2020 Ford Edge vs 2020 Dodge Durango – Albany, NY

• 2020 Ford Edge

  

  Starting at

  $31,100

  2020 Dodge Durango

  

  Starting at

  $30,795

  21 / 29	Max Fuel Economy (MPG)	19 / 26
  275	Base Torque (lb-ft)	260
  8-Speed Automatic	Available Transmission	8-Speed Automatic

  While some folks might think a happy medium refers to someone finding a great discount on a suit at Macy's, it actually refers to a perfect compromise. Such is the case with midsize SUVs, this case, the 2020 Ford Edge vs 2020 Dodge Durango. When a midsize SUV is designed well, they provide more room for passengers and cargo than a compact SUV or crossover, with better mileage and handling than a full-size SUV. The key is finding the right combination of drivetrain and size, apportioning enough space for passengers and cargo without cramping the former or skimping on the latter. As you can imagine, this is not an easy task for today's automotive engineer. When you add in the fact that folks like to have their midsize SUV with all modern conveniences, like user-friendly infotainment systems and safety features, getting to that happy medium is not as easy as finding me a brand new suit.

  Two companies that seemed to have achieved this difficult task are Ford and Dodge. Ford offers the Edge, a two-row midsize SUV that seats up to 5 passengers. Dodge counters with the Durango, which comes as either a two-row or three-row SUV, and can seat between 5 and 7 passengers depending on which trim is chosen. Ford seems to have taken the approach of having an Edge that differs among trim levels, mainly with respect to specific features like additional active safety systems, stronger engines, and additional styling. In contrast, Dodge has used the Durango as something of a Swiss Army Knife, with radical differences between each trim level.

• Trims

  

  The 2020 Ford Edge

  The 2020 Ford Edge comes in four different trim levels. The base model is the Edge SE with an MSRP of $31,100. The other three trims are the Edge SEL with an MSRP of $34,355, the Titanium with an MSRP of $38,100, and the ST with an MSRP of $43,265. All 2020 Ford Edge models seat up to 5 passengers and come standard with FWD with AWD available, except for the Edge ST, which has Ford's Intelligent AWD standard and features a larger engine.

  The 2020 Dodge Durango

  The 2020 Dodge Durango features more trims than the Ford Edge––a total of 8 trims––but has an overall higher price point. In addition, three of these are additions to basic trims. The base model of the Durango is the SXT with an MSRP of $30,795, followed by the SXT Plus with an MSRP of $34,990. Both of these models are two-row midsize SUVs with room for up to 5 passengers. The Durango GT has an MSRP of $34,995, the GT Plus has an MSRP of $39,495, and the RT has an MSRP of $44,395. Each of these models has three rows of seats and capacity for up to 7 passengers.

  The Durango Citadel has an MSRP of $42,995, the Citadel Anodized Platinum has an MSRP of $46,270, and the top-of-the-line SRT has an MSRP of $62,995. All 2020 Dodge Durango models come standard with RWD and have AWD available, except the RST, which is standard with AWD.

• Performance

  

  Available Engines

  The 2020 Ford Edge has two engine options. The standard engine on the Edge SE, SEL, and Titanium is a Twin Scroll 2.0-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder gas engine. This engine can produce up to 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. The top model, the Edge ST, features a Twin Turbo 2.7-liter EcoBoost 6-cylinder gas engine, which can produce up to 335 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque. Both of these engines are paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

  The 2020 Dodge Durango has three engine options. The base engine is a 3.6-liter V6 Pentastar gas engine, which can produce up to 295 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. This engine is featured on the SXT, SXT Plus, GT, GT Plus, Citadel, and Citadel Anodized Platinum trim levels. The second engine is a 5.7-liter V8 Hemi gas engine that produces 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. The Durango RT comes equipped with this engine. The top model, the Durango SRT, has a 6.4-liter V8 Hemi gas engine. This can produce up to 475 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. All 2020 Dodge Durango models feature an 8-speed automatic transmission.

  Of the two vehicles, the Edge seems to have the edge over the Durango when it comes to performance, except with respect to the RT and SRT models. Although the Durango features a larger engine than the Edge, it is also a heavier vehicle by almost 1,000 pounds of base curb weight. As a result, the Durango is going to have less pickup than the Edge and feel somewhat sluggish. It seems surprising that a 4-cylinder midsize SUV could outperform one with a V6 engine, but it comes down to weight and power; the Durango with the 3.6-liter V6 is just underpowered for its size, while the Ford Edge's engine is just more efficient. The only exceptions are the Durango RT and SRT with their 8-cylinder Hemi engines. The SRT has, in fact, been rated the fastest model in its vehicle class. However, that comes at a price in the way of fuel efficiency.

