New Ford Edge to cost £29,995 07 | 01 | 2016
FORD HAS CONFIRMED its all-new Edge SUV will arrive in Scottish dealerships this summer, with prices starting at £29,995.
According to Ford, the Edge delivers "class-leading space for up to five passengers, segment-first technologies and refinement to rival premium competitors'.
The newcomer joins the increasingly popular Ford Kuga ‘family-sized’ SUV and EcoSport compact SUV to complete Ford’s three-car SUV line-up.
The Edge will be offered in the UK with a choice of 180PS 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engine with six-speed manual transmission, or 210PS bi-turbo 2.0‑litre TDCi diesel with six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission. Both powertrains will aim to deliver 48.7mpg fuel efficiency and 149g/km CO2 supported by Auto-Start-Stop technology.
Available in Zetec, Titanium and Sport series, the Edge is well-equipped as standard, offering Ford intelligent all-wheel drive, Active Noise Control, Pedestrian Detection, Ford DAB Audio with SYNC 2 connectivity system, privacy glass and 19in alloy wheels.
The flagship SUV is offered with a choice of 10 exterior colours including new Electric Spice and Bronze Fire, and is available with a wide range of interior leather trim options.
Related: Franchitti leads Ford's return to Le Mans
Technology is high on the Edge's list of achievements, with the SUV delivering a number of new Ford technologies, including Adaptive Steering, which automatically optimises the steering response according to vehicle speed, making it easy to manoeuvre at low speeds, while remaining precise and intuitive at higher speeds; and Front Wide View Camera, which makes restricted visibility junctions or parking spaces easier to negotiate.
The Edge also debuts segment-first Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection; a camera- and radar-based system that can operate at speeds from 5mph to 110mph to detect vehicles and people in the road ahead. The system can automatically apply the brakes if a potential collision is detected and the driver does not respond to warnings.
The Edge will also feature Ford’s Intelligent All-Wheel Drive (AWD) technology as standard, delivering a seamless transition between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive performance to provide a more secure footing on the road especially in slippery conditions.
Measuring how the car’s wheels are gripping the road surface every 16 milliseconds – 20 times quicker than it takes to blink – the system can send up to 100% of engine torque to the front or rear wheels. By only delivering torque where and when it is needed, Intelligent AWD has minimal impact on fuel-efficiency and CO2 emissions compared with permanent four-wheel drive systems.
Related: Ford commits to new Focus Electric
An acoustic windscreen glass and laminated glass for both front door windows minimises the intrusion of wind noise. Underbody panels and wheel-arch liners further minimise road and wind noise. All Edge models are also equipped with Ford’s Active Noise Control technology that detects unwanted engine noise in the cabin and cancels it out with opposing sound waves fed through the integrated sound system.
“The introduction of the stylish Ford Edge SUV is another incredibly exciting moment for Ford and its dealers," Andy Barratt, chairman and managing director, Ford of Britain, said.
"Joining performance products like Mustang and Focus RS, and new luxury products like Mondeo Vignale already in showrooms, the Edge makes the Ford product line-up for 2016 never stronger.
“It will deliver more room for passengers than large competitor SUVs that cost considerably more. The styling and suite of comfort, convenience and safety technologies in Edge rival the premium offerings available in the UK."
Related: Ford tales 1500 orders for new RS
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news by following us on twitter.com/Scotcars
Jim McGill