Ford Edge 2023 Review

Ford Edge 2023. A new Edge has already debuted in China, but unlike the similar 2024 Lincoln Nautilus, it won’t be heading to the United States. Although the U.S. market Edge may be nearing its end and seems to have peaked, it still has much to offer certain purchasers. This SUV fills the void between the brand’s small models, like the Escape, and actual midsize three-row vehicles, like the Explorer. Despite the newer competition, it still holds sound thanks to its standard all-wheel drive (AWD), ample interior space, and respectable fuel economy.

The 2023 model improves upon the 2019 update with a few modest changes. There are five trim levels: the sporty S.T., SEL, ST-Line, Titanium, and S.E. The S.T. (“Sports Tuned”) has a twin-turbo, 2.7-litre V6 with 335 horsepower and a seven-speed automated gearbox instead of the majority’s 250-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder and eight-speed automatic transmission. The S.T. achieves 21 mpg combined compared to the regular Edge’s 23 mpg, which is predictable given how well it performs. Although unimpressive, this is acceptable by class standards. More compacts and three-row vehicles are available than small to midsize two-row cars.

The Edge competes with over a dozen other crossovers while being a typical in-betweener. The Chevrolet Blazer, Honda Passport, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Kia Sorento are some examples of two-row SUVs that are comparable and serve as the closest analogues. The Edge is compared to significantly bigger three-row crossovers and SUVs, but with a length of 189 inches, it is only slightly shorter than the Blazer and Passport. The size of three-rowers like the Ford Explorer and Honda Pilot is up to a foot longer. The Edge outperforms competitors like the Nissan Murano, the Blazer is this group’s dynamic hero, and the Sorento is the most excellent overall.

The Edge isn’t known for its performance outside of the S.T., but it isn’t sluggish or difficult to drive. If not very thrilling, this is a comfortable and assured experience. Even if the four-cylinder combined fuel economy of 23 mpg is not impressive, it is still better than the Passport and Murano. The S.T. can easily keep up with the Blazer despite not being nearly as accurate a handler as that SUV’s R.S. variant since it delivers far more speed and better handling.

Ford has tried to keep the Edge modern with small stylistic changes, but this generation has never been particularly eye-catching, and newer rivals have outperformed it. It looks less boxy than the Passport, but apart from that, both the interior and outside are ordinary. However, it still ranks among the roomier cars of its size and class. It provides adequate passenger and baggage capacity despite the cabin’s noticeably lacking use of ingenious secondary storage spaces for tiny objects. Despite having a large centre touchscreen, the dash is dated.

The Edge receives good awards from safety organizations for its occupant protection in collisions, and all Edges come equipped as standard with Ford’s Co-Pilot360 suite of driving aids. The Blazer also has adaptive cruise control as an option, although it is not included in the basic model. The Edge is comparable with its major competitors in terms of safety, and the in-car technology isn’t as old as the others. However, The Edge’s primary issue is its cost. Although it starts over $8,000, it is more expensive than the Sorento. It isn’t awful for its age, which undermines the value case.

What’s new

• The Ford Edge’s current generation will end in 2023; however, the model won’t be replaced in the U.S. Production will continue until the beginning of 2024.
• S.E. and SEL have a silver honeycomb grille with a chrome surround.
• The updated S.T. interior design kit
• The SEL Comfort Package comes standard with distinctive silver fog lights.

Performance: Ford Edge

Although The Edge is not the most modern SUV on the market, it provides more than enough performance. All Edge trim levels, except the S.T., come standard with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a turbocharged, 250-horsepower, 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. This powerplant produces relatively fast mid-7-second 0–60 timings. The four-cylinder Blazer is comparable, but specific Sorento models—available in gas, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid—are far faster.

With just 191 horsepower, the standard 2.5-litre four-cylinder engines in the Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe fall short of the output of the Blazer or Edge. Customers of the Santa Fe and Blazer may order greater power by selecting the appropriate option and picking either the 281 horsepower, turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder from Hyundai or the 308 horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 from Chevrolet. Honda only provides one engine option for the Passport, a normally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 with 262 lb-ft of torque and 280 horsepower.

For a higher-performance powerplant in the Edge, you have to go up to the full-house S.T. grade, but purchasers of the Blazer and Santa Fe may choose more potent engines on various trim levels. With blacked-out trim and red highlights, the Chevy Blazer RS assumes a similarly sporty character, although it’s not nearly as forceful as the Edge S.T. on the road.

