Test Report - 2011 Ford Edge Limited
From the outside, the re-designed 2011 Ford Edge Limited looks nothing like the Starship Enterprise from the "Star Trek" movies, but the moment you slip behind the wheel and start the car, you begin to wonder if Scotty has beamed you onto the bridge of that fictional ship. Even the salesman, who gave me the keys at Merit Ford in Carlyle, was called Kirk.
To put it simply, this car boldly goes where no car has gone before. As the engine starts, the driver is drawn into the hi-tech action by the seat gliding forward. At the same time, the instrument cluster comes to life, with computer graphics on both sides of the speedometer, bursting into service with eye-catching brilliance. And then the main event opens, as the large, touch-sensitive monitor in the middle of the dashboard proudly displays the Ford logo, only thereafter switching to the home screen.
From the home screen you can control many different functions, it's all part of the MyFord Touch technology. There are four main categories, entertainment, phone, navigation and climate. To access any one of these, you simply touch the appropriate segment around the edge of the monitor. It's simple and instant, with no lag between the different menus. If you prefer, you can even talk to the car, telling it which functions to activate and how to set them.
Once the menus are displayed there are too many options to list in this report, and that can be good or bad. If you're a techie like me, you'll adapt quickly and love the thing. I spent more time playing with the systems than I did driving the car. However, if you're one of those people for whom computers represent a mysterious black hole, the high tech system will probably be an option you don't want, unless you are willing to accept a bit of a learning curve.
If you can take your eyes off all this electronic wizardry, you might find yourself glancing upward at what Ford calls the "Panoramic Vista Roof." While the brochure claims that it covers more than 40% of the roof in glass, it frankly feels as if the figure should be closer to 75%. The last time I saw this much sky from a vehicle, I was driving my old Triumph Spitfire convertible back in the eighties. Maybe it's to let you see the stars at night, or to allow your first officer to watch for Klingon birds of prey!
At night, you can select the colour of the interior accent lighting to match your mood. After finding the appropriate display on that gorgeous screen, you move between seven different colours with a simple touch of the finger. You want green? No problem. Blue? Your wish is the car's command. You can even turn it all red, or is that the emergency lights when the Romulans arrive?
The high-tech goes even further. Slip into reverse and the screen changes to reveal the view from a rearward-facing camera. As you back up, obstructions will come into a multi-coloured grid. Get too close and the system will wail a tone at you. Frankly, I think every car should have this as standard equipment, it's fantastic. The optionally-available adaptive cruise control also has amazing high-tech advances. You can set it to maintain a safe distance between yourself and the car in front, as the other driver slows down, so do you.
Driving this crossover is a delight. The visibility is great, and the performance from the 3.5 litre, 285 horsepower engine is healthy. While there is more awareness of the bumps in the road than you might have in a car, everything is still well balanced and comfortable, certainly giving you the feeling that you're driving a substantial, high-quality vehicle.
The Edge gets looks too, plenty of them. Many times I'd catch people looking up and staring at this brilliant white machine, with its redesigned chrome grille and chrome-clad 18-inch wheels gleaming in the sunlight. In fact people even asked me if I'd get them a brochure from the dealership, such is the presence that this vehicle presents.
There's plenty of room in front, back, and cargo areas. The rear hatch on our tester was activated from the smart key, and even the rear seats can be lowered electronically. The rear seats offer passengers a centre armrest, with two cup-holders, and the ability to recline, great for long journeys when you can gaze skyward through that amazing expanse of glass.
In short, this was a great car to drive; it made me feel proud to be seen in it. It gave the impression of being a $60,000 vehicle, even though the sticker price of this fully-loaded Limited was below $45,000. If you're in the market for a crossover, add this one to your "must drive" list. My thanks to Hal and Kirk at Merit Ford in Carlyle, for providing the test car.
