2021 Chevrolet Equinox vs Ford Edge

What can be said about the age-old rivalry between Chevrolet and Ford? These two American automakers have been in heated competition for decades now. Each company has an extremely loyal fan base that fiercely defends their favorite brand. Chevy versus Ford just may be the most intense competition in automotive history.

Inevitably, every type of vehicle manufactured by either Chevrolet or Ford will be compared to similar vehicles produced by the other company. Two good examples of this are the Chevrolet Equinox and the Ford Edge. Both are compact crossover vehicles, which is now one of the most popular vehicle types on the market.

The 2021 Chevrolet Equinox can seat up to five people and has ample room for cargo in the back. It offers an athletic chassis, a roomy interior and good fuel efficiency. The 2021 Ford Edge can also seat up to five people. Just like the Chevy, it has a high cargo capacity. The Edge provides a smooth and quiet ride.

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The Powertrain

There is only one choice of engine for the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox. This compact crossover is powered by a 1.5-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder. This motor can produce 170 horsepower with 203 pound-feet of torque. A stock Equinox will also have a 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive and an auto-manual feature. Most trim levels are available with either front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD).

The Equinox takes around 6.8 seconds to get to 60 miles-per-hour (mph). It can do a quarter mile in just over 15 seconds. It's not going to burn up any racetracks, but it's more than adequate for this class of vehicle. Every model gets 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with performance brake linings.

The Equinox offers decent fuel economy. It should see around 26 miles-per-gallon (mpg) in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. This makes for a combined fuel-economy rating of 28 mpg. Chevrolet offers a bumper-to-bumper warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. The powertrain and drivetrain are both covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Most trim levels of the 2021 Ford Edge come equipped with Ford's Twin-Scroll 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine. This is a turbocharged 4-cylinder that cranks out 250 horsepower. That's far above what the Chevy can do, but acceleration isn't actually all that much faster. Ford also offers a turbocharged V6 engine for their ST model. This power plant makes 335 horses and 380 pound-feet of torque.

Acceleration is outstanding with the bigger V6 engine. It even has respectable towing capabilities with a limit of 3,500 pounds when properly equipped. No matter which engine is selected, the Edge always comes stock with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Models are available with FWD or Ford's Intelligent AWD system. All trim levels get four-wheel vented-disc anti-lock brakes.

The EPA estimates that the Ford Edge will get around 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. These numbers were taken from an Edge equipped with the base engine. When powered with the V6, these stats fall a bit. The V6-powered Edge should still see around 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.

Ford's warranty for the 2021 Edge is almost identical to what Chevrolet offers for its latest Equinox. There is basic coverage for 3 years or 36,000 miles. The powertrain and drivetrain are covered for up to 5 years or 60,000 miles. These numbers are pretty standard for the industry and for this class of vehicle in 2021.

Drivability

The 2021 Chevrolet Equinox offers good steering and handling. A MacPherson front suspension and 4-link rear suspension ensure a smooth ride. Chevy has done a fine job of sound proofing the interior of the Equinox. Very little road or engine noise can be heard from within the vehicle. Visibility is good thanks to the higher seat positions and well-designed window shapes.

The driver's seat and front-passenger seat have 8-way power adjustments at the top trim levels. The front seats also offer a heating feature. There are memory settings so that the seats can quickly and easily be put into favorite positions. Perforated fine-leather upholstery is available as well. Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control keeps both the driver and front passenger comfortable no matter what the temperature is outside.

While a lot of modern SUVs are going for three rows of seats, Chevrolet and Ford are opting for a different strategy with the Equinox and Edge. These vehicles have two rows of seats to accommodate five people. There's more of an emphasis here on passenger room and comfort. The Equinox has 40 inches of headroom and 40.9 inches of legroom up front. The rear seats offer 38.5 inches of headroom and 39.9 inches of legroom.

In all, the Chevrolet Equinox has 103.5 cubic-feet of space for passengers. It has a maximum cargo capacity of 63.9 cubic feet. Even with all of the seats in their natural positions, there is still a respectable 29.9 cubic-feet of storage space behind the rear seats.

The 2021 Chevrolet Equinox comes with the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System. This system has either a 7-inch or 8-inch touchscreen display. The screen is in high definition with full color graphics. Bluetooth technology is available and two devices can stream media at the same time. There are also USB ports up front and for the rear passengers.

Voice-Command technology is integrated into the infotainment system. This also has pass-through for smartphone use. Many popular apps are supported through the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can be used here too. The audio setup features a high-powered stereo and six speakers for crystal-clear sound quality.

Chevrolet also offers a premium audio system by BOSE with seven speakers. An available 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot lets everyone in the vehicle stay connected. There's even an optional rear-seat entertainment package that can be added on. The driver and every occupant should be very comfortable and well entertained when riding in the Equinox.

Ford's 2021 Edge has even better steering dynamics than the Chevrolet Equinox. It also offers a smooth and quiet ride, with comfortable seats at every position. Ford uses an independent front and rear suspension for their compact crossover SUV. Visibility of the road is excellent from the driver's seat.

The Ford Edge has reclining front bucket seats with 10-way power adjustments. The driver's seat has a nice memory function. Both heating and cooling features are available for the front seats. Leather upholstery is optional at the higher trim levels. The rear passengers get a 60/40 split-fold-flat reclining bench with a fold-down armrest in the middle.