At first appearance, the 335 horsepower turbo V6 in the Edge doesn’t seem to be all that much more potent than the 308 horsepower non-turbo V6 in the Blazer RS. However, the Edge S.T. produces 380 lb-ft of torque, 110 lb-ft more than the Blazer RS. Additionally, the torque of the Edge starts significantly earlier in the power range and peaks at 3250 rpm. The Blazer’s engine revs to 5000 rpm before producing its maximum 270 lb-ft of torque. Generating enough torque at lower engine speeds (typically) benefits overall refinement and city driving. The sprint time for the Edge S.T. to 60 mph is around 6 seconds.

The Edge can tow a maximum of 3,500 pounds with any engine when outfitted with the Class II trailer tow equipment ($435, standard on S.T.). Only when fitted with the optional turbocharged engine can the Hyundai Santa Fe equal the Edge’s towing capabilities; the standard non-turbo four-cylinder is only certified to haul a meagre 2,000 pounds. The Honda Passport is rated at a robust 5,000 pounds with its tow package, while four-cylinder Blazers can tow up to 3,500 pounds when fitted with a tow kit, and their V6 counterparts can pull up to 4,500 pounds.

Fuel efficiency: Ford Edge

EPA fuel efficiency ratings for 2023 Ford Edge cars with the basic turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine were 23 mpg combined (21 cities, 28 highways). The Edge S.T. uses less gas than expected, considering its more significant, powerful V6. The combined mileage is 21 mpg (19 cities, 25 highways). Ford recommends 91 or higher octane gasoline for the Edge with any engine. However, 87 octane is OK.

The gas-only AWD Santa Fe grades average roughly 24 mpg (the gas-only Sorentos are comparable), whereas the Blazer AWD gets 22.5 mpg combined throughout the range. However, because Ford doesn’t sell a hybrid Edge, it doesn’t seem fair to compare the Edge to the hybrid models of the South Korean competitors. The Nissan Murano’s fuel economy is nearly identical to the four-cylinder Edges, while the Honda Passport’s mpg figures are comparable to the Edge S.T.’s.

Safety & Driver Support

The Edge received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) Top Safety Pick certification in 2022, but due to stricter criteria in 2023, it did not attain that distinction again. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also awards it a five-star overall rating, which is still valid.

In addition to automatic high beams, blind-spot warning, lane-keeping assistance, front collision warning with automatic emergency braking that incorporates pedestrian recognition, and reverse automatic braking, Co-Pilot 360 comes standard on all Edge trim levels. This is a complete package of active-safety equipment, and although there isn’t nearly as much standard equipment as at Honda and Nissan, it still functions effectively.

On SEL, Titanium, and S.T. versions, evasive steering assistance and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and lane centring are options. Both are part of a package with navigation that costs $1,195 and includes them both.

Comfort and space:

Since the Edge’s model redesign in 2015, the inside hasn’t seen any significant changes, making it seem outdated. However, everything still appears on pace. By class standards, the spacious interior of the Edge is still big and pleasant, both statistically and physically. The Santa Fe has 44.1 inches of front legroom, whereas the Blazer has 41.0 inches. With 40.5 inches of front legroom, the Murano falls short here.

The Edge’s 40.6-inch rear seat legroom is better than the Blazer and Passport’s similar 39.6-inch back seat legroom but less than the 41.7-inch rear-seat legroom in the Santa Fe and Sorento. With 57.3 and 60.5 inches, respectively, The Edge performs well in hip and shoulder space areas. With 61.9 inches of shoulder space, the Honda Passport has the most, while the Ford is just two-tenths of an inch behind with 57.3 inches of hip room. The Edge has the most back headroom (40.3 inches), although the Passport is the closest at 40.0 inches.

Infotainment: Ford Edge

The inside of the Edge hasn’t altered much since it was unveiled in 2015, but in 2021, Ford added a 12-inch, portrait-oriented touchpad to the middle of the dashboard. The large touchscreen may be a temporary solution to modernize a dated look, but the technology it controls is very cutting-edge. Ford’s Sync 4 software, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto are all included in the base six-speaker audio system (Platinum and S.T. variants come with a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system as standard equipment).

Sadly, touchscreen controls have replaced the old temperature control knobs, while there are still traditional rotary knobs to switch the radio on and off, as well as volume and tuning settings. Although the vast screen size makes it possible for the climate control interface to always be onscreen, it is still cumbersome when the car moves since you must go through menus to override automated settings and change the cabin temperature. At least the images on the screen are crisp, modern, and straightforward.

There are now two up front and another pair in the back, while previous Edges underserved passengers in need of USB ports. Two 12-volt power ports are also included. The straightforward instrument cluster is dominated by a large speedometer in the centre, with displays showing other data like fuel level and engine rpm on each side.

Storage & Cargo Space:

The Edge still has a lot of cargo room, even if it may become older in certain sections. The cargo space behind the back seats of the Edge is 39.2 cubic feet, compared to only 30.5 cubic feet in the Blazer and 36.4 in the Santa Fe. With 41.2 cubic feet of luggage capacity behind the rear seats, the Honda Passport takes first place in our comparison.

