In a contest between the midsize 2019 Ford Edge and the compact Toyota RAV4, things might seem pretty even at first glance. They both tow up to 3,500 pounds, which is very good for a smaller SUV. And they both promise sportiness and power. But that’s not the end of the story, as you’ll see in this comparison guide.
Passenger Room: 2019 Ford Edge
Not surprisingly, the 2019 Ford Edge is roomier on the inside. That’s because the Edge is in a different class than the RAV4. To be specific, the Ford SUV is three inches wider and six inches longer. That translates to more head- and legroom inside. For the driver and front seat passenger in the Ford crossover, there’s nearly an extra inch of headroom and an inch and a half more legroom. And in the back, there’s that same extra inch of headroom in the Edge and a whopping three inches more legroom.
Cargo Space: 2019 Ford Edge
Because there’s extra cabin space in the Ford crossover, in addition to having more passenger room, the Edge offers more cargo space as well. With all the seats in use, there’s 39.2 cubic feet of storage in the Edge compared to 37.5 cubes in the RAV4. Fold the back seat down and Ford’s advantage grows even more: 73.4 cubic feet to the Toyota SUV’s 69.8 cubes.
Cabin Noise: 2019 Ford Edge
The 2019 Ford Edge has a few advantages over the Toyota RAV4 unrelated to its bigger size. Take cabin noise, for example. Good insulation keeps out wind and road noise, which is useful if you’re trying to have a conversation, listen to music or talk radio, or just relax before work. On the other hand, the RAV4 has a lot of noise coming from its loud four-cylinder engine. That droning noise is especially evident when accelerating and while traveling on the highway.
Engine Options: 2019 Ford Edge
Speaking of engines, the Ford Edge has the Toyota RAV4 beat there too. Even taking into account its larger size, which requires more energy to move, the Edge has the superior options. The Edge has two engines to choose from while the RAV4 only has one unless you count the hybrid version. For the 2019 Edge, that’s a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4, good for 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque or a 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6 putting up 335 horsepower and a stunning 380 lb-ft of torque.
By comparison, the 2019 Toyota RAV4 has a 2.5-liter inline-4 generating 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Even with the difference in size and weight, the RAV4 is slightly underpowered relative to the Edge’s base engine and doubly so compared to its 335-horsepower powerhouse. You might save a few thousand buying the RAV4, but even so we find the Edge still retains its considerable value.