2007 Ford Edge Review

Specifications

Eliminating the Gap between Imports and Domestics

Ford didnt actually say that the Edge is a make it or break it vehicle, but Paul Mascarenas, Fords VP of engineering who introduced the vehicle to the media in San Francisco on Wednesday, couldnt help but say that the automaker “recognizes that Edge is the single most important launch this year.” From early response, it looks as if theyve found their golden horseshoe.

Not surprisingly its dedicated U.S. website, FordEdge.com has attracted more than a million potential buyers in pre-launch phase, with 320,000 of these curious customers configuring it for colors and options online. Of these, 50,000 have signed up for more info, many of which have without doubt resulted in the “20,000 dealer orders already in the bank,” says Mascarenas, which is more than the Fusion had at this point in its pre-launch lifecycle.

Thats good, at least for Ford which has suffered lately due to a downturn in large trucks and SUVs, a life staple up until this point. Blue oval car sales are up, mind you, on a year over year basis, mostly thanks to Fusion, Mustang, in its various forms, and reasonably good sales of Five Hundred… at least compared to previous non-fleet sales of the Crown Vic. Ford is saying that truck sales are up too, when compared to its competitors, but Im not too sure as to what it means by up.

Im willing to make a pretty good guess that the new Edge will outstrip all previous sales records for Ford crossovers; not too difficult being that the brand has only one CUV sibling, the Freestyle. Certainly the Freestyle has done pretty well considering its somewhat bland styling. Its just so good from a packaging and dynamics point of view that many customers just cant pass it by, but the Edge enjoys one element the Freestyle lacks: killer styling.

If its not the best looking crossover or SUV to hit the market in recent years, its near the top. Most critics cant fight it on that, and while Im relatively tough on most new vehicles when introduced, I find the Edge so pleasing to the eye that I cant fault it; for this at least. Its short overhangs give it a sturdy appearance, more sport than utility, and its almost excessive use of chrome and jeweled lenses makes it about as hip as possible, without being garish. Its stylish roof spoiler comes standard, incidentally, as does its chrome dual exhaust system.

I had trouble taking my eyes off of a brilliant burnt orange example that was on display at San Franciscos Justin Herman Plaza, where the truck was introduced to the media amid stares of passersby. There were a number of other colors and trims on display, one a deep red and another grey, all looking appealing but none jumping out and grabbing my eyeballs like the orange. It doesnt hurt that the passionate color is a personal favorite, of course, and I suppose it doesnt hurt, from an associative angle, that it is also very similar to the launch color of the Nissan Murano, a vehicle that is considered a benchmark in the midsize crossover segment.

The Murano first got noticed due to its unorthodox design, and has since followed up praise for such with kudos for its dynamic road manners. Can the Edge do likewise? I took to the winding roadways that surround greater San Francisco with this question in mind, a question that I knew you would want me to answer.

First of all, however, lets do a little backgrounder. You may not be aware, but the Edge marks the first application of Fords all-new 3.5-liter V6, dubbed Duratec 35. It was developed in the automakers state of the art Beech Daly Technical Center in Dearborn, and engineered to be a class leader for performance and refinement. Initially Ford announced 250 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque, which we all thought would be good enough to get the job done, especially when mated to the brands new six-speed automatic transmission - more on that in a minute. Interesting thing is that the initial engines output has been bumped up by 15 horsepower to a much more tantalizing 265, while torque is up 10 lb-ft to 250, both figures needed in order to claim class best status.

Its easy to feel the surge of power when getting on the throttle, but unlike the old Duratec 30, that is of course much in need of replacement being a remnant of the first domestic multi-valve, DOHC V6 in production, the new 3.5 is ultra smooth, wonderfully flexible throughout the power range and, surprisingly sonorous when in the higher revs. If just tooling along the highway, however, its absolutely hush, no doubt partially due to attention paid to sound deadening. Actually, the entire vehicle is eerily quiet at speed, adding to its upscale ambience. North American buyers will like this aspect of the Edge, as we tend to default to luxury over sport, overall.

Still, despite the chassis comfortable ride and ability to absorb ugly ruts and nasty bumps with ease, hardly ever transmitting road surface harshness to its occupants due to an isolated subframe and hydro-bushings, among other things, it handles curves with impressive agility thanks to a MacPherson strut setup in front and a four-link system in the rear. My guess is that its optional all-wheel drive system would improve traction in wet and icy conditions, but the beautiful California weather we were subjected to was hardly a test for the advanced system, that features an active on-demand coupler for sending power to the rear wheels, even before they begin to slip according to Ford. Dearborns engine and ABS managed AdvanceTrac traction control is also standard, so adhesion to the road shouldnt be an issue. Just the same, even on dry pavement the new Edge isnt likely to leave a finely tuned German sports sedan in its wake, but it can hold its own amid a bevy of likeminded crossovers, managing the tight twisties with almost as much composure as it does long sweeping high-speed corners.

Yes, it loves to travel at high speeds, its six-speed automatic gearbox designed to deliver optimal acceleration while still doling out a decent EPA highway rating of 25 mpg in FWD trim and 24 when AWD is added. Unlike the outgoing Aisin-developed six-speed in the Fusion, this latest automatic was developed in-house which means that potential profits will be much higher and Ford will have greater control over quality. I was a bit disappointed to see that like the Fusion transmission, no manual mode is to be offered with the new gearbox, plus the gearbox doesnt offer any smart features such as automatic downshifting when slaloming through the corners or braking, and doesnt even feature a gated lever with the ability to manually select fifth, fourth and third, but just D and L (for low), plus a switch on the lever for switching off the overdrive. So, its simple and straightforward, which to some people will be all thats wanted or needed, but to others with more sporting pretensions will be a bit of a turnoff.

