2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar vs 2021 Ford Edge

The original Land Rover Range Rover revolutionized the SUV game by combining off-road capability with a modicum of civility. Land Rover is now trying to milk that success by creating a “family” of Range Rover models, including some with more car-like styling and character.

That’s where the Land Rover Range Rover Velar comes in. Launched for the 2018 model year, it sits above the Range Rover Evoque, but below the Range Rover Sport, in size and price (the traditional Range Rover remains the brand’s flagship). Land Rover chose the Velar name as a nod to the original 1969 Range Rover prototypes, which were badged Velar to hide their origin.

The main change for the 2020 model year is the addition of an SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition to the lineup. It’s a one-year-only special that packs a V8 engine instead of the usual V6 or turbo-four. This is the version we tested as, aside from what’s under the hood, it is representative of other Velar models.

The Ford Edge proves that trends run in cycles. Launched in the early 2000s, the original Edge was one of the first midsize crossover SUVs, sporting car-like styling that sharply contrasted the more traditional-looking Ford Explorer of the time. However, new-car buyers realized they liked the roominess of three-row SUVs like the Explorer more, and interest in the two-row Edge waned.

Now, however, car shoppers are once again eyeing two-row midsize SUVs, this time as an alternative to sedans. The Edge is now part of a growing market segment that includes the Chevrolet Blazer, Honda Passport, Hyundai Santa Fe, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan Murano, and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

Yet while market dynamics have changed, the Edge hasn’t. The current second-generation Edge dates back to the 2015 model year, and even a substantial update undertaken for the 2019 model year is quickly receding in the rearview mirror. The Edge now sits between the much newer Explorer and Ford Escape in the automaker's SUV-heavy lineup.

Aside from some new tech features, the 2021 Ford Edge doesn’t get many significant changes, so we can evaluate it based on our experience with previous model years. As with the 2020 model year, trim levels include SE, SEL, ST-Line, Titanium, and ST.