It’s amazing how good you can feel about yourself after a haircut. I know, as a woman, it’s usually about a bit more than a trim. From colour to layers to blow-outs (and even a shaved side, perhaps?), when we get our hair did we go all out. So, after all is said and done, the result is a renewed feeling of self-worth and confidence.
Well, I think the 2015 Ford Edge is feeling about the same right about now, all puffed up with pride and feeling smoking hot after its interior and exterior redesign. It definitely looks better than the previous generation, and that’s just the frosted-tip of the iceberg.
Fresh from the salon chair
Truthfully, the 2015 Ford Edge isn’t glaringly different than the previous-generation, however, Ford designers managed to make enough changes (and in the right places) to make it look so much better. It will instantly grab your attention rolling down the road, and for the right reasons.
The new look is shared with the new Explorer, and that’s a good thing. The front grille is much more sophisticated. While not being incredibly far removed from the previous generation, it’s been dressed up and chromed out in just the right ways to make it that much more grown up.
However, it’s round the rear that the main changes were made and thankfully so. Where the Ford Edge used to be this bulbous, almond-like blob, it now has some serious definition and it’s mainly in the rump. Angular, instantly eye-catching taillights that are perfectly balanced and connected across the rear really change the overall shape and look of the Edge in a super positive way. My favourite angle on the new Ford Edge is the rear. It’s all grown up and looking sharp now.
And that sharpness continues inside as well where the Edge got an all-new lease on life there, as well. In my particular Titanium tester, I was treated to two-tone tan and black leather seats and surfaces. However, the most pleasing change was in the centre stack where Ford has erred on the side of simplicity. I love that. They have buttons for what’s necessary, and they are sparsely laid-out.
Unfortunately, the old-gen SYNC system still exists in the 2015 model, but given enough time you can learn to live with it. And unlike some vehicles that don’t give you buttons and knobs to press, you don’t have to fiddle with a sunken touchscreen to get to things, you can use the plethora of buttons on the steering wheel.
Strutting its stuff on the street
You know you do it too: That first walk down a crowded street or first entrance into a crowded room after a makeover you strut, and you strut hard. Well, the 2015 Ford Edge struts, and it should.
With its standard twin-scroll turbocharged 2.0L EcoBoost mill, the Ford Edge is quite pleasant to drive. It does drive heavy, meaning it feels big. The 2.0L is enough to get it going, but I think the 2.7L V6 available only with the Sport version is probably better suited to the size of the vehicle it is. Of course, the smaller displacement and EcoBoost are in place for fuel economy, however, fuel-efficient it wasn’t -- at least not in the way I thought it should have been.
I averaged in the low- to mid-12L/100km range (that’s about 2L over the combined rating Ford claims the CUV can do), and I wasn’t driving the vehicle aggressively. In fact, I rarely pushed it very hard. It was just big. The 2.0L seemed to struggle under the weight of the Edge. While it was eager to get going when merging and passing on the highway, I could feel the engine pushing itself, perhaps more than it should have been.
The 6-speed SelectShift automatic transmission paired to the EcoBoost mill is well behaved and functions pretty much spot-on every time. I never felt it searching for a gear or downshifting unnecessarily as I have in other autotragic vehicles.
In all, it’s a really nice vehicle to drive, and I could see how in the colder months with lots of slush and snow on the roads how it would feel solid, planted and practical. While the most I experienced with the AWD was a bit of rain, I’m quite sure the 2015 Ford Edge Titanium could tackle the worst our Canadian winters has to throw its way.
Family life FTW
In all, the 2015 Ford Edge was a great family vehicle for the week. My son and I thoroughly enjoyed it and lived with it as if we had for months and months. Space up front and in the rear is ample. He had plenty of room to stretch his legs out and had a great vantage point with the CUV’s large windows and massive panoramic moonfroof.
The trunk swallows up 1,111 litres of stuff.. It’s ginormous back there. I almost felt the need to shop more with it…
The newly redesigned 2015 Ford Edge has entered the modern world with a brand new look inside and out, and while SYNC still has to catch up on board I think it’s well situated in the segment to win over even more customers as its starting price of just over $30k gets you in the 2.0L EcoBoost (as well as 18” wheels, SYNC and even a backup camera). My particular tester tipped the scales in the mid-$40k range, but that’s thanks to a few extras that aren’t necessary, really. Best bang for your buck in my (humble) opinion? The SEL model that’s a few thousand more than the base SE and gets you the extras you’ll actually use and want. You can thank me later.
Road Tests and Reviews
