It's a crossover SUV showdown between Ford Edge vs Mazda CX-5 vs Kia Sorento
Let’s take a look at the Ford Edge vs Mazda CX-5 vs Kia Sorento showdown. They aren’t the bestselling SUVs out there, but these small to mid-size crossover SUVs are popular.
We’re only going to look at the standout features, the things that might woo a shopper from one carmaker to the next. Which is the better buy: the 2017 Ford Edge, the 2017 Mazda CX-5, or the 2017 Kia Sorento?
Price Check in Lane Three
Budget is nearly always a primary motivator. Without factoring in the options, check out the entry-level MSRP for our three competitors, then the price point of the fully loaded models.
Mazda CX-5
The bottom Mazda CX-5 trim is the Mazda CX-5 Sport. Its MSRP begins at $24,045 plus destination and PDI. At the upper end of its scale, the CX-5 Grand Touring is still under $30,000 with an MSRP of $29,395. Looking at the other models, you have to wonder if there can truly be that wide of a price disparity among vehicles in the same segment?
Ford Edge
For 2017, the Ford Edge SE, the bottom trim level, starts out at $28,950. It’s under $30,000 until you factor in the new vehicle prep and destination charges. At the top end, you’ll find the 2017 Ford Edge Sport with a starting price tag of $40,400. That’s toeing the line for premium and luxury SUV pricing.
Kia Sorento
The 2017 Sorento L kicks off its lineup with an MSRP of $25,600, hanging in quite close to the Mazda crossover. If you ramp your choice up to the Sorento SXL V6, you’ll be spending $44,100 plus dealer fees to get in the driver’s seat.
The pricing differences are alarming, but then the Kia Sorento is an affordable SUV with third row seating. The Mazda CX-5 clearly is the best-priced model, taking the win here. But what is it you’re getting for $10,000 more in the other models, and will it be a deal-breaker?
I Love Technology
Ford Edge
All right, so Ford has a handle on the technology aspect. A foot-activated tailgate option is well-known, and Ford is constantly doing well with the SYNC 3 system. Tack on heated and cooled front seats and navigation with pinch-to-zoom capability and it’s looking good already.
But not so fast. There’s Adaptive Cruise Control available, which is awesome. The 2017 Ford Edge also has Enhanced Active Park Assist with perpendicular and parallel parking features available, but that’s a bone of contention. The systems apparently operate too slow to be comfortably used in real-life situations.
Mazda CX-5
Mazda’s options seem a little more pedestrian than the Ford Edge. That said, they’re extremely functional. The 2017 Mazda CX-5 has an available Active Driving Display – essentially a head-up display – that does precisely as intended to keep your eyes on the road.
That’s in addition to Mazda Radar Cruise Control and another cool option: Traffic Sign Recognition. You could potentially save yourself from speeding tickets thanks to the forward-facing camera that detects traffic signs and alerts you.
Kia Sorento
Heated and ventilated front seats are available, as is Advanced Smart Cruise Control and Surround View Monitor. Most other options you’ll find on any other upper trim level on other brands, except for the Smart Power Liftgate. You don’t need hands (or feet) to activate the liftgate, just the key fob in your pocket while you stand behind your Sorento. Of course, now there’s the risk your key fob can get hacked.
Despite its flawed parking systems, the Ford Edge takes the win for technology. Its options are simply more developed than the others, even if you never use the Enhanced Active Park Assist.
