Ford Edge review

The Edge doesn’t look like most European Fords, and this is a good thing. We quite like it, and it certainly looks a whole lot more interesting than most of its competitors. For some, this will be enough. However, the Edge does betray its American roots in places. It’s a large thing to squeeze through traffic, and it likes to emit numerous beeps and bongs, the reasons for which aren’t always immediately evident.

Like a lot of modern American metal, it’s easy to load with trinkets – self-parking is just £150, for instance – and there’s lots of active safety stuff on offer. Ford’s Sync 2 touchscreen system is largely a success, too, though how unfathomable it manages to make operating its digital radio would be impressive if it wasn’t so frustrating. 

As we said, prices start at a little under £30K for the basic ‘Zetec’. Kit levels are good, but even so Ford expects as little as two per cent of buyers to go for it. Half of sales are expected to come from the £34,500 ‘Sport’, which gets the beefy bodykit and Active Steering as standard. Our pick is a mid-range ‘Titanium’, with the bigger engine (and accompanying auto’ gearbox), softer suspension and a couple of options. Total outlay is mid-thirties.

Of course, there’s the top-spec ‘Vignale’, which takes the ‘premium Ford’ idea to its logical extreme. With the right engine and gearbox combination, the price tag extends beyond 40 grand. It’s a lot of money and, we suspect, there’ll be a fair few for whom spending that kind of money on a non-performance Ford crosses some kind of psychological barrier. You do at least get a lot of car for your money – as the Edge remains one of the biggest in its class – and plenty of equipment.

It’s worth noting that Vignale is more than just the top trim level. It’s a whole lifestyle brand that Ford has built up around its products, one that sells holdalls for £700 and gives you access to a special concierge who you can instruct to make restaurant reservations or secure exclusive concert tickets – things like that. There are ‘Vignale Lounges’ at Ford dealers, and the special treatment extends to a dedicated ‘relationship manager’, priority servicing and the like.