To some, the Ford Edge will be a familiar name, but to many on this side of the Atlantic, it won’t be. First introduced to the US in 2006, Americans have been able to buy the Edge for the best part of a decade, but now it’s the latest Yank tank to come to Europe as part of the manufacturer’s ‘One Ford’ plan.

In its latest guise, it’s essentially Ford’s first stab at the premium crossover/SUV market for a number of years and aims to directly tackle the likes of big German names like the Audi Q5 and BMW X3.

Slotting above the Kuga and the EcoSport, the Edge will be Ford’s biggest SUV on sale in the UK, despite the fact that it’s actually one of its smaller models in the US. It’s also based on the same platform as the Mondeo, S-MAX and the Galaxy, just as the EcoSport’s based on the Fiesta.

The Edge also happens to be a car on which Ford is pinning a significant number of its hopes. In the US last year, Ford sold more Edges than any other model, and it’ll be keen to repeat that success on this side of the pond. But is the Edge competitive enough to truly rival more established and desirable European cars?

Performance

Although the American-spec versions of the Edge get a range of big petrol engines, including a large V6, the European car will have a choice of just two diesel powertrain options from launch.

Each option uses a different version of the same 2.0-litre TDCi turbocharged diesel engine, with the entry point having an output of 178bhp and 400Nm of torque, along with a six-speed manual gearbox.

A more powerful twin-turbocharged version is available in the top two trims, with a slightly boosted output of 208bhp and 450Nm of torque courtesy of a twin-turbo setup, along with Ford’s six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission.

Both engines are okay at best and although straight-line speed is nowhere near amazing they are reasonably torquey. The entry-level engine can run the 0-62mph sprint in a fairly lackadaisical 9.9 seconds, but despite having around 30bhp extra the more powerful version is only five tenths of a second quicker.

As a result, even the most powerful Edge is nearly a second slower than the much less powerful Kia Sportage with its 2.0-litre diesel engine, mostly due to the fact that the Ford’s weight is knocking on the door of 2.6 tonnes.

Overtaking can therefore take a bit more planning than you’d have to do with many other cars of its size and particularly its German rivals, while the PowerShift automatic also tends to be rather lazy in its shifts.

If you’re looking for something fast then the Edge will likely disappoint, but given time it’s expected that more engines will be added to the line-up, so don’t rule out the possibility of a more powerful motor appearing in the near future.

Ride and Handling

A cushy suspension set-up does a fantastic job of ironing out irregularities in the road, making the Edge one of the smoothest and hassle-free Ford cars on long stretches

It’s worth pointing out at the very start that the Ford Edge is intended primarily as a cruiser, engineered for the sorts of gargantuan freeways that criss-cross the American landscape. It’s at its happiest when cruising at a steady pace on a big A-road or on a motorway, and it’s times like these that the Edge really shines. The standard model gets a cushy suspension set-up that does a fantastic job of ironing out irregularities in the road, making the Edge one of the smoothest and hassle-free Ford cars on long stretches. While the Sport trim gets slightly harder springs and dampers, in truth it’s a minor change and aside from the odd jolt from the road creeping through, it’s much the same story. Unfortunately, the same pliant suspension means that as soon as you take the car onto a set of twisties, things quickly go downhill. It’s a massive car at close to five metres tall, nearly two tall and over two tall, and as soon as you show it even a mild corner you immediately feel its size. It rolls and leans under duress through the twists, while the steering has a distinctly numb and elastic quality to it, which means that you can’t really tell what the front wheels are doing, although it is at least quite direct. Even the Sport model, which is realistically more of an aesthetic upgrade than a true performance one, suffers from much of the same blubbery qualities of the standard Edge. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is a true sports SUV on par with something like the F-PACE, as it prioritises comfort at all times more than anything. Which isn’t to say that’s a bad thing, of course. The Edge is a natural born cruiser through and through, so as long as you don’t try to ask too much of it then the majority of drivers will be happy enough with it, even if it won’t put much by way of a smile on your face. Given that every model this far comes with Ford’s intelligent four-wheel drive as standard, the Edge is actually reasonably capable off-road and in low-grip environments, though. Of course, this isn’t a particular selling point because nobody who buys a car like this is realistically going to take it mud-plugging, but it’s a nice bonus nonetheless.

