*All information in this article has been revised and updated for the latest 2021-2022 models.
The 2021 Ford Edge and Subaru Crosstrek are comfortable and stylish SUVs, with plenty of room for passengers and cargo, but the Ford Edge offers just enough power and performance to make it the ideal choice. Come take the Ford Edge for a test drive at Brighton Ford.
Design/Style
The 2021 Ford Edge seats five and has plenty of passenger space with roomy seats and an impressive amount of cargo room. Its solid build comes with impressive cabin materials; and it keeps quiet even at increased speeds. The driver’s seat comes standard with a 10-way power-adjustable seat; and it provides great visibility on the road. Options include synthetic or genuine leather upholstery, a power-adjustable passenger seat, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, driver’s seat memory settings, and leather-wrapped, heated, and power-tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel. The Edge has one of the largest cargo capacities among its competitors, with 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space that expands to a maximum 73.4 cubic feet when the seats are folded down.
This year, new wheel designs, paint colors, acoustic-laminated glass, rear parking sensors and a heated steering wheel add to the luxury. The infotainment system gets upgraded to the Sync 4 interface and a 12-inch display. Six-way power adjustable seats in the ST are just the cherry on top to these nice updates.
The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek offers comfortable and spacious seating for five in two rows, but the seats could offer more lumbar support. It features a good amount of cargo space, but doesn’t compare to the Ford Edge. Crosstrek provides 20.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 55.3 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. It features an attractive cabin that includes high quality materials, with standard cloth upholstery. Leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat are available.
New for this year is an updated front bumper and grille designs along with a sport trim that offers exclusive features such as Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud settings. A more powerful engine option, a 2.5-liter flat-four is available in the Sport and Limited models, as well.
Power, Handling, and Gas
The Ford Edge comes standard with a powerful turbocharged 2.0 four-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower and an eight-speed automatic transmission. It has quick acceleration and delivers smooth and timely shifts. The sporty Edge ST is even more powerful and features a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine with 335 horsepower. The standard front-wheel drive gets an impressive EPA-estimated 21/29 mpg city and highway. The Edge offers 19/26 mpg city and highway for the EcoBoost engine. Ford Edge is stable and composed. You can turn corners with ease with its light and easy steering, and take the bumps in the road without notice.
The Crosstrek is an all-wheel-drive SUV that has good off-road ability, but its performance is less impressive. Rivals in its class offer quicker acceleration and better handling, and Crosstrek can feel underpowered on the highway. It delivers a 152-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that is paired with a six-speed manual transmission. A continuously variable automatic transmission is available. The Crosstrek gets an estimated 22/29 mpg in the city and on the highway.
Safety, Tech and Price
Ford has a long list of safety features that come standard with Ford’s Co-Pilot360. These features include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and automatic high-beam headlights. The Ford Edge is a little nicer than most choices without breaking your budget. It comes in four different trim levels starting with the SE, with a price that starts at $33,995 and ranging to the Edge ST, with a price that starts at $44,845.
The Crosstrek standard safety feature is a rearview camera, with added available driver’s assistance features that include blind spot-monitoring, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane departure and sway warning, lane keep assist, and reverse automatic braking. It includes the Starlink infotainment system with a 6.5-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a USB port, Bluetooth, and a four-speaker stereo. Its infotainment system is easy to use, but some functions like Bluetooth don’t always work smoothly. Some available tech features include satellite radio, HD Radio, a Wi-Fi hotspot, a six-speaker stereo, an eight-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, and an 8-inch touchscreen. The Crosstrek comes in three trims: Base, Premium, and Limited. The base Crosstrek starts at $23,295 and ranges to a starting price of $36,395 for the Hybrid.
Overview
The 2021 Ford Edge offers so much more in a midsize SUV, with its powerful performance, impressive cargo room, and a long list of standard features. Come take a ride at Brighton Ford and see for yourself.