Ford Edge



Ford is expanding its SUV line-up upwards, so the stylish new Edge sits above the Kuga in the range, bringing expressive style and a spacious interior to market. Thing is, Ford wants it to compete with the premium brand offerings with no heritage to build on and it's also stymied by the lack of seven seats. Still, looks good, doesn't it?

Test Car Specifications

Model tested: Ford Edge 2.0 TDCi Titanium
Price: starts at £29,995, £32,920 (as tested)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel
Transmission: six-speed manual, all-wheel drive
Body style: five-door, five-seat SUV
CO₂ emissions: 149g/km (Band F, £145 per year)
Combined economy: 48.7mpg
Top speed: 124mph
0-62mph: 9.9 seconds
Power: 180hp at 3,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 2,000- to 2,500pm

What's this?

This is the Ford Edge, the latest and biggest SUV offering from the Blue Oval to date - in this part of the world in any case. Parked next to a Ford Kuga the dimensional differences are immediately apparent, although inside there is still only seating for five in the Edge. The new car's styling also gives it bag loads of presence, almost entirely irrespective of trim grade. The bold grille is one of the stand-out features while the Titanium level reviewed here rolls on 19-inch alloy wheels as standard.

The chunky image is carried throughout the exterior of the car, with a raked windscreen that sees its base sit in line with the front axle, resulting in what is quite a short bonnet. Ford's designers bulked it up by adding two distinctive ridges down its front, not dissimilar to those seen on the current Mustang. The reasoning for this was, according to one of the project's engineers, to reduce the risk of it looking like a people carrier. Even from behind the Edge looks smart thanks to a light bar that runs across the width of the boot lid to link the two rear light clusters. In the boot there is 600 litres of space and up to 1,847 litres if you fold down the rear seat backs.

Most noticeable from the moment you sit inside the Edge is how spacious it is, especially in the rear seats where headroom and legroom are among the best you will find in the segment. It's a shame in a way that the dashboard appears almost identical to that found in the latest Galaxy, Mondeo and S-Max models. Fit and finish are good though and ergonomically speaking everything is within easy reach, while the seats are supportive without being constrictive.

Where Ford is punching hardest is in the specification department. All Edge models will feature the company's latest 'Intelligent All-Wheel Drive' transmission as standard and buyers will have a simple choice of engines. Two variants of the 2.0-litre TDCi unit will be available: a 180hp version with a six-speed manual gearbox and a 210hp option with a six-speed automatic transmission. All models come equipped with Active Noise Control (a sound cancellation system to reduce engine and road noise), DAB radio with Ford's SYNC touchscreen infotainment system, privacy glass and Pedestrian Detection.

How does it drive?

Even though the Ford Edge comes equipped with all-wheel drive as standard, few are ever going to go much further off-road than the local village green. Probably a good thing, as ground clearance isn't something that is particularly high on the Edge, but it should cope well with frosty mornings. The 2.0-litre diesel engine packs plenty of shove, with 400Nm on tap from 2,000rpm, but the six-speed manual does let it down slightly. The gearing is fine but it is the less-than-slick operation of changing gears that leaves the big Ford feeling a touch more agricultural than some of its rivals.

Under heavier load the turbocharged engine can make a bit of a racket too despite the presence of the Active Noise Control system that is meant to cancel out such din. Things do settle when you get up to speed and it will quite happily cruise along in fourth or fifth gear leaving enough power in reserve for overtaking.

Should you decide to push on a little harder in the Edge the chassis copes well and through corners, although there is an initial bit of body roll, it remains composed and, thanks to that all-wheel drive system, never leaves you wanting for more traction. The suspension feels well sprung and damped on a variety of surfaces too. At higher speeds, the adaptive steering doesn't give great levels of feedback, but around town it does make threading the Edge along through traffic much easier, with just a couple of turns of the wheel required from lock-to-lock when parking.

Verdict

Ford's Edge will grab buyers' attention with its distinctive exterior style and spacious interior, though its sales may be limited somewhat by the lack of a seven-seat version. Standard all-wheel drive is appealing, but we'd have expected more refinement from the diesel engines. Still, there's plenty of performance on tap and the Edge will certainly help Ford move further upmarket.

Exterior Design

Interior Ambience

Passenger Space

Luggage Space

Safety

Comfort

Driving Dynamics

Powertrain