So you want an SUV? You want it to be sensible, built for both city and highway driving, while delivering some utility more and more sport utility vehicles are leaving out. Well, if that’s the case, you’ll want to pull up a chair and compare the Chevy Blazer and the Ford Edge. The Blazer name goes way back into Chevy lore, and while the Edge isn’t exactly a historical name in the world of Ford, it’s gotten some mileage out of it. As two of the top-performing midsize crossover SUVs on the market, the best way to pick one is to put one against the other in an ultimate automotive throw down between the 2020 Chevy Blazer vs 2020 Ford Edge.
Price
Once you get over just how shinny that ruby red paint job is and that new car smell combination of plastics, leathers, and manufactured vehicles, you’ll stop and check out the MSRP. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price isn’t the end all be all, as you’ll need to look deeper into features, but it’s a nice place to start.
With the 2020 Chevy Blazer, you can land the basic L trim for $28,800. That is compared with the Edge’s $31,100, which is what the SE trim goes for. Although perhaps you really want to splurge and really deck out the SUV. Well, there are all kinds of add-on packages if you want to see just how pricey you can make it, but the Premier Blazer has an MSRP of $42,700 while the ST Ford Edge runs $43,265.
And just an FYI, the Blazer has around eight trims with varying drivetrains. The Edge has four, so you have more options with mixing and matching what you want in your new SUV with the Chevy Blazer.
Engine Numbers
Alright. Here’s where you separate the true SUVs from the pretenders. It always blows us away how many “SUVs” are out there that have barely enough horsepower to push itself up a hill. And that’s a smooth hill. Introduce a pothole, and you’ll end up rolling over uncontrollably.
Both of these two SUVs give you a handful of engine options to play with. On the 2020 Chevy Blazer, the base comes with a 2.5L I4 that produces 193 horsepower and 188 lb-ft of torque. Not too shabby for a bare-bones option. As for the 2020 Ford Edge, you do get some rather impressive engine specs right out of the gate with a 2.0L Turbo I4 that produces 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. While the base does cost a few thousand more, it does have engine numbers to help justify the price.
With the Blazer, you have two more engine options. However, the Edge there is only one other engine to select. As you upgrade your trim on the Blazer, you also can opt for a 2.0L I4 turbo engine. The Blazer turbo will net you 230 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. There is also a 3.6L V6 that ups the numbers to 308 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. The secondary Edge engine is a 2.7L V6 turbo that produces 335 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque.
In recent years, Ford has been moving away from larger engines and instead focused itself on tweaking smaller engines. 2.7L is rather small for a V6 when compared to a 3.6L However, it all comes down to what kind of engine you’re interested in and how much you’re looking to spend.
Towing and Cargo
Next to the engine, towing and cargo are about as important as it gets for an SUV. At least, in our humble opinion, these numbers are. If you’re looking for a glorified sedan, there are all kinds of other crossovers out there, although the creators of the sport utility vehicle would probably question why such a vehicle might be considered an SUV. But to each their own. These two SUVs, thanks to the engine options and the strong vehicle frame, can deliver on both towing and cargo space. Sure, if you want to max out these numbers, you’ll want to go with something like a Suburban or Tahoe, but hey, maybe you don’t want an SUV with a butt that won’t quit. These two are much more streamlined and designed for the five-person family.
The 2020 Chevy Blazer maxes out at 4,500 pounds of towing potential. You’ll want to opt for the larger engines whenever maxing out towing, but this is more than enough for hitching up a U-Haul to help your kid move to college, or when you’ve been eyeing that speed boat but haven’t had a vehicle capable of handling the weight.
The 2020 Ford Edge, on the other hand, maxes out at just 3,500 pounds towing. This is where the smaller engine is a bit of a downside. Bigger is usually better when it comes to towing numbers, and this certainly is the case with the Chevy Blazer towing about 30 percent more.
But what about cargo space? Maybe you’re more interested in what you can get inside the SUV over what you can pull behind it. The 2020 Chevy Blazer will net you 30.5 cubic feet of cargo space when all the seats are upright. But fold down the back row, and you instantly jump to 64.2 cubic feet. And the Ford? With the 2020 Ford Edge, you have an initial cargo space of 39.2 cubic feet, which then moves to 73.4 cubic feet when you fold down the rear seat. So you do have some surprisingly solid cargo space with the Edge, although the Blazer numbers are solid as well.
Entertainment
You’re going to want to bump some tunes. While the Chevy Blazer uses the Chevrolet Infotainment system and the Edge uses its Ford Sync system, both vehicles do come with some nice features.
The base Blazer, for example, comes standard with an AM/FM stereo, smart device integration via Bluetooth, AUX input, and WiFi. The base Ford comes with the same features, plus satellite radio (subscription required after three-month trial) and optional entertainment system.
The top-tier Blazer takes its base package and adds on a navigation system, satellite radio, premium sound system, and an optional entertainment system. The top Ford Edge offers all of the same features, plus HD radio.
We’ll admit part of us is kind of sad CD players are no longer an option in most vehicles. Some of us still have our CD wallets in the backseat somewhere, which may or may not include some unfortunate high school mixes that we just haven’t been able to toss out. We do love our physical audio mediums, but with that said, the inclusion of WiFi is a game-changer because it lets us do more than stream our favorite music. We can download podcasts on the fly, stream movies, and even get work done (just not while driving, of course).
Put the Sport and Utility Back In SUV
It’s always incredible to us just how many SUVs fail at being both sporty and a utility vehicle. Too many manufacturers have focused on building glorified sedans and have failed to add the features that gave the SUV its title in the first place. We’re glad the 2020 Blazer and the 2020 Edge are able to hold their own in this tough segment. But what is it that you like in an SUV? What attracts you to it? Let us know. Are we alone in our love of both sport and utility in an SUV?
