2012 Ford Edge - Review

Sport-utility vehicles aren't known for their gas mileage, but at least one crossover aims to change that perception, with direct injection, turbocharging, slick tires and an intriguing approach to winning over converts.

The 2012 Ford Edge joins the Explorer in offering Ford's EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, and in the Edge, the combination of the small-displacement four-cylinder and a six-speed automatic is rated at 21/30 mpg--a very good number that earns the EcoBoost Edge a rating of 8 here at GreenCarReports, the same score the much smaller Focus and Fiesta earn for their 40-mpg ratings.

To post those attention-grabbing fuel economy numbers, while providing performance comparable to its own V-6 engines, Ford takes its basic four-cylinder engine and applies direct-injection and turbocharging technology to it. Then, the Edge is shod with 18-inch low-rolling-resistance tires, that help reduce friction with the pavement while keeping a balance with traction in the front-drive crossover. Finally, Ford uses active aero shutters to close off grille vents when the engine is running at a low enough temperature, to smooth out the Edge's profile in the wind, which reduces the effort needed to keep the Edge moving, improving gas mileage.

For green-car fans, the EcoBoost is the best engine option, and in truth, it's not much more noisy than the V-6 engines that power the ute as standard equipment on SE, SEL, Limited and Sport models. On those, fuel economy dips as low as 16/23 mpg, when all-wheel drive is specified. The EcoBoost drivetrain, by the way, doesn't offer all-wheel drive, but it can be ordered with any trim level except Sport for just $995.

In other respects, the Edge is a quite respectable, even natty crossover with traditional good looks, though we think a smaller grille would do the Sport model aesthetic wonders. The rounded corners and flaired taillamps are a world away from the SUV themes played out on the Explorer, and the interior--revamped along with the rest of the vehicle in the 2011 model year--is as un-truck-like as you'll find in a non-luxury-branded crossover.

Seating comfort is another win for the Edge. It doesn't wedge in a cramped third-row seat, leaving that chore to the Explorer and the Flex. Instead, it lays out great head and leg room for adults in front and in the back row of seats, with a third small adult or child fitting neatly in the middle back seat. The rear bench splits and folds to boost cargo area to up to 68 cubic feet, and the EcoBoost Edge will even tow up to 3500 pounds, while the EcoBoosted Explorer can only manage 2000 pounds, since it's carrying around almost 400 pounds more body weight.

On the safety front, the Edge is a very good, not great, performer. The IIHS rates it a Top Safety Pick, but the NHTSA gives it only four stars overall, with three stars for front and five for side-impact protection. Stability control is standard, and tech features like blind-spot monitors, cross-path detection, a rearview camera, and adaptive cruise control are on the options sheet.

The handsome, if not radical, Edge also bundles up some high-demand luxury features, though they can make the pricetag balloon from under $30,000 to nearly $42,000. A CD player and power features are standard, while options include Bluetooth, satellite radio, navigation, and a huge glass Vista Roof we're simply smitten with. Ford offers SYNC Bluetooth control over phone and audio systems, and lets Edge owners opt up to MyFord Touch, a more controversial layering of LCD touchscreen and steering-wheel functionality on to SYNC, all done in the name of focusing driver attention on driving. It's a complex system to learn, but it frees up the Edge's center stack, making it look like high-end audio equipment--especially when you order the optional Sony audio system--and MyFord Touch's voice controls are clearly one path to a safer future, once a generation of drivers can be trained to use it instead of reaching for buttons no longer there.

For an in-depth look at safety, utility, performance, features and styling, see TheCarConnection's 2011 Ford Edge full review.