5th place: 2009 Ford Edge Sport AWD
We all agree that the Edge deserved better than to finish last. But the scoring ended up real close, and once again we have to realize that when we organize comparison tests, we have to make tough choices.
In this group, the Ford Edge is the most extroverted. To our knowledge, it's the only truck to roll off the assembly line with 22-inch wheels as standard equipment, and they look just right on the Edge. The SUV's road-hugging body kit also contributes to its Hot Wheels® appearance and we conclude that the Ford is by far the looker of our quintet.
And yet, we were surprised to see that the ride quality doesn't suffer too much despite the massive but thin-sided gumballs. But the stubby Edge feels and drives like a bigger truck; those who feel the need to trade in their Expedition for something smaller will be happy.
The Edge's dashboard drew high marks for its straightforwardness, but the climate control buttons are too small and are located too low on the centre stack. The SYNC multimedia system got a unanimous thumbs-up for its flexibility, its powerful voice-command capability and easy Bluetooth hookup. The front seats are comfortable but lack lateral support. However, passenger and cargo space are tops in our group.
Dynamically, the Ford Edge behaves itself well, but it's the second-slowest of our matchup. The 6-speed automatic is slow to shift, no doubt trying to maximize fuel economy. And every little bit counts, since the Edge averaged 15.4 L/100 km. At wide-open throttle, the SUV is pretty noisy.
At $40,699, the Edge Sport AWD isn't a screaming deal, especially when it's equipped like ours and costs over $47,000. The Edge is all about appearance and character, although the Sport model is a little too exaggerated for us. In our humble opinion, an Edge SEL or Limited makes better sense. But it's nice to gather a little attention once in a while.
"Gobs of style and an imposing presence, but lacks a little sportiness." -Marc Bouchard.
We all agree that the Edge deserved better than to finish last. But the scoring ended up real close, and once again we have to realize that when we organize comparison tests, we have to make tough choices.
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| Dynamically, the Ford Edge behaves itself well, but it's the second-slowest of our matchup. |
In this group, the Ford Edge is the most extroverted. To our knowledge, it's the only truck to roll off the assembly line with 22-inch wheels as standard equipment, and they look just right on the Edge. The SUV's road-hugging body kit also contributes to its Hot Wheels® appearance and we conclude that the Ford is by far the looker of our quintet.
And yet, we were surprised to see that the ride quality doesn't suffer too much despite the massive but thin-sided gumballs. But the stubby Edge feels and drives like a bigger truck; those who feel the need to trade in their Expedition for something smaller will be happy.
The Edge's dashboard drew high marks for its straightforwardness, but the climate control buttons are too small and are located too low on the centre stack. The SYNC multimedia system got a unanimous thumbs-up for its flexibility, its powerful voice-command capability and easy Bluetooth hookup. The front seats are comfortable but lack lateral support. However, passenger and cargo space are tops in our group.
Dynamically, the Ford Edge behaves itself well, but it's the second-slowest of our matchup. The 6-speed automatic is slow to shift, no doubt trying to maximize fuel economy. And every little bit counts, since the Edge averaged 15.4 L/100 km. At wide-open throttle, the SUV is pretty noisy.
At $40,699, the Edge Sport AWD isn't a screaming deal, especially when it's equipped like ours and costs over $47,000. The Edge is all about appearance and character, although the Sport model is a little too exaggerated for us. In our humble opinion, an Edge SEL or Limited makes better sense. But it's nice to gather a little attention once in a while.
"Gobs of style and an imposing presence, but lacks a little sportiness." -Marc Bouchard.
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| The Edge's dashboard drew high marks for its straightforwardness. |