BIG, BOLD AND EDGY
NEW Ford Edge From £29,995 to £34,500 GOOD
FORD is storming back into the UK’s sports utility market with its new flagship Edge 4x4. It heads up Ford’s family of SUVs, comprising the smaller Kuga and EcoSport models and two more, yetunspecified, vehicles in the pipeline.
BIG, bold off-roader with chunky looks and an aggressive grille. It will be reaching UK showrooms this summer.
EASY and relaxing to drive, it will do some modest off-roading.
MASSES of space inside, with lots of handy cubbyholes for storage. A high driving position gives you plenty of visibility and there’s plenty of legroom in the comfortable back seats, with around 50 cm more than in the Ford S-Max.
WITH all five seats in play, there’s a cavernous 602 litres of space, but that trebles to nearly 1,800 litres if you fold down the rear three seats.
A CHOICE of three trims: the Zetec from £29,995; the more luxurious Titanium; and the Sport. The biggest sellers are predicted to be the Titanium and Sport variations.
THE basic package on the Zetec includes keyless start, rear view camera, lane keeping aid, privacy glass and traffic sign recognition.
I DROVE the two higher spec variants. The well-appointed 2litre 180 bhp TDCI six-speed manual in Titanium trim accelerates from rest to 62 mph in 9.9 seconds, with a top speed of 124 mph.
FUEL economy averages a claimed 48.7mpg on 19in tyres or 47.9 mpg on the 20in tyres. As standard, it adds front and rear parking sensors, higher spec alloy wheels, chrome roof rails, the Ford DAB navigation system and heated front sports seats.
THE Edge Sport model has a 220bhp 2-litre TDCI engine linked to a six-speed PowerShift automatic gearbox. It comes with 20in alloy wheels, sports styling and suspension, alloy pedals, black roof rails and a Sony DAB navigation system with 12 speakers and an adaptive steering system as standard.
THE active noise control system works well, dampening any exterior or engine sound.
THIS all-road SUV — built on the shores of Lake Ontario, Canada — is fitted with diesel engines for Britain and European markets.
THE adaptive steering option measures your responses and changes the steering to make it easier to manoeuvre at low speeds, while remaining responsive at higher speeds.
A WELCOME addition to a booming market. The UK SUV market grew 26 per cent in 2015 to 630,370 vehicles. It’s expected to rise by another 33 per cent by 2020.
BAD
FORD has an uphill climb against premium brands such as Germany’s BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, as well as Volvo’s XC90, where badge snobbery plays a big part. But it’s still charging premium prices.
YOU’LL have to be earning a bob or two. Ford reckons the average family buying an Edge will earn £80,000 or more and that the average price paid will be £35,000. Your final bill will climb steeply as you add on those extras.
IT’S a big beast and you have to watch yourself for body-roll on tight bends, where balance is not as precise as some rivals.
THE 180bhp 2-litre TDCI diesel linked to a six-speed manual gearbox is a tad lethargic, and labours slightly on steep inclines where you have to push it hard. So if you’re into towing, you’d be better off with the more powerful 210 bhp version.
A TRADITIONAL interior layout is fine — until you contrast it with the high-tech, space-age look of Volvo’s XC90 dashboard, with its huge computer screen.
HENRY FORD famously said you could have a car in any colour, as long as it’s black. Curiously, the only no-cost ‘standard’ colour offered for the Edge is Oxford White. Everything else costs extra, with the fetching golden hues of Electric Spice and others adding £545, while White Platinum will set you back a hefty £825.
THe London Motor Show in Battersea Park is open today and Sunday. Details at thelondonmotorshow.co.uk