Ford Edge vs Volvo XC60

The 2021 Ford Edge retained much of its styling from the 2019 refresh, which successfully modernized its exterior. This refresh harmonized the Edge's look with Ford's newer designs, making it a cleaner alternative to the more elaborate 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 age was more apparent. The interior design felt less contemporary compared to the exterior, with awkward modifications over the years to fit new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium models came with leather upholstery, and the ST models had sporty front seats with extra bolstering and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, both featuring contrast stitching.

For the 2022 Volvo XC60, subtle styling updates included a new front fascia with "air blades" for a sportier look, a redesigned rear bumper hiding the tailpipes, and new wheel designs. The front grille was reworked to house sensors for driver-assist systems behind a heated Volvo logo, ensuring functionality in cold weather. The XC60 shared its Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform with the XC90, S90, S60, V90 Cross Country, and V60 Cross Country.

The interior remained largely unchanged, maintaining a clean design with a portrait-oriented touchscreen and minimal clutter. The B6 R-Design test car featured aluminum mesh speaker grilles and textured seats, adding some flair, though the overall interior felt subdued compared to other Volvo models. The Inscription trim level included Nappa leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

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 an EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 engine delivering 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque on 93-octane fuel, with standard AWD, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and model-specific suspension tuning. An optional package added upgraded brakes and 21-inch wheels with summer tires.

The Edge ST, introduced in 2019, aimed to compete with performance SUVs like the Porsche Macan, though some enthusiasts were skeptical. While the Porsche comparison seemed ambitious, the Edge ST offered a decent driving experience, especially given its competitors' lack of performance focus. The Edge's turbo-four engine in non-ST models felt somewhat sluggish. Towing capacities were 3,958 pounds for the base FWD four-cylinder, 4,122 pounds for AWD four-cylinder models, and 4,525 pounds for the V6-powered Edge ST.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 introduced new B5 and B6 mild-hybrid powertrains, replacing the previous T5 and T6 powertrains. Both combined a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 48-volt electrical system and integrated starter generator, adding 13 horsepower in short bursts. The B6 also included an electric supercharger. The B5 produced 258 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, while the B6 delivered 295 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, both using an eight-speed automatic transmission. The B5 offered standard FWD or optional AWD, while the B6 was AWD-only.

Acceleration times were slightly slower than the 2021 gasoline-only models, with the B5 reaching 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds (6.6 seconds with FWD) and the B6 in 5.9 seconds. The B6 XC60 R-Design impressed with smooth power delivery and a comfortable ride, enhanced by optional air suspension. The XC60 emphasized luxury over performance, offering a quiet cabin and relaxed driving experience. The XC60 Recharge plug-in hybrid provided 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, achieving 0-60 mph in 5 seconds. The Polestar Engineered version increased output to 415 hp and 494 lb-ft, with a 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds, featuring Öhlins adjustable dampers, Akebono brakes, and a front strut bar.

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, second only to the Hyundai Santa Fe. Standard dual-zone automatic climate control added to passenger comfort. Cargo space was 39.2 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 73.4 cubic feet with them folded, trailing only the Honda Passport and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. Higher trims featured a foot-activated power liftgate.

The Edge's rotary shift knob aimed to free up center console space, but the console's narrow width limited its effectiveness. A storage nook below the raised console was hard to reach and easy to forget about.

The 2022 Volvo XC60's interior space remained unchanged, offering competitive passenger space within its segment. Front-seat headroom was above average, but rear-seat headroom was tied with the Audi Q5 for the worst in the segment. Legroom in both rows was average. Mild-hybrid models provided 21.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 49.8 cubic feet with them down. Plug-in hybrid models had slightly less cargo capacity, at 21.1 cubic feet with the seats up and 49.3 cubic feet with them down, offering less cargo space than most luxury crossovers.

The XC60 provided a commanding driving position with good forward and rear visibility, aided by large exterior mirrors, making it easy to drive without relying on driver aids.

The 2021 Ford Edge featured the latest Sync 4 infotainment system with a 12-inch touchscreen, standard wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The Edge ST included a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. Four USB ports, including two rear USB ports (one USB-C), were added for 2021. Sync 4's simple graphics and straightforward menus were user-friendly, and not all competitors offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 received a tech overhaul with a 9-inch touchscreen running the Android Automotive operating system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Bluetooth, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. Optional features included a head-up display and upgraded audio systems from Harman Kardon or Bowers & Wilkins. The new system integrated Android-specific features like Google Assistant for voice control, Google Maps for navigation, and access to third-party apps via the Google Play Store. Over-the-air (OTA) software updates were also enabled.

The system promised full iPhone compatibility, though without the added functionality of syncing a Google profile. The new layout used sideways swiping to access menus, making efficient use of screen space. The digital instrument cluster could display a map or a "Calm" setting to minimize distractions.

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 "Acceptable" and "Poor" headlight ratings, depending on trim. The NHTSA awarded the Edge a five-star overall 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 (with pedestrian detection), 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 the base SE trim.

The 2022 Volvo XC60's safety ratings for 2022 were not yet available, but the 2021 model received the IIHS "Top Safety Pick+" rating and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, automatic post-collision braking, a driver-attention monitor, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert. New features for 2022 included Ready to Drive Notification and Emergency Stop Assist.

Volvo's Pilot Assist driver-assistance system, combining adaptive cruise control and automated lane centering, was available as an option. While no longer a standout feature, it worked well compared to similar systems from other automakers.