2021 Honda Odyssey vs 2021 Ford Edge

The 2021 Honda Odyssey had a familiar look that was subtly updated for the new model year. It featured a new grille and front bumper, standard LED headlights with automatic high-beam operation across all trims, and a new gloss black spear with a chrome insert stretching the width of the taillights. New wheel designs were introduced for the top three trim levels, modernizing the Odyssey by reducing brightwork. Buyers could choose from five trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring, and Elite, with base prices ranging from $31,790 to $47,820, excluding destination charges. The test vehicle, a Lunar Silver Metallic Elite trim, was priced at $48,940, including the $1,120 destination charge. The Elite trim added perforated leather upholstery with contrast stitching and piping, new dashboard ambient lighting, and tri-color floor mats, enhancing the upscale look and feel.

The 2021 Ford Edge's styling had remained largely unchanged since its 2019 refresh, which successfully integrated the current Ford look with the existing Edge body shell. The Edge Titanium models featured extra chrome, while the Edge ST trim had a blacked-out grille, standard 20-inch wheels, and a body kit. The interior, however, showed its age, with a design that had been awkwardly tweaked over the years to accommodate new features like a larger touchscreen. Titanium models came with leather upholstery, while ST models had sporty front seats with added bolstering and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, both with contrast stitching.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine and a ten-speed automatic transmission, producing 280 horsepower. The transmission included Normal, Sport, Econ, and Snow driving modes, as well as paddle shifters. The V6 engine featured variable cylinder management for fuel efficiency, with an EPA rating of 22 mpg in combined driving. During testing, it averaged 21.8 mpg. The Odyssey lacked all-wheel drive (AWD), which was a disadvantage compared to competitors offering AWD. However, it had a new electronic brake booster for improved brake pedal feel and response, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. The Odyssey's ride and handling were enjoyable, with perfectly weighted steering and firm but comfortable ride quality. However, the brakes showed signs of fade during heavy use, indicating a need for a braking component upgrade.

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 was available with front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional AWD. The Edge ST performance model featured an EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 engine, producing 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque on 93-octane fuel, with standard AWD and model-specific suspension tuning. The Edge ST also had an option package with upgraded brakes and 21-inch wheels with summer tires. The Edge's towing capacities ranged from 3,958 pounds for the base FWD model to 4,525 pounds for the V6-powered Edge ST. While the Edge ST was not quite on par with performance SUVs like the Porsche Macan, it offered a sporty driving experience and impressive refinement for its age.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey offered legible instrumentation, logical controls, and ample storage. However, it lacked a tuning knob for the stereo, and the transmission gear buttons could be confusing. The driver’s seat was comfortable with a 12-way power adjustment, and the Elite trim added a heated steering wheel and heated and ventilated front seats. The second-row Magic Slide seats provided versatile seating configurations, and the third-row seats were spacious. Cargo space was generous, with 32.8 cubic feet behind the third row, 88.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 144.9 cubic feet with all seats removed. However, removing the second-row seats was cumbersome.

The 2021 Ford Edge remained competitive in interior space, offering the most rear-seat headroom among two-row midsize crossovers and ample legroom. It had 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 73.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Higher trim levels featured a foot-activated power liftgate. The rotary shift knob freed up space on the center console, but the narrow console width limited its usefulness. The raised console provided additional storage below, but it was difficult to reach and easy to forget items placed there.

Starting with the EX trim, the 2021 Honda Odyssey featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, HD Radio, text-messaging support, basic HondaLink connectivity, and a Cabin Control smartphone app. Touring trim added navigation, HondaLink subscription services, WiFi capability, a CabinWatch interior camera, and a CabinTalk PA system. Elite trim included an 11-speaker premium sound system, multi-zone listening options, and wireless smartphone charging. The rear-seat entertainment system in Touring and Elite trims included a 10.2-inch screen, Blu-Ray player, wireless headphones, and built-in streaming apps. However, the lack of a tuning knob and subpar voice-recognition technology were drawbacks.

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 Edge also had four USB ports, including two rear USB ports added for 2021. Sync 4's simple graphics and straightforward menu layouts were user-friendly, and the wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a notable advantage.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey improved its safety features with standard Honda Sensing on all trims, including a new radar unit and standard LED headlights with automatic high-beam assist. Honda Sensing added low-speed follow capability to adaptive cruise control, pedestrian braking, road-sign recognition, and a new ADAS settings menu button. The Odyssey received top safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA, except for a four-star rating in rollover resistance.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS Top Safety Pick, with top ratings in crash tests and front crash prevention tech for vehicle-to-vehicle situations. It received an "Advanced" rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention and "Acceptable" ratings for LATCH ease of use and headlights. The NHTSA gave the Edge a five-star overall safety rating. 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.