The Edge has 73.4 cubic feet with the back seats folded down, compared to 72.1 for the Hyundai and 64.2 for the Blazer. With the rear seats folded down, the Honda excels again with a load capacity of 77.7 cubic feet.

The Edge may provide decent passenger comfort and space but lags behind more contemporary, cutting-edge versions of modest storage spaces. Only the glovebox, centre console, and door pockets are provided for storage by Edge customers.

Design: Ford Edge

It depends on who you ask whether the Ford Edge’s ten-year-old design is old-fashioned and unappealing or cosy and familiar. In any case, it’s not ugly, and specific stylistic changes for 2023 make the Edge seem as modern as possible. Few of the Edge’s rivals appear as fierce as the S.T., which matches its performance.

To compare the Edge’s interior to warmed-up leftovers is harsh. Unfair but not entirely false. The 12-inch touchscreen addition is a crutch for bringing the outdated Edge in step with other modern designs with greater tech integration.

The Ford Edge 2023: Is It Worth It?

It isn’t easy to defend choosing an Edge above alternatives given the design’s age and cost.

Although it is pretty well equipped, the basic Edge S.E. retails for $39,400, including destination, much more than the Murano, Sorento, or Santa Fe, and certain entry-level bigger cars like the Kia Telluride. However, customers still get standard features, including 18-inch Sparkle Silver painted alloy wheels, a six-speaker audio system, SYNC 4A infotainment (with improved speech recognition), and FordPass Connect, which adds a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, the option to start or lock the car remotely, and Ford Co-Pilot 360.

The following model up the ladder, the SEL ($40,840), offers the most outstanding value among the Edge models. With a heated 10-way power driver’s seat, an agitated 4-way power passenger’s seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, SecuriCode keyless entry, and a few more amenities, it offers enough creature comforts for the money. Additionally, aesthetic improvements include body-coloured side view mirror caps, 18-inch split-spoke painted aluminium wheels, and LED fog lights.

A 20-inch set of gloss-black aluminium wheels, blacked-out brilliant trim, and unique external badging provide a sporty flair for the ST-Line ($44,595). The ST-Line’s interior has red accents to continue the sporty theme. A wireless charging pad, universal garage door opener, and remote start system are all included. Where the ST-Line is sporty, the Titanium ($44,595) goes the other way and leans frilly. It adds high-end embellishments like a lift gate operated by your foot and 19-inch nickel-painted aluminium wheels. ActiveX 10-way power sport bucket seats that resemble leather, rain-sensing wipers, and a Bang & Olufsen audio system round out the features.

The Edge S.T. ($47,980), the top model in the series, is priced as such. However, less expensive Edges does not offer the robust, twin-turbocharged V6 engine and high-performance suspension system included in that price increase. The S.T. also has a Class II trailer towing gear as standard equipment. Although the Edge ST is the fastest and most competent model, it doesn’t seem like a great deal at that price unless you’re madly in love with it.

It’s essential to remember that because the Edge will stop touring at the end of 2023, there may be an opportunity to purchase a year-end straggler at a discounted rate.

How Much Does a 2023 Ford Edge Insurance Cost?

Compared to its competitors, The Edge is not extremely costly to insure. Although this average covers all 50 states, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record should anticipate a yearly premium of roughly $1,925. Comparatively, the Chevy Blazer costs $2,081, the Honda Passport $1,883, and the Hyundai Santa Fe $1,950.

Ford Edge Generations

Second Generation
2015 to Present

The Ford Fusion’s worldwide midsize platform was the foundation for the second-generation Edge’s launch in 2015. It got a new external and interior design, a new body structure, improved suspension, and upgraded electronics. Three different engine choices were available: a 2.0-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder, a 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6, and a 3.5-litre V6 engine with normally aspirated power and a six-speed automated gearbox. Ford updated its Sync 4A infotainment system midcycle in 2019 with crisper aesthetics and new technology, and in 2021, it will include a standard 12-inch tablet screen.

First Generation
2007 to 2014

For the 2007 model year, the first-generation Edge made its debut. It was constructed on the Ford Fusion chassis and included Sync technology. Ford’s EcoBoost engine and MyFord Touch were introduced in a 2011 facelift.

Verdict

The Ford Edge’s last year is here with 2023 models, and it is beginning to seem old-fashioned compared to more contemporary rivals. But just because production is about to cease doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be considered. The Edge continues to provide class-leading levels of comfort and luggage space, standard all-wheel drive, and respectable fuel efficiency. Even the S.T.’s subdued appearance won’t appeal to the outgoing, but for certain purchasers, subtlety has advantages, and style matters less than practical mobility.