2020 Jeep Renegade vs 2021 Ford Edge

The 2020 Jeep Renegade was easily recognizable with its signature Jeep design elements, including round headlights, a 7-slot grille, and trapezoidal wheel arches. It offered a range of trim levels, from the base Sport to the off-road-ready Trailhawk, and special editions like the Jeepster and High Altitude. The High Altitude trim, which we tested, came with a price tag of $36,515, featuring extras like dark gray 19-inch wheels and a dual-pane panoramic glass roof. Despite its luxurious touches, the Renegade's interior was dominated by hard plastics, giving it an inexpensive feel.

In contrast, the 2021 Ford Edge maintained a clean and modern exterior design, thanks to a refresh in 2019. The Edge Titanium featured chrome accents, while the ST trim boasted a blacked-out grille and sporty body kit. Inside, the Edge's design showed its age, with awkward tweaks to accommodate new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium offered leather upholstery, and the ST had sporty seats with contrast stitching, but overall, the interior felt less fresh compared to its exterior.

The 2020 Jeep Renegade offered two engine options: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 180 horsepower and a turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder producing 177 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque. Our test vehicle featured the turbo engine, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. While the turbo engine provided energetic performance, it suffered from turbo lag and a transmission focused on fuel economy, leading to uneven power delivery. The Renegade's driving dynamics were more agreeable in urban settings, but highway driving was marred by a flinty ride and loud cabin.

The 2021 Ford Edge came with a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Edge ST performance model featured a 2.7-liter V6 with 335 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque, standard all-wheel drive, and model-specific suspension tuning. The Edge's towing capacity ranged from 3,958 to 4,525 pounds, depending on the model. While the Edge ST aimed to compete with performance SUVs, it fell short of the Porsche Macan but still offered a refined driving experience.

The 2020 Jeep Renegade's boxy design resulted in a spacious-feeling interior, with a distant windshield and vertical side glass. The panoramic glass roof added to the sense of openness. However, rear-seat space was cramped, and the Renegade lacked practical interior storage. Cargo volume was limited, with 18.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 50.8 cubic feet with them folded.

The 2021 Ford Edge excelled in interior space, offering the most rear-seat headroom among midsize crossovers and ample legroom. Cargo space was generous, with 39.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 73.4 cubic feet with them folded. The Edge featured a foot-activated power liftgate on higher trims, and its rotary shift knob aimed to free up console space, though the narrow console limited its effectiveness.

The 2020 Jeep Renegade impressed with its Uconnect infotainment system, featuring an 8.4-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The system was user-friendly, with logical menu layouts. The Renegade also offered a comprehensive driver information center and a parking assist system.

The 2021 Ford Edge was equipped with the latest Sync 4 infotainment system, featuring a 12-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The Edge ST included a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. The Sync 4 system was praised for its simple graphics and straightforward menus, making it easy for new users to navigate.

The 2020 Jeep Renegade offered a range of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. However, some features lacked refinement. The Renegade received a 4-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with a 3-star rating for rear-seat side-impact protection. The IIHS gave it commendable scores but did not award it a Top Safety Pick.

The 2021 Ford Edge earned a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS, with top ratings in crash tests and front crash prevention. It received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. The Edge came with standard safety features like blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency braking. Higher trims included adaptive cruise control and Evasive Steering Assist.