2021 Kia Sorento vs 2021 Ford Edge

The 2021 Ford Edge retained much of its styling from the 2019 refresh, which successfully modernized its exterior. This refresh integrated the current Ford design language with the existing Edge body, resulting in a cleaner look compared to the more elaborate designs of competitors like the Chevy Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Edge Titanium models featured additional chrome accents, while the ST trim boasted a blacked-out grille, 20-inch wheels, and a body kit. The ST-Line offered the same exterior styling as the ST but without the performance enhancements.

Inside, the Edge's age was more apparent. The interior design felt less fresh and had been awkwardly modified over the years to fit new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium models came with leather upholstery, and the ST models had sporty front seats with extra bolstering and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrast stitching.

The 2021 Kia Sorento marked a significant departure from its previous jelly-bean-inspired design, adopting a more athletic and muscular silhouette. The SX Prestige trim with the X-Line package added roof rails and a shark fin antenna, enhancing its rugged look. The front featured an expanded tiger-nose grille with a noticeable curve, and the headlights were accented by running lights. A silver accent between the front fender and the door added visual interest, and the overall design leaned into the current SUV styling trends without being overly macho.

At the rear, the Sorento's taillights were vertical rectangles, offering a cohesive look. The interior was packed with high-value features, including heated outside mirrors, second-row air vents, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and keyless entry. The higher trims offered more advanced features like 10-way driver’s seat adjustment with power lumbar support and heated seats, while the SX Prestige with the X-Line package included ventilated seats and real perforated leather upholstery.

The 2021 Ford Edge came with 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. It offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and 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 and model-specific suspension tuning. The ST also had an option package with upgraded brakes and 21-inch wheels with summer tires.

The Edge ST aimed to compete with performance SUVs like the Porsche Macan, though it fell short of that benchmark. Nonetheless, it provided a refined driving experience, especially for a vehicle on an aging platform. The base FWD four-cylinder Edge had a maximum towing capacity of 3,958 pounds, while the AWD models could tow up to 4,122 pounds, and the V6-powered Edge ST could tow 4,525 pounds.

The 2021 Kia Sorento offered a range of powertrains, with the most common being a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and available in FWD or AWD. However, the test car featured a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) with a wet clutch to AWD. This setup provided ample power for merging, cruising, and passing.

Kia also offered a hybrid version with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and electric motor, available only in FWD. The AWD system in the test car included torque vectoring and a center-locking differential for better traction. The X-Line package added 1.3 inches of ride height, 20-inch alloy wheels, and a roof rack. The suspension setup provided a smooth ride, and the various drive modes significantly impacted performance, with Sport mode offering the best throttle response.

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. It featured dual-zone automatic climate control as standard. Cargo space was 39.2 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 73.4 cubic feet with them 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 utility.

The 2021 Kia Sorento, a three-row SUV, was best considered a four-seater in its top trims due to the tight third row. The second-row captain's chairs were comfortable, and the front and rear seats offered ample legroom at 41.4 inches and 41.7 inches, respectively. Cargo space behind the third row was limited to 12.6 cubic feet, but folding the seats increased total cargo volume to 75.5 cubic feet, comparable to compact crossovers like the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4. The interior featured convenient storage options, including a phone spot with an optional wireless charger, cupholders, and a center console bucket.

The 2021 Ford Edge featured the latest Sync 4 infotainment system with 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 vehicle 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 not all competitors offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 2021 Kia Sorento's tech included an 8-inch touchscreen with hard buttons, volume and tuning knobs, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the LX, S, and EX trims. The SX and SX Prestige trims featured a 10.25-inch screen with haptic touch buttons and knobs, but required a physical connection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The larger screen's right third displayed redundant information, reducing its effective size. The Sorento had plenty of USB ports but no USB-C ports. The optional Bose stereo system was adequate but not exceptional. The navigation system needed improvement, particularly in voice search and Point-of-Interest functions.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS “Top Safety Pick,” scoring top ratings in all crash tests and front crash prevention tech in vehicle-to-vehicle situations. It received lower ratings for vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention, LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use, and headlights. 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 tests. Standard safety features 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.

The 2021 Kia Sorento came with a comprehensive array of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, driver-attention warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, lane-following assist, and auto high beams. The test car also had a surround-view camera and adaptive cruise control, which worked smoothly. The lane-keeping assist system occasionally made excessive corrections. The NHTSA awarded the Sorento four out of five stars overall and in frontal-impact crash tests and rollover, and five stars in side-impact crash tests. The IIHS awarded a Top Safety Pick designation, with the SX trim levels receiving top ratings for their LED headlights, while the lower trims received poor ratings for their LED reflector headlights.