  Suspension and Ride

  The Ford Edge is a FWD vehicle with Ford's Intelligent AWD available, except for the Edge ST, which has Intelligent AWD standard. In addition, the Edge has front and rear independent suspension systems. The front suspension is MacPherson strut and L-shaped lower control arm with isolated subframe and stabilizer bar, while the rear suspension is an independent integral link with an isolated subframe and stabilizer bar.

  Dodge has taken a different approach with the Durango, which has RWD standard with AWD available, except for the Durango SRT, which has standard AWD. The Durango has a short and long arm front and multi-link rear suspension. As a result, drivers will probably find a stiffer overall ride on the Durango than on the Edge. Furthermore, the FWD Edge should outperform the RWD Durango in inclement weather. The only way to overcome this advantage is to pay extra for AWD on a Durango or upgrade to the SRT trim.

  How Fuel Efficient Is the 2020 Ford Edge?

  The 2020 Ford Edge has the advantage over the 2020 Dodge Durango when it comes to fuel economy. When equipped with the 2.0-liter engine, the 2020 Edge has an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 21 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highway (24 MPG combined). When you opt for the Edge ST, the EPA-estimated fuel economy drops slightly to a still respectable 19 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway driving (21 MPG combined). The Dodge Durango has the exact same EPA-estimated fuel economy with models equipped with the 3.6-liter V6 engine. However, this rating is for a much less powerful and efficient engine than the one offered on the Edge ST.

  How Well Does the 2020 Dodge Durango Compare?

  The Durango RT with the 5.7-liter V8 has an estimated fuel economy of 14 MPG in the city and 22 MPG on the highway (17 MPG combined). The Durango SRT with the 6.4-liter V8 is simply a gas guzzler, achieving only 13 MPG in the city and 19 MPG on the highway (15 MPG combined).

• Interior Space

  

  Passenger Space

  Dodge has used the Durango as a platform for both a two-row, 5-passenger SUV and a three-row, 6 or 7-passenger SUV, and it shows. For a two-row SUV, the Durango SXT and SXT Plus seem overwhelmed by size, but most of it has gone to its trunk. As a result, front-row passengers of the 2020 Dodge Durango receive:

  • 39.9 inches of headroom
  • 40.3 inches of legroom
  • 57 inches of hip room
  • 58.5 inches of shoulder room.

  Second-row passengers will get up to:

  • 39.8 inches of headroom
  • 38.6 inches of legroom
  • 42.8 inches of hip room
  • 50.4 inches of shoulder room

  These are good numbers, but they pale in comparison to the 2020 Ford Edge. In the 2020 Ford Edge, drivers and front-row passengers will be able to utilize up to:

  • 40.2 inches of headroom
  • 42.6 inches of legroom
  • 55.9 inches of hip room
  • 60.3 inches of shoulder room

  Second-row passengers of the 2020 Ford Edge will get:

  • 40.3 inches of headroom
  • 40.6 inches of legroom
  • 57.5 inches of hip room
  • 60.5 inches of shoulder

  The numbers of the Durango actually get worse when you add the third row, the configuration on the GT, GT Plus, Citadel, RT, Citadel Anodized Platinum, and SRT. Third row passengers only get:

  • 37.8 inches of headroom
  • 31.5 inches of legroom
  • 42.8 inches of hip room
  • 50.4 inches of shoulder room

  As you can see, the third row is fairly cramped as the designers at Dodge really squeezed it in to fit the Durango.

  Cargo Space

  The 2020 Ford Edge has 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space that expands to 73.4 cubic feet when the second row is folded down. The 2020 Dodge Durango SXT and SXT Plus actually surpass these numbers, with 47.7 cubic feet of trunk space that expands to 84.5 cubic feet when the second row of seats is folded down. The problem emerges when you look at the three-row Durango models. While all can achieve up to 84.5 cubic feet of cargo space, this requires folding down both the second and third row of seats. In order to fit in an extra row of seats, Dodge reduced the basic trunk space to a fairly minuscule 17.2 cubic feet.

  With respect to the SRT, Citadel, and Citadel Anodized Platinum models that seat up to 6 passengers, that is a great deal of trunk space to lose for just one additional passenger. Based on this, it seems that the 2020 Ford Edge fits the happy medium of a midsize SUV better than the Dodge Durango, getting a better balance between passenger space and cargo volume.

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