2019 Ford Edge vs 2020 Jeep Compass

The 2019 Ford Edge received a facelift that included a new grille, headlights, and lower front fascia, giving it a sportier appearance. The rear also saw updates with new taillights and a larger black panel replacing the red connector between the taillights. However, the interior remained largely unchanged from previous models, feeling dated and heavily reliant on plastics. Despite the new rotary shifter, the cabin's overall look and feel were not modern.

The Edge offered a range of trims, including SE, SEL, Titanium, and ST, each with various standard and available features. The base SE came with 18-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, push-button start, and rain-sensing wipers. Higher trims added features like leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a premium sound system. The ST trim, in particular, included performance enhancements and unique styling touches, but at a higher price point.

The 2020 Jeep Compass, like the Grand Cherokee, was a handsome SUV with four core trim levels: Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk. Jeep offered various packages and special edition trim upgrades to enhance the lineup. Prices started at $22,280 for a Compass Sport with front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission, while the High Altitude upgrade for the Compass Limited with all-wheel drive was priced from $32,645.

Our test vehicle, a 2020 Compass Limited with all-wheel drive, was loaded with options, including a power panoramic sunroof, navigation system, premium sound system, and more, totaling $39,755. Despite the high price, Jeep often offered discounts on the Compass. The interior featured soft-touch surfaces, premium leather, and sophisticated technology, but also had some low-rent plastic pieces and flimsy parts that detracted from the overall experience.

The 2019 Ford Edge featured a 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine in all non-ST trims, producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, provided reliable performance with either front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive. The ST trim, however, boasted a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine with 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, exclusively paired with all-wheel drive. The ST offered impressive acceleration and handling, especially in Sport Mode, while maintaining a smooth ride over rough roads. Fuel economy for the base engine was 22 mpg city, 29 highway, and 25 combined, while the ST achieved 19/26/21 mpg.

The 2020 Jeep Compass was powered by a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, known as the Tigershark, producing 180 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. Unfortunately, this engine was loud, slow, and thirsty, with sluggish acceleration and poor passing power. The nine-speed automatic transmission often shifted harshly and resisted downshifts, further detracting from the driving experience. The test vehicle averaged 23.1 mpg, falling short of the EPA rating of 25 mpg combined. The Compass's suspension controlled body roll but allowed too much vertical motion and impact harshness. The steering was heavy and vague, and the brake pedal was overly sensitive. However, the Compass excelled in off-road capability, especially in Trailhawk trim, with features like added ground clearance and an Active Drive Low AWD system.

The 2019 Ford Edge's cabin, though dated, was practical with deep storage bins, USB ports, and available wireless charging. The front seats were comfortable, but the ST's bucket seats were not suitable for tall drivers. The rear seats were spacious, providing ample head- and legroom, and the cargo space was generous with 39 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 73.4 cubic feet with the seats folded down.

The 2020 Jeep Compass offered a new Luxury Seat Group with premium leather, ventilated front seats, and a power-adjustable front passenger seat. The back seat was roomy, with air conditioning vents, a USB charging port, and a 115-volt power outlet. Cargo space was 27.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 59.8 cubic feet with the seats folded down. However, the optional spare tire and subwoofer housing reduced luggage space, and the cabin had limited storage and awkwardly positioned cupholders.

The 2019 Ford Edge's base infotainment system featured a small 4.2-inch non-touchscreen with basic functionality, including a USB port, WiFi hotspot, streaming music, Bluetooth, and voice recognition. Higher trims offered an 8-inch Sync 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration, providing a more user-friendly experience despite middling graphics.

The 2020 Jeep Compass came with an excellent Uconnect infotainment system, featuring an 8.4-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and 4G LTE WiFi connectivity. The system also supported SiriusXM Guardian connected services, navigation, and an Alpine premium audio system. Uconnect was intuitive and easy to use, though some features were buried in menus. The voice recognition system worked well for most commands, but navigation required specific prompts.

The 2019 Ford Edge included standard safety features like a reversing camera, traction control, and a full complement of airbags. Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite of driver-assistance features was also standard, offering automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic high-beams, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims could be upgraded with the Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package, adding adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, and lane-centering.

The 2020 Jeep Compass offered optional driving assistance and collision avoidance technology, available in the Safety and Security Group and the Advanced Safety Group. Our test vehicle included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic warning. These systems performed adequately, though the adaptive cruise control overreacted to traffic changes, and the lane-keeping assist could be overly insistent. The Compass received Good ratings in most IIHS crash tests but had mixed ratings from NHTSA.