Compare the2023 Ford EdgeVS 2023 BMW X3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Edge have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X3 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Ford Edge are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X3 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Edge. But it costs extra on the X3.

Both the Edge and the X3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 front and rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Edge is safer than the BMW X3:

	Edge	X3
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	21 lbs.	64 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	35.2%	38%
Neck Compression	44 lbs.	72 lbs.

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

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 Ford Edge is safer than the BMW X3:

	Edge	X3
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	192 lbs.	275 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	103	133
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	45 G’s
Hip Force	635 lbs.	794 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	257	281
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	425 lbs.	624 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Edge is 1.6% to 1.7% less likely to roll over than the X3.

Warranty

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Edge 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X3 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 9 times as many Ford dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Edge’s warranty.

Reliability

The Edge has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The X3 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

Engine

The Edge’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 2 more horsepower (250 vs. 248) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 258) than the X3 s/xDrive30i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Edge ST’s standard 2.7 turbo V6 produces 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (380 vs. 369) than the X3 M40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Edge ST 2.7 turbo V6 is faster than the X3 s/xDrive30i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

	Edge	X3
Zero to 60 MPH	6.1 sec	6.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.7 sec	15.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93.4 MPH	91.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Edge 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder gets better fuel mileage than the X3 M40i (21 city/28 hwy vs. 21 city/26 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Edge uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X3 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Edge has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the X3 (18.5 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Edge has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X3 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Edge’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the X3:

	Edge	X3
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	13 inches

The Edge stops much shorter than the X3:

	Edge	X3
60 to 0 MPH	108 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	137 feet	138 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Edge ST’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X3 (265/40R21 vs. 245/45R20).

Suspension and Handling

The Edge’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The X3 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Edge is 1.3 inches wider in the front and .7 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the X3.

The Edge ST handles at .88 G’s, while the X3 xDrive30i pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Edge ST executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the X3 xDrive30i (26 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Edge ST has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X3 (8.2 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Edge to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Edge ST uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The X3 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Edge Titanium is quieter than the X3 M40i xDrive:

	Edge	X3
At idle	37 dB	40 dB
Full-Throttle	68 dB	80 dB
70 MPH Cruising	65 dB	69 dB

Passenger Space

The Edge has 12.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the X3 (113.9 vs. 101.4).

The Edge has 2.3 inches more front legroom, 2.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 4.2 inches more rear legroom and 4.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the X3.

Cargo Capacity

The Edge has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the X3 with its rear seat up (39.2 vs. 28.7 cubic feet). The Edge has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X3 with its rear seat folded (73.4 vs. 62.7 cubic feet).

The Edge’s cargo area is larger than the X3’s in every dimension:

	Edge	X3
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	41.7”/74.8”	36.5”/69”
Max Width	63.3”	47”
Min Width	45.3”	43.3”
Height	34.5”	30.1”

Towing

The Edge ST can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Edge can be unhitched and driven around locally. The X3 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Optional Trailer Sway Control on the Edge (except SE) uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X3 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Edge Titanium/ST’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X3 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Edge has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X3 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Edge’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the X3’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Edge (except SE) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X3 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Edge owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Edge will cost $740 to $3465 less than the X3 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Edge is less expensive to operate than the X3 because it costs $390 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Edge than the X3, including $583 less for a water pump, $361 less for a muffler, $31 less for front brake pads, $583 less for a starter, $317 less for fuel injection, $209 less for a fuel pump, $263 less for front struts, $72 less for a timing belt/chain and $643 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Ford Edge will be $7783 to $15636 less than for the BMW X3.

Recommendations

The Ford Edge has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Edge	X3
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	TRUE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	FALSE

The Ford Edge outsold the BMW X3 by 30% during 2022.