2016 Ford Edge
Infotainment and steering tweaks for Ford's midrange crossover.
Overview:
Ford’s mid-size, two-row Edge occupies a sweet spot in the crossover marketplace, being both larger than the predominantly two-row compact offerings (Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Mazda CX-5) but more wieldy than longer three-row family haulers such as Ford’s own Explorer. Redesigned for the 2015 model year, the Edge entered 2016 without any major changes—which is fine by us, given the Edge’s laundry list of positives. This is a mass-market crossover that’s uncommonly handsome and offers a choice of three distinct powertrains: a fuel-efficient, 245-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder; a 3.5-liter V-6 with 280 horsepower; and a fiery, 315-hp twin-turbocharged EcoBoost 2.7-liter V-6 that’s available only in the top-spec Sport—the one we tested. Front-wheel drive is standard on most models, with all-wheel drive available or standard on others.
What’s New:
Since we last tested a base-engine Edge EcoBoost, a mid-level Edge with the naturally aspirated V-6, and the hot twin-turbo Sport EcoBoost when the Edge was updated for 2015, the vehicle’s formula has stayed largely the same. An adaptive steering system is offered for the first time on the Titanium trim level and is standard on the Sport. Another change for 2016—a sorely needed one we might add—is Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system, which replaces the old Sync with MyFord Touch setup that the new-generation Edge launched with last year.
What We Like:
The 2016 Edge’s Sync 3 touchscreen display is a big improvement over the MyFord system it replaces. On higher trim levels, Sync 3 works with a pair of in-dash displays that flank an analog speedometer; the left-hand unit can be set to show trip information and offers access to vehicle and safety settings, while the right-hand screen can display navigation, audio, or phone shortcuts. The overall setup is fairly intuitive and looks slick, but accessing and tweaking the vehicle settings via the steering-wheel controls can be fiddly and is best accomplished with the vehicle stopped. That same menu affords access to the adaptive steering settings, of which there are two: Sport and Normal. In the Edge Sport, the driver can set steering preferences for both the default drive mode and for when the shift lever is placed in S, effectively the Edge’s Sport mode. We like that the choice of steering parameters isn’t explicitly dictated by which drive mode is selected. We also dig the Sport’s twin-turbocharged V-6 engine, which develops 315 horsepower and a mighty 350 lb-ft of torque; dipping into the throttle returns a muscular-sounding engine note and plenty of around-town zip (we recorded a swift, 5.6-second run to 60 mph). Every Edge manages a comfortable ride with decent body control, but even the Sport isn’t that sporty, evidenced by its modest 0.83 g of lateral grip around our skidpad.
The Edge offers a roomy passenger compartment and a capacious cargo hold. Without a fold-down third-row seat in the wayback, there’s more space for your stuff. Several carry-on roller bags will fit, plus whatever additional detritus you can pile on top of them. The rear seat also reclines and has tons of legroom, and the general fit and finish, materials, and design feel top-notch.
What We Don’t Like:
In spite of its name, there isn’t enough edge to the Edge’s front end, making it tough to discern where the vehicle’s corners are from the driver’s perspective. The hood falls away, which, combined with the deep dashboard and thick A-pillars, makes forward visibility disappointingly pinched. The turning radius also is quite poor, necessitating multipoint turns in parking garages and too much neck craning to locate the vehicle’s perimeter. We found fault with the adaptive steering, which felt darty off-center, regardless of which drive mode was selected, and required lots of minute corrections on the highway. And a word of caution if you’re thinking about the $195 option for the rear seatbelts that have built-in airbags: they’re incredibly bulky and difficult to buckle.
We also experienced a notable issue with our specific test car: After a spirited but not full-throttle acceleration up a hill (and after the car had been running for a few minutes), the engine began losing power before quitting entirely at around 45 mph. The dashboard was awash with warning lights and messages from “low oil pressure” to “check owner’s manual.” We coasted to a stop, shifted into park, and killed the ignition; after a quick check underneath the Edge for oil or grenaded engine parts turned up nothing, we pressed the start button, and the engine fired to life with nary a hint of its mysterious stall. We experienced a similar phantom EcoBoost malady with a 2016 Ford Taurus test car, as well as an engine stumble and electronic transmission ghosts in a 2.7-liter EcoBoost–powered Lincoln MKX, the Edge’s platform-mate, during a recent test. We have reached out to Ford and are awaiting a response. Source by Caranddriver.com
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