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Review: All-New Ford Edge SUV

The 2016 Ford Edge, which rolled into the Nigerian market last week, courtesy of Coscharis Motors, comes with class-leading space and driving dynamics, premium comfort and refinement, reports ROTIMI ASHER, who attended the launch…

[dropcap]F[/dropcap]irst noticeable thing about Ford Edge is this: Apart from being refined, it is boldly styled. That is in addition to its dazzling array of new technologies, including Active Noise Control, which works like noise-cancelling headphones to counteract unwanted noises in the cabin, along with Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection, which can apply the brakes to avoid collisions with other vehicles or even pedestrians.

The SUV also features Ford Adaptive Steering, which automatically adjusts the steering ratio according to speed to optimise manoeuvrability and precision.

Styling

The all-new Ford Edge cuts a bold, sporty and imposing figure. Wheels pushed out to each corner give a wide, aggressive stance and help maximise interior space. Raised ground clearance enhances off-road capability, and delivers a higher seating position for a commanding view of the road.

ford-edge-20A large trapezoidal front grille adds to the SUVs imposing presence, and is flanked by sleek headlamps and stylish LED daytime running lamps. A heavily sloped windscreen delivers a feeling of motion even when the car is stationary, while a raised waistline and strongly sculpted wheel arches are designed to emphasise power and performance. The doors also wrap around a recessed floor that reduces the width of door sill, making it easier to get in or out.

LED tail lamps run along the width of Edge’s rear, giving a premium, jewel-like and modern look. The tailgate window is steeply raked with a high mounted spoiler, adding to the cars feeling of movement, while chrome exhaust tail-pipes enhance the SUV’s sporty, aggressive look.

Edge is available in 10colours; one solid option of Oxford White; 6 metallic choices – new Shadow Black, Ingot Silver, Magnetic, Kona Blue, Too Good to be Blue, and Electric Spice; and three exclusive metallic paints – Ruby Red, Bronze Fire and White Platinum.

Interior

Ford Edge interior conveys a premium impression from the moment the doors are opened. Functional components such as door handles, steering wheel controls, air-vents and cup holders are framed with a satin metal-finish, with a stylish piano black finish for the centre console, while soft, tactile materials are used for components occupants routinely handle. High quality leather covers the arm rests, steering wheel, and gear knob (model dependent).

new-ford-edge-titanium-interiorThe instrument panel and centre console feature a one-piece design that flows seamlessly from beneath the windshield, through a floating centre stack with enough stowage space behind it for a foldaway umbrella, and into the front seat divide. The instrument panel design and materials merge into the front doors to create a streamlined, wrap-around effect.

Seats and interior detailing have a distinct look in each of the four different specification levels, SE, SEL, Titanium and Sport. Leather is offered in a choice of four different colour schemes to match individual tastes; Ebony black, Dune light brown, a pale cream hue called Ceramic, and rich brown Cognac.

Sport model seats can be specified in a combination of leather and Miko®-Dinamica, an ecological suede made from recycled polyester that accentuates the side bolsters to give a slim, sporty look. The same design and materials are used front and rear to deliver consistent quality for all occupants. The Edge logo is illuminated in the front scuff plates on Titanium and Sport.

Comfort and Space

ford-edge-5The all-new Ford Edge sets new standards in its class for interior space; featuring high quality materials throughout the finely crafted interior. It offers comfort and convenience features, including heated and cooled front seats and a panoramic roof on the high-spec models.

“The spacious and high-tech Ford Edge responds to our customers’ demands for a premium Ford SUV,” said Rob Johnston, Regional Manager Sales and Marketing, Ford Customer Services Division for Sub Saharan Africa.

“Offering cutting-edge style with commanding presence and high specification including Ford Intelligent All Wheel Drive, the Edge makes advanced technologies and premium quality more accessible to the growing numbers of SUV customers around the world, andin Africa.”

Luxurious seating options, depending on model derivative, include front and rear heated leather seats that enhance comfort in cold winter weather, and cooled front seats that offer relief to occupants on hot days by directing cold air from the climate system through perforations in the seat leather.

Customers who welcome the sunshine into their cars will enjoy Edge’s expansive panoramic glass roof on the SEL, Titanium and Sport models, with two large glass panels that add to the spacious, open and airy feel of the interior. The front panel slides rearward to create an opening three-times the size of a conventional sunroof. A power-operated sunshade can be used to conceal the panoramic glass roof when not required, or to keep the interior cool when parked in strong sunlight.

Every inch of the Edge interior has been utilized to make the most of the available space. Rear seat passenger comfort is enhanced with class-leading second-row head room of 1023 mm and shoulder room of 1536 mm – greater than larger competitors. Front row passenger space is also among the best in class.

An electronic parking brake button in place of a conventional parking brake lever helps maximize space in the centre console, which houses adjustable cup holders and a deep storage box with enough space for books, toys and tablets. An even larger swing-bin glovebox sits under the dashboard, and further stowage is available in the instrument panel top.

Luggage capacity of 1,847 litres with the rear seats folded is among the largest in the segment, and additional stowage areas are located around the wheel arches. Even the space around the spare wheel has been utilized; a removable, lightweight polystyrene storage tray slots neatly in to place to make use of space that would otherwise be wasted.

Safety & Equipment

Ford developed the Edge to take the stress out of driving in town or country with sophisticated parking technologies that can locate and steer into or out of spaces hands-free; Front Wide-View Camera technology that can see around corners even when drivers cannot – reducing stress and potentially helping avert collisions; and the option of Intelligent All Wheel Drive technology for optimised traction in slippery conditions.

