2021 Volkswagen ID.4 vs 2020 Ford Edge

The Ford Edge isn’t exactly memorable, which isn’t a bad thing. It isn’t a good thing either. Cars can be remembered for attractive design, fun driving dynamics, or being a solid value. They can also be remembered in a negative light for a polarizing design, poor build quality, or being unsafe to the point of scandal. But the 2020 Ford Edge is just... there. It is a midsize two-row SUV that doesn’t offend, but also doesn’t “wow.” But just as critically, the Edge is getting long in the tooth. In the SUV segment, constant iteration is necessary for survival, and the Edge is in need of a redesign.

But in lieu of new blood, Ford has done well to keep the Edge fitted with the latest infotainment and safety technology. It also offers a performance variant, called the Edge ST. This is something that you won’t find in the Edge’s competitors, the Nissan Murano and Honda Passport. But is it enough to keep the Edge relevant against its more contemporary rivals? Read on to find out.

The “Dieselgate” emissions scandal forced Volkswagen to double down on electric cars, and now we’re finally seeing the first result of that: the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 electric crossover.

VW has made an electric car before, but its last attempt, the e-Golf, was built to satisfy emissions standards, not rack up sales. It was barely advertised, and it was sold only in certain locations. With the ID.4, it will launch in the three largest Canadian EV markets—British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario—and will even be built in North America, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, starting in 2022. Volkswagen views the ID.4 as a rival not to other EVs, but to mainstream gasoline vehicles like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

Being late to the party means there are already several other EVs trying to coax new-car buyers away from internal combustion, however. If you want a reasonably priced EV, the Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Kona Electric, and Kia Niro EV already exist, and General Motors has the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV—a new variant of the Chevy Bolt EV with a crossover body style similar to the Volkswagen.

Our test car was an ID.4 1st Edition, a U.S.-only model released to commemorates the car’s launch. Its closest Canadian equivalent is the ID.4 RWD Pro with the Statement Package.