2021 Subaru Forester vs 2020 Ford Edge

The 2020 Ford Edge, introduced in 2006, was based on the Ford Fusion sedan platform, offering a car-like ride and ample cabin space. The second generation, updated in 2019, carried over to 2020 with angular headlights and a large trapezoidal grille, giving it a crossover version of the Fusion look. Inside, the layout remained largely unchanged since 2015, with small climate and radio controls awkwardly arranged. The rotary shifter was a contemporary design cue, solving some space issues. The cabin quality was decent, with soft-touch materials and solid fit-and-finish, but the heavy use of hard plastics detracted from the overall feel.

The 2021 Subaru Forester, redesigned in 2019, retained a boxy, upright shape that appealed to SUV shoppers. The fifth-generation Forester featured distinctive cross-shaped taillights and a clean, unpretentious look. The Sport trim added orange striping, a rear spoiler, and black 18-inch alloy wheels, enhancing its appearance. The Forester shared the Subaru Global Platform with other models, providing a rugged SUV feel. Inside, the no-nonsense mix of materials was durable, with the Sport trim adding orange accents. The Forester offered cloth upholstery in Base, Premium, and Sport trims, while Limited and Touring trims featured leather upholstery and an All-Weather Package with heated front seats.

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 variant featured a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, delivering 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, with standard AWD. The ST had a bit of turbo lag at low speeds but excelled at higher revs, offering a sporty driving experience with heavy steering and excellent cornering. The ST also included a Sport mode and an optional Performance Brake Package.

The 2021 Subaru Forester was equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, mated to a CVT with manual mode and paddle shifters on certain trims. The engine's boxer configuration provided a lower center of gravity. Subaru quoted a 1,500-pound towing capacity with standard Trailer Stability Assist. The Forester's power felt adequate but lacked thrust for highway merging and overtaking. The suspension was softly sprung, resulting in poor body control and lots of body roll in corners. AWD was standard, with X-Mode and Dual X-Mode on Sport models, enhancing off-road capability. Hill-descent control and 8.7 inches of ground clearance were also standard.

The 2020 Ford Edge offered a spacious cabin with a commanding view of the road. The seats were surrounded by ample cubbies and compartments, designed for commuting or road trips. Second-row head- and legroom were plentiful, and the two rows provided were spacious and comfortable. The Edge offered 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 73.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The SEL and Titanium trims featured a hands-free foot-activated power rear liftgate.

The 2021 Subaru Forester provided above-average headroom and legroom in both rows, thanks to its tall, flat roof. The roofline allowed for excellent outward visibility and a roomy feeling. The Forester offered 35.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place, expanding to 76.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. It lacked a sliding second-row bench but offered a power liftgate on the Sport trim and standard on Limited and Touring trims. The Forester's cupholders were decently sized, but the phone-storage cubby was too small, and wireless charging was not available. A power-adjustable driver's seat was standard on the Premium trim and higher.

The 2020 Ford Edge featured the SYNC 3 infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and Amazon Alexa. The system was easy to use, with a row of icons at the bottom and a helpful home button. Navigation was optional on the SEL and ST trims and standard on the Titanium, with a five-year pre-paid subscription to SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link. The Edge also included two smart-charging USB ports and an optional dual rear-seat entertainment system.

The 2021 Subaru Forester came with the Subaru Starlink infotainment system, featuring a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, front-row USB ports, and a CD player. Sport models added an 8-inch touchscreen and Harman Kardon audio system, while Limited and Touring models included navigation and dual USB ports in the rear center console. The system was user-friendly, with well-designed graphics and backup analog controls. However, the screen was slow to boot up. The Forester also had a secondary screen in the center of the dashboard and a small screen in the instrument cluster, displaying secondary information.

The 2020 Ford Edge came standard with front and side-impact airbags, AdvanceTrac traction control with Roll Stability Control and Curve Control, a tire pressure monitoring system, and a child seat anchoring system. The Ford Co-Pilot360 safety system included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The SEL trim offered the Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package, adding 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.

The 2021 Subaru Forester received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” award from the IIHS, with top ratings in all crash tests and front-crash prevention tech. The NHTSA gave the Forester a five-star overall rating. The Forester came standard with EyeSight, a driver-assist system with adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lead-vehicle start alert. Subaru also offered a driver-monitoring system called DriverFocus. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and reverse automatic braking. EyeSight's adaptive cruise control and lane-centering functions performed adequately, but the latter's steering inputs felt jerky.