Ford Edge vs Nissan Rogue

The 2021 Ford Edge retained much of its styling from the 2019 refresh, which successfully aligned its exterior with Ford's more recent designs. This refresh gave the Edge a cleaner look compared to the more elaborate styling of competitors like the Chevy Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Edge Titanium models featured extra 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 upgrades and higher price tag. Inside, the Edge's design showed its age, with awkward tweaks to accommodate new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium models had leather upholstery, and the ST models included sporty front seats with added bolstering and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrast stitching.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue continued its transformation from the previous year, maintaining a more mature look. The exterior design featured Nissan's V-motion grille, multi-level LED headlights, and LED fog lamps on higher trims. Active grille shutters, underbody covers, and an "air curtain" improved airflow, while the floating roof and bulging liftgate added to its sleek appearance. Inside, the Rogue showcased a layered dash with contrasting colors and surfaces, a sophisticated center console with an electronic gear selector, and ample storage space. The 9-inch infotainment display and 7-inch or 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, depending on the trim, were highlights. The Zero Gravity front seats and roomy second row provided comfort, and the fit and finish, especially on the Platinum model, were exemplary.

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 (FWD) and optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The Edge ST performance model featured a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 engine with 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque on 93-octane fuel, standard AWD, and model-specific suspension tuning. The 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 ST. While the Edge ST's performance was not on par with the Porsche Macan, it offered a refined driving experience, though the turbo-four engine in non-ST models felt sluggish.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue received a performance boost from its new 1.5-liter VC-Turbo engine, producing 201 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque. This engine featured Variable Compression technology, adjusting the compression ratio for optimal power and efficiency. The Rogue's fuel economy improved significantly, with EPA estimates of 30 mpg city, 37 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined. The new CVT transmission offered wider gear ratios, enhancing acceleration and responsiveness. The Rogue's chassis and suspension provided a smooth, controlled ride with minimal body roll, and the electric power-assisted steering had good feel. The 35.4-foot turning diameter was tight, making the Rogue agile in various driving situations.

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 and a cargo space of 39.2 cubic feet with the rear seats in place, expanding to 73.4 cubic feet with the seats folded. A foot-activated power liftgate was available on higher trims. The rotary shift knob freed up some space on the center console, but the narrow width limited its utility. The raised console provided a storage nook below, though it was difficult to reach and easy to forget items placed there.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue excelled in interior space and storage options. The front cabin had numerous storage compartments, including bottle holders, cupholders, a glove compartment, a center console bin, a tray beneath the console, and cubbies in the dash. The rear seats offered additional storage in the doors, seatbacks, and center armrest, along with USB-A and USB-C charge-only ports. The second-row seat was a 60/40 split reclining bench. The Rogue's cargo area accommodated 31.6-36.5 cubic feet of luggage, expanding to 74.1 cubic feet with the second row folded flat.

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 had four USB ports, including two rear USB ports added for the 2021 model year. 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 over some competitors.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue's technology upgrade from the previous year carried over, featuring a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 9-inch center infotainment touchscreen, and a 10.8-inch head-up display on upper trims. The Rogue used Google Maps and Waze with voice commands for navigation, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with wireless Apple CarPlay available on higher trims. ProPilot Assist, Nissan's hands-on driver-assist technology, was available and integrated with the navigation system on models with ProPilot Assist with Navi-Link. This system adjusted speed proactively based on road conditions ahead, enhancing the driving experience.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS "Top Safety Pick," scoring "Good" in all crash tests and "Superior" for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention. It received an "Advanced" rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention, "Acceptable" for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use, and varying headlight ratings. The NHTSA gave 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 2022 Nissan Rogue featured the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite across all trims, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, high beam assist, and rear automatic braking. The Rogue had ten supplemental airbags and extended crumple zones for passive safety. Additional safety features included Intelligent Driver Alertness, rear door alert, blind spot intervention, and traffic sign recognition. ProPilot Assist, available on higher trims, combined steering-assist and adaptive cruise control for advanced driver assistance. The 2022 Rogue received a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, and the 2021 model was an IIHS Top Safety Pick+.