Ford Edge vs Honda CR-V Hybrid

The 2021 Ford Edge retained much of its styling from the 2019 refresh, which successfully integrated Ford's contemporary design language with the existing Edge body. This resulted 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 design showed its age, despite updates to accommodate new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium models included leather upholstery, and the ST models had sporty front seats with added bolstering and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrast stitching.

The 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid, introduced with a two-motor hybrid powertrain in 2020, maintained its refreshed styling and interior updates for 2021. The hybrid version looked similar to the gas-only models, with "Hybrid" badges and blue Honda logos as distinguishing features. The LED fog lights and rear bumper had unique designs, but otherwise, the hybrid's appearance was understated. Inside, the CR-V Hybrid featured unique instrumentation to display battery status, power regeneration, and distribution. The steering wheel paddles controlled the regenerative braking system. Available in EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, all models came with standard all-wheel drive. The Touring trim included leather upholstery, a premium sound system, and additional features like wireless smartphone charging and a hands-free power liftgate.

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 with standard front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive. The Edge ST performance model featured a twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 engine with 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque on 93-octane fuel, standard all-wheel drive, 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. The Edge's towing capacities ranged from 3,958 pounds for the base FWD model to 4,525 pounds for the V6-powered ST.

The 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid utilized a two-motor hybrid system combining a 2.0-liter gasoline engine with an electric assist motor and a generator/starter motor, producing a total of 212 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque. It featured three driving modes—EV Drive, Hybrid Drive, and Engine Drive—automatically selected based on the situation, along with three driver-selected modes—Econ, Sport, and EV. The hybrid system added 194 pounds to the vehicle's weight, improving weight distribution and maintaining the standard CR-V's 8.2 inches of ground clearance. The CR-V Hybrid offered a smooth and enjoyable driving experience, though it fell short of its EPA rating of 38 mpg in combined driving, achieving only 33.7 mpg on the testing route.

The 2021 Ford Edge provided competitive interior space, with the most rear-seat headroom among two-row midsize crossovers and ample legroom in both rows. It offered 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 73.4 cubic feet with the seats folded. Higher trim levels included a foot-activated power liftgate. The center console featured a rotary shift knob to free up space, though the narrow console width limited its utility. A storage nook below the console was difficult to reach and easy to forget.

The 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid excelled in passenger and cargo space. The front seats were supportive and comfortable, with the driver's seat offering 12-way power adjustment and heated front seats as standard. The rear seats provided ample legroom and comfort, with air conditioning vents and quick-charge USB ports. The CR-V Hybrid's cargo space measured 33.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 68.7 cubic feet with the seats folded, slightly less than the standard CR-V due to the battery pack. Despite this, it could still accommodate four full-sized suitcases beneath the cargo cover.

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 not all competitors offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid's infotainment system, redesigned in 2017, featured a seven-inch touchscreen with a power/volume knob but lacked a tuning knob. The system was slow to start, and the voice-recognition technology was limited. The navigation map display was cluttered, and the HondaLink connected services were minimal. The Touring trim included wireless smartphone charging, though it occupied significant space on the center console. The nine-speaker premium audio system sounded good, and the infotainment system supported text messaging, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Pandora internet radio.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS "Top Safety Pick," with top 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 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 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 Honda CR-V Hybrid came with Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving-assistance systems. Standard features included adaptive cruise control with full-stop capability, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and Road Departure Mitigation. The CR-V Hybrid also had blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. While the CR-V's safety technology was effective, it lacked some features found in competitors, such as automatic collision notification and safe teen driver settings. The CR-V Hybrid earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS.