It’s Ford’s go at a ‘premium’ crossover to rival the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Volvo XC60, based on the same platform as the Mondeo, S-Max and Galaxy. People are buying more and more cars like this – posh SUVs – so the Edge is actually a pretty big deal for FoMoCo.
Ford says that last year the SUV segment was the best-selling in Europe for the first time, with a 24 per cent increase in sales year-on-year. Registrations of vehicles in the Edge’s class supposedly grew 42 per cent year-on-year, too. A substantial pie from which Ford wants a double-helping, then.
For starters, American Edges get big V6s, but ours aren’t even available with a petrol engine (though Ford admits it could easily slot one in). Not even some four-cylinder EcoBoost job. The choices are a 2.0-litre diesel with 178bhp and a six-speed manual transmission, or a 207bhp version of the same engine with a six-speed ‘Powershift’ automatic. Every Edge gets all-wheel drive, whether you want it or not.
The steering is direct, and it makes the Edge feel quite agile, but it doesn’t do much to disguise the substantial size and heft, or for the more enthusiastic driver. It’s a big car, this. Sure footed and thus great on the motorway, but big. Wider than a Land Rover Discovery, minus mirrors, and over two tonnes with passengers & luggage.
The 207bhp version does 0-62mph in 9.4seconds, with a maximum speed of 131mph. The lesser-powered 178bhp is half a second tardier to 62mph and 7mph slower top-end. Economy is the same whichever engine you go for: 48.7mpg and 149g/km of CO2 (on 19s).
The automatic gearbox shuffles cogs with a minimum of fuss, and the manual is entirely adequate. We’d pay the extra for the auto’ – it fits better with the Edge’s more laid-back way of going about its business, and the extra 38lb ft (taking the total up to 332lb ft) of torque isn’t to be sniffed at.
Prices start at a little under £30K for the basic ‘Zetec’. Kit levels are good, but even so Ford expects as little as two per cent of buyers to go for it. Half of sales are expected to come from the top-of-the-line, £34,500 ‘Sport’ (the orange car above), which gets the beefy bodykit and Active Steering as standard. Our pick is either a Sport (and live with the steering) or a mid-range ‘Titanium’ (the maroon car), with the bigger engine (and accompanying auto’ gearbox), softer suspension and a couple of options. Total outlay is mid-thirties.
Article written by Tom Harrison
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