Compare the2022 Toyota Highlander HybridVS 2022 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 Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Edge doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum has standard Automated Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Edge doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Highlander Hybrid (except LE/XLE/Bronze) offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Camera 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 Highlander Hybrid and the Edge have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is safer than the Ford Edge:

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Highlander Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 73 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Edge is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2021.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander Hybrid 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.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Highlander Hybrid third among upper midsize suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Edge isn’t in the top three in its category.

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.

On the EPA test cycle the Highlander Hybrid gets better mileage than the Edge:

Regenerative brakes improve the Highlander Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Edge doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

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

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Highlander Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Ford Edge (5). This means the Highlander Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Edge every 15,000 miles.

The Highlander Hybrid has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Edge doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Highlander Hybrid’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 Highlander Hybrid stops shorter than the Edge:

The Highlander Hybrid’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53% to 47%) than the Edge’s (57.8% to 42.2%). This gives the Highlander Hybrid more stable handling and braking.

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

The Highlander Hybrid has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Edge can only carry 5.

The Highlander Hybrid has 27.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Edge (141.3 vs. 113.9).

The Highlander Hybrid has 1 inch more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room and .4 inches more rear legroom than the Edge.

The Highlander Hybrid’s cargo area provides more volume than the Edge.

The Highlander Hybrid’s cargo area is larger than the Edge’s in almost every dimension:

The Highlander Hybrid’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Edge’s (3500 vs. 1500 pounds).

A Trailer Sway Control (TSC) is standard on the Highlander Hybrid, using the Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the Edge and isn’t available on the Edge SE.

The Highlander Hybrid Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Edge doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Highlander Hybrid’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 passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Edge doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Highlander Hybrid’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Edge’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Highlander Hybrid to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Edge doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Highlander Hybrid’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.

When the Highlander Hybrid Bronze/Limited/Platinum is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Edge’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Highlander Hybrid is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Edge doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and the Ford Edge, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Ford Edge by over three to one during the 2021 model year.