The Edge is a midsize crossover, a vehicle with the appearance of an SUV but the underpinnings of a car. Ford already has one such vehicle, the Freestyle. The Freestyle hasn't sold well. What, then, does the Edge bring to the table that will justify its existence, find favor with more people than the Freestyle has, and help the company earn much-needed profits? I took a front-wheel-drive Edge SEL for a test drive the find out.
Styling
To begin with, the Edge looks nothing like the Freestyle. The Freestyle resembles a tall station wagon much more than it does an SUV. Which should not come as a surprise, as it is essentially a wagon version of the Five Hundred sedan. In contrast, the Edge has the proportions of an SUV, with much shorter overhangs, a higher roofline, and a brawnier stance. While the Edge's wheelbase is within two inches of that of the Freestyle, its overall length is over 14 inches shorter.
Based on photos, many people assume that the Edge is a compact SUV. This is because its very round shape makes the Edge appear much smaller than it actually is. In person, the Edge is clearly a midsize vehicle. Checking the stats will find that it is ten inches longer and nearly half a foot wider than Ford's compact SUV, the Escape.
Ford's benchmark was obviously Nissan's Murano, which is just a bit smaller in most dimensions. Compared to the Murano, it's exterior styling is much less radical, with no jarring lines or details. This might be a problem. To my eye, the Edge's shape is soft and round almost to the point of shapelessness. The overall design is surprisingly similar to the also recently introduced Acura MDX. But Acura's designers took more risks and produced a bolder design with stronger wheel arches and a fiercer, more massive front end. Ironically, the Edge's exterior needs to be more edgy, in both the figurative and the literal senses of the word. So much for Ford being the company of "bold moves."
Even with the watered-down exterior, if Ford had managed to produce much of the new MDX at a much lower price, it'd have a winner. But a quick glance at the interior explains why the Ford's price is so much lower. With simple shapes obviously composed of hard plastic, the Edge's interior is decided non-premium. Ford seems to be having trouble figuring out that people want more than functionality in an interior. Juxtaposing tan and gray areas throughout the interior and tossing in a dash of last year's faux aluminum trim does not constitute the epitome of style. The space-age console-mounted shift lever might be a start, if it didn't feel so hollow and plasticky. There is one bright spot aside from the ergonomics (Ford does understand function): I like the styling of the instruments.
Accommodations
Inside the Ford Edge, there's plenty of room in both rows, with wide footwells and a relatively low center console. This is a clear difference from a similarly-sized truck-based conventional SUV. Though the shoulder room stats are less than an inch greater than those in the Freestyle, the cabin feels significantly broader than that of Ford's other midsize crossover. Both offer about 40 inches of rear headroom and rear legroom, in each case about four inches greater than the minimum required by the average adult.
Despite the similar dimensions, the two feel much different to sit in. To begin with, the Edge's driving position is much different than that of the Freestyle. You sit lower relative to the top of a much deeper instrument panel, yet feel higher off the ground. Visibility is good all around thanks to relatively thin pillars and large mirrors. The Murano has a similar seating position, yet owing to an even deeper instrument panel feels a bit much like a minivan from behind the wheel.
The character of the front seats themselves also differs. The Edge's front seats are cushier and more aggressively bolstered. Though a bit too soft, the bolsters provide a modicum of lateral support in turns. The suggest a sportier mission for the new crossover. The Edge's seat cushion, on the other hand, might feel too small to larger adults.
Moving to the reclining second row, the Edge's seat is positioned much closer to the floor, providing passengers with a more obstructed view forward than the Freestyle's "theater-style seating" and significantly less under-thigh support. The Edge's second row does include a large, high-mounted armrest complete with cupholders, though.
As in the Murano but not the Freestyle, there is no third row to move to in the Edge. Again, the message appears to be that the Edge is Ford's sporty midsize crossover. Those seeking a minivan substitute should look to the Freestyle.
At 32 cubic feet with the second row up and just under 70 cubic feet with it folded, the Edge's cargo space is close to the average for compact SUVs. Midsize SUVs (including the Murano) tend to have another ten cubes. The Freestyle offers an additional 16.5. In the Edge's favor, the front center console contains a large, bi-level storage compartment.
