is a much smaller car and hence offers compromised interior space as well as cargo capacity. But it has the second-highest power output in the category after the Ford and hence is a very competitive car. But if interior space is important to you, you have to pick the Ford.

 The Ford Edge has been a platform that the brand has milked for a while now. But even then, it remains impressive so many years on. It provides only a single powertrain option if you don’t include the ST trim but is a very competent one at that. It can definitely be improved in terms of its fit and finish as well as the fuel efficiency but it has a lot of strengths in terms of its interiors as well as its looks on the outside. Overall, it is a car we would still have in 2021.