2019 Ford Edge: Well-deserved Popularity

In Canada, The Edge is Ford’s third best-selling behind the F-Series pickups and the Escape. As consumers are ditching their sedans for utility vehicles that offer a higher driving position, cargo space and all-wheel drive, the Edge is a versatile and affordable choice and its consistent sales numbers year after year prove that it has a good fan base.

For years, it competed with the Hyundai Santa Fe, the Kia Sorento, the GMC Acadia, the Nissan Murano and to a certain degree, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota 4Runner. However, two new five-passenger, midsize rivals arrived for the 2019 model year, the Honda Passport and the Chevrolet Blazer.

• Also: 2019 Ford Edge ST: Yes, it's a Thing
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If the former isn’t a threat on the sales charts so far, the latter has been a solid hit for GM so far in Canada, outselling all the aforementioned SUVs since it went on sale earlier in 2019. Also, Volkswagen will soon introduce the five-passenger Atlas Cross Sport on the North American market. Should Ford be worried? Maybe a little.

The 2019 Ford Edge received mid-cycle changes to keep it fresh, such as redesigned front and rear fascia to draw it closer to the brand’s newer styling trend, in addition to new alloy wheels. The top-shelf Titanium trim we tested also was also equipped with the Elite package, which adds chrome inserts all around, 20-inch wheels as well as chunky lower-body cladding bolted on the bottom of the doors—of which one piece had come loose.

The interior design is tasteful, with the right amount of bright trim and a clean centre stack. Fit and finish is acceptable, but not surprisingly good, and there are some rough plastic surfaces to be found. On the other hand, the leather upholstery is supple, and the seats are comfortable for long drives. There’s plenty of room in the back seat for three passengers, with only a small bump on the floor as to not be bothersome for the middle occupant. We just wish the pillars weren’t so fat, as they can hide cars and cyclists on city streets, so we must always be extra careful.

Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system is easy to use with an eight-inch touchscreen and a powerful voice control system. It also includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It’s standard on all trims but the base SE, which makes do with a rudimentary SYNC interface that looks at least ten years old.

As for cargo space, the 2019 Ford Edge offers a generous volume of 1,111 litres with the rear seatbacks up, and up to 2,078 litres when they’re folded down to create an almost flat load floor. Its competitors all come close, except for the Passport that boasts a huge, 2,854-litre cargo hold. A power liftgate is available, which includes a foot-activated sensor—so we can open it even with our hands full of bags or boxes.

Every trim level except for the performance-oriented Ford Edge ST is equipped with a turbocharged, 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that develops 250 horsepower as well as 280 pound-feet of torque at 3,000 rpm, managed by an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Ford mentions that those output numbers are calculated using 93-octane fuel, which isn’t too common in gas stations—super unleaded is 91 octane rating—but the Edge can run on regular unleaded. The engine’s size might sound underwhelming in such a big SUV, but it has problem bringing it up to speed. We managed a sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds aboard the Titanium Elite.

Fuel economy is also very good, with a combined city/highway rating of 10.0 L/100 km. In its category, the base Santa Fe and its 185-hp four is rated at 10.1, while the Murano with its 260-hp V6 is rated at 10.3. We averaged 10.6 L/100 km during our week-long test using regular fuel.

The EcoBoost 2.0-litre engine can also help the 2019 Ford Edge pull a boat or a trailer, with a capacity of up to 3,500 pounds (1,588 kilograms) when equipped with the optional tow package. That’s good, but in its segment, only the Murano can do worse. In the end, this powertrain lacks the smoothness and refinement of a good six-cylinder mill, but delivers on everything else.

The stripped-down Edge SE starts at $36,099 before freight and delivery charges, but it includes all-wheel drive. We’d skip this one for its lack of comfort and convenience features and settle for the SEL, which retails for $38,099 with front-wheel drive or $40,099 with AWD. For this price, we get heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a remote engine starter and a power driver’s seat, but we still must pay extra for a panoramic sunroof, a heated steering wheel and adaptive cruise control. A well-equipped Edge will end up costing around $45K, and our Titanium Elite tester rings in at $52,699.

By the way, we cannot recommend the rear-seat DVD entertainment system, which is not only a costly option at $2,100, but it’s very difficult to use for kids and many of its connectivity features don’t work properly. It’s just best to get a $200 digital tablet for each passenger and give them Wi-fi access.

The 2019 Ford Edge is very easy to live with. It has plenty of room, it offers good performance without costing too much at the pump and boasts solid road manners. It’s also competitively priced, and that’s why so many people buy it. Sure, the Blazer’s design is sportier, and the Passport’s versatility is greater, but the Edge will satisfy the needs of families on the go.