Things are getting a little crowded in the sport-utility section of the Blue Oval Corral, what with the Explorer, Expedition and Freestyle being joined this year by the Edge and the Fairlane just around the corner.
The all-new Edge is Ford’s second attempt at a crossover – an SUV based on a passenger car platform – and is far more likely than the first, the Freestyle, to make a significant impact on a market in which entries like the Nissan Murano and Toyota Highlander define the boundaries of success.
Ford moved more than 13,000 Edges in January and February, despite having one of the all-time goofy television spots (the one showing the Edge driving all over creation “on the edge”), so that ought to be an indicator of good things to come.
And there is a lot of good in the Edge, starting with its exterior styling, which is vaguely reminiscent of the original crossover SUV, the Lexus RX300. But Ford gave the Edge a bold Fusion-esque three-bar grille, a steeply raked windshield, prominently flare fenders front and back and a four pillar greenhouse.
The result is a smooth, clean shape that ought to permanently exile the Explorer/Expedition/Freestyle brick look back in the 90s where it originated during Ford’s SUV heyday.
The Edge impresses on the inside, too, with ample room in most directions for five adults. There are lots of folding seatbacks front and rear to open up substantial cargo carrying capacity and the center console is big and useful. Instrumentationand gauging have a solid contemporary look and the overall effect of the fittings is of a high level despite some obvious cost-cutting measures here and there.
Performance at the Edge is better than expected, given the 4,500+ pound curb weight, thanks to an all-new 3.5 liter V-6 good for 265 horsepower. It looks and sounds like Ford’s familiar 3.0 liter Duratec but has much more muscle. Expect mid-eight second 0-60 mph times. The only available transmission is an all-new six speed automatic that curiously lacks a manumatic option.
Thanks to the excessive poundage, the Edge is not a turn terror. Steering and brakes are weighted nicely and there is enough torque to move the Edge smartly, plus it is quiet and has a rather comfortable ride quality. Fuel economy is not great, thanks to the extra weight.
Folks who want a pleasant, practical and handsome crossover SUV designed and sold by an American firm should give the Edge a serious look. But those yearning for something more genuinely sporting will go elsewhere.
