2021 Ford Edge vs 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid

The 2021 Ford Edge retained much of its styling from the 2019 refresh, which successfully aligned its exterior with Ford's contemporary design language. This refresh gave the Edge a cleaner appearance compared to the more elaborate designs of competitors like the Chevy Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Edge Titanium models featured additional chrome accents to signify their premium status, while the ST trim boasted a blacked-out grille, standard 20-inch wheels, and a sporty body kit. The ST-Line offered similar styling without the performance enhancements and higher price tag of the ST. Inside, the Edge's interior began to show its age, with a design that struggled to keep pace with the exterior's freshness. The interior had been awkwardly modified over the years to accommodate new features, such as a larger touchscreen. The Titanium models offered leather upholstery, while the ST models provided sporty front seats with added bolstering and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, both featuring contrast stitching.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid presented a bold design that divided opinions, particularly with its flat, wide grille. The vehicle's personality shifted with different color and trim options, with body-colored vertical strakes that could appear jarring in lighter shades but blended more harmoniously in darker ones. The X-Line and X-Pro models replaced these strakes with rectangular grille blocks and featured distinctive amber accent lights. The side profile showcased unique faceted fender sculpting and black plastic tabs atop each wheel well, which some found unnecessary. The rear view adopted a different style, with rounded corners and vertical taillights reminiscent of a Range Rover. Inside, the Telluride's interior was less controversial, featuring a simple horizontal dashboard layout with a modern, buttonless appearance. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim, equipped with the optional SX Prestige Executive package, offered a luxurious two-tone palette reminiscent of Volvo. However, the silver buttons and cream-colored infotainment shortcut buttons were difficult to read. The seats, covered in synthetic leather and suede, had somewhat flat and firm cushions, which could be uncomfortable on longer drives. The surrounding materials were of excellent quality, with various trim surfaces available, including engineered wood and carbon fiber.

The 2021 Ford Edge was equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, available in front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The Edge ST performance model featured a more powerful EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 engine, producing 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque on 93-octane fuel. The ST came 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, raised eyebrows among enthusiasts who were skeptical of the ST badge on an SUV. Ford claimed to have benchmarked performance SUVs like the Porsche Macan during development, though some found this comparison ambitious. The Edge ST offered a sporty driving experience, while the non-ST models were noted for their refinement, despite the turbo-four engine feeling somewhat sluggish. The Edge's towing capacities ranged from 3,958 pounds for the base FWD model to 4,525 pounds for the V6-powered ST, though competitors like the Honda Passport and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport offered higher towing capacities.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid featured a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 274 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with FWD standard on the base LX trim and AWD available on midrange trims and above. The Telluride Hybrid added electric motors powered by a 1.65-kWh battery pack, increasing output to 329 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque. It was mated to a six-speed transmission and was not available in the off-road-capable X-Pro trims. The Hybrid provided ample power and a quiet ride, with seamless transitions between electric and gas modes. The X-Pro Prestige model excelled in off-road settings, while the Hybrid SX Prestige offered a stiffer ride with its 20-inch wheels. The Telluride's suspension delivered a smooth ride, with sound insulation keeping the interior quiet. On winding roads, the Telluride was composed and controllable, though not particularly sporty. The brake pedal required some adjustment, but brake response was immediate during panic stops.

The 2021 Ford Edge offered competitive interior space, with the most rear-seat headroom among two-row midsize crossovers. Legroom in both the first and second rows was second only to the Hyundai Santa Fe. Standard dual-zone automatic climate control added to passenger comfort. Cargo space measured 39.2 cubic feet with the rear seats in place 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 Edge's rotary shift knob was designed to free up center console space, but the console's narrow width limited its effectiveness. A storage nook below the raised console was difficult to reach, making it easy to forget items placed there.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid provided ample space for adults in all three rows, though the rearmost row was better suited for smaller passengers due to low-mounted seat cushions. The elevated seating position offered a better view out the front. The Hybrid SX Prestige test vehicle featured power-adjustable second-row seats with heating and ventilation, comparable to business-class airline seats. However, these seats took longer to slide and tilt forward for third-row access. Without the Executive package, the seats manually slid and tilted more quickly. The middle-row seats offered significant travel fore and aft, allowing for more cargo or third-row legroom. The Telluride Hybrid reduced second-row legroom by 1.6 inches, but still provided ample space. Most models came with captain's chairs, with only the non-Hybrid LX and EX trims offering a second-row bench for increased seating capacity. Cargo capacity behind the third row was 22.3 cubic feet, slightly more than rivals. Folding the seatbacks increased the volume to 48.7 cubic feet, with a maximum of 89.3 cubic feet available with the second-row seatbacks folded. The Hybrid models lost only about one cubic foot of cargo space. Properly equipped, the Telluride could tow up to 5,000 pounds, or 4,500 pounds for the Hybrid. For smaller items, the front seats featured a large center bin with deployable cupholders, a shallow center armrest bin, and medium-sized door pockets. The second row had a tray and bin that slid out from the console, and the third row included dual cupholders on each side.

The 2021 Ford Edge was equipped with Ford's latest Sync 4 infotainment system, featuring standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 12-inch touchscreen. Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot were also standard. The Edge ST models included a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. The Edge featured four USB ports, with two rear USB ports, including one USB-C, added for the 2021 model year. While we hadn't driven a Sync 4-equipped Edge, experiences with Sync 4 in other Ford models were positive, with simple graphics and straightforward menu layouts. Notably, not all competitors offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid came with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 5-inch touchscreen for climate controls. The LX and S trims featured a smaller 4.2-inch instrument panel, all housed within a common panel atop the dashboard. A native navigation system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and dual wireless phone chargers were included. The rubberized charging pads accommodated Max-sized iPhones with bumper cases securely. The infotainment system was user-friendly, though there were occasional delays between screen taps and responses, and the screen required a firm tap to register. The middle climate control screen was difficult to use while driving, but physical temperature control buttons were available. Capacitive-touch shortcut buttons below the screen were prone to inadvertent activations. Kia's brand collaborations allowed for customizable infotainment screen themes, including NBA teams, National Geographic images, and characters from Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel. A 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system was available on the Telluride SX trim and above, delivering powerful bass and clear tones without distortion at higher volumes. Supporting trims featured an eight-speaker system.

The 2021 Ford Edge was recognized as an IIHS "Top Safety Pick," earning the top "Good" rating in all crash tests and a "Superior" rating for front crash prevention in vehicle-to-vehicle situations. However, it received an "Advanced" rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention, an "Acceptable" rating for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use, and varying headlight ratings depending on trim level. The NHTSA awarded the Edge a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests, and four stars in rollover crash tests. The Edge included standard safety features under the Ford Co-Pilot360 banner, such as 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 was standard on all but the base Edge SE trim, along with Evasive Steering Assist.

At the time of writing, the 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid had not yet been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS. Standard advanced safety features included frontal collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, parking proximity sensors, highway driving assist, and rear passenger sensors/reminders. Higher-trimmed Tellurides offered additional features such as a surround-view camera system, a blind-spot camera system, side parking proximity sensors, and automatic reverse braking. The Telluride also featured a driver attention monitor, which occasionally triggered at night despite the driver's eyes being on the road. The blind-spot cameras projecting a rearward-looking side view into the instrument panel were found to be more distracting than helpful, especially at night. However, the highway driving assist was particularly useful on longer trips, maintaining lane centering and a consistent gap to vehicles ahead, with smooth speed changes.