Hyundai Santa Fe vs Ford Edge

The 2021 Ford Edge maintained a consistent styling since its 2019 refresh, which aligned its exterior with Ford's more recent designs. This refresh was well-received, offering a cleaner look compared to the more elaborate styling of competitors like the Chevy Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Edge Titanium models featured additional chrome accents, while the ST trim boasted a blacked-out grille, 20-inch wheels, and a body kit. The ST-Line offered similar styling without the performance enhancements. Inside, the Edge's design began to show its age, with awkward tweaks to accommodate new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium models included leather upholstery, and the ST models had sporty front seats with contrast stitching.

In contrast, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe's new XRT treatment did not impress, lacking convincing off-road enhancements like a suspension lift or aggressive tires. The XRT trim, priced between the SE/SEL and the turbocharged Limited/Calligraphy trims, included features from the SEL and its Convenience Package, with options for FWD or AWD. The test vehicle, in Portofino Gray with a black cloth interior, offered little visual contrast. Despite this, the interior's thoughtful design and quality were commendable for the price. The XRT's cabin was comfortable, with patterns and brightwork enhancing the experience, though it lacked the upscale feel of higher trims.

The 2021 Ford Edge primarily featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered standard FWD and optional AWD. The Edge ST model, however, came with a more powerful EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6, producing 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, standard AWD, and model-specific suspension tuning. The Edge ST's performance was compared to SUVs like the Porsche Macan, though this was seen as a stretch. The Edge's towing capacities ranged from 3,958 pounds for the base FWD model to 4,525 pounds for the V6-powered ST.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT was equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. While not particularly fast, it was adequate for freeway speeds and cruising. For more power, the Limited and Calligraphy trims offered a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine with 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. The XRT's eight-speed automatic transmission performed well, with driving modes like Comfort, Smart, Sport, and Snow. The test vehicle averaged 22.3 mpg, slightly below the EPA rating of 24 mpg. The Santa Fe's ride and handling were composed and refined, with excellent suspension isolation and quiet highway performance.

The 2021 Ford Edge offered competitive interior space, with the most rear-seat headroom among two-row midsize crossovers and ample legroom. Cargo space was 39.2 cubic feet with rear seats up and 73.4 cubic feet with them folded, trailing only the Honda Passport and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. A foot-activated power liftgate was available on higher trims. The center console featured a rotary shift knob, but space was average due to its narrow width.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT included dual-zone automatic climate control with a Clean Air ionizer and rear air conditioning vents. The driver's seat was eight-way power-adjustable and heated, though the front passenger seat lacked height adjustment. The rear seats offered excellent accommodations, with ample legroom and features like rear side-window shades. Cargo space was 36.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 72.1 cubic feet with them folded. The Smart Tailgate feature allowed hands-free opening but could be overly sensitive.

The 2021 Ford Edge featured the Sync 4 infotainment system with a 12-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The Edge ST included a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. The system's graphics and menu layouts were user-friendly, and the Edge offered four USB ports, including two rear USB ports.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT had a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, satellite radio, and Bluelink services. The system was simple to use, with large knobs and clean graphics. The XRT lacked the larger touchscreen and premium sound system available on higher trims but included digital key technology for Android devices and a Leading Vehicle Departure Alert system.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS "Top Safety Pick," with top ratings in crash tests and front crash prevention tech. It received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, and more. Adaptive cruise control and Evasive Steering Assist were standard on all but the base trim.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT came with Hyundai SmartSense safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. The Junction Turning Detection system and Safe Exit Assist were also standard. The Santa Fe earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and five-star ratings from the NHTSA, except for a four-star rollover score.