2021 Ford Edge vs 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2021 Ford Edge maintained its appealing styling from the 2019 refresh, which aligned it with modern Ford designs. This refresh integrated well with the Edge's existing body shell, creating a cleaner look compared to the more aggressively styled Chevy Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Titanium trim added chrome accents to highlight its premium status, while the ST trim featured a blacked-out grille, standard 20-inch wheels, and a sporty body kit. The Edge ST-Line combined the exterior style of the ST without the added performance features and cost. Inside, however, the Edge began to show its age. The interior design struggled to keep up with the refined exterior, with adjustments made over the years to fit new features like a larger touchscreen sometimes appearing awkward. Despite this, the Titanium models provided leather upholstery, and the ST models added sporty seats with enhanced bolstering and contrast-stitched leather-wrapped steering wheels. Meanwhile, the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was praised for its clean lines and balanced proportions. Though some might have found its styling understated or even dull, many appreciated its conservative and timeless aesthetic. The second-generation Tiguan corrected the first-generation’s size issues with a larger interior, almost as spacious as the Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento. The Tiguan's interior benefited from its upsized body, offering ample room for four adults, with an optional third row expanding capacity to seven (though the third row was tight, suitable mainly for children). The German approach to interior design was evident in its purposeful, no-nonsense layout, with the peculiar exception of the engine start button positioned on the center console. Shiny detailing and digital instrumentation provided a modern touch, but the Tiguan fell short of luxury expectations due to excessive hard plastic and flimsy steering wheel stalks.

The 2021 Ford Edge offered a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. This engine came with an eight-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive standard, and optional all-wheel drive. For those seeking more performance, the Edge ST featured a 2.7-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6, producing 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, only with standard all-wheel drive and model-specific suspension tuning. The Edge ST surprised many upon its release, as enthusiasts were skeptical of the ST badge on an SUV. Although Ford's comparison to the Porsche Macan seemed optimistic, the Edge ST offered a sporty yet refined driving experience, especially for a vehicle based on an older platform. The turbo-four in non-ST models, however, often felt sluggish. Towing capacities varied: 3,958 pounds for the FWD four-cylinder, 4,122 pounds for AWD four-cylinder, and 4,525 pounds for the V6-powered ST, respectable but outclassed by some competitors. The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan, on the other hand, utilized a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired exclusively with an eight-speed automatic transmission, defaulted to front-wheel drive, with the 4Motion AWD system as an optional upgrade (standard in the SEL Premium R-Line). While adequate, the Tiguan's engine experienced turbo lag, sometimes making acceleration delayed. The nearly 4,000-pound curb weight also contributed to a sense of lethargy during high-demand situations. The EPA rated the Tiguan at 25 mpg combined with FWD, and 24 mpg with AWD, though real-world testing showed slightly lower results. The Tiguan excelled in urban and suburban driving, thanks to its light yet responsive steering, comfortable ride, and nimble handling, though it struggled over sharp bumps and tight corners.

The 2021 Ford Edge stood out for its interior space, particularly with the most rear-seat headroom among two-row midsize crossovers. It offered excellent legroom in both rows, behind only the Hyundai Santa Fe, and came standard with dual-zone automatic climate control. Cargo space was generous at 39.2 cubic feet with the rear seats up and expanding to 73.4 cubic feet with them folded, trailing only the Honda Passport and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. A foot-activated power liftgate added convenience in higher trims. The center console's rotary shift knob aimed to free up space, but the narrow console still limited storage, despite a below-console nook that was hard to reach and easy to forget. In contrast, the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan emphasized comfort, with large doors and high seating making entry and exit easy. Front seats provided ample adjustments and visibility, with VW’s V-Tex leatherette offering a convincing imitation of real leather. Dual-zone climate control was effective, and rear seats offered excellent support, legroom, and foot space. The optional third row was tight but usable for children. Volkswagen provided practical storage solutions, though they were limited. The cargo space ranged from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row, with the three-row model offering the smaller number, expanding to a maximum of 73.5 cubic feet. Practical touches included levers to fold the rear seats and deep wells for carrying items like milk jugs securely.

Ford kept the 2021 Edge current with its Sync 4 infotainment system, featuring a 12-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The ST models added a Bang & Olufsen 12-speaker audio system. With four USB ports (including two added rear ports), the Edge ensured connectivity, though Sync 4's usability hadn't been tested in the Edge, other Ford experiences indicated a user-friendly interface. For the Tiguan, Volkswagen introduced the MIB3 platform starting with the SE trim. This 8-inch touchscreen system improved processing speeds and offered features like wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, WiFi, SiriusXM 360L, Alexa compatibility, and extensive Car-Net connected services. However, the MIB3's user interface presented quirks, and the basic six-speaker system was subpar, unable to handle some music without distorting. In contrast, the nine-speaker Fender premium audio in the SEL Premium R-Line was much better. Both SEL trims featured Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation, which was simple yet effective.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS "Top Safety Pick," with top ratings in crash tests and front crash prevention for vehicles but slightly lower for pedestrian detection and LATCH ease of use. The NHTSA awarded the Edge five stars overall, with five-star frontal and side crash ratings, and four stars for rollover resistance. Standard safety features under Ford Co-Pilot360 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 with stop-and-go and lane centering, and Evasive Steering Assist were standard on all but base trims. The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan also earned high safety marks, with the IIHS rating it a "Top Safety Pick" in the SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims thanks to high-performing LED headlights. The NHTSA hadn’t published complete results. IQ Drive provided standard safety features like forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims included adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist. The Tiguan's systems showed mixed effectiveness, with some inconsistencies and an occasionally overzealous automatic braking system.