As in the Freestyle, the seats are easy to fold. An electric rear seatback release is available, but I see little point to it. Without it, you do have to walk around to the rear doors to reach the seats, but once there the process is effortless. There's no need to touch the headrest of flip the seat cushion. The seatbacks simply flop down to form a flat floor. Oddly, a folding front passenger seat is available, but only as part of a package that also includes leather. Why shouldn't this useful feature also be available with cloth?
On the Road
The Freestyle has been criticized for making do with Ford's decade-old, overly coarse, 203-horsepower 3.0-liter "Duratec" V6. In contrast, the Edge is motivated by Ford's all-new 265-horsepower 3.5-liter V6, which despite the lack of shared bits is also named "Duratec." Though the new engine's peak power output is competitive, its midrange power is merely okay. While much more refined than the old 3.0, the 3.5 is at best average in this area as well.
In the Edge, which manages to weigh a bit more than the Freestyle despite its much smaller exterior, the new 3.5 when paired with an equally new six-speed automatic furnishes moderately strong acceleration about on par with the less powerful but also less heavy Nissan Murano. Torque steer with front-wheel-drive is present but not overbearing. Despite the sporty mission, no manual-shift mode is offered, and the shifter selections are limited to "D" and "L."
Handling is decent at low speeds, with moderate lean and understeer in turns, but gets mushy at higher speeds. Quick lane changes at 50 miles-per-hour provoke some rear-end sway, and the Edge simply doesn't feel as "tied down" as its sportier competitors. The driving experience is best described as bland and safe.
Reinforcing this description, stability control and side plus side curtain airbags are standard features. The former is not even available yet in the Freestyle, and the airbags are optional in the other crossover.
The mediocre handling is not a total loss, as the Ford Edge's ride quality is among the best in the class. Road impacts register more harshly and more loudly in the Murano, and even in Ford's own Freestyle. The Edge's packaging might recall that of the Murano, but the ride and handling more resemble those of the Lexus RX. While many people no doubt prefer this ride-handling tradeoff--the RX is the best-selling model in the Lexus line--it's not fitting for what is supposedly Ford's "sporty" midsize crossover. In comparison, the steering and handling of the top level Freestyle is tighter and more precise.
Ford Edge Price Comparisons and Pricing
Compared to a the half-size smaller, sportier Mazda CX-7, The Edge starts out $1,650 more expensive. Adjusting for feature differences cuts this to about $1,500.
Ford would prefer you compare the Edge to its bogey, the Nissan Murano. The Nissan starts out $2,400 higher, and adjusting for feature differences leaves the Ford's advantage a bit over two grand.
Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)
TrueDelta's page for the Ford Edge:
http://www.truedelta.com/models/Edge.php
Last Words
Though a thoroughly adequate vehicle, the new Ford Edge in no way breaks new ground. It is as if Ford decided it wanted its own Murano, then proceeded to water the Nissan down to answer every last criticism unearthed by market research. Think Toyota, and you won't be far off. As a result, the Edge is functional and includes no glaring weaknesses, but it also includes nothing to ensnare car buyers' attention. Ford's own Freestyle is even more functional, while Ford affiliate Mazda offers the sportier, better-handling CX-7 for less money.
A Note on Ford Edge Reliability
The Edge is a brand new vehicle with a brand new engine and a brand new transmission. So a potential buyer has good reason to wonder about its reliability.
I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.
Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy an Edge rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Ford Edge reliability comparisons.
Before I can report results, I need reliability data on all cars--not just the Edge--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants will have to pay an access fee.
For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.
A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.
Some of my reviews of related vehicles:
Acura MDX review
Acura RDX review
Chevrolet Equinox review
Dodge Nitro review
Ford Escape review
Ford Freestyle review
Honda CR-V review
Honda Pilot review
Hyundai Santa Fe review
Mazda CX-7 review
Mitsubishi Endeavor review
Nissan Murano review
Toyota Highlander review
Toyota RAV4 review
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