2007 Ford Edge SEL Plus AWD
By joining the crossover utility vehicle (CUV) craze a bit late, the Ford Edge had to exit the starting gate in a hurry. Screw up and the consequences could be unpleasant. Fortunately for Ford, they pretty much nailed it.
Exterior styling is attractive, with a high beltline, fast windshield rake and a swept-back C-pillar with integral spoiler that's reminiscent of the Range Rover Sport's. Fusion-esque triple chrome bars dominate the front end, flanked by big aero headlamps. Extra-large fog lights complete the front-end jewelry. I'm certain most owners will leave them switched on for the life of the vehicle, to the endless irritation of fellow drivers.
The interior is pleasant enough although there seems to be several acres of textured black plastic adorning every surface. For visual relief the center stack surround is a mix of platinum-hued plastic with chrome accents. The dash is well laid out with good visibility of the gauges, speedo and tach regardless of where the tilt-and-tel wheel is positioned.
The huge center console is large enough to swallow a small laptop. It could probably also house a Jack Russell terrier with room for food and water dishes as well. There's a power outlet inside, complementing two near the driver and a third at the rear of the cargo area. I can grasp the intent of the removable console insert but it's a flimsy plastic molding that always seems to be getting in the way. And you'll need to remove it if the Jack Russell is to have adequate headroom.
Front legroom is good on the passenger side but the fender well intrudes on the driver's side, leaving no stretch-out room for the left leg. During hard driving I used the carpeted intrusion as a dead pedal but during relaxed cruising it becomes a bother, particularly for tall drivers. With six-way-powered, supportive seats the driving position is otherwise first rate.
The second row 60/40 seats have a fold-out armrest complete with the obligatory dual cupholders. The seats recline individually and fold almost flat, headrests attached. This function can also be handled by a switch located in the rear hatch area. Seat up, there's 32.1 cubic feet of cargo area. Folded, that jumps to 69.6 cubes. Legroom is generous with extra room for feet under the front seats.
The Panoramic Roof ($1,395) is appropriately named. The glass over the enormous front section retracts over a second sunroof that allows bird watching from the rear seat. That one is fixed but the view is quite nice. Powered sun shades cover both glass sections if you want a bit of privacy.
One powerplant is offered, the new 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V-6, an engine that Ford badly needed. It's worth the wait. Refined and smooth, power is abundant and delivery is linear, despite the presence of both variable intake cam timing and a dual-path intake tract. Other than a noticeable swell of power as the tach sweeps past 4,000 rpm, there's no abrupt power spike as if someone flipped a switch and another 40 hp joined the party. Not every engine can claim this level of sophistication.
The short-stroke V-6 is rated at 265 hp at 6250 rpm and 250 lb-ft at 4500. But the variable cam timing flattens the torque curve and the 6-speed automatic helps the engine spin eagerly all the way to its 6700 rpm redline. It's obvious that the new 6-speed autobox communicates closely with the powertrain computer. It learns your driving style and tailors the speed, quality and timing of gear changes accordingly. With overdrive disengaged via the shifter-mounted switch, the transmission downshifts progressively although imperceptibly under braking, adding engine braking while also preparing for maximum acceleration should it be asked.
All-wheel-drive is standard on the SEL Plus, optional on the SEL. The base SE is FWD only. Like the transmission, the AWD system is uncommonly bright. It's a torque-on-demand (TOD) system whose transfer case normally routes power to the front axle. But when slippage is detected it can apportion up to 100 percent to either axle.
All Edge models receive AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control, Ford-speak for a stability-control system that also helps prevent rollovers. RSC does this by virtue of a unique gyroscopic sensor able to monitor both yaw and roll. Other systems measure yaw only, meaning they don't know if a rollover is really imminent. They make an educated guess and sometimes get it wrong, needlessly chopping power and applying the brakes. All they know is that the car is understeering or oversteering, suggesting that you're about to carve a new breezeway through a masonry wall or beginning a pirouette off into the tulies. With the addition of roll-rate sensing, the system can tell with more certainty if you're actually about to become inverted and it steps in with inordinate speed to help sort things out.
On Edge AWD models the combination of these two systems, integrated with the excellent AWD, means you can crank the wheel hard over while sitting on snow-packed pavement, brake-torque the engine to redline then sidestep the brake, launching without spinning a wheel. The car accelerates deliberately and simply tracks around the corner.
CUVs are all the rage today because buyers are growing weary of the compromises demanded by truck-based SUVs. The Edge illustrates the advantages of a car-based platform. It's as easy to enter and exit as a car yet has 8.0 inches of ground clearance. In comparison, the 4WD Ford Explorer has 8.2 inches. The SUV also stands 5.6 inches taller, weighs up to 500 pounds more and is EPA-rated at 15/20 mpg city/highway, less if you opt for the V-8. The Edge SEL AWD is rated at 17/24. The Explorer offers an extra 13 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second seat and 16.2 more cubic feet with seat folded.
The only other major advantage enjoyed by the Explorer is more towing capacity, 5210 pounds versus 3500. It's a good truck-based SUV but it's still a truck. The Edge driving experience is pure car. The steering is well-weighted, adequately communicative and the vehicle tracks obediently with only minimal corrections needed.
Its compliant all-independent suspension soaks up dips and bumps with aplomb while also keeping body motions well damped. Only moderate body roll is evident even when it's thrown into a high-G corner. Ride comfort is excellent and noise levels are low. I recorded 71 dB(A) at 70 mph cruise, 70 dB(A) power-off.
Acceleration is brisk for a 4282-pound vehicle, hitting 60 mph from rest in 7.02 seconds and clearing the quarter mile in 15.2 seconds at 91 mph. Fuel economy averaged 18.3 mpg in a mix of high-speed highway driving and 80 miles spent creeping along muddy mountain roads. Under more normal conditions I'd expect to see low 20s.
Ford might have arrived late to the CUV party but they did their homework. The Edge is a definite contender.
