BORN IN T HE USA MADE FOR THE UK
Why the new, forward-thinking Ford Edge is all the SUV you’ll ever need
IT LOOKS LIKE AN SUV SHOULD
The new Edge is a full-size, head-turning SUV with a bold silhouette and powerful proportions. It’s almost as if the designers ditched their pencils and sculpted the car with laser-guided power tools. The grille sits in a hexagonal frame, flanked either side by wraparound LED headlights and topped by a high clamshell bonnet. The Edge then draws your eye rearwards by a bold, horizontal beltline running beneath the windows, and the metalwork is pulled tight, like a slim-fit shirt.
IT READS THE ROAD
The new Edge has a quickthinking collection of cameras, radars and ultrasonic sensors called Ford Co-Pilot 360, which work together to avoid trouble and take the strain in stop-start traffic. For example, Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection keeps a constant lookout for hazards ahead and can even apply the brakes for an emergency stop. Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go uses radar to automatically maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. If traffic slows it’ll reduce your speed and even bring you to a complete stop if necessary, before accelerating back up to speed after it has cleared. And it'll do all of this without you even having to touch the pedals.
IT HAS TWO TURBOS
Lift the bonnet and you’ll find the new, 2.0-litre EcoBlue Bi-Turbo diesel engine (available in two versions: 238 PS and 190 PS). Twin-turbocharging tech gives the torque and performance of a larger engine, with the fuelefficiency of a smaller one. There’s also a new, eight-speed automatic gearbox with Adaptive Shift Scheduling, which gets to know your driving style and times the shifts accordingly. Intelligent All-Wheel Drive maximises grip in wet, icy and slippery conditions and can switch to two-wheel drive when appropriate to save more fuel.
IT’S COOL, CALM AND CONNECTED
The new Edge is loaded with smart features, from the pinch-and-swipe colour touchscreen to on-board Wi-Fi. Voice recognition tech also allows you to find somewhere to eat just by saying “I’m hungry”. At the heart of it all is Ford’s latest SYNC3 system, through which you control audio, climate, navigation and connected smartphones via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Also available is FordPass Connect, which among other things allows you to connect up to 10 devices to the on-board WiFi, so passengers can enjoy 4G streaming on the go, while you enjoy regular live traffic updates directly to your sat-nav.
IT’S AN ACOUSTIC ACE
For music on the move, it’s hard to beat a 1,000watt B&O audio system, developed and tuned for the new Edge by B&O’s expert acousticians for crystalclear, spookily realistic surround sound. To make the most of that, the new Edge also has acoustic side windows, which deflect road and wind noise to keep it out of the cabin. And complementing them both is Active Noise Control, which uses reverse soundwaves and silent ‘white noise’ to remove unwanted frequencies in the cabin. It’s like driving around inside a pair of noise-cancelling headphones.
IT’S REMOTE-CONTROLLED (sort of)
The FordPass Connect system becomes even better when paired with the FordPass smartphone app. Once connected, you can use the app to find your car (handy in a large car park or unfamiliar town), check the fuel level and tyre pressures, and pre-set the sat-nav. With ST-Line and Vignale models you can even remotely start the engine so your car is de-iced, demisted and ready to go when you are – vital on a winter's morning when every second counts. It even allows you to lock and unlock your car remotely – meaning there’s no need to panic when you can’t remember if you locked the doors. All with a tap of the app.