Compare the2022 Toyota 4RunnerVS 2021 Ford Edge

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the 4Runner are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Edge doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The 4Runner has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Edge doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the 4Runner 4WD’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Edge doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

The 4Runner (except Trail Edition) offers an optional Panoramic View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Edge only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the 4Runner and the Edge have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available four-wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota 4Runner is safer than the Ford Edge:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the 4Runner for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Edge.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the 4Runner’s reliability 12 points higher than the Edge.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota 13th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 14th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 32 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 22nd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Ford is ranked 22nd.

The 4Runner’s 4.0 DOHC V6 produces 25 more horsepower (270 vs. 245) and 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (278 vs. 275) than the Edge’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Toyota 4Runner is faster than the Ford Edge turbo 4 cyl.:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota 4Runner uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Edge requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The 4Runner has 4.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Edge FWD’s standard fuel tank (23 vs. 18.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The 4Runner has 4.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Edge AWD’s standard fuel tank (23 vs. 18.5 gallons).

For better stopping power the 4Runner’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the Edge:

The 4Runner’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the Edge AWD are solid, not vented.

The 4Runner stops shorter than the Edge:

The Toyota 4Runner’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Ford Edge only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The 4Runner has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Edge; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

The 4Runner TRD Off-Road offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Edge doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The 4Runner’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53.6% to 46.4%) than the Edge’s (57.8% to 42.2%). This gives the 4Runner more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the 4Runner’s turning circle is 3 feet tighter than the Edge’s (37.4 feet vs. 40.4 feet). The 4Runner’s turning circle is 4.6 feet tighter than the Edge ST with 22” wheels’ (37.4 feet vs. 42 feet).

For greater off-road capability the 4Runner has a 1.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Edge (9.6 vs. 8 inches), allowing the 4Runner to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The 4Runner’s minimum ground clearance is 1.4 inches higher than on the Edge ST (9.6 vs. 8.2 inches).

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the 4Runner TRD Off-Road is quieter than the Edge Titanium AWD (67 vs. 68 dB).

The 4Runner offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Edge can only carry 5.

The 4Runner has 14.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Edge (128 vs. 113.9).

The 4Runner’s cargo area provides more volume than the Edge.

The 4Runner 5-Passenger’s optional sliding cargo floor is capable of supporting 440 pounds, to make loading and unloading cargo easier and safer. The Edge doesn’t offer a sliding load floor.

The 4Runner’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Edge’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The 4Runner’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Edge’s (5000 vs. 1500 pounds).

The engine in the 4Runner is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Edge. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

The 4Runner’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Edge’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the 4Runner the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Edge can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The 4Runner’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford only offers heated mirrors on the Edge SEL/ST-Line/ST/Titanium.

The 4Runner will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the 4Runner will retain 60.09% to 69.29% of its original price after five years, while the Edge only retains 42.24% to 48.92%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the 4Runner is less expensive to operate than the Edge because it costs $300 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the 4Runner than the Edge, including $289 less for a muffler, $80 less for front brake pads, $124 less for front struts and $576 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota 4Runner will be $1507 to $3416 less than for the Ford Edge.

The TRD Pro was selected by Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine as their 2015 4x4 of the Year. The Edge has never been chosen.