2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs 2021 Ford Edge

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, despite its decade-old design, maintained a timeless appeal. It showcased traditional Jeep styling cues like a 7-slot grille and trapezoidal fenders, presenting a balanced appearance suitable for both rugged trails and upscale settings. This versatility made it attractive to a diverse range of buyers. Prices for the Grand Cherokee started at $32,150 for the Laredo and went up to $52,495 for the Summit, with high-performance versions like the SRT and Trackhawk priced at $68,895 and $87,400, respectively. The tested Limited X model, priced at $53,275, featured a Slate Blue Pearl paint, a ventilated hood design, a sport-themed front bumper, and 20-inch aluminum wheels, giving it a mild-custom appearance.

In contrast, the 2021 Ford Edge retained much of its styling from the 2019 refresh, which successfully integrated the current Ford look with the existing Edge body shell. The Edge Titanium models featured extra chrome, while the ST trim had a blacked-out grille, standard 20-inch wheels, and a body kit. The interior, however, showed signs of aging, with design tweaks to accommodate new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium models offered leather upholstery, and the ST models had sporty front seats with added bolstering and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrast stitching.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee came standard with a 295-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 engine paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, providing satisfying acceleration and an EPA-rated 21 mpg in combined driving. However, the test vehicle achieved 19.4 mpg. For those seeking more power, three V8 engines were available: a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 in the SRT with 475 hp and 470 lb-ft, and a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 in the Trackhawk with 707 hp and 645 lb-ft, capable of 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. The Grand Cherokee offered various 4WD systems, with the Limited X featuring the Quadra-Trac II 4WD system. Despite its off-road capabilities, the Grand Cherokee's on-road dynamics were mixed, with impressive grip but excessive suspension movements and average steering and brakes.

The 2021 Ford Edge primarily used a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, producing 250 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and available in FWD or AWD. The Edge ST performance model featured an EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 with 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, standard AWD, and model-specific suspension tuning. The Edge ST also offered an option package with upgraded brakes and 21-inch wheels with summer tires. The Edge's towing capacities ranged from 3,958 pounds for the base FWD model to 4,525 pounds for the V6-powered Edge ST. While the Edge ST's performance was not on par with high-end SUVs like the Porsche Macan, it offered a sporty driving experience and impressive refinement for its class.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee offered seating for five and cargo space of 36.3 cubic feet behind the backseat, expanding to 68.3 cubic feet with the backseat folded. The front seats were heated and 8-way power-adjustable, but the Limited X lacked ventilated seats. The thick, leather-wrapped steering wheel and padded armrests added comfort. Rear passengers, including children, found the seats comfortable, with adequate legroom and rear air conditioning vents and USB ports. Interior storage included a handy tray in the center console and sizable door-panel bins, though the glovebox and center armrest bin were small.

The 2021 Ford Edge provided competitive interior space, with the most rear-seat headroom among two-row midsize crossovers and ample legroom in both rows. Cargo space measured 39.2 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 73.4 cubic feet with them folded. Higher trim levels offered a foot-activated power liftgate. The Edge's rotary shift knob freed up space on the center console, but the narrow console width limited the available space. A storage nook below the raised console was difficult to reach and easy to forget.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee featured the Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen, navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, SiriusXM satellite radio, and SiriusXM Guardian connected services. A 4G LTE WiFi data plan supported up to eight devices. The test vehicle had a 9-speaker Alpine premium sound system, with a 19-speaker Harman Kardon system available in higher trims. Unique to Jeep, the Uconnect system included Off-Road Pages for off-roading information and Performance Pages for performance metrics in the SRT and Trackhawk models.

The 2021 Ford Edge came with the latest Sync 4 infotainment system, featuring a 12-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The Edge ST models included a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. The Edge also had four USB ports, including two rear USB ports added for the 2021 model year. Sync 4's simple graphics and straightforward menu layouts made it user-friendly, and the wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a notable advantage.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee offered three collections of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). ProTech I, standard on all trims, included a reversing camera, parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. ProTech II added low-speed forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. Advanced ProTech II included full-speed forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, semi-autonomous parking assist, and rain-sensing wipers. Despite these features, the Grand Cherokee received a 4-star overall rating from the NHTSA and poor ratings from the IIHS in certain crash tests.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS "Top Safety Pick," with top ratings in all crash tests and a "Superior" rating for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention. It received an "Advanced" rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention and "Acceptable" ratings for LATCH ease of use and headlights, depending on the trim level. The NHTSA awarded the Edge a five-star overall safety rating. Standard safety features under the Ford Co-Pilot360 banner included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, post-collision braking, dynamic brake support, and rear parking sensors. Adaptive cruise control and Evasive Steering Assist were standard on all but the base SE trim.