EDGING UPMARKET

The Ford Edge Vignale takes the standard SUV and adds an extra level of comfort and luxury. Can it take on premium rivals? Simon Davis finds out

This luxury makeover of sorts sees the Edge best owed with many new features in an attempt to turn the car into a more upmarket proposition. This means features such as quilted leather seats, the latest Sync 3 infotainment system, and massive 19-inch polished aluminum alloys have all been thrown at the rather handsome SUV.

Customers will be able to specify their Edge Vignale with a choice of two diesel engines. These come in the form of a 2.0-litre, 207bhp bi-turbo unit paired to a six-speed automatic, and a slightly less powerful 178bhp 2.0-litre diesel paired with a six-speed manual ‘box.

The Edge was already a rather attractive SUV to begin with, and the Vignale treatment only serves to add to this. The signature hexagonal grille that features on all Vignale models dominates the front of the Edge, while chrome bright work around the front foglamps and lower front bumper lend the Edge Vignale a more sophisticated appearance.

While the Edge Vignale is certainly a smart looking thing from the outside, the car’s interior is – strangely – a bit hit and miss. Sure, the quilted leather seats and leather trim around the dash and doors do help to give the car an aspirational quality, but there is something that doesn’t quite sit right. Perhaps it’s the cheap plastics that surround the Sync 3 infotainment system, or the mock carbonfi bert rim that sits above the passenger glove box that is causing this feeling. You can’t help but get the impression that ford paid a great deal of attention to everything in the cabin other than these two aspects, and collectively they do let the interior down slightly.

That said though, the Edge Vignale is an incredibly comfortable car to sit in. The seats are plush and supportive, and are also highly adjustable – meaning finding the optimum driving position is never too difficult.

As you would expect from a rather massive SUV, the Edge Vignale serves up plenty of space in the cabin. head room is abundant both front and back, while rear passengers won’t have to worry about their knees being crushed by the front seats on long drives, even when tall er passengers are riding up front.

The boot offers a generous 602 litres of storage space, which should be more than enough for any family-associated clobber. Fold the rear seats down, and this area can be increased to a substantial 1,847 litres. As part of the Vignale makeover, Ford has included a hands-free tailgate on the Edge. With the key in your pocket, you simply need to wave your foot under the rear tailgate, and the boot will pop open. While most people will likely open the boot in the traditional manner for the majority of the time, on those occasions when your hands are full, this is a feature that will undoubtedly come in handy.

The moment you get behind the wheel of the Edge Vignale, you become aware of its rather large proportions. Aside from a Range Rover or a Toyota Land Cruiser, the Ford will likely be one of the largest cars on the road. While this won’t be too much of a problem when you’re careering down the motorway, it might make navigating tight urban streets a bit of a hair-raising experience – remember, you certainly don’t want to curb those massive, bling alloy wheels.

To be fair though, while the Edge is a big car, it manages to compose itself well through the bends. sure, you are aware of its size, and you can hear the tyres straining under their load, but throwing it into a sharp bend feels safe, and you certainly won’t be in for any unexpected surprises. The steering is wellweighted and fairly direct, and provides a pleasing amount of feedback.

While the Edge Vignale handles itself in a respectful manner when you throw it into a couple of twisties, it’s far more at home chewing up miles on the motor way. it is comfortable, quiet, and if Ford’s claimed fuel consumption figure of 47.9 mpg is to be believed, fairly economical too.

The 2.0-litre, 207bhp bi-turbo engine we had fitted to our test car was smooth under acceleration, and provided plenty of punch when you put your foot down. Thanks to the addition of Ford’s Active Noise Control system, engine noise is kept to a minimum in the cabin. The only niggle we had with the Edge Vignale was the fact that there was a very slightly noticeable fluttering sound under acceleration. We weren’t quite sure what caused this, but assumed it must have been to do with the fact that the Active Noise Control system was so good at minimising all of the more obvious engine noises, that those that were of a higher frequency and normally wouldn’t bother you became more pronounced. On the whole though, the Edge Vignale makes for a brilliant long distance cruiser.

Prices for the Edge Vignale start from £38,000 – which is edging into Jaguar

F-pace territory. That said though, that money will get you a properly kitted out car. Standard features include the new Sync 3 infotainment system, which incorporates satellite navigation, front and rear parking sensors, apple car play and android auto for seamless smartphone connectivity, and many more features besides. All of these functions are now controlled through a clever new eight-inch touch screen display, which now includes pinch and swipe gestures for easier navigation – just like a smartphone.

Ford will tell you that a large percentage of its SUV customers have been opting

for vehicles in the previous top-of-the-line Titanium specification, so the new

Vignale cars are its attempt give those customers a more luxurious proposition.

T heed gevign ale then,i sac ar that will appeal to those buyers that want a big, well-specced SUV, but may not necessarily have the means to fund the purchase of a F-pace or Range Rover Sport or any other traditionally “premium” SUV, for that matter.

Cynicism aside, the Edge Vignale is an attractive car. Like all Fords, it offer sap leasing driving experience, is hugely comfortable, looks good and is fairly economical. With the addition of thevign ale specification, it now also comes with a huge amount of standard kit. At the end of the day then, if you’re in the market for a fairly luxurious SUV and can rise above any badge snobbery, the Edge Vignale could be the car for you.