2021 Lincoln Navigator vs 2021 Ford Edge

The 2021 Ford Edge retained much of its styling from the 2019 refresh, which successfully modernized its exterior. This refresh harmonized the Edge's look with Ford's contemporary design language, making it a cleaner-looking alternative 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 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 enhancements and higher price tag.

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

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator, in contrast, stood out with its elegance and understatement, despite its massive size. Unlike past models that resembled dressed-up Ford Expeditions, the current Navigator shared only its side glass and overall footprint with the Expedition. The Navigator's design, including its rectilinear shapes, body-color grille, and full-width taillight assembly, exuded class. The Pristine White model with a white-painted grille, black wheels, and illuminated Lincoln logo was particularly striking during winter tests.

Inside, the Navigator impressed with seven color palettes and refined details like layered wood trim and a floating center console. Materials were high-quality, and panel gaps were tight. The Black Label trims elevated the luxury with more textures and softer leather. The Perfect Position seats, adjustable in 30 ways, added to the comfort, making the Navigator's interior one of the best in its class.

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. It came standard with front-wheel drive (FWD) and had an 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. An optional package included 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 some enthusiasts were skeptical. While the Porsche comparison seemed ambitious, the Edge ST offered a decent driving experience, especially given its aging platform. The non-ST models' turbo-four engine felt somewhat sluggish. Towing capacities were respectable, with the base FWD four-cylinder Edge towing up to 3,958 pounds, AWD models up to 4,122 pounds, and the V6-powered Edge ST up to 4,525 pounds.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator featured a powerful twin-turbo V6 engine from the Ford Raptor, producing 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, made the Navigator feel surprisingly agile for its size. It offered both rear-wheel drive (RWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) options, with the 4WD system providing smooth transitions between RWD and 4WD High. The Navigator's towing capacity was impressive, at 8,300 pounds for 4WD models and 8,700 pounds for RWD models.

Fuel economy was poor, averaging in the teens, aligning with the EPA-estimated 17-mpg combined rating. The Navigator's adaptive dampers provided a decent ride, though not as refined as the Cadillac Escalade's magnetic shocks and air springs. The steering and brakes felt less precise compared to the Escalade, but the Navigator's low-end thrust and quiet cabin made it a comfortable highway cruiser. Paddle shifters added a touch of sportiness with quick reactions and rev-matched downshifts.

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 generous, with 39.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 73.4 cubic feet with the seats folded, trailing only the Honda Passport and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. Higher trims offered a foot-activated power liftgate.

The Edge's rotary shift knob aimed to free up center console space, but the narrow console width limited its effectiveness. A storage nook below the raised console was available but difficult to reach, making it easy to forget items placed there.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator offered vast interior space, accommodating six adults comfortably. It was technically a seven-passenger SUV, but the third row's middle seat was best suited for children. The second row featured standard manually-reclining and tilting captain's chairs, with an optional bench for eight-passenger capacity. Cargo space was ample, with 19 cubic feet behind the third row, 57 cubic feet behind the second, and 103 cubic feet in total. The long-wheelbase Navigator L provided even more storage.

The Navigator Reserve model included heated rear second-row seats and a three-zone climate system. The second row had an optional console with integrated climate and stereo controls, though it lacked side window shades. The front seats were highly adjustable and comfortable, with numerous settings for thigh extensions, bolsters, backrests, headrests, lumbar support, and massage programs. The large windows and high driving position offered excellent visibility, though parking was challenging due to the vehicle's size.

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. Four USB ports, including two rear USB ports (one USB-C), were available. 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 Lincoln Navigator's 10-inch touchscreen felt small compared to newer systems like the Escalade's multi-piece, curved LEDs. The Navigator's instrument panel couldn't display full-screen maps or different designs, and the cameras were low-resolution. The infotainment system lacked wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The 20-speaker Revel Ultima stereo was good but not exceptional.

Despite these limitations, the Navigator's software was intuitive, sharing its basic interface with Ford models but with a unique Lincoln skin. Voice recognition was fast and accurate, though there were no onboard apps or wireless software updates through the vehicle's modem. The Navigator included onboard 4G WiFi, wireless device charging, a smartwatch app, and the ability to use a smartphone as the vehicle's ignition key. Lincoln's remote app functions were included for five years, with SiriusXM traffic data for six years. The rear entertainment system featured Roku media streaming and various USB, HDMI, and wireless connections. Drive mode changes triggered beautiful animations on the instrument panel, and the overall simplicity of the Lincoln's tech was a relief compared to more complex systems.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS "Top Safety Pick," earning top "Good" 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, an "Acceptable" rating for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use, and "Acceptable" and "Poor" headlight ratings, depending on the 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 tests.

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 (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 Lincoln Navigator received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in every test except for rollover resistance (four stars for 4WD models, three stars for RWD models). The IIHS had not rated the Navigator in its current generation. The Navigator did not offer knee airbags but had optional inflatable rear seat belts for the second row, a rare safety feature aimed at reducing chest injuries.

Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and auto high beams. Adaptive cruise control was optional, though the Navigator's self-steering and lane-tracking capabilities were not as advanced as some competitors.