Compare the2023 Ford EdgeVS 2022 Toyota Highlander

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
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 Toyota Highlander doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Ford Edge has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Highlander doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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

The Edge has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Highlander LE/XLE/XSE/Limited/Platinum offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Edge has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Highlander LE/XLE/XSE/Limited/Platinum has a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Edge and the Highlander have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, rearview cameras, 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 Toyota Highlander:

	Edge	Highlander
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	212	292
Neck Injury Risk	22.4%	38.2%
Neck Stress	229 lbs.	347 lbs.
Neck Compression	21 lbs.	55 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	282	328
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Compression	44 lbs.	90 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	145/201 lbs.	545/323 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 Toyota Highlander:

	Edge	Highlander
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	192 lbs.	300 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	103	114
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	257	366
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	41 G’s
Hip Force	425 lbs.	664 lbs.

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

Warranty

There are over 2 times as many Ford dealers as there are Toyota 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 Highlander doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated lower.

Engine

The Edge’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 17 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 263) than the Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The Edge ST’s standard 2.7 turbo V6 produces 40 more horsepower (335 vs. 295) and 117 lbs.-ft. more torque (380 vs. 263) than the Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Edge ST 2.7 turbo V6 is faster than the Toyota Highlander:

	Edge	Highlander
Zero to 60 MPH	6.1 sec	7.4 sec
Quarter Mile	14.7 sec	15.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93.4 MPH	90.7 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Edge 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder gets better fuel mileage than the Highlander V6 AWD (21 city/28 hwy vs. 20 city/27 hwy).

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

Environmental Friendliness

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the Ford Edge as a “Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle” (PZEV). The Toyota Highlander is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Edge	Highlander
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	13.3 inches

The Edge stops much shorter than the Highlander:

	Edge	Highlander
60 to 0 MPH	108 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	137 feet	141 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Edge has larger standard tires than the Highlander (245/60R18 vs. 235/65R18). The Edge ST’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Highlander (265/40R21 vs. 235/65R18).

The Edge SE/SEL’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Highlander L/LE/XLE’s standard 65 series tires. The Edge ST’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Highlander XSE/Limited/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Edge ST offers optional 21-inch wheels. The Highlander’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The Edge has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Highlander doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

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 Highlander doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Edge ST handles at .88 G’s, while the Highlander Platinum AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Edge ST executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the Highlander Platinum AWD (26 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

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

Chassis

The Edge is 6.1 inches shorter than the Highlander, making the Edge easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Edge uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Highlander doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

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 Highlander doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Edge has .6 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, .5 inches more rear hip room and 1.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Highlander.

The front step up height for the Edge is 1.5 inches lower than the Highlander (17.5” vs. 19”). The Edge’s rear step up height is 1.2 inches lower than the Highlander’s (18” vs. 19.2”).

Cargo Capacity

The Edge has a much larger cargo volume than the Highlander with its rear seat up (39.2 vs. 16 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 Highlander’s liftover is 31.2 inches.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Edge SEL/Titanium/ST’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Highlander doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

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 Highlander can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Servicing Ease

The Edge uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Highlander uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

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 Highlander doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Edge’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Highlander’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

The Edge SEL/ST-Line/ST/Titanium’s standard rear view mirror and optional side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Highlander offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Edge Titanium/ST’s optional Active Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Highlander doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Edge is less expensive to operate than the Highlander because typical repairs cost much less on the Edge than the Highlander, including $346 less for a starter, $223 less for fuel injection, $186 less for a fuel pump and $768 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

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

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