[MUSIC]
The Ford Edge was redone for model year 2015.
Find an address.
But redone again in many ways that are CNET style for 2016.
[INAUDIBLE] Ready.
Pow!
That's what I'm talking about.
That's quick.
It's got a novel new active steering approach like no other.
We have Sync 3 now in the dash, we didn't have that last time we saw this car.
The 2.7 liter EcoBoost twin turbo V6 we also didn't have last time and all the sports are all wheel drive We've got a lot to digest.
Now the Edge is not just another car in Ford's line up, you've gotta get this one right because this is such a red hot sector in the US car market, mid-size crossover SUV.
You gotta get the styling right.
That's up to you to decide.
The cabin technology we'll look at.
The powertrain's got to be potent, but efficient.
And you gotta have something more to set you aside.
We'll see if this new steering technology they've got goes that direction.
The main thing going on in the cabin is we have SYNC 3.
I've shown you this in the lab before from Ford Silicon Valley office but to have it actually in the vehicle and see how crisp and fast it works.
I mean they're fast.
This is Hyundai Kia fast.
And they've been my Benchmark in the past for how quickly a touchscreen can respond.
I'm also pleased to find out that, while it is still an automotive nav system and not a freeform search, it responds to voice nav really well.
CVS.
Please say a line number or say, none of those.
Four.
When ready press the voice button and
Going to work.
Transmission is a garden variety six speed automatic, nothing to write home about here and as we're going to see on the road it behaves like an automatic.
It's classic Not horrible, not notable.
Now once we get on the road we're going to get a handle on a whole new steering system inside this wheel behind the airbag is an adaptive steering system that changes ratio as you drive, not just assist of force as you drive.
Not many cars do that and none Do it up here, in the wheel.
Two cabin options you've got to get on the top of electronics which will check out only price this thing.
The panoramic roof is great.
Really big and it's worth the 15, 16 hundred bucks.
The other one I wish we had would be in here.
It's could have been this hole in the console you can put a safe put in there.
Like a real steel safe I don't know what I would do with it, but I just want it.
All-wheel drive is your standard drive train layout on any Edge Sport.
And it always go out through a six-speed automatic, no other choice.
And they all have the 2.7 litre V6 V6 Turbo, not the hoary old 3.5L V6.
You're gonna get 315 horse and 350 lovely pound feet of torque.
Zero to 60?
Well under six seconds.
MPG does suffer with a bigger engine and all-wheel drive.
17/24 compare that to the the two litre front wheel drive car at 20/28, noticeable difference.
Right off the bat before I'm even doing any driving.
I notice the difference Once with this active steering, just backing out and turning out of a parking spot is like effortless and doesn't require all that sawing back and forth at the wheel.
Once you are under way at low speed you really do notice kind of.
Kind of almost a subconscious amazement at how few turns it takes to drive.
It's kind of fun.
For Ford, the big win on this steering system was not just conquering variable ratio but doing so in a unit that is really compact, affordable enough to keep a Ford priced like a Ford, and can virtually bolt onto any Ford with minor mods.
Car companies love innovations that spread across the line without a lot of custom R&D.
At higher speeds it largely goes away, at least to my perception, and just becomes a well weighted steering system.
It's a real joy to drive, it does have kind of a, little bit of a grinding note too under throttle.
Not the best sounding engine but What isn't very exciting is the transmission, this 6-speed automatic, [SOUND] kinda defines the word garden variety.
It's a garden variety automatic.
It's not crappy, but it's not sharp and razor-like, as you would like to see with this engines lack of lag, and this Steering's intuitive sharpness.
Handling's good by the way.
There's not a lot of wallow in this car with the sport suspension.
All and all, roll all that up with the high quality interior.
It's a pleasant car to spend time with.
You feel like you got more than you paid for.
Although, we'll see how much you pay for it in just a moment.
Now, of course the 16 Edge can be optioned up with all the usual level one driver assists, like now adaptive cruse with lane departure warning and lane departure prevention.
And the adaptive cruise also has braking intervention.
And, of course, you have blind spot and cross traffic check, two sides of the same coin.
Now, the 16 Ford Ex Sport is pretty much top of the stack.
You're talking all wheel drive, 2.7 eco boost.
Sports suspension, big tires and wheels.
41, 3 delivered, and that's just the beginning.
Add 3150 for package 401A.
That's got basically all the additional tech.
1600 for that panoramic roof.
I love that thing.
1150 for adaptive cruise.
It also has forward collision warning and brake assist.
And my favorite option's the cheapest one, $330 for a safe in the console.
The mind just reels at the opportunity.
Now make sure you buy smart and get your upgrade path in mind, so you have a way to get Apple car play, Android auto, and that Amazon echo integration.
Those are coming in phases and layers but you want sync connect, which means you have a built in LTE radio in the vehicle.>> [Music}
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