Kia Sportage vs Ford Edge

The 2021 Ford Edge maintained a familiar styling since its 2019 refresh, which successfully aligned its exterior with Ford's contemporary design language. This refresh gave the Edge a cleaner and more refined 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 similar styling without the performance enhancements. However, the interior of the Edge began to show its age, with a design that struggled to keep up with new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium models offered leather upholstery, and the ST models included sporty front seats with contrast stitching.

In contrast, the 2022 Kia Sportage's design was a mix of successful and questionable elements. While the tiger-nose grille didn't quite fit the Sportage's front end, other design details were spot on. The four-dot running light signature and the symmetry of the rear fascia added a touch of style, and the SX Turbo's 19-inch wheels gave it a planted stance. Inside, the Sportage adopted Germanic design cues with a black dashboard, metallic accents, and plain white instrumentation. The SX Turbo trim added metal pedal covers and offered a choice of interior colors for a high-contrast look. The controls were user-friendly, with buttons and knobs for easy adjustments, and the transmission shifter's operation added a sense of quality.

The 2021 Ford Edge offered a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 275 lb-ft 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 more powerful EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 engine, producing 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque on 93-octane fuel, with standard all-wheel drive and model-specific suspension tuning. The Edge ST's performance was benchmarked against SUVs like the Porsche Macan, though some found this comparison ambitious. The Edge's towing capacity ranged from 3,958 pounds for the base FWD model to 4,525 pounds for the V6-powered ST.

The 2022 Kia Sportage, on the other hand, came with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. The Sportage SX Turbo offered a more robust 240 hp (237 hp with AWD) and 260 lb-ft of torque, making it suitable for higher elevations. Both engines used a six-speed automatic transmission, with Kia's Dynamax all-wheel-drive system as an option. The SX Turbo's acceleration was quick, with maximum torque available from 1,450 to 3,500 rpm. The Sportage's suspension provided a smooth ride, with the SX Turbo featuring upgraded brakes and exclusive 19-inch wheels. While the Sportage felt athletic, it wasn't as refined as some competitors like the Mazda CX-5 Turbo.

The 2021 Ford Edge offered competitive interior space, with the most rear-seat headroom among two-row midsize crossovers. Legroom was generous, second only to the Hyundai Santa Fe. Cargo space was substantial, with 39.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 73.4 cubic feet with them folded, trailing only the Honda Passport and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. A foot-activated power liftgate was available on higher trims. The rotary shift knob freed up some console space, but the narrow console limited its utility.

The 2022 Kia Sportage, though smaller, provided a surprisingly roomy passenger compartment. The SX Turbo trim featured perforated leather upholstery with contrast stitching, power-adjustable front seats, and heated and ventilated front seats. Rear passengers enjoyed ample legroom, air conditioning vents, and a USB charging port. Cargo space was less impressive, with 60.1 cubic feet available with the rear seats folded and 30.7 cubic feet behind them. The Sportage's smart liftgate technology offered hands-free operation, though it could be turned off if not needed.

The 2021 Ford Edge was equipped with Ford's Sync 4 infotainment system, featuring a 12-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The Edge ST models included a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. The system's graphics and menu layouts were user-friendly, and the Edge offered four USB ports, including two rear USB ports added for the 2021 model year.

The 2022 Kia Sportage came with an 8-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Most trims included UVO Link connected services and satellite radio, while the SX Turbo added wireless smartphone charging and an 8-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. The infotainment system was easy to use, with knobs for volume and tuning, but the UVO Link system lagged in sophistication. The screen size was small, and the voice-recognition technology was inconsistent.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS "Top Safety Pick," with top ratings in crash tests and front crash prevention tech. However, it received lower ratings for vehicle-to-pedestrian tech, LATCH anchor ease of use, and headlights. The NHTSA awarded it a five-star overall safety rating. Standard safety features included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, and more. Adaptive cruise control and Evasive Steering Assist were available on higher trims.

The 2022 Kia Sportage offered forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and a driver monitoring system as standard. Blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic warning were available on higher trims. The SX Turbo included adaptive cruise control. The Sportage received favorable crash-test ratings, with the SX Turbo earning an Acceptable headlight rating for an IIHS Top Safety Pick.