By Derek Price
Automotive Writer
Like the original iPhone, the Ford Edge was introduced in 2007, which means it was a banner year for rectangles with rounded corners.
Not only did the curvy-but-still-boxy Edge make a huge styling statement with its Ivory Soap shape, but it also introduced new technologies and refinements to the mid-size crossover segment.
And now Ford is doing it all over again.
The Edge gets a completely new design for 2015 that still stands out — although perhaps without as much revolutionary fervor as the original — all while raising the bar for crossover tech once again.
How high did Ford raise it?
The Ford Edge gets a clean-slate design for 2015, giving it a fresh look and long list of tech features. A forward-facing video camera and the ability to automatically guide you into parking spots are among the headline additions.
Fancy versions of the Edge can virtually park themselves into parallel and perpendicular parking spots. The parallel-parking magic has been done before, but the ability to help you back into a perpendicular spot is brand new. Ford hasn’t even rolled out that feature on its Lincoln luxury division yet.
The new Edge also is available with a forward-looking camera to keep you from accidentally rolling over something in front of you, for example. And if that’s not cool enough, Ford added a robot-like washer nozzle to keep the lens squeaky clean.
A long list of improvements are executed beautifully on the new Edge — as they have to be in this hotly competitive slice of the car world — with only two exceptions.
One, the designers were a bit too liberal with their use of hard plastics on the center stack, which is a no-no in today’s soft-touch world.
And two, the best engine in the lineup isn’t available on the luxury trim level, which seems odd to me. The 2.7-liter, twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 is exclusive to the firm-riding Sport model, and while its output of 300-plus horsepower feels and sounds spectacular, I wish it were an option on the dolled-up, smooth-riding Titanium trim.
Maybe that’ll change next year.
The Edge’s cabin is more refined and sophisticated for 2015, with the goal of feeling like a relaxing, comfortable sanctuary from busy life.
For now, you can still get Ford’s tried-and-true, 3.5-liter, normally aspirated V6 in the Edge, along with a new twin-scroll, 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, which is a better choice for its mix of power and fuel economy.
The fresh interior is meant to be relaxing and refined — a “sanctuary,” Ford’s chief interior designer calls it — and it succeeds for the most part. The construction quality all feels tight and precise, and I like the level of attention to detail that was paid to the back seats. The second row feels less like an afterthought, with nicely sculpted armrests and some snazzy trim pieces.
Exterior styling is almost Lexus-like, especially on the back end where lots of functional scoops and aerodynamic features come together in a culmination of creases and high drama. Like its ancestor, it stands out from a pack of lookalike crossover vehicles without stepping over the edge into bizarro territory, which is a tough boundary to straddle.
Pricing starts at $28,100 and ranges up to $38,100 for the Sport model with that delicious engine.
At a Glance
What was tested?
2015 Ford Edge
Base price (including $895 destination charge): $28,995
Wheelbase: 112.2 in.
Length: 188.1 in.
Width: 85.8 in.
Height: 68.6 in.
Engine: 2.0-liter EcoBoost I4 (245 horsepower, 275 lbs.-ft.)
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Estimated Mileage: 21 city, 30 highway
RATINGS
Style: 10
Performance: 8
Price: 8
Handling: 6
Ride: 9
Comfort: 9
Quality: 8
Overall: 9
Video Review:
2015 Ford Edge
bit.ly/15fordedge
Why buy it?
Technology and style set it apart from its many strong competitors. Advanced safety features and electronic innovations make it seem like a cutting-edge crossover.