Ford Edge: 2019 Motor Trend SUV of the Year Contender

WE LIKE Additional ST power, great engine note

WE DON’T LIKE Doesn’t deliver ST promise, Titanium not premium enough

The Edge is a good choice for Ford to make the leap into performance crossovers. Ford also used its midcycle refresh timing to add a new top trim and tweak the styling slightly.

While the conventional Edge gets a peppy 2.0-liter turbo I-4, the ST gets the 2.7-liter twin-turbo V-6 and the first use of Ford’s new eight-speed with stop/start.

On the handling course, the ST is a ball of fire, Frank Markus said, “with minimal tire noise, well-buttoned-down body motions, and a terrific engine snarl.” Conversely, the Titanium with the six-speed was clunky with some brake stuttering at low speeds. The suspension did not do enough to quiet the ride and paled in comparison to the ST’s damping. Lane centering was as good as we’ve seen from Ford.

Inside, the e-shifter with rotary dial gearshift frees up console space, and editors praised the improvements to the Sync 3 infotainment system. Some felt the new Titanium trim was not premium enough to top the lineup, as metal etched to look like carbon fiber tried valiantly to break up an interior crowded with too much hard black plastic.

The ST might be a game changer for crossovers even if it falls short of the dynamic benchmarks set by the Fiesta ST and Focus ST. Judges agreed the ST has speed, power, grip, and sound but not the personality or playfulness of an ST. Not that anyone will take it to the track, but Kim Reynolds nonetheless called it a “lowercase ‘st.'” Angus MacKenzie felt the SUV was somehow less than the sum of its parts.

It’s a great start, Christian Seabaugh said. But it’s missing the X-factor that makes other STs so special.

	2019 Ford Edge Titanium (FWD)	2019 Ford Edge ST AWD
Base Price/As tested	$39,545/$44,890	$43,350/$52,125
Power (SAE net)	245 hp @ 5,500 rpm	335 hp @ 5,550 rpm
Torque (SAE net)	275 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm	380 lb-ft @ 3,250 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph	7.6 sec	6.1 sec
Quarter-mile	15.9 sec @ 89.3 mph	14.7 sec @ 93.4 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph	129 ft	108 ft
Lateral Acceleration	0.78 g (avg)	0.88 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight	28.2 sec @ 0.61 g (avg)	26.0 sec @ 0.70 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb	22/29/25 mpg	19/26/21 mpg
Vehicle Layout	Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV	Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV
Engine/Transmission	2.0L turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4 /6-speed automatic	2.7L twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 /8-speed automatic
Curb Weight (F/R Dist)	4,153 lb (59/41%)	4,595 lb (60/40%)
Wheelbase	112.2 in	112.2 in
Length x Width x Height	188.8 x 75.9 x 68.3 in	188.8 x 75.9 x 68.3 in
Energy Cons, CITY/HWY	153/116 kW-hrs/100 miles	177/130 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 Emissions, Comb	0.79 lb/mile	0.90 lb/mile

The post Ford Edge: 2019 Motor Trend SUV of the Year Contender appeared first on Motor Trend.

from Motor Trend https://ift.tt/2zikAmN