2015 Ford Edge vs. Its Competition

Bengt Halvorson Senior Editor

Ford considers the Edge as going against a relatively narrow group of vehicles that includes the Nissan Murano, the Toyota Venza, the Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, and to some degree, the Lexus RX.

The five-seat Ford Edge sells urban style as much as it does all-weather traction.

We'd research a few other crossovers while shopping for the new Edge—among them, the GMC Terrain and Chevy Equinox, which offer high-economy four-cylinder engines, roomy interiors with sliding second-row seats, and nicely turned out interiors.

The Nissan Murano is very passenger-comfort-oriented, and it has a relaxed V-6-and-CVT setup that feels like the polar opposite of the twin-turbo EcoBoost Sport model; it’s soft, elegant, and a bit traditional on the inside, although we like its bold exterior.

The Hyundai Santa Fe Sport shares the Edge's more compact appeal (versus the long-wheelbase Santa Fe) and its turbocharged engine is energetic, as is its swoopy interior.

The Toyota Venza is more appealing to us than its final ratings might indicate: it's a handsome five-door that's just big enough to be useful.

And Honda's CR-V continues to be one of the go-tos in the compact crossover class; it has excellent interior space and strong resale value.