2007 Ford Edge AWD (All Wheel Drive) Review

2007 Ford Edge AWD (All Wheel Drive) Review
By Elizabeth Elliott

(Detroit, Michigan) CarsAndTrucksForWomen.com - In 2003, Ford came out with their “If you haven't looked at Ford lately, look again” advertising slogan. The only problem with Ford’s slogan was that there were not too many products that wanted to make you look again. But the Ford Fusion, along with the more recently introduced Ford Edge have made a lot of people “look at Ford again.” And for good reason: The quality of the Ford Fusion is rated higher than comparable makes from both Honda and Toyota. The Edge has only been on the market for a few months, but like the Fusion, it has been a trouble free product. Consumer Reports did not rate the Edge in its 2007 magazine because it's too new to the market.

Our 2007 Ford Edge test vehicle arrived from Ford Motor Company equipped with the SEL Plus package, which included the optional AWD (All-Wheel-Drive). The sticker price, including the AWD package, but before options was $30,720.00. It totaled out at $36,580.00, including destination and delivery. See the breakdown at the end of the article.

I had originally expected for Ford to deliver our 2007 Edge test vehicle in Blazing Copper, however, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Ford provided us their test vehicle in a color called Crème Brulee. Crème Brulee can best be described as a beautiful smooth, soft and silky color that really highlights the bold, yet gracious curves in an overall contemporary and elegant fashion. The overall flow of the Crème Brulee paint is only broken apart by the large, three-bar chromed front grille. The grille's design is characteristic of Ford's new design theme. The center of the grille features a bold and prominent over-sized Ford logo, but it looks right at home. If you want to further accentuate the Edge's appearance, consider ordering the $750.00 18" chrome plated aluminum wheels.

One attribute that you’ll find delightful is that the Edge doesn’t have the presence of looking big. Instead, it's overall external appearance looks nimble, well balanced and athletic. It's one of the few vehicles in the crossover segment whose external attributes are truly a cross between a car and a truck. Most crossovers are so close to SUVs that it is hard to tell which category they fall in.

From the outside, the Edge looks smaller than it is. Once you get inside though, you'll be struck to find that the Edge has more room for front and rear passengers than you might have thought. Since I drive a full-size truck, I am used to having a lot of room in the front cabin. Unlike my truck though, the Edge makes very good use of the available space so that it is neither too cramped nor too cavernous.

Inside of the Edge, you’ll find two rows of seats that seat five. Now, some reviews have criticized the Edge for only having two rows of seats, but take notice that the Edge isn’t meant to be a huge people mover and thank goodness for that. What the Edge was designed for was to move you or your family of five comfortably without the hulk and bulk found in many other competing products. Unlike SUV's and a lot of other crossovers, the Edge strikes a fine balance that feels light and agile, almost distinctively European in character. Adding another row of seats would only turn the Ford crossover into another overweight SUV and that would be ashame.

According to Ford, the Edge's center console can be configurable in twelve different ways by using a divider and a tray. It can hold some smaller laptops and easily stores medium-sized purses or handbags. Inside the console, you'll find a MP3 audio input jack and a 12V power point access port.

The Edge offers a lot of room for carrying groceries, golf-bags and even the family pet, even if you do have more than one.

Each month, I take my three dogs to the local Pet's Mart. Getting them into a typical vehicle is like trying to shove the clowns in before the Big Show (always crate your pet when traveling).

To best illustrate the available room in the Edge, I placed my German boxer, my Dalmatian, along with a mixed breed and myself in the back. If that still isn’t enough room for you, toggle two switches and the two rear seats fold down to create even more cargo space. When you’re ready to fold the seats back to their upright position, you will have to do it manually, but it’s an effortless process. The only real drawback isn’t with how much the Edge can carry – it’s how heavy the rear tailgate is. It simply takes too much strength to raise the rear tailgate than should be necessary.

Our test model came equipped with the Panoramic Roof. It's affectionately called "BAMR" by owners - short for "big ass moon roof." Since we tested the Edge during the winter, we didn't open the BAMR to evaluate its usefulness, but we can tell you that owners seem to love it and it certainly let's a lot of sunshine in.

If you dislike the aggravation of getting lost or writing directions on post-it notes, then you should consider the Edge's DVD Navigation system. This was the first navigation system that I had ever used and the learning curve was so easy that I never touched the manual. Priced at $2,380.00, it made getting to a new destination a breeze.

The Edge is powered by Ford's new 265-horsepower 3.5L Duratec V6 engine. The engine is Ford's newest design and it provides more than adequate acceleration, passing and merging onto highway power. The 3.5L V6 has been well received by media and critics alike to due its responsiveness and smoothness. Equipped with an automatic six speed transmission, the Edge AWD achieves 17 miles per gallon in the city and 24 on the highway. The front wheel drive only version is slightly better at 18 city and 25 highway.

I'm rubber and you're glue: No, it's not a nursery rhyme, it's how the Ford Edge AWD excels in handling by sticking to the road during slippery conditions. Whether with AWD or only FWD (front wheel drive), Ford equips every Edge with their AdvanceTrac system with Roll Stability Control. It was designed for better traction on slippery surfaces

We tested the Ford Edge AWD in a closed area right after and before it started snowing. The Edge, only of the very few models available with optional AWD for a very affordable starting price of $27,645.00 performed marvelously. If you're looking for a vehicle with sure-footed handling, you are not likely to find a better performing vehicle than the Edge for the price. We were, however, puzzeled as to why Ford didn't include a handle near the roof for passengers making it easier to enter and exit the vehicle.

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The Edge offers several standard safety features, including side seat airbags, as well as dual stage driver and passenger front airbags. Ford's "Personal Safety System" is also standard and includes a safety canopy for both rows of passengers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the Ford Edge's front , side and rear crash tests as Good. That's the highest rating available from the Institute.

The bottom line: What Ford has been able to do with the Edge is to create a very affordable crossover that is sleek, elegant, sporty, functional and fun. If you're looking for a mid-sized crossover, the Ford Edge should be on your final list of vehicle choices to consider. And high on the list too. See what Ford Edge owners are saying.

Here's how the Edge's optional equipment on our test vehicle priced out, in U.S. Dollars:

• 2007 Ford Edge SEL Plus with AWD: $30.720.00
• Panoramic Roof: $1,395.00
• Cargo management system: $65.00
• 18" Chrome plated wheels: $750.00
• Reverse sensing system: $245.00
• Class II Trailer Towing Package: $350.00
• DVD Navigation with 6-disc CD radio: $2,380
• Delivery $675.00

TOTAL PRICE: $35.580.00

2007 Ford Edge Key Facts & Features

Federal Crash Ratings

Front, driver
Head and chest injury