2015 Ford Edge Titanium VIDEO REVIEW

2015 Ford Edge Titanium VIDEO REVIEW by Auto Critic Steve Hammes

When the Edge first appeared about a decade ago, it was Ford’s first play in the midsize crossover segment and went on to become a huge success. And now for 2015, the Edge is redesigned with more polish and maturity to further its story.

While the Escape and Explorer contribute the most to Ford’s utility vehicle coffer, the Edge is the middle sibling and doing quite well in its own right, competing against the likes of the Nissan Murano and besting it in sales. It’s exclusively a 2-row 5-seater and is priced in that upper 20s to upper 30s price range, in front or all-wheel drive. It’s now derived from the Fusion sedan and comes with a new powertrain mix. No longer an option, the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost engine moves over to the “standard equipment” column while the non-turbo 3.5-liter V6 becomes a $425 option. A new 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine powers the racier Edge Sport but that’s for another show.

The trim level I’m driving is also new for 2015; it’s the top-of-the-line Edge Titanium, added to meet market demand for more premium offerings. This one is 2-wheel drive and priced from $36,495. But to get one exactly like this colored in the exceptional White Platinum paint and stuffed with the wide ranging 302A Equipment Group, it’ll cost you $42,290 before any available incentives. Slightly longer and taller than before, Ford has walked the fine line of improving upon an already popular model while maintaining its identity. It’s an excellent step forward.

The Edge has been in my possession for over a week now and a few days ago I took the family on a foliage tour through New England. The Edge could not have been a more agreeable companion giving the 3 of us a vehicle crafted for enjoyable road trips.  My biggest takeaways?  The 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine is enough…much to my surprise…and provides very decent mileage.  It’s super quiet…much more so than before and that lends to an even greater sense of luxury.  And lastly, the ride is not Euro-tuned…it’s American soft and sumptuous without being sloppy on the back roads.  It looks good and treats you right.

With production moved from Spain to Cleveland, this improved motor makes slightly more energy now – rated at 245 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque – through a twin-scroll turbo reducing lag, a lighter engine block, and a higher compression ratio. So unlike before, you can specify an Edge with this engine and all-wheel drive while increasing towing capacity from 1,500 pounds to 3,500 pounds.  AWD is a $1,495 option.  The gas mileage meter barely moves from before, rated at 20mpg city/30mpg highway.  Regular gas is fine but premium is recommended for improved performance.  A smooth shifting 6-speed auto with a fun Sport mode and paddle shifters is standard.  Everything about the Edge looks and feels more premium, no matter if you’re a passenger or the driver.  The new rear suspension in conjunction with a stiffer body means the Edge is more engaging to drive as well as more sophisticated in how it handles rough roads.  It’s relaxed yet astute in every aspect of its personality.

The living space is family room friendly with straightforward controls, great visibility, all day seating comfort and the luxury level touch of Titanium service where just about everything is done for you.

While the 2016 model gets the new SYNC3 system, this short run of 2015s still uses MyFord Touch…an infotainment unit that doesn’t offend me and offers voice and touchscreen control. A button push gives you angles from the front-mounted 180-degree camera replete with its own washer but it’s not the awesomeness of Nissan’s 360 degree camera.  And a Ford technology that’s been around for a while – Enhanced active park assist – now adds automatic perpendicular parking to parallel parking as well as the ability to steer you out of a space.  I had mixed results with the perpendicular option, a feature I have little need for anyhow.

Other safety tech includes Blind Spot detection with rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, auto high beams, rain-sensing wipers and inflatable seat belts in the back.  The perforated leather seats provide heated and cooled functionality in the front, heated in the rear, remote start and a heated steering wheel are your friends in winter and the Panoramic Vista Roof is enormous.  Those in the back have reclining seats with plenty of space in each direction and power folding functionality means lowering the seats is a simple button push away, leading to wide, expansive cargo room.  2 USB ports in the front and a high tech, configurable gauge cluster give the cabin a modern feel but by in large it’s a simply adorned, easy to use space perfectly geared for its intended audience – it won’t scare away technophobes.

Ford gets an A on this redo, furthering its leadership in the utility vehicle segment.