Compare the2023 Ford EdgeVS 2023 BMW X5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
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 X5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row 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 X5 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 X5.

Both the Edge and the X5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 X5:

	Edge	X5
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	22.4%	34%
Neck Stress	229 lbs.	308 lbs.
Neck Compression	21 lbs.	112 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	165/596 lbs.	636/584 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	282	342
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.8 inches
Neck Stress	197 lbs.	220 lbs.
Neck Compression	44 lbs.	91 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	145/201 lbs.	527/418 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 X5:

	Edge	X5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	192 lbs.	279 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	257	308
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	425 lbs.	796 lbs.

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

Warranty

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Edge 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X5 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 X5 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 ST’s standard 2.7 turbo V6 produces 49 lbs.-ft. more torque (380 vs. 331) than the X5 40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Edge gets better mileage than the X5:

			MPG
Edge
	AWD	2.7 turbo V6	19 city/25 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
X5
	RWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	21 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	21 city/25 hwy
		4.4 turbo V8	16 city/22 hwy

Both the Edge and the X5 have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Edges have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. A disable switch for start/stop is only offered on the X5 M50i.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Edge uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X5 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

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 X5 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Edge higher (5 to 6 out of 10) than the BMW X5 (3). This means the Edge produces up to 23.4 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X5 every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the Ford Edge as a “Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle” (PZEV). The BMW X5 is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

Brakes and Stopping

The Edge stops much shorter than the X5:

	Edge	X5
60 to 0 MPH	108 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	137 feet	142 feet	Consumer Reports

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 X5 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Edge ST handles at .88 G’s, while the X5 xDrive40i pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Edge ST executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the X5 xDrive40i (26 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 27.3 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Edge’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the X5’s (39.3 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

Chassis

The Ford Edge may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 700 to 750 pounds less than the BMW X5.

The Edge is 5.5 inches shorter than the X5, making the Edge easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 X5 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Edge Titanium is quieter than the X5 xDrive40i:

	Edge	X5
At idle	37 dB	39 dB
Full-Throttle	68 dB	71 dB

Passenger Space

The Edge has 2.8 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear headroom, 3.2 inches more rear legroom and 2.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the X5.

The front step up height for the Edge is 2 inches lower than the X5 (17.5” vs. 19.5”). The Edge’s rear step up height is 2 inches lower than the X5’s (18” vs. 20”).

Cargo Capacity

The Edge has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the X5 with its rear seat up (39.2 vs. 33.9 cubic feet). The Edge has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X5 with its rear seat folded (73.4 vs. 72.3 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Edge easier. The Edge’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.6 inches, while the X5’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The Edge’s cargo area is larger than the X5’s in every dimension:

	Edge	X5
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	41.7”/74.8”	40.7”/70”
Max Width	63.3”	49”
Min Width	45.3”	44”
Height	34.5”	31.5”

The Edge’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

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 X5 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 X5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

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 X5 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 X5’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 X5 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 $3345 to $5415 less than the X5 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Edge is less expensive to operate than the X5 because it costs $200 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Edge than the X5, including $472 less for a water pump, $1308 less for a muffler, $102 less for front brake pads, $545 less for a starter, $313 less for fuel injection, $249 less for a fuel pump, $317 less for front struts, $832 less for a timing belt/chain and $1220 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 $24655 to $38613 less than for the BMW X5.

Recommendations

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

	Edge	X5
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	TRUE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	FALSE

The Ford Edge outsold the BMW X5 by 3093 units during 2022.

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