What is it? The Ford Edge may have been on sale across the Atlantic for a number of years but has now been reconfigured for the European market as part of Ford’s SUV expansion plan and arrived here last July.

Who is it aimed at? The Edge is designed for those looking for a large SUV with sporty styling and road presence.

Styling? On the outside the Ford Edge is a sporty and aggressive looking SUV, especially in Sport trim with its darker detailing and large twin exhaust outlets. The wheels have been pushed out to each corner which adds to the sporty styling but also maximises interior space.

Under the Bonnet? Our car was powered by a 2.0TDCi diesel engine with 210PS which is also available as 180PS in the manual version.

What about inside? Inside the Ford Edge is quite impressive with high quality materials used throughout. Active noise control uses sound-cancelling technology to counteract unwanted noise inside the cabin and once you’re inside it’s quite spacious and airy. The seats are comfortable, all controls are within easy reach of the driver and there is plenty of legroom in the back for taller passengers. Luggage capacity ranges from 602 litres with the seats in place to 1,847 litres with the rear seats folded down and a hands-free tailgate comes as standard on Irish models.

On the Road? The Edge is quite impressive on the road – I had previously tested the manual vesion at the launch in Germany in May but the automatic feels like a much nicer car from behind the wheel. It has plenty of power and feels comfortable on long journeys while being well able to handle bumps and winding roads when necessary.

And Safety? Safety features include inflatable seatbelts in the rear, Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Emergency Brake Assist, Driver Alert which monitors fatigue, Roll Stability Control, an airbag system that incorporates front seat pelvic and thorax airbags and a front wide-view camera which is extremely useful in situations where lateral view is impaired, such as pulling out of parking spaces.

Options? The Ford Edge is just available in all wheel drive and there are two trim levels on offer – thankfully it seems that the usual base levels of trim have been dropped and the Edge starts at Titanium level which comes with plenty of kit as standard.  The Titanium Edge comes with 19” alloys, front and rear parking sensors, hands-free power tailgate, Ford DAB navigation system, active noise cancellation and a rear view camera as standard.

The range topping Sport model also comes with 20” alloys, sports suspension, heated front sports seats, adaptive steering system (which adjusts the steering ratio to suit speed in order to optimise manoeuvrability and precision), a Sony DAB navigation system paired with 12 speakers, alloy pedals and sportier looking body styling with darker detailing all round.

A further “Luxury Pack” upgrade is available (€3,125 on Sport models) which will enhance your cabin with heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, opening panoramic roof and 10 way electrically adjustable driver and front passenger seats.

There will be two engine options available, both 2.0TDCI, and with CO2 emissions of 149g/km on the Titanium version while delivering 5.8l/100km. The 180bhp engine does 0-100kmph in 9.9 seconds and has a top speed of 200kmph. This engine is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. However the model tested came with the bi-turbo 210PS version with the 6 speed power shift automatic gearbox which has only slightly more power but suits the driving dynamics of the Edge much more.

Will it break the bank? Prices for the Ford Edge start from €55,700 rising to €62,100 for a 2.0TDCi 210PS. The model tested was €68,220 with additional options such as Blind spot information system, rear inflatable seat belts, adaptive LED headlamps, Active park assist and the luxury pack. With emissions of 152g/km road tax will set you back €390 each year.

So the verdict? The Edge is a very comfortable SUV that’s fun to drive but in tight spaces it does feel really awkward and its pricey.

Why you’ll buy one? Styling and comfort

Why you won’t? A nightmare to park, expensive

 

Rivals

BMW X3 – prices start from €46,000

Land Rover Discovery Sport – Prices start from €37,100

Volvo XC60– Prices start from €39,995

 

Ford Edge 2.0TDCi 210PS Powershift Sport
Engine: 1997cc diesel
Max speed: 
 211km/h
0-100 kph:  
9.4 seconds
Emissions (Motor Tax) :
  152 g/km (€390)
Model price range: €55,700   – €62,100 (Test Car – €68,220)
No of Doors: 5 doors
Euro NCAP : 5 stars
Fuel type:  Diesel
Fuel Economy (combined cycle): 5.9 l/100km
Boot Capacity Seats up(down) : 602 litres (1847)
Car Seats: 2 Isofix fittings in the rear
Length: 4808mm
Width: 1928mm
Height: 1707mm
Wheelbase: 2849 mm