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Ford introduced the Edge for 2007 as a crossover SUV for empty-nesters -- folks who liked their Expeditions and Explorers but didn't need something so big and bulky now that the kids were on their own. But the Edge found a very different audience. A younger audience. And young buyers are a good thing. So for 2015, Ford has transformed the Edge into something for the kids. Let's drive it and see how they've done.


The Ford Edge starts at $28,995 and is covered by a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, and EPA fuel economy estimates of 20 mpg city/28 mpg highway/23 mpg combined.

First Glance

New vehicles are always designed with a specific demographic in mind, and they often miss the mark. In most cases, a vehicle winds up appealing to older buyers, but the opposite happened to the Edge: It appealed to a younger audience than Ford had intended. (Also a more feminine one. Though only about a third of Ford buyers are women, the Edge has a 50/50 male/female split.) In the automotive business, this is an exceptionally good problem to have; to put it bluntly, younger buyers have more car-buying years ahead of them. The Edge has sold strongly and steadily, while competitors like the Toyota Venza and Honda Crosstour -- vehicles that did hit their demographic mark -- have withered on the vine.

And so Ford has embraced their misfortune by redesigning the Edge for a younger buyer.

The new Edge puts an emphasis on styling and technology, something that is apparent from the first glance. Ford has two distinct design themes; one for their trucks and one for their cars. Unlike the previous version, the new Edge is decidedly car-like. Note the Taurus-like fascia with its trapezoidal grille, although you’ll also spot the bold chrome crossbars that give it a family resemblance to Ford's F-series pickup trucks. From the rear, the Edge is long and tapered, not unlike Ford's European-designed Focus hatchback. Overall it’s a handsome and aggressive car that wears its new look well.

In the Driver's Seat

I hate to use the phrase “European inspired,” but the bulk of Ford's smaller vehicles (including the Escape SUV) were designed by the company's European division, and the interior of the Edge clearly follows their lead, so if the cliché fits, let's wear it. Forget about soft and subtle curves; the Edge is just edgy (see, once you enter cliché-land, you never come back).

I like the design, but like a lot of my fellow journalists I’ve had a hard time getting used to the MyFord Touch system, a complicated menu-driven interface that uses a four-zone touch-screen, two sets of buttons on the steering wheel, and displays on the dash to control the stereo, climate, navigation and other miscellaneous systems. Even if you know how to use MyFord Touch, it still takes a lot of attention from the road.

Fortunately, the new Edge has a set of redundant buttons for common stereo and climate functions, including the (optional) heated and cooled front seats. Better yet, the Edge gets real buttons in place of the capacitive-touch panels Ford has used in the past. Ford says the SYNC system (which allows voice control of many of these same systems as well as navigation) has been improved; the pre-production test cars I drove didn’t have the new software, but knowing how well the old system worked, I’m sure the new one will be just fine.

But there's more to an SUV's interior than the control layout, and on all other fronts the Edge gets two thumbs up. The front seats are wide and comfortable; the back seat is supportive and offers a lavish amount of legroom. Ford's inflatable seatbelts (which have a small integrated airbag and help prevent chest injuries) are optional for the rear seat.

Since Ford didn't try to stuff a third-row seat into the back, the Edge is a proper cargo carrier, offering 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place (7 more than last year’s Edge) and 73.4 cubic feet when they are folded. Speaking of which, the seatbacks are spring-loaded and fold down with release buttons in the cargo bay, which is handy, but setting them back into place requires a bit of muscle. As with other Ford SUVs, there's an optional kick-to-open tailgate; if your arms are full (and the key is on your person), waving your foot under the bumper will open up the trunk.

On the Road

Ford has taken a curious strategy with the new Edge’s engine lineup. The two-liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine, which was an extra-cost option in last year's Edge, is now standard (and improved to 245 horsepower), and a naturally aspirated (non-turbocharged) 280hp 3.5 liter V6, once standard, is now an extra-cost option. The two-liter EcoBoost engine can now be had with front- or all-wheel-drive and can tow up to 3,500 lbs.

I first drove a Titanium model (base price $36,495, optioned up to $43,190) with the 2-liter EcoBoost, and was very impressed: Aside from a bit of hesitation off the line, it does a decent imitation of a V6. Next I tried out the Edge Sport ($38,995/$44,190), which gets a 315-hp 2.7-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6. What an impressive engine: As with the 2.0, there's a bit of low-RPM hesitation, but give it a second or so to get on the boil and it pulls the Edge like a small V8.

EPA fuel economy estimates for the 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine are 17 MPG city/24 MPG highway for both front- and all-wheel-drive versions, compared to 20/28 for the 2.0 liter AWD Edge (20/30 with front-wheel-drive). Funnily enough, my observed fuel economy for both engines was similar (low 20s). One of the pitfalls of Ford's EcoBoost engines is that real-world MPG often differs widely from EPA estimates, so we'll have to wait until we can get a full week with both the 2.0 and 2.7 liter Edges to see whether they deliver the gas mileage they promise.

Ride and handling have been greatly improved. The original Edge reminded me of the full-size SUVs its potential buyers would be coming out of: Big, soft, and a wee bit clumsy. The new version is the opposite: Though it still feels rather massive, it rides comfortably (although the Sport is decidedly firmer) and takes turns like a car rather than a traditional SUV. Our press preview took place north of Phoenix, Arizona, where serious curvy roads are hard to come by, so we couldn't really press the Edge without running afoul of Johnny Law, but I'd love to take an Edge Sport out on our favorite California canyon roads. It seems like it has a lot of potential.

Journey's End

Considering how indifferent I was to the old Edge, I’m genuinely surprised at how much I enjoyed the new one. It’s a real stand-out: Handsome, stuffed with technology, and good to drive. That said, it’s also pretty darn expensive: The entry-level SE model starts at $28,995, and as our test cars showed, it's easy to option an Edge up to well above $40,000.

To what vehicles should we compare the Edge? Boy, that’s tough. I have to mention our favorites in this class, which have also been resigned this year: The Nissan Murano, a great all-rounder, and the Kia Sorento, a little-known contender that is surprisingly luxurious. And let’s not forget its arch-rival, the Toyota Venza, a wagon-like SUV that I’ve always liked. All three are in the same general price range as the Edge.

That said, I can’t help but compare the Edge to a couple of less-mainstream SUVs: I think the top-of-the-range Edge Titanium is worthy of comparison to the pricier Volkswagen Touareg, and the Edge Sport seems like it could give the Infiniti QX70 (the SUV formerly known as the FX35) a run for its money.

The way I see it, there’s only one way things could go seriously wrong for the Edge: What if those younger buyers, the ones who were perfectly happy driving an Edge designed for their parents, decide they don’t like the one designed for them? Now that would be funny (to everyone but Ford, that is). I don’t think that will happen; after all, I am the younger buyer that Ford is seeking -- and I liked the Edge just fine. -- Aaron Gold

 

Disclaimer: This test drive was conducted at a manufacturer-sponsored press event. Ford provided travel, accommodations, vehicles, meals and fuel. For more information, see our Ethics Policy.