2011 Ford Edge Reviews

Ford edge

2011 Ford edge reviews

The Ford Edge now relies primarily on a more powerful and efficient 285-hp 3.5-liter V-6. Backed by a six-speed automatic transmission, the V6 achieves EPA ratings of 19 mpg city / 27 mpg highway in front-wheel-drive form.

The most interesting news, however, is the Edge's use of Ford's new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, which is slated to become available early next year. According to Ford, this power plant will deliver 10 percent better gas mileage than a comparable V-6 with similar horsepower and torque, which means gas mileage of 30 mpg. Not coincidentally, Ford conducts consumer events in conjunction with Best Buy, helping show customers how to integrate their phones into Ford's Sync hands-free system.

There are fixes to the Edge's fundamental hardware too. The old Ford Edge had a vague, sloppy feeling to its steering, a problem Ford has corrected by upgrading to a steering rack with reduced internal friction. Additionally, according to vehicle engineering manager Rich Kreder, testing showed the Ford Edge steering was uncommonly sensitive to the valving of the rear shocks, so Ford tuned the rear shocks' low-speed damping to improve the steering response.

Ford Edge owners complained bitterly about the outgoing model's mushy, confidence-sapping brake pedal. Inside, however, the Edge was given a complete overhaul.

The good: With MyFord Touch, the 2011 Ford Edge features an innovative, configurable instrument cluster display and a very usable cabin tech interface. Sync offers excellent voice command and connectivity with phones and music players. The bottom line: The 2011 Ford Edge's cutting-edge instrument cluster will appeal to technologists, and the vehicle provides a very practical form factor in an attractive package.

To make it easier to register information at a glance, Ford color codes the screens, using green for navigation, red for audio, yellow for the phone, and blue for climate control.The steering-wheel button gave us limited control over the various functions.

As the 2011 Ford Edge comes with Ford's Sync system, we could control many of the car's infotainment functions through voice command. The Touch part of the MyFord Touch system is the 8-inch screen on the center stack, which uses a new interface design for Ford's cabin electronics. Like the right-hand instrument cluster display, the main screen identifies its main functions by color: red for audio, yellow for phone, blue for climate, and green for navigation.

(We're bringing you this preview with Ford's first official announcement and photos; a first drive of the 2011 Ford Edge is coming this spring.) Ford's calling this Edge a "refresh." Despite the close visual kinship to the first version, the 2011 Ford Edge is easier to spot. A large LCD screen dominates the control stack and it houses Ford's MyTouch system, which lifts the iPhone interface neatly into the automotive realm. Steering wheel controls also cycle the LCD screens on the instrument panel and let drivers customize the information displayed.