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VOL. 39 | NO. 38 | Friday, September 18, 2015

Ford Edge gets bigger, sleeker with overhaul

By Ann M. Job | For the Associated Press

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The Ford Edge sport utility vehicle received its first major overhaul in 2015 and is now bigger, sleeker and quieter than before.

The mid-size SUV’s back seats now have as much legroom – well more than 40 inches – as those in the front row and are comfortable for adults. And it has more cargo room, too, offering 73.4-cubic feet of space behind the front seats, which is more than what’s in many other mid-size SUVs.

A much-needed rearview camera is standard and its monitor shows lines to help drivers back up.

Surprisingly for an SUV the size and weight of the Edge, a turbocharged four-cylinder engine is standard. It has been revamped for 245 horsepower and generates more torque – 275 foot-pounds – than the Edge’s naturally aspirated V-6.

Most passengers won’t notice the Edge has a 2-liter four-cylinder engine, but neither will drivers, if the test-driven model is any indication. Driven mostly in city and country road traffic and without a load of passengers and gear, the tested version averaged less than 19 miles per gallon.

On the plus side, the 2015 Edge received five out of five stars for occupant protection in federal government crash tests. Previous Edges only earned four stars.

Among Ford’s five SUV offerings, the 2015 Edge ranks second-lowest in starting price, behind the compact Ford Escape.

Starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, for a 2015 Edge SE with front-wheel drive is $28,995. The lowest starting retail price for an all-wheel drive 2015 Edge, including destination charge, is $30,490.

2015 Ford Edge Titanium FWD

BASE PRICE: $28,100 for SE FWD; $29,595 for SE AWD; $31,500 for SEL FWD; $32,995 for SEL AWD; $35,600 for Titanium FWD.

PRICE AS TESTED: $42,735.

TYPE: Front-engine, front-wheel drive, five-passenger, mid-size sport utility vehicle.

ENGINE: 2-liter, double overhead cam, twin-scroll, turbocharged, EcoBoost, inline four cylinder.

MILEAGE: 20 mpg (city), 30 mpg (highway).

TOP SPEED: NA.

LENGTH: 188.1 inches.

WHEELBASE: 112.2 inches.

CURB WEIGHT: 3,912 pounds.

BUILT AT: Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

OPTIONS: Equipment Group 302A (includes blind spot monitor, remote start, voice-activated navigation system, 110-volt power outlet, panorama roof, lane departure warning and lane assist, second-row, outboard, inflatable safety belts) $5,645; White Platinum exterior paint $595.

DESTINATION CHARGE: $895.

The Associated Press

A new 2015 model – the Edge Sport – is the priciest, with a starting retail price of $38,995. It’s the only Edge with the new 2.7-liter, turbocharged V-6 that produces 315 horsepower and 350 foot-pounds of torque at 2,750 rpm.

The tested Edge was a front-drive Titanium model that looked and felt so sizable that the driver checked to be sure there wasn’t third-row seating folded under the cargo floor.

This flat floor was so lengthy, even with the second-row seats in use, that it took a long reach to get to cargo items that had rolled to the back of the seats.

No wonder, then, that the push-button release and fold down of the second-row seatbacks that was in the tested Edge was greatly appreciated.

There was a heaviness and a solid, blocky character to the Edge that made it feel stable and secure. Most road bumps registered as only vibrations to passengers.

The Edge’s electric steering was more responsive and quicker than expected, and it cornered tenaciously for an SUV.

The SUV’s tall, wide hood made it difficult to judge where the front bumper was in parking spots. The different audible warning tones indicating that it was close to nearby objects seemed overly cautious and could overwhelm a driver.

Thankfully, climate control buttons were added to the dashboard of the 2015 Edge, so driver and front passenger no longer have to rely solely on Ford’s maligned MyFord Touch display screen to adjust temperature and fan speed.

Using the display screen to change radio stations, however, still resulted in delays at times.

The only Edge transmission is a six-speed automatic that worked well in the test-driven model. The turbo-four was so refined that there wasn’t noticeable turbo lag, and the Edge merged confidently and smoothly into traffic. It even handled aggressive demands without feeling stressed.

In April, 2015 Edges were among 487,301 Ford and Lincoln vehicles recalled in 20 Midwest and northeastern states because attachments bolts for the power steering gear motor might corrode from salt and other cold-weather road chemicals.

Corrosion could result in a loss of power steering and possibly lead to a crash.

Earlier this year, Ford also stopped selling 2015 Edges for a period and asked owners of vehicles built before April 28 to have dealers check on a possible water leak inside the cabin, according to industry journal Automotive News.

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