The new Ford Edge has been revealed in all its SUV glory. This new Edge will be sold in Europe for the very first time topping out a three-model SUV lineup for the blue oval sitting above the EcoSport and Kuga models. Ford say the new Edge is an “upscale utility vehicle” being designed from the ground up to cater to Europe’s “high expectations”.
Based on the same global platform that’ll underpin the new Mondeo and S-Max, the Edge promises typical Euro-Ford handling in a typical American Ford package. Despite the designer’s attempts at hiding the “Americanness” of the Edge there’s still no mistaking where its home market is. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad looking car, but certainly if it were wholly designed in Europe it’d sport a less in-yer-face, erm, face.
Ford’s first Edge was a success in the United States and Ford hopes to replicate that success with the second-generation Edge. Ford is positioning the five-seater Edge up against the likes of the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Volvo XC60 in the premium mid-size SUV segment. Quite a bold move if I do say so myself. I’m not sure how many people out there see Ford as a premium competitor against BMW and Audi but we’ll have to wait and see.
That said, the Edge will offer better value than its posh badged rivals by offering more space and more advanced tech. Advanced tech such as Adaptive Steering which constantly adjusts the steering ratio in relation to the vehicle speed. The Edge also has something called Active Noise Cancellation which uses microphones to pick up unwanted road and engine noise and uses the car’s speakers to generate opposing sound waves. Sounds clever.
Along with the usual blind spot assist, ESP, and auto city braking driver aids the Edge also has a BMW-style Front Split View Camera which helps drivers see out of tricky intersections using cameras on either side of the bumper, a bit like rabbit eyes. The Edge also has inflatable rear seatbelts which feature a built-in airbag.
The interior seems posh enough. I particularly like the clean centre console design, an improvement over the button-crazy dash design in the current Fiesta, Kuga and Focus. The touchscreen and MySync system will undoubtedly be updated to bring it up to par with the European competition. There’s also a healthy dose of leather, a sure sign of a ‘premium’ product. Of course Ford is trying to bring some of its larger cars upmarket with the introduction of the Vignale range.
Being based on the same platform as the Mondeo the Edge also features the same independent rear suspension set up. Front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options will be available with the latter being available with Torque Vectoring Control and Curve Control. In Europe engine choice will be limited to a 2.0 Duratorq diesel with either 177bhp and 400NM of torque or a 207bhp with 450NM. The only transmission available will be a 6-speed PowerShift dual-clutch unit.
Prices in the UK will start from £30,000 (NZ$58,171) which undercuts the BMW and Audi but costs more than the new Jeep Cherokee and Hyundai Santa Fe. Granted they’re not aimed at the premium market but the Santa Fe does offer a third-row of seats as an option. That’s a missed opportunity for Ford with the Edge in my opinion. They already have the Kuga with five seats. The Edge with seven seats for around £30k would be a unique prospect.
Whether the Edge will make it down under is yet to be confirmed. With Ford Australia ceasing production of the Falcon-based Territory (which comes with 7 seats) a new “global” replacement will be needed. I thought the Edge would’ve be a good choice to replace the Territory due to their similar size and price but without a third-row it may put buyers off as the Territory is a popular family car due to its practicality and usability. The Explorer seems unlikely as it’s too big and the lack of a diesel option would limit sales here.
Ford, you were so close! The Edge could’ve been a worthy replacement for the Territory. It’s not a bad looking car, in fact I’d go as far to say it looks quite nice, the engine choices are good, it has some interesting tech, and sure it’s a bit on the pricey side but if the quality is on par I’m sure buyers won’t mind. Now stick two seats in the boot, bring it down here and watch the sales numbers edge out the competition.