As mentioned, its fuel economy and environmental benefits might alter this point of view. When Ford introduced its new Duratec 35 and six-speed automatic last year, the company said that it expected the hybrid adaptable six-speed, V6 combination to achieve a PZEV emissions rating and reduce fuel consumption by about seven percent, or in dollars and cents, about $3.50 for every 20-gallon fill. While this didnt sound like a lot of cash at the time, fuel prices have only escalated since this claim was made and therefore the savings certainly could add up over a given year.

Funny thing, though, while spending the afternoon in Fords new crossover, the last thing I found myself thinking about was saving money. Certainly its priced well compared to its Japanese competitors. A comparable Murano costs thousands more, while a Toyota Highlander is outclassed in most respects. Hondas Pilot is a different class, being a larger seven-seater, and lets face it… neither Japanese competitor can match the Edges styling. Mazdas CX-7 is extremely hot looking for a crossover, and will pose a threat for sure, but once again it will attract a different kind of buyer thanks to its peaky turbocharged four-cylinder and edgier driving dynamics. As for Mitsubishis Endeavor, its a great vehicle as regular readers of our long-term 2005 model will already appreciate, but it hardly can rate as a threat due to virtual anonymity in the market. More visible is Chevys Equinox, but it doesnt really measure up when comparing performance, features or refinement. Certainly Hyundai poses a strong argument with its new Santa Fe, but I dont think Ford is too worried about its Korean competitor just yet. The Edge, rather, is more powerful, bolder in design and is filled up with features that Americans want.

Even seemingly inconsequential items such as satellite radio and an auxiliary plug for an MP3 player or iPod can swing buyers significantly, especially those with teens who will be pushing for such extras, no doubt. The same rear-seat riders will push for the awesome Vista Roof too, a two glass-panel design with one moving and one fixed section that opens up the entire CUV to natural overhead light. An unusual mesh cloth wind deflector pops up in front of the foremost sunroof, virtually eliminating draft through the cabin if speeds are kept to legal limits; Im wondering what how nice the black fabric will look after a long drive during bug season, however.

Kids will also fight for the crossovers impressive DVD entertainment system, which includes a large eight-inch flip-down screen. It was the dealer-installed DVD system that really caught my eye, however, that fits an individual monitor and associated controls into the rear of each front headrest; personal viewing and game playing at its best.

The parents, of course, will be more concerned with standard four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, plus traction control and electronic stability control with roll mitigation; again all part of the package across the lineup. Most new SUVs offer the latter items across their respective trim levels too, at least those launched within the last two years, but Ford is delivering more in the way of the industrys first electronic stability system that uses two gyroscopic sensors to monitor both yaw and roll motions, which according to Ford results in “class-leading side-slip and roll stability control.” Ford also offers its Safety Canopy as standard equipment, which is basically a full two rows of extended-duration side-curtain airbags, seat-mounted side airbags and front airbags, of course, plus the automaker has all the usual safety reinforcements and crumple zone design elements integrated into the rigid unibody frame. But wait, theres more to entice parents than just solutions to safety concerns.

How about a center console thats so large you can hide a laptop with the lid cum armrest closed. OK, not a dealmaker per se? No problem. Possibly the Edges innovative two-way EasyFold electromechanical switch for dropping each side of the 60/40 folding rear seatbacks forward when accessing the cargo area through the rear hatch will prove the winning ingredient, or the ability to lower the front seat and expand its load capacity to more than eight feet for long, awkward items?

For me, its the details that Dearborns design center has done right, and Oakvilles production facility has executed well. For instance, the roof liner is tucked nicely into the optional panoramic sunroof (an awesome feature by the way) without an ungainly rubber trim piece, just like with premium cars. Sure the pillars are all plastic, and hard plastic to boot, while there is probably too much hard plastic on the rather blandly designed door panels and dash, but its better quality hard plastic than in previous Ford SUVs with a matte finish and non-brittle texture, plus its at least equal to the majority of its competitors. It beats out some of its rivals with real aluminum trim on the center stack, and nice large buttons for the HVAC system, ideal for cold winter months when shivering inside the car working the controls while wearing gloves. The buttons are well damped too, without much play from side to side, adding to the high-end feel.

The seats are impressively comfortable, with good support for my five-foot-eight frame and my co-drivers six-foot-three, long-legged configuration. Sitting in back I couldnt help but appreciate its limousine-like legroom, and my guess is that taller folk wouldnt be put out with regards to leg and shoulder room.

Theres a lot more to this new crossover than Im able to cover in this column, some of which I have already discussed at length in a lengthy preview and various news stories, so let me wrap up my thoughts in a few additional sentences.

The Edge wont please every crossover buyer, but Im certain that if you take the time to go look at one in the metal, fiddle around with its assortment of standard and optional goodies and then put some serious time in behind the wheel, youll come away impressed with where Ford is going as a brand. You may even walk away a blue oval believer, with a new remote in your pocket and a new vehicle in your driveway. And while your mind might still question whether you did the right thing in buying domestic, my guess is that your heart will be glad you chose to opt for leading edge styling every time you glance over your shoulder for one more look.

Its truly a fabulous looking vehicle, reason enough for me to speculate that Ford has a winner on its hands.