Ford's completely new model, the Edge, is designed as a crossover, combining the cargo space and visibility of an SUV with the comfortable ride and fuel economy of a sedan. We got a chance to drive one through the windy roads north of San Francisco recently at a Ford model launch event. Our car was the top-of-the-line SEL version with all-wheel-drive, navigation, and a premium audio system. The Ford Edge goes on sale in November 2006.
The rear seats in the Edge fold flat with the touch of a button in the cargo area. The front passenger seat also folds flat for hauling long, skinny objects.
The leather on the seats lends a feeling of quality, although the plastic covering the dashboard is a little rough. Both front seats in this car are power adjustable.
The console between the front seats is deep enough to fit a laptop. It also hides a 12-volt power access point and an auxiliary audio jack for the stereo.
It's easy to enter destinations in the navigation system and set specific route preferences. The voice guidance can read out the street names for upcoming turns.
The in-dash six-CD changer reads MP3 CDs, but its display isn't the best for navigating discs. Selecting other audio sources is easy with the tab-style screen.
The premium audiophile stereo system lets you choose where to focus the sound. The system can automatically raise the volume as the car's speed increases.
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