We spend a week in the impressive new midsize crossover from Ford
Pros
Agile ride and handling
Low interior noise levels
Impressive fuel economy
Cons
A- and C-pillar blind spots
MyFord Touch still needs some work
Not as nimble as a compact CUV
2015 Ford Edge
The Ford Edge is all-new for 2015, and this time around it's based on the same platform that underpins the Fusion – one of our favorite midsize sedans. But at the same time, it's also the middle child in Ford's lineup of crossovers, slotted between the popular compact Escape and luxurious full-size Explorer. And, like a middle child, in the past it's often overlooked because it's not as easy to maneuver as the Escape and it lacks the third row versatility of the Explorer.
So we have to ask ourselves, given these inherent constraints, does a vehicle like the Edge even make sense?
Exterior
Compared to the outgoing model, the new Edge is roughly 4 inches longer and 2 inches higher with a 1-inch longer wheelbase. Up front there's a new trapezoidal grille while in back there's a single horizontal taillamp bar – signatures that, in one form or another, are found in other vehicles that are based on the company's Kinetic Design language.
Compared to the outgoing model, the wheel arches and upper body crease are also more sharply defined, while the lower body character line is also sharper and more deeply sculpted.
Interior
Ford's European design studio influence is apparent in the Edge's interior, which features a restrained, minimalist look. Soft-touch surfaces are everywhere, while the Cognac leather interior found in our tester gives it even more of a luxury look.
The colorful fluorescent gauges in front of the driver are clear and easy to read even in bright sunlight. We found that with a bit of practice, scrolling through the various displays becomes quite intuitive.
Ford's latest Sync system with MyFord Touch has redundant buttons for all the major controls, which represents a big improvement, but the buttons for the climate system can be confusing as they are all small, identically-shaped and placed low on the center stack. And while the latest Sync system is the best yet, many of its functions still require too much of the driver's attention.
But there is good news in the comfort department as the heated and cooled front seats are firm, supportive and nicely bolstered. There's plenty of leg, hip, shoulder and headroom for adults of all sizes in front, even with its panoramic sunroof. Back seat room for up to three adults is also quite generous. There's plenty of storage space on the doors, on top and underneath the 2-tier console, in front of the shifter and on the dash above the center stack.
Numbers-wise, there's 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat that expands to 73.4 cubic feet with both back seats folded – an increase of 7 and 4.5 cubic feet, respectively, over last year's model.
The view straight out the front and sides is very good, but large A- and C-pillars, plus a small rear window, hinder views out the front three-quarters, rear three-quarters and back. Fortunately, a rear-view camera is standard on all 2015 Edge models. In addition, our Titanium tester was equipped with the optional front standard and wide-view camera as well as front and side sensors that proved to be invaluable when parallel parking in the city.
Under the hood
A 280 horsepower, 3.5-liter normally aspirated V6 is optional on SE, SEL and Titanium models, while a 315 horsepower 2.7-liter turbo V6 is standard on the Sport model. Our Titanium tester came with the base engine for all other models, which is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 that produces 245 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 275 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,000 rpm. All three engines are mated to a six-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
The EPA rates FWD 2-liter turbo models at a very good 20/30/24 city/highway/combined mpg. We averaged 21.5 miles per gallon in city driving as well as a stunning 31.9 mpg on the interstate trek between Detroit and Chicago.
On the road
With a new body that's 14 percent more resistant to twisting, the resulting ride more closely resembles that of the Fusion - responsive, taught and well controlled. Quite frankly, it's not something we've come to expect from vehicles that tip the scales in the neighborhood of around two tons. In addition to exhibiting very little body lean in corners, both small and large road imperfections are easily absorbed by its MacPherson strut front/multi-link rear suspension.
On top of that, there's a nice linearity to the braking system with a good initial bite to the pads. The brakes are also easy to modulate and there's plenty of feedback to the driver through the brake pedal.
On the freeway, the 2015 Edge feels solid and well-planted. It's unaffected by either crosswinds or grooved pavement and the steering is nicely weighted with plenty of feedback and precise enough so that you always know exactly where you are on the road.
That 2-liter turbo under the hood, by the way, offers up plenty of power for merging into traffic and passing, so much so that we can't imagine needing to spend the extra money for the V6.
We were also pleased to note that cabin noise levels in both around town driving and on the freeway rivaled those of many luxury sedans we've driven - with hardly any engine, road, tire or wind noise entering the cabin.
2015 Ford Edge prices
2015 Ford Edge pricing starts at a modest $28,995, including destination, for a 2.0-liter turbo-equipped FWD SE but can top out at close to $50,000 for a fully optioned-and-accessorized AWD Titanium model.
Our FWD Titanium tester was in between those two extremes starting with a base price of $35,600. In addition to its $595 White Platinum paint job, it came with the $5,225 Equipment Group 302A package that included voice-activated navigation, blind spot monitor, remote start, auto-dimming driver exterior mirror, heated steering wheel and rear seats, heated and cooled front seats, panoramic sunroof, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, enhanced park assist, the 180 degree front camera, rain sensing wipers and second row inflatable seat belts.
Along with an $895 destination and delivery charge, that brought its total MSRP to $42,290.
The Bottom Line
To tell the truth, after having the new Ford Edge for a week, we were sorry to see it leave. Its handling is sharp and agile, its exterior is more stylish and its elegant interior rivals that of many luxury brands. In addition, it's quieter than any compact crossover we've driven, both in town and on the highway, while returning both city and highway fuel economy numbers that not only eclipse larger crossovers, but can approach, equal and even surpass those of many compact CUVs.
On the other hand, it's not quite as nimble as a compact crossover, its A- and C-pillars make for troublesome blind spots, while its Sync system, though improved, remains overly-complicated at times and distracting to use on the road.
But really, those are minor quibbles which means it's time to answer the question of whether it makes sense to own a midsize 2-row crossover instead of something smaller or larger. And in the case of the Edge, we'd have to say that it does. In fact, buyers looking for a, quiet, fuel efficient, 5-person family hauler perfect for around-town jaunts as well as those longer road trips should put the new Ford Edge at the top of their shopping lists.