The Ford Edge has optional heating for the rear seats. There is also an electronically-controlled Auto Dual-Zone Temperature Control. There is 40.2 inches of headroom and 42.6 inches of legroom for the first row of seats. The back row offers 40.3 inches of headroom and 40.2 inches of legroom. It's just as roomy and comfortable in back as it is up front.

There's more passenger space in the Ford when compared to the Chevy. The Ford Edge also provides more cargo space as well. There's 32.9 cubic-feet of space behind the second row. When that row is folded down flat, the storage space can be expanded up to 73.4 cubic feet.

The 2021 Ford Edge gets Ford's excellent SYNC 3 Infotainment System. This comes with FordPass Connect, which allows owners to use their smartphone to start the vehicle, lock or unlock doors, and to access a whole bunch of features remotely. The SYNC 3 System is capable of providing a 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot. Ford offers a massive 12-inch touchscreen display for the 2021 Edge.

The Sync 3 System is more intuitive to use than the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System. All of the controls are easy to use and within easy reach of the driver. There is also Voice-Command Technology here along with an integrated navigation system. It also has Bluetooth for streaming and compatibility with Apple and Android's apps just like the Chevrolet Equinox system.

Base models of the Edge will get a simple AM/FM stereo system with some excellent speakers. Higher trim levels receive a premium audio system by Bang & Olufsen. This comes with a 12-speaker system for an immersive listening experience while playing your favorite music.

Safety

Both Chevrolet and Ford take great care to build safe vehicles. This means engineering for more protection, passive safety features and active safety features. Driver-assist technology has come a long way towards improving vehicle safety in recent years. The Equinox and Edge both come equipped with plenty of modern tech and safety features.

Every model of the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox gets plenty of airbags throughout the vehicle. The driver and front passenger get protective airbags in front and at their sides. Head curtain airbags add a level of protection for every seating position. The General Motors StabiliTrak system adds stability and better traction to every model.

All models get an HD rear-view camera, with a surround-view camera available as an option. Rear Park Assist makes backing in or out of parking spots easier than ever. OnStar and Chevrolet Connected Services can be had for any trim level. There's a Tire-Pressure Monitor to help avoid flats or blowouts.

Chevrolet also offers Automatic Emergency Braking for the Equinox. Forward Collision Alert detects vehicles, objects and pedestrians while Pedestrian Braking kicks in automatically when a person is detected in front of the vehicle. Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning keeps the driver headed straight, safely in their own lane.

There is also a Side Blind-Zone Alert that gives drivers a warning if a vehicle enters the blind-zone while they are attempting to change lanes. LED Daytime Running Lamps add more visibility for the Equinox. Last of all, every Chevrolet gets a Teen Driver package which allows for monitoring the driving habits of new drivers.

The 2021 Ford Edge also comes equipped with plenty of airbags. The front area gets dual-stage airbags. The driver gets an extra airbag at the knee position. Both seat rows get Ford's Safety Canopy Airbag. This is a side-curtain airbag that also contains a special sensor that can detect when a rollover is occurring.

The rear seats get the LATCH system to tether child safety seats in. The rear area also has child safety locks. Just like the Chevrolet, Ford offers a standard Tire-Pressure Monitor and rear-view camera for every model. Every 2021 Edge also gets Ford Co-Pilot360 technology with an SOS Post-Crash Alert System.

Ford Co-Pilot360 is a whole suite of safety features and driver-assist technology. The Edge comes with Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control. It also offers a Lane-Keeping Assist feature. It includes a Blind-Spot Information System that even monitors rear cross-traffic. A Pre-Collision Warning gives the driver a heads up to prevent accidents and then can even apply Automatic Emergency Braking.

While no major tests have been conducted by the IIHS for the 2021 year, the 2020 Ford Edge was named one of their Top Safety Picks. There aren't too many major differences between the 2020 and 2021 models, so they are expected to be just as safe this year. The 2021 Chevrolet Equinox has been tested and has also received the honor of being named a Top Safety Pick.

Which Has the Best Value?

The base trim level of the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox starts at just $24,995. A Premier trim level has a MSRP of $32,595. The 2021 Ford Edge starts at $31,100. The top-tier ST trim level gets all the way up to $43,265. the Equinox has better fuel efficiency, but it's not a big enough gap to make much of a different. The cost of ownership here is basically the same.

When assessing the value here, one must consider that the Ford has more power and better performance. It also has more room for passengers and significantly more cargo space. The interior is just all-around nicer too. You truly get what you pay for here with these two vehicles. If the buyer doesn't need the extra space, however, the price point of the Equinox is a really good value.

Which Is Better?

Both vehicles offer good performance with plenty of nice features. They both provide a quiet and comfortable ride. Each has ample room in front and in back with plenty of space for cargo too. The Ford offers more of these things and provides better performance from its more powerful engines. Ford wins out when comparing the interiors and the infotainment systems as well.

The Chevrolet Equinox wins out slightly when it comes to the safety features and driver-assist technology. It loses out to the Ford in almost every other category. The Ford Edge really is the superior vehicle, but it does also come at a steep price increase. For budget-minded buyers, the Equinox is still an excellent option for the money.