It does'nt come as any surprise that the new Ford Edge is made in Canada because it has the kind of front end that looks like it could easily carry home a caribou carcass after a day's hunting. By European standards it has more the appearance of what Americans call a "truck" than the soft lines of cars like the Land Rover Discovery; the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5 - all of them targets for Ford's new large SUV. In fact, the Edge is not new - it has been on sale in the United States since 2007 but is new to Europe. Just how European buyers react to the sheer weight and bulk of the Edge remains to be seen.
The Edge's front end looks like it could carry home a caribou carcass after a day's hunting.
It has just gone on sale in Ireland and I've had a brief drive to see what is on offer here but not a long enough drive to determine just how competitive it is going to be alongside the best of Audi; Volvo and BMW. First impressions are of bulk; an impression of power to weight issues (there are only two engine options available here and both of them are 2.0 litre diesels with either 180 or 200 horse power) and a cabin that feels spacious but does not have a third row of seats but does feature a substantial boot area.
The other issue is price - premium cars attract premium prices and being asked to pay the entry level price of €55,700 for a Ford may be quite an issue for some buyers. Prices increase for the superior versions to €60,350 and €62,100 respectively.
Another issue is the fact that the Edge is full-time four wheel drive, which most people actually don't need, and the subsequent fuel consumption question. A long term test in the near future should answer this question and determine whether economy is a real issue with a vehicle that weighs in at two tonnes. There is a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes.
Many of the interior features are already familiar from other Ford models already on sale here.
The Edge features plenty of equipment. Active noise control to reduce cabin noise; pre-collision assist and pedestrian detection; rear view camera and a hands-free power tailgate are all standard. Standard too is the interior instrumentation and switchgear, which are all familiar from other Ford models.
If you pay the premium for the Sport version, as distinct from the entry level Titanium version, you can get rear and side sports styling features and 20" alloy wheels. The Titanium has the 19" wheels.
Ford will have an uphill struggle to chase the cachet built up over many years in this segment or the market. Our full review will tell us whether or not Ford might have the edge on favourites like the Volvo XC 60 or the Land Rover Discovery Sport.
