2020 Chevrolet Equinox vs 2020 Ford Edge

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premier trim, equipped with a more powerful engine, all-wheel drive (AWD), a power panoramic sunroof, and a Confidence and Convenience II option package, had a price tag of $40,040, including the $1,195 destination charge. This price seemed steep, but Chevrolet factored in expected rebates and incentives, such as a $4,500 discount at the time. The Equinox Premier boasted a clean design with 19-inch wheels, gray contrast cladding, roof rails, and extra chrome detailing. Inside, the high-contrast cabin featured Jet Black and Brandy leather, a panoramic glass sunroof, and polished metallic accents. However, the presence of hard and shiny plastic detracted from the upscale feel, especially given the high price.

The 2020 Ford Edge, introduced in 2006 and updated in 2019, maintained a fresh look with angular headlights and a large trapezoidal grille. Inside, the Edge showed signs of aging with an unchanged layout since 2015, despite subtle updates. The center console had small, awkwardly arranged climate and radio controls, and a contemporary rotary shifter. The cabin quality was decent, with soft-touch materials and solid fit-and-finish, but the heavy use of hard plastics, especially on the center console and stack, was a drawback. The Edge was available in SE, SEL, Titanium, and ST trims, each offering various features and upgrades.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox offered two engine options. The standard 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine produced 170 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 203 pound-feet of torque between 2,500 rpm and 4,500 rpm, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. This engine provided adequate performance, with an AWD rental averaging 24.3 mpg, below the EPA rating of 28 mpg. The optional 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine delivered 252 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 260 pound-feet of torque between 2,500 rpm and 4,500 rpm, paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. This engine offered lively acceleration and a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds, averaging 22.1 mpg, slightly below the EPA rating of 24 mpg. Both versions had firm ride qualities and more road and wind noise than desirable. The Premier trim, with 19-inch wheels, felt more athletic and enjoyable to drive on winding roads.

The 2020 Ford Edge came standard with a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, producing 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. This engine provided solid low-end acceleration, suitable for city driving, but struggled at higher speeds. The Edge ST, the performance variant, featured a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, delivering 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD. The ST offered impressive acceleration, heavy steering, and excellent cornering, with a Sport mode enhancing throttle response and transmission mapping. An ST Performance Brake Package was available, including unique wheels, summer performance tires, and upgraded brakes.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox LS rental had cloth upholstery with a 10-way power driver’s seat, while the Premier trim featured leather, an 8-way power front passenger seat, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel. Both trims were comfortable but could benefit from longer seat cushions for better thigh support. The sliding rear seat maximized passenger or cargo space, with generous legroom in the rearmost position. The Premier trim included rear air conditioning vents and USB ports. Cargo volume measured 29.9 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 63.9 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. The cabin offered ample storage, with a large center console bin and various bins, trays, and cubbies.

The 2020 Ford Edge had a well-designed cabin with a commanding view of the road. The seats were surrounded by numerous cubbies and compartments, ideal for commuting or road trips. The second-row head- and legroom were plentiful, with no need to move the front seats forward for rear-seat comfort. The Edge provided 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 73.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. This cargo space was more than the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Nissan Murano but slightly less than the Honda Passport. The SEL and Titanium trims featured a hands-free foot-activated power rear liftgate.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox offered several infotainment systems with 7-inch or 8-inch touchscreen displays. All systems included Bluetooth pairing for two devices, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and Chevrolet Connected Access services. Upgrades included a high-definition display, cloud connectivity, improved voice recognition, HD Radio, satellite radio, navigation, and a Bose premium sound system. The LS rental had the basic setup, which worked well for navigation and had a 6-speaker audio system. The Premier trim featured a high-definition 8-inch touchscreen and Bose sound system. The Equinox’s technology was intuitive and easy to use, with optional wireless smartphone charging and a dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system.

The 2020 Ford Edge came standard with Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen. SYNC 3 was user-friendly, with a row of icons for audio, phone, navigation, apps, and settings, and a home button for easy navigation. It included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, allowing the use of preferred maps apps. Optional voice-activated navigation with pinch-to-zoom map control was available on the SEL and ST trims and standard on the Titanium, including SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link with real-time traffic updates. The Edge came with two smart-charging USB ports and an optional dual rear-seat entertainment system with screens in the front headrests.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox came standard with Chevy Safety Assist, a suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, a safe following distance monitor, and automatic high-beam headlights. A reversing camera, rear-seat reminder system, and Teen Driver technology were also standard. Upgrades included adaptive cruise control, lane change warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic warning, and a Safety Alert Seat. The Equinox earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS and 5-star ratings from the NHTSA, with a 4-star rating for rollover resistance.

The 2020 Ford Edge came standard with front and side-impact airbags, AdvanceTrac traction control with Roll Stability Control and Curve Control, a tire pressure monitoring system, and a child seat anchoring system. The Ford Co-Pilot360 safety system, standard on all trims, included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The SEL trim offered the Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package, adding adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, and active lane centering. The Edge received a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS and a 5-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.