If you’re a Ford fan and want to get into one of its SUVs, there’s plenty to choose from. The question will be which one has the most standard features for the price that will fit in your budget? 

Consumer Reports has tested all 2021 Ford SUVs and there’s one they recommend the most over all the others. However, it might not be one that you’d expect.

Which Ford SUV rated the highest?

Out of all the SUVs Ford made for 2021, there’s one that’s well-praised by Consumer Reports, and interestingly enough it isn’t the Explorer or the Escape. It’s the Ford Edge. 

With an overall score of 83, it rates high in several different areas. You’ll find that it excelled in the road test, acceleration, braking distance, transmission performance, and overall driving experience. It also offers an excellent fit and finish with the interior. 

The one area that helps put it at the top is its above-average predicted reliability rating. While there isn’t enough data to determine the rating for 2021 yet, the last three years have more than enough to show that there have been no major problems with it for a while. 

What Consumer Reports liked about the 2021 Ford Edge

When it comes to driving experience, the Edge pulls ahead of some of its rivals with a road test score of 84. Powering the SUV up is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 250 hp. 

Pairing it with an eight-speed automatic transmission gives you an acceleration time of 7.7 seconds for a 0 to 60 run. Available for the ST trim only is a 2.7-liter four-cylinder twin-turbo motor. 

The Edge has improved in fuel economy ratings in the last few years. The SEL trim with AWD can get an estimated 15 mpg when driving on city roads. When you get out onto the highway, EPA ratings increase to 31 mpg. So, that makes its overall fuel economy score of 22. 

While midsize SUVs usually aren’t meant for a whole lot of towing, they can handle a small amount. However, if you choose the AWD version of the Ford Edge and opt for its trailer tow package, you can expect to haul around 3,500 lbs.

The cabin is quiet and spacious. So spacious that a third row of seats could’ve been added to include a few more passengers. But, as it stands, you can haul five people and have tons of room for storage in the cargo area. 

How does it compare to the more popular Ford Explorer and Escape?

One of the most popular Ford SUVs on the market is the Explorer. But its popularity doesn’t help it win any awards. This Ford vehicle has pretty low reliability ratings compared to the Edge. Its failure to impress reviewers has lost it the chance for a recommendation for this year’s model. 

The Escape, another popular SUV, doesn’t come close to the Edge either. Consumer Reprots gave it an overall score of 46, which is 37 points lower than the score the Edge got.

Again, the predicted reliability is one of its major downfalls. Consumer Reports shares some of its plaguing issues, which are, as of recently, body integrity problems, power equipment, and in-car electronics. 

The Ford Edge maintains decent reliability ratings, seeing only a few issues over the last couple of years. In fact, 2016 is the last year when it saw anything major and that’s when consumers reported issues with the body hardware, power equipment, and in-car electronics. 

The Edge has seen many improvements over the years. So it’s not surprising that Consumer Reports thinks it’s the one to recommend when you compare it to other Ford SUVs.