Ford's popular five-seat crossover got a lot of worthwhile upgrades for 2011, including an improved interior, a spiffed-up Sport trim and better gas mileage. But the Edge and its Lincoln MKX sibling are the pioneers in Ford's aggressive push toward touch-screen controls, and their version 1.0 is not yet ready for prime time. The Edge's trims, in ascending order, are the SE, SEL, Limited and Sport. Front-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive optional on all but the SE. We drove an SEL and a Sport, both with all-wheel drive.
Changes Up Front
The Edge SE has standard 17-inch alloy wheels, but other details — black mirrors and door handles, a black roof spoiler — give it a pretty basic look. Higher trims get 18- or 20-inch wheels, body-colored trimmings and vertical LED parking lamps, much like the Ford Fiesta's. The Edge Sport gets 22-inch wheels, a black grille and painted bumper moldings, creating a sinister look that highlights the Edge's wide stance.
Overall width is up just under a quarter-inch versus the 2010 Edge. The Edge's capable performance hasn't changed; our all-wheel-drive SEL never lacked for power, even with four adults on board. Well done, Ford.
Now, its EPA-estimated overall mileage is 22 mpg in the front-drive SEL and Limited; the Edge SE gets 21 mpg overall. All-wheel drive knocks 1 mpg off either figure.
Ride & Handling
The Edge rides comfortably — it easily beats the stiff-legged Venza and the bouncy Sorento — but doesn't always offer the most controlled experience. Fortunately, the Edge Sport addresses much of this. Swathed in new, padded materials and lower-gloss textures, the Edge's redesigned dash should appeal to anyone getting out of a 2010 Edge. One thing hasn't changed: For such a wide crossover, the Edge's cabin seems narrow. Cargo room behind the backseat measures 32.2 cubic feet. Optional on the Edge SEL and standard on the Limited and Sport, a fold-flat front passenger seat allows you to accommodate longer cargo. It's a feature few competitors offer.
High Tech, High Headache
A leader in driver technology — most notably with its Sync system, introduced in 2007 — Ford announced its latest effort, MyFord Touch, in early 2010. It replaces traditional center controls with a labeled, touch-sensitive surface, plus an 8-inch center screen with interchangeable menus. MyFord Touch is standard on the Edge Limited and Sport, and it's optional on the SEL.
First off: Touch-sensitive controls for major functions, like the radio and climate controls, are questionable. Not so in the Edge. We've enjoyed similarly large screens in other current Ford models, but those had less lag and no touch-sensitive controls below.
Ford says most controls, including playlists from your iPod and destinations in the navigation system, respond to Sync's elaborate voice recognition software. If only. Consumer Reports wouldn't recommend the Edge or the Lincoln MKX because it cited MyFord Touch as a driver distraction, lowering its score.
Safety, Features & Pricing
The Edge ranked one rung down, Acceptable, in IIHS' roof-strength test. The Edge SE starts at $27,455, which is about midpack among six-cylinder midsize crossovers. Load up an all-wheel-drive Edge Sport with factory options, and it tops out around $45,000.
Edge in the Market
Is MyFord Touch destined to be Ford's iDrive? Let's hope Ford can right this ship quickly, because, electronics aside, the Edge has a lot going for it.
Although the outgoing Edge's interior was generally considered ergonomically sound and modestly appealing to the eye, hard plastic and a lack of design language kept the Edge's interior from being particularly memorable. Ford says the new Edge will have a quieter interior than the more upscale Lexus RX350, Audi Q5 and Acura MDX models.
Now, Ford has made significant changes to the outgoing model's 3.5-liter V6 for increased power and efficiency, added a 3.7-liter V6 for the Edge Sport and added an optional 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder which will make it's North American debut in the Edge.
For the first time the Edge Sport will enjoy an engine worthy of its name. Like the new 3.5-liter V6 in the base and Limited Edge models, the 3.7-liter V6 will be mounted to a six-speed automatic transmission, but unlike the standard Edge, the Sport gains class-exclusive paddle activation of the SelectShift transmission. Arguably the most important engine change for the Edge line will be the new 2.0-liter I4 EcoBoost engine -- raising fuel economy by 30 percent over the original powertrain found in the Edge at launch. The Edge SEL and Limited now feature standard 18-inch wheels and the Edge Sport gains 22-inch wheels -- also standard.
To help bring this hulking CUV to a hasty stop, Ford added new four-wheel disc brakes with increased stopping power. Changes include steel pistons, larger rear rotors, among other changes. The new Edge debuts Ford's newest infotainment driver interface system, known as MyFord. Ford's MyKey and Easy Fuel Capless fuel-filler systems are also present for the new Edge.