Introduction
As the largest SUV offered by Ford, the Edge has been part of the American brand’s UK line-up since 2016 and has proven to be rather popular with British customers.
At the end of 2018, Ford released an updated version of the large SUV and with it came a refreshed design as well as a new engine and gearbox.
This new option comes with the same, distinctive overall look as before, but offers a new grille and improved technology, as well as increased refinement.
But can this new update help maintain the Edge’s popularity on these shores? We take a look…
Performance
With the Edge’s update came a new engine – a 2.0-litre biturbo diesel that’s paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and an intelligent all-wheel drive system. With that engine on-board, the Edge can go from 0-60mph in 9.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 134mph.
The new unit feels very smooth indeed and means the Edge has a more refined drive than ever before. It can be punchy when you need it to be, as it develops 235bhp and 500Nm of torque, but with the automatic transmission it can settle down at motorway speeds very well, while also being responsive when getting up to a higher pace.
Ride & Handling
We got behind the wheel of the top-end Vignale model, which comes with the standard suspension – while the sport-orientated ST-Line option coming as standard with sports suspension if that’s what you want from your large SUV. On the setup of the Vignale, we found the Edge to be well-balanced and composed.
The all-wheel drive system is able to direct the power to the four wheels separately so that grip is optimised and you can find traction in all conditions. With the update came the new Noise Cancellation Technology, and we can report that noises are less intrusive when travelling at higher speeds.
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Interior & Equipment
As the range-topping Vignale model, the Edge we tested came with almost everything you would need on an SUV of this nature. As Vignale is the most premium offering you’ll find on Ford vehicles, you’ll find leather on the dashboard, quilted leather seats with heating and ventilation functions and chrome exterior design touches, such as the roof rails and detailing around the grille and bumpers.
As the largest SUV Ford offers, you would expect the Edge to be spacious and with the model you get a 602-litre boot that is squared off for easier packing. If you need extra room, folding the rear seats down will give you 1,847 litres of room to work with. Passenger space is also excellent, with all occupants benefitting from lots of head and legroom. There are a few scratchy plastics to be found though, such as on the top of the dash.
On the entry-level Titanium model, the Edge comes with 19-inch alloys, LED headlights and daytime running lights, the Sync 3 infotainment system with eight-inch touchscreen, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, rear view camera, lane keeping aid and traffic sign recognition – while a B&O sound system is also fitted on the ST-Line and Vignale models.
Cost
Prices for the latest version of the Edge starts from £36,995, which gets you the Titanium offering with a 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine as well as lots of kit as standard. The Vignale model we tried is priced from £45,995, although there isn’t much difference from the base level apart from a few shinier bits of trim.
The lower-powered 148bhp unit is capable of a quoted 48.7mpg and 153g/km CO2, which is good for a large SUV. But when producing 235bhp and engineered to be a bit punchier in its performance, the Edge returns a claimed 40.9mpg and 180g/km CO2.
Verdict
If you look towards the lower-end of the Edge’s spectrum, you will find a car that fits in well at its price point thanks to its well-engineered drive, capacious storage offerings and high comfort levels – as well as lots of equipment for the money. But with the Vignale, it feels a bit out of its depth, as at close to £50,000 it doesn’t feel as well-specced as similarly priced cars on the market. We can’t deny the Edge is a good car, but if you’re after a better deal, go for one in the low- to mid-spec region.
