Does Ford’s latest large SUV have the edge?

Ford’s large SUV makes its way to Britain and sets its sights on the premium market,

The Edge is the latest of the “One Ford” family to hit our shores. That means it’s a car that was developed and built elsewhere in the world but is now being shared globally.

In the Edge’s case it has it origins in North America – something its big, bluff styling makes obvious.

It’s based on Ford’s largest platform, shared with the Mondeo, S-max and Galaxy and that’s clear from inside, where there is plenty of space – mostly.

Rear legroom is best in class and, at two metres wide, there is plenty of shoulder room. In the front it’s the same story. In fact, there’s so much space that even at 6’5” I could slot into the seat behind a driver of a similar size. Sadly though, we’d both end up with sore necks due to a surprising lack of headroom. For anyone north of six feet the roofline is perilously low if equipped with the panoramic roof.

Still, four people of a more normal size will fit with ease and can cover long distances in comfort thanks to big supportive seats and a host of technology aimed at improving the Edge’s refinement.

This includes active noise reduction, which pipes white noise into the cabin to counteract external sounds. It works well, although the engine isn’t exactly loud to begin with.

Our test car featured a 207bhp diesel mated to a sixspeed auto. This smooth pairing feels like the natural setup for a vehicle like this but a 178bhp engine and manual gearbox are available.

Progress is sufficient rather than sprightly but it’s an SUV, not a sportscar. That said, Ford’s ability to make its cars handle better than their rivals continues. There’s very little in the way of roll and yet it soaks up rough surfaces like you’d expect a large SUV to.

Our test drive included some rutted farm paths, scree slope and muddy trails. Not particularly tough but a fair reflection of what is likely to face the Edge’s automatic 4x4 system, and it managed just fine.

Ford want to separate the Edge from the likes of Kia’s Sorento and hyundai’s santafe and have positioning the Edge against more premium rivals such as the VW Toureg, Audi Q5 and Land Rover Discovery.

In order to do this they’ve packed it full of equipment. Even basic Zetec models get 19-inch alloys, automatic lights/wipers/air con and a host of safety features, including active city stop, lane assist and traffic sign recognition for your £29,995.

Titanium adds sat nav, heated seats, keyless entry and hands-free powered tailgate but if you want leather seats you’ll need the £2,000 lux pack that also brings the problematic panoramic roof. Top trim Sport adds sports suspension, adaptive steering and meanlooking 20-inch wheels.

Even a VW Toureg thus specced will cost considerably more and you can still spend thousands on options for the Ford such as adaptive cruise, LED headlights and park assist and come in beneath the premium brands’ costs.

That price difference is significant but how significant will come down to personal taste. The material and build quality of the Edge is good but it’s still not quite in the realms of BMWS and Audis. Whether this a compromise worth making will be down to individual buyers.

Perfect

for: Buyers after a full-size SUV that packs in the kit without breaking

the bank