2019 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2020 Ford Edge

The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe marked a significant shift in Hyundai's design philosophy, moving away from conservative styling to embrace a bold, futuristic exterior. This new design direction was evident in the Santa Fe's daring look, which featured an upper LED strip for daytime running lights and mid-level clusters for the main headlight assemblies, reminiscent of the Jeep Cherokee but executed more effectively. Inside, the Santa Fe combined modern aesthetics with practical functionality, offering deep compartments in the doors and center console. The cabin had a crisp, modern feel with earthy tones, unique speaker patterns, and a textured headliner that added to its organic ambiance.

In contrast, the 2020 Ford Edge, which received a styling update in 2019, maintained a design that mirrored the Ford Fusion sedan with angular headlights and a large trapezoidal grille. The interior layout, largely unchanged since 2015, featured small climate and radio controls arranged awkwardly on the center console. Despite the use of soft-touch materials and solid fit-and-finish, the heavy use of hard plastics detracted from the overall cabin quality. The Edge's cabin was spacious, with plenty of cubbies and compartments, designed for comfort and practicality, especially for American drivers.

The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe offered two engine options. The base 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine produced 185 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, while the turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine available in the Limited and Ultimate trims delivered 235 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, with power sent to the front wheels or available all-wheel drive (AWD). The base engine was noted for its sluggish performance, whereas the 2.0T provided strong acceleration and better driving dynamics. The Santa Fe had a drive mode selector with Sport, Comfort, and Smart settings, and the AWD variant featured a locking differential for improved traction in challenging conditions. Fuel efficiency for the most economical FWD version with the 2.4-liter engine was 22 mpg city, 29 highway, and 25 combined.

The 2020 Ford Edge came standard with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine provided solid low-end acceleration but struggled at higher speeds. The Edge ST, the performance variant, featured a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine with 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, standard AWD, and sportier styling. The ST offered a more engaging driving experience with heavy steering and excellent cornering capabilities. The Edge's suspension was designed to handle American roads, providing a smooth ride while maintaining a level of engagement for the driver.

The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe offered 71 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, which was less than some compact crossovers like the Honda CR-V. With the rear seats up, the cargo space was 35.9 cubic feet. The Santa Fe featured a hands-free power liftgate and multiple clever storage solutions, including compartments in the rear, bins in the doors, and deep center console bins.

The 2020 Ford Edge provided 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 73.4 cubic feet with the 60/40 split-fold rear seats down. This was more than the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Nissan Murano but slightly less than the Honda Passport. The Edge's cabin layout offered a commanding view of the road, with plenty of cubbies and compartments for storage. The second-row seats provided ample head- and legroom, ensuring comfort without needing to adjust the front seats.

The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a "floating" touchscreen infotainment system with hard buttons and dials for ease of use. The base SE trim included Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port, and a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims added satellite radio, HD Radio, Hyundai’s BlueLink infotainment system with Alexa integration, and an 8-inch touchscreen in the Ultimate trim. The Ultimate also featured a head-up display, wireless charging pad, rear USB ports, and a wall-style power outlet.

The 2020 Ford Edge came standard with Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system, which included an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The system was user-friendly, with a row of icons at the bottom and a home button for easy navigation. Optional features included a voice-activated navigation system with real-time traffic updates, available on the SEL and ST trims and standard on the Titanium. The Edge also offered a semi-digital instrument panel and an optional dual rear-seat entertainment system.

The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe came standard with a full array of front- and side-impact airbags, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system. Hyundai’s Smart Sense suite included forward-collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. The Safe Exit Assist System prevented the rear doors from opening if a car was approaching from behind, enhancing safety for rear passengers.

The 2020 Ford Edge also featured a full array of front and side-impact airbags, AdvanceTrac traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Ford Co-Pilot360 safety system, standard on all trims, included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and blind-spot monitoring. The SEL trim offered the Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package, which added adaptive cruise control and active lane centering. The Edge received a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.