Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2015-...rt-quick-spin/


The Edge is easy to overlook, especially in Ford's prolific stable of sport utility vehicles. But thanks to new engines, upscale sheet metal and fresh technologies, the Edge has renewed swagger for 2015.

Outfitted in the Sport trim, which included the feisty 315-horsepower EcoBoost V6, a stiffer suspension, and unique fascias, my Edge was loaded, and it was priced accordingly. With options, including all-wheel drive, it cost $46,180, which is pretty lofty for a Ford Edge. But, you get a lot of stuff here – features like leather-accented seats, a lane-departure warning system, and active park assist – that make your life more comfortable and safer.

It's been a while since I've driven an Edge. And unless you own one, it's probably been a while since you've even thought about an Edge. Now there's good reason to take another look.

Driving Notes

• I really liked the interior. It was simple, clean, and done up in black. It served as a fitting backdrop for the colorful gauges and the Sync with MyFord Touch infotainment system. The interior designers added silver plastic trim and contrasting white stitching on the center console and door inserts to break up the darkness. Leather was used for the steering wheel wrap, door inserts, and console cover, and it conveyed a premium feel.
• The leather-trimmed seats with suede inserts were comfortable. They looked elegant and felt pleasing. The heating and cooling features were useful for springtime driving and its varied temperatures. The vista sunroof was spectacular. It let in plenty of sunlight and opened long and wide like a retractable stadium roof. Even closed, it still offered a panoramic view of the sky for my passengers, especially those in the second row.
• Another note on the interior: I had an excellent driving position and an elevated view of the road. When rain began to fall – which has a way of frazzling motorists – I turned up Cat Stevens and motored along blithely. My second-row passengers were also comfy. One remarked on the ample leg- and headroom, and everyone liked the ambient lighting. The cargo area, which offered 39.2 cubic feet of space behind the second row (7 cubic feet more than the previous version), was more than capable for a weekend grocery run.
• I'll admit, I'm a Luddite when it comes to infotainment systems, and Sync with MyFord Touch has a mixed reputation. Historically, it's been confusing and hasn't always worked as advertised. I had no trouble pairing my phone and making and receiving calls with the Bluetooth function. The touchscreen worked well, and it's easy to toggle through the audio options. The system also lets you configure the gauges on the sides of the instrument cluster, and I quickly found my preferred setting with a digital speedometer and small fuel gauge.
• A couple of safety features stood out to me. The lane-departure warning was aggressive, though you can calibrate it to your taste. I noticed it when I was tackling curves on the expressway. At first I found the system intrusive. Then I understood what was happening and appreciated it as the feature alerted me when I strayed and then nudged me back into the center of the lane. Also, I liked the automatic high-beam headlights, which came on and off at the appropriate times when I was driving home on a mostly deserted suburban road just after dark.
• The exterior design stood out. It just looked so much more substantial than the previous model. The tall sides were lined with noticeable creases, and they gave the Edge a more mature, premium look in line with the Fusion. This Sport model had a blacked-out grille and dark 20-inch wheels. The LED wraparound taillights and angled HID headlights were snazzy. I love how the pentagon-shaped daytime running lamps illuminated – I mean they really lit up – when I triggered the remote start. You could see this thing from about 30-yards away, and it was impressive.
• The 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 had plenty of pop. With 315 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, there's no trouble taking off from stoplights and picking off slower moving traffic on the expressway. While the power is nice, you'll notice the torque, which is served up in maximum force at just 2,750 rpm. It pulls your head back and you feel it in the backs of the seats.
• The six-speed automatic transmission is a good, understated partner to the V6. It shifts smoothly and evenly. It downshifts appropriately during acceleration, and you forget about it when you're just cruising. I'd rather have this nonintrusive gearbox than some of the clunky double-clutch or nine-speed units out there.
• This model had a "sport-tuned" suspension. I noticed a few more potholes and road crinkles than I might have in a comparable crossover, but the overall driving dynamics were fine. I felt the power-assisted, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes were a bit too grabby at first, but as the weekend progressed I got used to them.
• The electric-power-assisted steering also felt odd to me at first. Like the brakes, I got used to the system, but it still conveyed an artificial sensation. It was light, and then sometimes there was more response than I wanted. Steering is very subjective, and most consumers won't notice this at all.