Ford SYNC® is fitted as standard on the all-new Edge. The SE model features SYNC with enhanced voice recognition and communication, while the SEL, Titanium and Sport boast SYNC® 2 with MyFord Touch®, incorporating an eight-inch LCD colour touch screen in the centre console, two driver-configurable 4.2-inch colour displays in the instrument cluster and a media hub with two USB ports, an SD card reader and Aux input jack.

SYNC 2 with voice control enables drivers to operate phone, entertainment and climate systems using simple conversational language. The Titanium and Sport models include a premium audio system from Sony featuring 12 speakers including a subwoofer for improved sound quality.

The Ford Edge Titanium and Sport models use cameras, radars, and ultrasonic sensors to support advanced technologies that can reduce the stress of driving and help you control your vehicle, including:

  • Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection, which applies braking if a collision with another vehicle ahead is imminent, and is designed to detect people in or near the road ahead and automatically apply the brakes if a potential collision is detected
  • Adaptive LED headlamp technology, which employs Ford’s Adaptive Front Lighting System to adjust the headlight beam angle to match the driving environment
  • Glare-Free Highbeam technology, which detects vehicles ahead, both on-coming and travelling in the same direction, and blocks out light that could dazzle from the adaptive LED headlamp technology while retaining maximum illumination for other areas

The all-new Edge sensor technologies also make parking easier:

  • Perpendicular Parking can detect and reverse the car hands-free into spaces alongside other cars in the same way that Active Park Assist helps drivers to parallel park
  • Park-Out Assist helps drivers exit a parallel parking space, the system operating the steering while the driver operates the accelerator and brake
  • Side Parking Aid delivers audible alerts and on-screen distance indicators to obstacles around the vehicle
  • Cross Traffic Alert warns drivers reversing out of a parking space of vehicles that may soon be crossing behind them

All-new Edge also is offered with Ford’s innovative Front Wide-View Camera, which can help drivers see around corners using a 1-megapixel camera in the front grille to display a wide-angle view – both left and right – on the vehicle’s 8-inch colour touchscreen.

At a blind junction or exiting a driveway, the camera enables drivers to easily spot approaching vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists. A high-pressure jet washer is also discretely contained within the grille, extending to clean the camera lens when the headlight washer is activated, helping ensure maximum visibility.

Further driver assistance technologies offered with all-new Edge include Blind Spot Information System, Traffic Sign Recognition, Lane Keeping Alert, Lane Keeping Aid and Driver Alert. A fully configurable 3D digital instrument cluster allows drivers to personalize the information displays to their own preferences, while maintaining a simple, elegant appearance.

The Ford Edge is the first Ford vehicle designed to meet the new 2016 Euro NCAP 5-star occupant and pedestrian protection standards. Ultra-high-strength steel makes up 44 per cent of the body to absorb impacts and re-direct crash forces around the occupants, while energy absorbing door trims and side airbags provide interior cushioning should an accident occur.

The front seatbelts incorporate pre-tensioners with load limiters that can reduce pressure on the occupant in a heavy frontal collision to minimize seatbelt injuries. Edge also offers Inflatable Rear Seatbelts (Titanium and Sport), whichrapidly expand in the event of an accident to disperse crash forces across a body area five times greater than that achieved by a conventional seatbelt.

Power

A powerful yet efficient range of engines is on offer for the all-new Ford Edge, make owning a large, upscale SUV more appealing than ever. This includes the sophisticated but frugal 245hp 2.0-litre four-cylinder EcoBoost, the 280hp 3.5 Ti-VCT V6 and the range-topping 2.7 EcoBoost V6 with 315hp on tap.

The car uses the latest powertrain technologies to deliver optimised fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions, making powerful SUV performance accessible to even more customers.

It is offered with the advanced 2.0-litre four-cylinder EcoBoost engine that uses a twin-scroll turbocharger to produce 245 horsepower and 275 lb.-ft. of torque. Innovative aerodynamic features include Front Aero Curtains on the 2.0 EcoBoost models that channel air through vertical slots in the front bumper and out across the outer edge of the front wheel, creating a wall of high speed air that reduces aerodynamic drag caused by the rotation of wheels.

Buyers also have the option of Ford’s proven 3.5-litre Ti-VCT V6 with 280hp and 250 lb.-ft peak outputs. All Edge derivatives are mated to a six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission, with the choice of front-wheel drive or Ford’s Intelligent All Wheel Drive system on the 2.0 EcoBoost and 3.5 V6 versions.

Topping the Ford Edge range is the sophisticated 2.7-litre EcoBoost, which is exclusive to the Edge Sport. It develops an impressive 315hp, linked to 350 lb.-ft. of torque, and is equipped as standard with AWD.

Intelligent All Wheel Drive can pre-emptively adjust torque distribution to avoid wheel spin, reducing the workload for drivers and delivering smoother journeys for passengers. By only delivering torque where and when it is needed, the system has minimal impact on fuel-efficiency, CO2 emissions and tyre wear compared with permanent four-wheel drive systems.

Last Words

Given the foregoing abilities and possibilities exhibited and promised by the 2016 Ford Edge, which just launched into Nigeria, competitors need to watch their back, as, from grapevine, this writer understands that Ford is on a mission to edge out competitors in sub-Sahara Africa and recall the dream of its founding father, Henry Ford, who decided to put the world on wheel, and he did it.

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