#01#Ford's timing in the release of the new Edge soft-roader is excellent. Americans are second-guessing the need for body-on-frame SUVs and instead trying to get the same degree of utility in more efficient, on-road oriented vehicles.
At first blush the all-new Ford Edge fits the bill perfectly. Contemporary styling, an all-new powertrain, and useful size combine to make a vehicle that should have plenty of Blue Oval loyalists trading in their Explorers. Unfortunately, we found that the execution falls a bit short.
Case in point is the cockpit - decent contemporary design is offset by poor fit and finish and material quality that would shame a vehicle at half the price. There's no doubt that Ford's engineers and designers are up to the task. It's just that the bean-counters are determined to constrain costs to such a degree that the almost everything you see and touch is sub-par, whether it's a dash made up of multiple pieces of brittle plastic that have 1-2mm gaps between them, or the huge, ill-fitting front and rear bumper moldings whose joining to the metal parts of the body is atrocious.
Front seat space, control relationships, and visibility are first rate, as is cargo room. Yet the back seat pews are set too low, and don't serve up anywhere near the comfort of a
Nissan Murano, let alone the #p##01#
Speaking of which, it's hard to imagine that the all-new Edge weighs over 200kg more than the Lexus or the Toyota Highlander. This
avoirdupois saps the life from the new Duratec 3.5-liter V6. Its 265bhp and 250lb.ft of torque, even coupled to a refined, smooth shifting six-speed automatic, seem barely adequate to move the Edge with alacrity. It doesn't help that the torque peak is at a high 4500rpm, or that there is no sport mode for the transmission.
The Lexus simply smokes the Ford; its wonderfully refined engine (of similar size, though boasting more power and torque) hurling the lighter Japanese machine towards the horizon and seeming to never struggle, something that cant be said of the Edge. And perhaps more importantly, the Ford gets poor fuel economy: 21-22mpg (Imperial) as tested, compared to the Toyota Highlander's 27-28mpg or better.
Better things can be said for the dynamics. Primary ride is excellent, filtering out urban rot and lending a serene air to proceedings. Though some larger potholes and ruts can catch it out, the Ford's overall comportment is excellent. And that this is coupled to thoroughly sorted handling of very high limits for such a vehicle is a noteworthy achievement. It bears the mark of such gifted chassis gurus as Mike Cross and Richard Perry Jones (whether they were directly involved or not, their spirit seems to infuse all modern Ford products). Brake feel is decent and stopping power up to task. Steering feel is class competitive as well.
#p##04#
The biggest issue with the Edge is that an all-new Toyota Highlander is about to be released (the Ford seems to have been benchmarked against the last-generation version) and the Edge's pricing appears intended to refill Ford's depleted coffers rather than offer any real value against more complete Asian competition; a well-equipped Edge is priced at or above the competition, when conquest sales are usually made by offering more bang for the buck, or a superior vehicle.
Compared to the current domestic offerings the Edge is competent. Unfortunately that's just not enough in the America's ultra-competitive crossover market; it won't be much of a surprise to see rebates and incentives being needed to meet sales targets in the near future. This is indeed a shame, as with just a bit more development and better quality materials it would be an enticing proposition.
USA 2007 Ford Edge range overview
Front-wheel drive (FWD):
- Ford Edge SE: $25,995
- Ford Edge SEL: $27,990
- Ford Edge SEL PLUS: $29,745
Four-wheel drive (AWD):
- Ford Edge SE: $27,645
- Ford Edge SEL: $29,640
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Ford Edge SEL PLUS: $31,395