So yes, the 2015 Edge is a much better vehicle than its aging predecessor. The new model is dressed up and powered up, and it gives Ford renewed strength in a fiercely competitive segment. It will probably always be a little overshadowed, even among Ford's SUVs, but if you're looking for a midsize crossover, don't make the mistake of overlooking the Edge.

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/04/23/2...-review-video/

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

love the look, and those rims.

FrankReynoldsCPA

Looks great. Are aggressive brakes a recent Ford thing? I know when I first test drove my Fusion, I thought I was going to put myself and the salesman through the windshield the first time I tapped the brake. But I just chalked it up to it being an almost brand new car vs the 92 LS400 I'd been driving.

JDR76

I like these. I've had the previous gen for rental cars before, and look forward to trying out a newer one.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

I need to sample this new 2.7L unit. That torque is just lovely

mmarshall

No. If the brake system is working properly, and the rotors are clean, there's no reason why a brand-new car should have overly-sensitive brakes......at least to the extent that you describe. Your car probably had one of two things. One, possible but not likely, a defective brake-proporting valve(s), which determine and route hydraulic brake-fluid pressure from the master cylinder and brake lines to the individual brakes at each wheel. Those sensors and valves, of course, are even more complex in modern vehicles with ABS and electronic traction-aids. Two, and much more likely, rust on the brake rotors from sitting outside in damp/wet conditions. Even in a relatively dry desert environment like Nevada or Utah where you live, steel rotors, with exposed bare metal, can quickly develop a visible brown film or spots of rust on them from winter rains or occasional summer thunderstorms, and even from simply using a hose-spray to wash the car with. What that happens, it will normally take from one to several brake-applications for the pads to rub all of the rust off the rotors and get them back to normal.. With those applications, the brake pedal will be often be very sensitive, stop the car abruptly, and sometimes with a loud groan. Usually, by a couple of applications, the brakes are back to normal....if they aren't, then they need to be looked at.

As for the LS400 you mention, the 1Gen version, though otherwise a superb luxury car for the time, did have a small, but not really serious problem with slightly undersized brakes for the car's weight....and led to rotor-warping from heat build-up in the brakes. Besides warping, which makes the brake pedal shimmy at higher speeds, that, of course, could also explain why the brakes on your LS felt weaker than those on the Fusion.

mmarshall

Well for all the Lincoln-haters in the crowd (I won't use any names....they know who they are), this big improvement in the new Edge sounds like it will also bode pretty well for the upcoming MKX, though, unlike the last MKX, the new one will not be as much of a cookie-cutter Edge rebadge.

(and, just to be fair, the only current Lincoln model I myself generally have a high opinion of is the MKC...the rest are about as palatable as overcooked pasta. Hopefully, the new MKX will change that ).

TripleL

I had a 2015 Edge Titanium for a week just recently and it was a very nice ride. Put about 800 miles on it and it gave a nice compliant highway ride and the V6 was smooth and shifted nice on both the highway and city. Generally it was a great ride.

I think its a nice evolution of the vehicle. My example only had 115 miles when I picked up my rental so it was 'like new' by rental standards. Of all the Ford SUVs this one would be my pick as a family truckster.

mmarshall

With only 115 miles on its clock, that engine probably wasn't fully broken in, either. With a few more miles would probably come even better response.

(today's engines, because of more precise manufacturing techniques, usually don't need as much break-in time as the 1000 miles yesterday's engines did, but still can come from the factory a little tight)

TripleL

Agreed. It was a very nice ride nonetheless!

Blackraven

This vehicle is very spot-on (like a mini Ford Explorer Sport)

And for those want to buy a Ford Explorer Sport but can't afford, you'd be relieved to know that this new Ford Edge Sport is the next best thing to it.

Fizzboy7

Great looking SUV. This is the styling direction the Escape needs to head.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Agreed this looks like it at least has some muscle. I miss the truckish first and second generation of the Escape in terms of exterior. New one has all the tech

Fizzboy7

Absolutely agree. An SUV that looks like an SUV usually gets my vote. The last gen Escape had all that and was a raging success. The current unit doesn't seem to be making the same splash.

mmarshall

The current American-market Escape, unlike the last one, also lacks a hybrid version...another thing that may affect sales.