Ford Edge ST-Line | Test Drive | Auto Class Magazine

Ford Edge ST-Line | Test Drive

18 May 2020 Redazione News, Tested

EDGE OF THE WORLD

Words by Marco Rallo / Photos by Danièl Rikkard

You have certainly seen at least a couple of these in any American tv series or movies of the last few years, but don’t forget that it’s also sold in the old continent by some time now. It’s the Edge, the Ford SUV developed in the United States and produced by Canadian neighbors, which shows how on the other side of the ocean, size still is one of the fundamental factors when it comes to choose a new car, especially those designed for a traditional family, maybe with a pair of kids and a lot of stuff to put in the back. The things that make the Edge interesting also for us Europeans is that despite its generous dimensions, perfectly perceived even once you get on board, we are still talking about an SUV that feel at ease even where the roads are not made to accommodate Mammoths and not just elephants, thanks to the excellent visibility it offers on each side and the choice to fit it (as in our case) with diesel engines, both brilliant but equally fuel-efficient.

The 2-liter 4-cylinder can in fact have 150 horsepower, or 238 like this one and be equipped with the ST-Line pack and 8-speed automatic transmission. Traction goes on all four wheels and through an electronic system it manages the power distributed on the front and rear axles, showing how the Edge is perfectly able to cope with more insidious terrain than those in which it would be legitimate to imagine a car that comes shy to € 60,000. Although it is almost 2 meters (193 cm) wide and almost 5 (483 cm) long, it is rare to find yourself in a position to curse the fact that you have chosen a sort of maxi Kuga, because in reality once at the wheel the ergonomics of the cockpit and the simplicity during the maneuvers make everything simpler than you might think, at least until you have to park and then you will notice that actually, in the midst of the vast majority of the other cars, its size is quite bulky. Keep in mind that white is a color that accentuates even more the whole thing and in this case also the ribs of the ST-Line sports package, the ideal choice for a young audience that wants to further enhance the look of their Edge (your elderly uncle could instead go for the Vignale, winking more at comfort and its peculiar front-grille style).

I finally sit in the driver’s seat and in front of me I am greeted by a typical American dashboard, with plenty of plastic and with a series of buttons that – except in the case of the steering wheel – do not confuse too much, also because many options are however entrusted to the digital screen drowned in the central part of the dash. In front of the driver, the main instrumentation is almost entirely analog – except for the small central portion with some useful tools – while the automatic gearbox lever is replaced by a wheel, through which you can also (by pressing the appropriate button) set Sport mode. In this case and since it is a 2.0 238 hp turbo pot, it stiffens the response of the suspension and steering facilitating if you decide to sink the throttle with more emphasis. The Edge responds well and moves its over 2 tons of weight with an agility that I would never have imagined, but without a doubt it is also thanks to a torque peak of 450 Nm ready at just 2,000 rpm that allow you to splash the huge white bullet towards the next bend, showing another interesting side of it.

The Edge, however, does not just stop in doing what any other SUV is now able to offer, but fully reflects that desire for freedom that leads you to the edge of the road (or the world, ed) and that once abandoned the asphalt, does not intend to stop until it has brought you to the desired destination, not losing the opportunity to remember how it can comfortably accommodate five people and their luggage. Although it does not represent a cheap choice – it costs about 20 thousand euros more than the smaller Kuga – the Edge does not dive into the endless battle for supremacy against the countless similar SUVs from Europe, Japan or Korea, but without obvious weaknesses it identifies the idea of a family car as the Americans intend it. It is a model that cares a lot about substance and which thanks to its generous dimensions appears different and therefore worthy of your attention. The fact is that it really deserves this attention, because a part from some plastic that seem a little too cheap for what we’re used to, since you press the start button – especially with the ST-Line version and with 238 hp under the hood – it appears perfectly focused in underlining its strengths and justifying the few defects by remembering that on the other side of the ocean it is not important if the dashboard is made of rigid plastic or if parking in front of the city hall is going to take some extra time.

It is certainly much more comfortable on b-roads and on long distances, where I also noticed an average fuel consumption in line with that declared by the brand at about 6.5 l/100km. Still do not think that it is impossible to get into the narrow streets of your city – you will just need to do that more carefully by virtue of the mass you carry with you. Finally the Edge is one of the everyday cars that has satisfied me most and mainly because it does not care to amaze with absurd technological solutions, but because it is all substance and because it shows how a big white bison knows how to get the looks and intrigues for what it really is, rather than for what it would like to appear, a situation in which many competitors still swim disinterestedly. Of course it is not sold cheap, but if we take a step back and look at it for what it actually offers, at the end of the day I don’t think you will regret your choice.