2021 Honda HR-V vs 2021 Ford Edge

The 2021 Ford Edge retained much of its styling from the 2019 refresh, which successfully aligned its exterior with Ford's more recent designs. This refresh gave the Edge a cleaner look compared to the more elaborate styling of competitors like the Chevy Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Edge Titanium models featured additional chrome accents, while the Edge ST trim boasted a blacked-out grille, standard 20-inch wheels, and a body kit. The ST-Line offered the same exterior styling as the ST but without the performance upgrades and higher price tag. However, the interior of the Edge began to show its age, with a design that seemed less fresh and awkwardly modified to fit new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium models included leather upholstery, and the ST models had sporty front seats with added bolstering and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrast stitching.

In contrast, the 2021 Honda HR-V had a softer, friendlier appearance compared to Honda's larger SUVs like the CR-V, Passport, and Pilot, which had more traditional SUV looks. The HR-V's distinctive styling included upper and lower window lines that converged near the taillights, housing the rear door handles. Most trim levels came with 17-inch alloy wheels, with a machined finish on the HR-V EX and EX-L, while Sport models featured matte-black 18-inch wheels and blacked-out trim. Fog lights were standard on all but the base LX trim level. The interior of the HR-V was plain but functional, with good material quality and fit and finish. EX and EX-L models included push-button start, automatic climate control, a moonroof, and heated front seats, with EX-L models also offering leather upholstery.

The 2021 Ford Edge offered a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, producing 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine was available with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The Edge ST performance model featured an EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 engine, delivering 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque on 93-octane fuel, with standard AWD, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and model-specific suspension tuning. An option package added upgraded brakes and 21-inch wheels with summer tires. The Edge ST, introduced in 2019, aimed to compete with performance SUVs like the Porsche Macan, though it fell short of that comparison. The Edge was refined for its age, but the turbo-four engine in non-ST models felt sluggish. Towing capacities were 3,958 pounds for the base FWD four-cylinder Edge, 4,122 pounds for four-cylinder AWD models, and 4,525 pounds for the V6-powered Edge ST.

The 2021 Honda HR-V was powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 141 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque, connected to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with paddle shifters on higher trim levels. AWD was available on all trim levels, with FWD as standard. The HR-V's powertrain remained unchanged from previous models, resulting in underwhelming highway performance and an ineffective CVT. Competitors like the Kia Seltos and Subaru Crosstrek offered more powerful engine options. However, the HR-V's chassis provided a rewarding driving experience on twisty roads, living up to Honda's reputation for fun cars, with decent ride quality. The HR-V's AWD system was suitable for slippery roads but not rough terrain, and it was not rated for towing.

The 2021 Ford Edge remained competitive in interior space, offering the most rear-seat headroom among two-row midsize crossovers and ample legroom in both rows, second only to the Hyundai Santa Fe. Dual-zone automatic climate control was standard. Cargo space was 39.2 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 73.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, trailing only the Honda Passport and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. A foot-activated power liftgate was available on higher trims. The rotary shift knob freed up some center console space, but the narrow console width limited its usefulness. The raised console provided a storage nook below, though it was difficult to reach and easy to forget items placed there.

The 2021 Honda HR-V excelled in cargo space for its size, thanks to the "Magic Seat" 60/40 split-folding rear bench seat from the Fit. Folding the seat down provided 58.8 cubic feet of cargo space (57.6 for AWD models), while leaving it up offered 24.3 cubic feet (23.2 cubic feet with AWD). These figures surpassed competitors like the Chevrolet Trax, Hyundai Kona, and Subaru Crosstrek, though the Kia Seltos and 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross offered more cargo space. The HR-V was second only to the Subaru Crosstrek in overall passenger space, with leading rear-seat legroom but average front-seat legroom and headroom. The HR-V's interior lacked clever storage solutions but featured sensibly-designed controls, including large climate control knobs and an audio volume knob. The narrow center console was dominated by a large shift lever, which was simpler and easier to use than buttons or a rotary knob. A standard tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel made finding the perfect driving position easier.

The 2021 Ford Edge featured the latest Sync 4 infotainment system, with standard wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a 12-inch touchscreen. Standard tech included Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L satellite radio (with a three-month free trial), and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Edge ST models also had a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. The Edge included four USB ports, with two rear USB ports (one USB-C) added for 2021. Sync 4's simple graphics and straightforward menu layouts were user-friendly, and not all competitors offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 2021 Honda HR-V's base LX trim came with standard Bluetooth, a 5-inch display screen, and a four-speaker audio system. The Sport trim and higher levels featured a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while EX and EX-L models added SiriusXM satellite radio (with a free trial). The HR-V's infotainment system was plain but functional, with no navigation issues in past experiences. Two USB ports (one for charging, one for connectivity) were located in a cubbyhole ahead of the shifter. However, the 7-inch touchscreen was small compared to competitors, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were not standard across all trims, requiring an upgrade from the base LX trim.

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

The 2021 Honda HR-V received top "Good" scores in all IIHS crash tests and a "Superior" rating for its optional front-crash prevention tech, but "Marginal" and "Poor" headlight ratings depending on trim level and an "Acceptable" rating for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA gave the HR-V a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in side crash testing and four stars in frontal and rollover crash testing. Honda Sensing safety features were available only on the EX and EX-L trim levels, including forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, Road Departure Mitigation, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and Honda's LaneWatch. The rearview camera was upgraded with dynamic gridlines on higher trims.