2015 Ford Edge Redesigned from the Bottom Up
The all-new 2015 Ford Edge is redesigned inside and out with two new powertrain options.
The all-new 2015 Ford Edge is redesigned inside and out with two new powertrain options. It’s a crossover utility vehicle that continuously leads the pack in salesand should continue to do so with this latest version.
Still, it’s a vehicle that you should shop carefully. The new Edge is available with a lot of interesting technology that you may or may not want to select. Resist the technological siren song and you could come away with a vehicle that packs a lot of value into its five-seat setup.
Case in point would be the self-parking suite of technologies. The 2015 Ford Edge not only parallel parks itself, it can also back itself into a parking space in a move called reverse perpendicular parking. The car can also pull you out of a parking space. That could prove especially helpful in situations where people hem you in on a city street.
However, 99 percent of Edge buyers will probably never use the technology (beyond showing it off to friends). It’s too slow for a moderately busy city street when it comes to parallel parking. Plus, the excellent available rear cross-traffic alert system and 180-degree front camera take all of the guesswork out of tight parking spaces.
COMPETITIVE INTERIOR STYLING: The 2015 Ford Edge delivers a clean interior design with plenty of soft touch surfaces for an overall comfortable ride.
It’s going to be much harder to take the guesswork out of which engine to purchase for the Ford Edge. There are two strong choices and an average third one. The Edge is offered with two new engines, a standard twin-scroll 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine and a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6. A naturallyaspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine is also available and is targeted at people who want flex-fuel capability.
Frankly, the 2.0-liter EcoBoost, with its 245 horsepower and 275 lb.-ft. of torque, gets the job done. You don’t need the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 but it is rated at 315 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque. While not disclosing the actual number, Ford does say it is quicker 0-60 than a BMW X5. After some spirited driving around Scottsdale, AZ, I have no reason to doubt that claim. No wheel time was available for the 3.5-liter V6, but it’s a carryover. All three engine choices are mated to a six-speed automatic that handles hard acceleration well.
There is one reservation with the 2.7-liter Eco, though. It’s only available on the top-of-the-line Sport trim. That means spending $10,000 above the base Edge and $2,500 over the somewhat comparable Titanium trim level. When you shop the Edge, drive both engines to see what your personal preference is.
The base Edge SE at $28,995 seems like a good value but all the bells and whistles push that price to more than $45,000 on the Sport trim with all-wheel-drive.
OK, I have one more reservation about the Edge—and it might be attributable to the fact that only pre-production models were available for testing—but it struck me as a noisy vehicle. Ford emphasized during the product introduction how much effort went into the reduction of noise, vibration, and harshness. But the mirrors seemed to me to be particularly noisy. They need some refinements to cut down on the wind noise they generate.
Fuel economy seems about average. The front-wheel-drive Edge Sport returns EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of 18mpg city, 27mpg highway, and 21mpg combined. EPA-estimated ratings for the all-wheel-drive model are 17mpg city, 24mpg highway, and 20mpg combined. The front-wheel-drive Edge with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost returns 20mpg city, 30mpg highway, and 24mpg combined. Its AWD numbers are 20mpg city, 28mpg highway, and 23mpg combined. The V6 Edge is rated at 18mpg city, 26mpg highway, and 21-mpg combined for the FWD model and 17-mpg city, 25mpg highway, and 20mpg combined for the AWD model.
The 2015 Ford Edge is being introduced at a busy time for midsize crossover utility vehicles, especially in light of competition from improving compact models like the Chevrolet Trax and the Honda HR-V, which goes on sale in May. Is it up to the competition? It is, but Ford will have to work hard to continue the success of the Edge.
2015 Ford Edge
THE BASICS
Price, base (with destination): $28,995. Fuel economy: 18 city /27 highway /21 combined. Drivetrain: 2.0-liter, inline, twin scroll, four-cylinder EcoBoost. Body: Midsize crossover.
THE SPECIFICS
Horsepower: 245 @ 5,500 rpm.Torque: 275 @ 3,000 rpm.Overall length: 188.1 in. Wheelbase: 112.2 in. Height: 68.6 in. Width: 78.4 in. Curb weight: 3,912 lbs.
THE GOOD
The 2015 Ford Edge has a vastly improved exterior and interior design that will please owners. Other positive attributes include good performance from the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, and the 2.7-liter V6 delivers an exhilarating level of performance not usually associated with domestic crossovers.
THE BAD
Noise levels seemed high but that could be attributed to driving a pre-production model. The technology, while interesting, seems like a gimmick and can contribute to driving the bottom line price to a fairly high point. Also, the 2.7-liter V6 is only available in the most expensive trim level.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Resist the urge to buy all the bells and whistles and the 2015 Ford Edge delivers a lot of value for the money. Ford continues to stay competitive in the crowded crossover segment.
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