Ford Edge
Car and Driver
Tested: two thousand fifteen Ford Edge Two.0L EcoBoost AWD
2016 Ford Edge
- Jul 2016
- By ALEXANDER STOKLOSA
- Photography By CHRIS DOANE AUTOMOTIVE
Overview: Ford’s mid-size, two-row Edge occupies a sweet spot in the crossover marketplace, being both larger than the predominantly two-row compact offerings (Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Mazda CX-5) but more wieldy than longer three-row family haulers such as Ford’s own Explorer. Redesigned for the two thousand fifteen model year, the Edge entered two thousand sixteen without any major changes—which is fine by us, given the Edge’s laundry list of positives. This is a mass-market crossover that’s uncommonly wonderful and offers a choice of three distinct powertrains: a fuel-efficient, 245-hp Two.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder; a Trio.5-liter V-6 with two hundred eighty horsepower; and a flamy, 315-hp twin-turbocharged EcoBoost Two.7-liter V-6 that’s available only in the top-spec Sport—the one we tested. Front-wheel drive is standard on most models, with all-wheel drive available or standard on others.
What’s Fresh: Since we last tested a base-engine Edge EcoBoost, a mid-level Edge with the naturally aspirated V-6, and the hot twin-turbo Sport EcoBoost when the Edge was updated for 2015, the vehicle’s formula has stayed largely the same. An adaptive steering system is suggested for the very first time on the Titanium trim level and is standard on the Sport. Another switch for 2016—a sorely needed one we might add—is Ford’s Sync three infotainment system, which substitutes the old Sync with MyFord Touch setup that the new-generation Edge launched with last year.
What We Like: The two thousand sixteen Edge’s Sync three touchscreen display is a big improvement over the MyFord system it substitutes. On higher trim levels, Sync three works with a pair of in-dash displays that flank an analog speedometer; the left-hand unit can be set to demonstrate excursion information and offers access to vehicle and safety settings, while the right-hand screen can display navigation, audio, or phone shortcuts. The overall setup is fairly intuitive and looks slick, but accessing and tweaking the vehicle settings via the steering-wheel controls can be fiddly and is best accomplished with the vehicle stopped. That same menu affords access to the adaptive steering settings, of which there are two: Sport and Normal. In the Edge Sport, the driver can set steering preferences for both the default drive mode and for when the shift lever is placed in S, effectively the Edge’s Sport mode. We like that the choice of steering parameters isn’t explicitly dictated by which drive mode is selected. We also dig the Sport’s twin-turbocharged V-6 engine, which develops three hundred fifteen horsepower and a mighty three hundred fifty lb-ft of torque; dipping into the throttle comebacks a muscular-sounding engine note and slew of around-town zip (we recorded a swift, Five.6-second run to sixty mph). Every Edge manages a comfy rail with decent bod control, but even the Sport isn’t that sporty, evidenced by its modest 0.83 g of lateral grip around our skidpad.
The Edge offers a roomy passenger compartment and a capacious cargo hold. Without a fold-down third-row seat in the wayback, there’s more space for your stuff. Several carry-on roller bags will fit, plus whatever extra detritus you can pile on top of them. The rear seat also reclines and has tons of legroom, and the general fit and finish, materials, and design feel top-notch.
What We Don’t Like: In spite of its name, there isn’t enough edge to the Edge’s front end, making it harsh to discern where the vehicle’s corners are from the driver’s perspective. The fetish mask falls away, which, combined with the deep dashboard and thick A-pillars, makes forward visibility disappointingly pinched. The turning radius also is fairly poor, necessitating multipoint turns in parking garages and too much neck craning to locate the vehicle’s perimeter. We found fault with the adaptive steering, which felt darty off-center, regardless of which drive mode was selected, and required lots of minute corrections on the highway. And a word of caution if you’re thinking about the $195 option for the rear seatbelts that have built-in airbags: they’re exceptionally bulky and difficult to buckle.
We also experienced a notable issue with our specific test car: After a spirited but not full-throttle acceleration up a hill (and after the car had been running for a few minutes), the engine began losing power before quitting entirely at around forty five mph. The dashboard was awash with warning lights and messages from “low oil pressure” to “check owner’s manual.” We coasted to a stop, shifted into park, and killed the ignition; after a quick check underneath the Edge for oil or grenaded engine parts turned up nothing, we pressed the embark button, and the engine fired to life with nary a hint of its mysterious stall. We experienced a similar phantom EcoBoost malady with a two thousand sixteen Ford Taurus test car, as well as an engine stumble and electronic transmission ghosts in a Two.7-liter EcoBoost–powered Lincoln MKX, the Edge’s platform-mate, during a latest test. We have reached out to Ford and are awaiting a response.
Verdict: A not-so-edgy crossover but undoubtedly a good one.