2021 Nissan Rogue vs 2021 Ford Edge

In 2021, the Nissan Rogue underwent a significant transformation featuring handsome new styling and a more technical appearance, making it resemble an SUV more than a car. The vehicle's bold, rugged look was accentuated by dark gray plastic cladding around its lower perimeter, with striking simulated skid plates and lower door protection. The SUV’s back bumper appeared particularly audacious to some. Clean LED lighting elements, a prominent V-Motion grille, and well-proportioned design added to the modern aesthetic. All trims came with aluminum wheels up to 19 inches in diameter, and optional two-tone paint with a black roof treatment enhanced its custom look appeal.

The 2021 Rogue came in four versions: the entry-level Rogue S ($25,650), the popular Rogue SV ($27,340), the luxurious Rogue SL ($32,000), and the upscale Rogue Platinum ($35,430), offering semi-aniline quilted leather and other high-end amenities. The Rogue SL test vehicle added the Premium Package, extra-cost paint, floor mats, and a cargo area protection package, bringing the total to $35,195, including destination charges.

The Rogue’s interior featured an Almond color leather interior and a standard panoramic glass sunroof, creating a light and bright space. Soft-touch surfaces, appealing simulated wood trim, and fabric-wrapped windshield pillars elevated the cabin's quality. Controls were logically arranged, and the Platinum trim offered contrast stitching and ambient lighting for a luxurious feel. Despite the nostalgic appearance of the climate control panel numbers resembling an old-school digital clock from the '80s, it included modern tech like wireless Apple CarPlay.

In contrast, the 2021 Ford Edge retained much of its aesthetic since its 2019 refresh, aligning its exterior with contemporary designs. The refresh worked well, offering a cleaner look than competitors like the Chevy Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Edge Titanium models showcased more chrome, while the sporty Edge ST came with a blacked-out grille, 20-inch wheels, and a body kit. Additionally, the ST-Line had the ST's exterior styling minus performance upgrades and cost.

The Edge's interior showed signs of aging with a design that seemed less modern, despite attempts to accommodate new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium trim provided leather upholstery, while the ST offered sporty seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrast stitching.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue, while stylish, had a noticeable shortfall in power. Weighing nearly 3,500 pounds, its sole engine was a 2.5-liter four-cylinder producing 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. This power was adequate for daily driving, with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that performed decently, mimicking a traditional automatic through programmed ratios and even offering paddle shifters.

Designed for adventuring, the Rogue’s AWD feature, 8.2 inches of ground clearance, and new driving modes like Snow and Off-Road made it suitable for light off-road use, though the naturally-aspirated engine felt underpowered in such scenarios. Nissan hinted at the future possibility of a more powerful turbocharged engine, similar to the one in the Altima and Infiniti QX50. Fuel economy wasn’t the Rogue’s strong suit either, with the tested model getting 27.5 mpg, slightly short of its EPA rating of 29 mpg.

The Rogue rode on a new, sturdy architecture with strut front and multi-link rear suspension, providing a smooth and predictable driving experience. Its advanced steering system and several control systems enhanced ride quality. Nevertheless, the 2021 Rogue begged for a more powerful engine to complement its refined dynamics.

On the other hand, the 2021 Ford Edge had more robust engine options. Most models featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine generating 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and optional AWD. This engine provided a decent blend of power and efficiency, though it occasionally felt sluggish.

The performance-oriented Edge ST, with its twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 producing 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, truly distinguished itself. Equipped with standard AWD, an eight-speed automatic, and a specialized suspension, the ST impressed with its dynamic capabilities and a decent towing capacity of up to 4,525 pounds. The base and AWD four-cylinder models offered respectable towing capacities of around 4,000 pounds, though they fell short of competitors like the Honda Passport and VW Atlas Cross Sport, which towed up to 5,000 pounds.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue excelled in interior comfort with its innovative Zero Gravity seats designed to reduce fatigue and muscle strain, significantly enhancing driving comfort. The seats varied in material from cloth in the base S trim to premium leather in the Platinum trim, with power adjustment, heating options, and triple-zone climate control in higher trims. Despite lacking ventilated seats, the Rogue’s climate control system, rear air vents, and sunshades ensured a comfortable cabin experience.

Offering improved rear-seat headroom and legroom, the Rogue provided easier access with nearly 90-degree-opening rear doors and a rear seat configuration accommodating three child safety seats. Enhanced sound insulation and thoughtful storage solutions like the electronic shifter’s storage tray and large door-panel pockets added to the convenience. The hands-free power liftgate, available in higher trims, revealed a cargo space of 31.6 to 36.5 cubic feet (depending on the trim level), expandable to 74.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

Similarly, the 2021 Ford Edge retained its competitiveness in interior space despite its age. Boasting the most rear-seat headroom in its class and second-best legroom, it ensured comfort for tall passengers. The Edge’s cargo space was substantial, offering 39.2 cubic feet with rear seats up and 73.4 cubic feet when folded. Higher trims included a foot-activated power liftgate, adding convenience.

Although the Edge featured Ford’s practical rotary shift knob designed to save console space, the narrow console and difficult-to-reach storage nook limited its usability. Nonetheless, the Edge’s practical design generally served its purpose for family use.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue featured a competitive infotainment system. Starting from the base S trim, it included an 8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, plus six months of Nissan Concierge Personal Assistant. The SV and SL trims added features like NissanConnect Services, a WiFi hotspot, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant integration. Higher trims brought a larger 9-inch touchscreen, door-to-door navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, and a Bose premium audio system.

The Platinum trim topped it off with wireless smartphone charging, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 10.8-inch head-up display.

For 2021, the Ford Edge updated its tech with the latest Sync 4 infotainment system featuring a 12-inch touchscreen and standard wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. Standard amenities included Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L satellite radio, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. The Edge ST, with its Bang & Olufsen 12-speaker audio system, offered superior sound quality.

The addition of four USB ports, including a new USB-C port in the rear, complemented the tech suite. Sync 4’s user-friendly design and straightforward menus made the system accessible and easy to use.

Safety was a cornerstone for the 2021 Nissan Rogue. Nissan equipped it with a suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), collectively known as Nissan Safety Shield 360. It included features common in modern vehicles, such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and lane-departure warning, with the added benefit of a blind-spot warning system. This approach was particularly effective, providing a significant advantage over competitors.

The Rogue also featured ten airbags, a driver monitoring system, and a rear-seat reminder. The SV trim and above came with ProPilot Assist, incorporating adaptive cruise control and lane-centering. Higher trims offered an upgraded version with Navi-link technology that adjusted speed based on navigation data. Although crash-test results were pending at the time, Nissan’s focus on safety engineering positioned the Rogue favorably.

The 2021 Ford Edge earned an IIHS “Top Safety Pick” with top scores in most crash tests, though it received “Acceptable” ratings for LATCH ease of use and headlight performance. The NHTSA awarded it a five-star overall safety rating, with 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, and rear parking sensors. Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and evasive steering assist was standard on higher trims, enhancing the Edge’s safety credentials.