Test Drive: 2017 Ford Edge

Ford Edge sharpens with new luxury and features

There’s the ragged edge, the edge of reason, the razor’s edge and living on the edge…all indicating a precarious situation.

Then there’s the 2017 Ford Edge which I have just spent a week with and I’ve found life IN the Edge is really kinda “edgy.”

Ford has honed the second generation of this mid-size crossover, giving it a sharper look, more luxury touches, more safety gear and all-round sharper appearance.

Ford of Canada provided a line-topping Edge Sport for evaluation and when I arrive to pick it up, the first think I notice is a more streamlined profile with big 20-inch polished aluminum wheels, LED lighting and a virtuous “white platinum tri-coat” paint job. (Virtue will remove an extra $550 from your wallet, but it’s pretty when it’s clean).

The inside has been given upgrades that fulfill the promise made by the exterior, of course the improvements are going to take a bigger slice out of the wallet.

My test vehicle has something called Equipment Group 401A which runs $4,500 on top of the $47,049 for the base Sport trim. For that you get heated power tilt/telescoping multi-function steering wheel, blind spot monitor, auto-dimming driver side exterior mirror, split view front camera, HID headlamps, lane departure warning, rain sensing wipers, leather and suede seating (heated and cooled in front, heated in rear), heated windshield wiper de-icer and enhanced park assist which will automatically put you into both parallel and angled parking spots.

While we’re on the subject of extras, I also have the Canadian touring package which, for another couple of grand, adds voice activated navigation and panoramic roof. Throw in another $1,500 for adaptive cruise control with collision warning and $400 for a cargo cover and cargo floor protector and you have run things up to $55,449.

That’s just the extras. Naturally, the Edge Sport has all the expected power-operated equipment along with Sirius satellite radio.

But the best features about the new interior are knobs, toggles and buttons, the things Ford bragged long and loud about eliminating. They’re back! And the driver distraction level is way down.

There’s nothing dull about this Edge when it comes to performance. Under the hood, there’s a 2.7L EcoBoost V6 engine (the largest available) that makes 315 horsepower and 350 lb. ft. of torque. Power gets to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission which can be manually shifted with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

It’s a robust combination, delivering enthusiastic response to throttle inputs under every driving situation. Shifting is nearly imperceptible.

Fuel economy is rated at 13.8 L/100km in the city and 9.8 on the highway. During my week, I didn’t spend a lot of time striving for ultimate economy which means, of course, I can have Eco or I can have Boost, but I can’t have both simultaneously. Stay out of the turbo and Edge will go a long way before you need to refill the 72L tank.

The sport tuned suspension handles urban road imperfections nicely but the ride gets pretty rough when the surface deteriorates. On the upside, the electronic power steering provides at least some feedback.

If you want to get playful on the twisty bits, Edge gives you and edge with Advancetrac with roll stability control, curve control, torque vectoring control and intelligent AWD, all of which do their thing without being too intrusive about it.

If you need to take stuff with you, there’s 1,110 L of cargo space behind the second row.

2017 Ford Edge
Trim level: Sport
Price as tested (before taxes): $55,449.00
Freight: $1,690.00
Configuration: front-engine, all-wheel drive
Engine/transmission: 2.7L EcoBoost V6/ six-speed automatic
Power/torque: 315 hp/ 350 lb-ft
Fuel economy ratings (L/100 km): city: 13.8, hwy: 9.8 L/100 Km
Warranties: 3-years/60,000 km (basic), 5-years/100,000 (power train)
Competitors: Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan Murano, Toyota RAV4, Volkswagen Touareg

Related links:
Ford Canada