Interior and Equipment

The Ford Edge is built on the same underpinnings as the new Ford Mondeo, the S-MAX and the Galaxy.

Even if its ride leaves a little to be desired, the upswing of its massive dimensions is that the Edge shows off its real potential inside the cabin, with a remarkably spacious interior and a layout that’s almost identical to the S-MAX with which it shares its underpinnings. Up front, there’s heaps of room for both the driver and the passenger, with lots of little smart storage spaces dotted about and excellent visibility courtesy of the tall ride height. Round the back it’s the same story, and the Edge beats even the Audi Q5 in terms of interior space. Buyers who need seven seats will be out of luck, however, and it’s something of a shame that the Edge doesn’t offer even the option of part-time seven seats like the Nissan X-Trail. All the same, there’s loads of room in the back so the four passengers you can carry will at least travel in maximum comfort. Cargo space is likewise generous with 602 litres of boot space with all five seats up and with the luggage cover on. Take the cover off to up capacity to 800 litres, while with the rear seats down there’s a maximum of 1,847 litres, which trumps both the X3 and the Q5 by around 300 litres. Three trim levels are available for us Brits, starting with the entry-level Zetec, which is followed by the mid-spec Titanium and finally the range-topping Sport model. Standard equipment is fairly generous with all models getting an eight-inch SYNC 2 infotainment system with DAB radio, along with a rear-view camera and a range of driver assistance features like lane departure warning and automatic headlights. Opting for the higher trims will add things like sat-nav, parking sensors for the front and rear which are handy on a car of this size, along with heated and cooled front seats, a 12-speaker Sony sound system and a panoramic roof. If there’s one complaint we have, however, it’s that quite a few of the options which buyers will deem most desirable are available only as part of more expensive packages and can become pricey very quickly. For example, LED lights will cost you more than a grand, while buyers will have to fork out at least £2,000 for the Lux Pack if they want leather upholstery. Given that premium rivals have most of this equipment as or near standard, the Edge loses quite a bit of its competitiveness once you get the spec to where you want it.

Cost

The Edge is fairly average for its segment, with claimed average fuel economy of up to 48.7mpg and CO2 emissions from 149g/km, which will mean annual tax costs of £145.

Speaking of costs, the basic Ford Edge is priced from £29,995, but most buyers are expected to opt for either the Titanium or the Sport models, which cost from £32,245 and £34,500 respectively. Here’s where our real problems with the Edge start: there’s no denying that the car does its job well and is generously equipped, but it does lose some of its competitive, err, edge, when measured against the premium German cars from under which it hopes to rip the carpet. Bone stock it undercuts the X3, Q5 and the rest of its upmarket opponents by quite a bit, but by the time you’ve specced a model with the same amount of kit and quality the Edge is far closer to its rivals. For the same price as a decently-equipped Edge, you could get an Audi with leather seats and xenon headlights as standard, plus more power, a better drive and potentially better residuals along with a more image-friendly badge. Harsh it may seem, but from the perspective of a buyer with £36-40k to splash on a new SUV, will European buyers really swap the premium Germans for a largely unknown American SUV? In terms of other costs, the Edge is fairly average for its segment, with claimed average fuel economy of up to 48.7mpg and CO2 emissions from 149g/km, which will mean annual tax costs of £145.

Our Verdict

For some the new Ford Edge will be just a bit too American, but for many its bold looks, large size and reasonably generous list of equipment will present an appealing and above all different alternative to the usual European suspects. Is it as good as the premium Germans which it aims to rival? Well no, but the fact it’s tried nonetheless means it’s at least worth a look, and provided you pick your options carefully and don’t expect too much dynamism from it, then the Edge is a perfectly capable, refined and comfortable family SUV.