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Ford dealers will be able to compete in the fast growing mid-SUV sector from this summer with the launch of the all-new Edge.
With prices starting at £29,995 Ford will pitch the Edge as its flagship model and already claims class-leading space and levels of refinement to challenge premium rivals such as BMW’s X3 and the Audi Q5 and offer class-leading space.
While new to the UK market, the five-seater Edge has been a top seller in America since its debut in 2007 – built at Ford’s plant in Ontario, Canada, the latest all-new version of the car debuted at the Frankfurt show in September 2015. This will be Ford’s biggest SUV since the discontinued Explorer.
The Edge will only be sold with a 2-litre diesel engine, in either 180 or 210PS power outputs. All models will be fitted with the brand’s latest intelligent all-wheel-drive system, switching from front to four-wheel traction as required.
The 180PS engine is matched to a six-speed manual transmission, the 210PS a six-speed auto, and both are expected to deliver 48.7mpg combined cycle fuel economy and CO2 emissions of 149g/km.
New technologies offered in the car include Adaptive Steering, which sets the steering response according to vehicle speed, improving maneuverability at low speeds with more precise inputs at higher speeds. A front wide-view camera aids emerging from junctions or parking spaces.
The pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection is claimed as a segment-first – it uses both a camera and radar and automatically brakes the car if vehicles or persons are detected in the road ahead. The system works at speeds from 5mph to 110mph.
Zetec, Titanium and Sport trim levels will be available for the Edge and standard equipment on all models will include Active Noise Control, the Pedestrian Detection, system DAB Audio with Ford’s Sync 2 connectivity system, privacy glass and 19-inch alloy wheels. Several leather trim options will be offered, along with a 10-strong choice of exterior colours.
Ford expects the Edge to become a major player in its now three-strong SUV line-up alongside the EcoSport and Kuga, and the brand’s optimism has been backed by CAP predicting residual values of 56.6 % RV for the 180PS manual variant after three years/30,000 miles.
