Compare the2023 Toyota 4RunnerVS 2023 Ford Edge

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the 4Runner are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Edge doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The 4Runner has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Edge doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the 4Runner 4WD’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Edge doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The 4Runner offers an optional Multi-Terrain/Panoramic Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Edge only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the 4Runner and the Edge have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available four-wheel drive.

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, results indicate that the Toyota 4Runner is safer than the Ford Edge:

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

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the 4Runner for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Edge.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 4Runner first among midsize suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Edge isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 18th.

The 4Runner’s 4.0 DOHC V6 produces 20 more horsepower (270 vs. 250) than the Edge’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Toyota 4Runner is faster than the Ford Edge turbo 4 cyl.:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota 4Runner uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Edge requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The 4Runner has 4.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Edge (23 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The 4Runner’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the Edge AWD are solid, not vented.

The 4Runner stops shorter than the Edge:

The Toyota 4Runner’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Ford Edge only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The 4Runner has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Edge; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

The 4Runner TRD Off-Road offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Edge doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The 4Runner’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53.6% to 46.4%) than the Edge’s (57.8% to 42.2%). This gives the 4Runner more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the 4Runner’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Edge’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the 4Runner has a 1.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Edge (9.6 vs. 8 inches), allowing the 4Runner to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The 4Runner’s minimum ground clearance is 1.4 inches higher than on the Edge ST (9.6 vs. 8.2 inches).

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the 4Runner TRD Off-Road is quieter than the Edge Titanium (67 vs. 68 dB).

The 4Runner offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Edge can only carry 5.

The 4Runner has 14.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Edge (128 vs. 113.9).

The 4Runner’s cargo area provides more volume than the Edge.

The 4Runner 5-Passenger’s optional sliding cargo floor is capable of supporting 440 pounds, to make loading and unloading cargo easier and safer. The Edge doesn’t offer a sliding load floor.

The 4Runner’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Edge’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The 4Runner’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Edge’s (5000 vs. 1500 pounds).

The engine in the 4Runner is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Edge. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

The 4Runner’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Edge’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the 4Runner the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Edge can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The 4Runner’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford only offers heated mirrors on the Edge SEL/ST-Line/ST/Titanium.

The 4Runner is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Edge doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The 4Runner will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the 4Runner will retain 62.96% to 69.47% of its original price after five years, while the Edge only retains 48.21% to 53.65%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the 4Runner is less expensive to operate than the Edge because it costs $300 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the 4Runner than the Edge, including $289 less for a muffler, $80 less for front brake pads, $124 less for front struts and $576 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota 4Runner will be $193 to $2303 less than for the Ford Edge.

The TRD Pro was selected by Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine as their 2015 4x4 of the Year. The Edge has never been chosen.

The Toyota 4Runner outsold the Ford Edge by 42% during 2022.