Before getting behind the wheel of the Edge, I knew that it wasn’t going to perform like a sports car. However, my expectations were still somewhat high. At the very least, I was expecting a refined driving experience, composed handling, and good interior comfort. The Lincoln Nautilus (formerly the MKX) is based off the Edge, so surely I didn’t think the Edge was going to drive badly.
After driving the Edge, I found that the experience of driving this car was about right in line with my expectations. It’s a very easy and relaxing car to drive, and the Edge strikes a good balance between soft ride quality and composed handling. It’s a great daily driver, and I think it is the perfect car to take on long road trips.
When I first started driving the Edge, I immediately noticed that it has a nice blend between luxurious ride quality and zippy handling. You can take turns a little quicker and maneuver this thing through tight parking lots a little bit faster than you would expect. The throttle response comes on nice and evenly, the engine has good torque and linear power, and the steering feels well matched to the front tires. The chassis, while not sporty, feels taught and composed. The Edge feels pretty light and airy for an SUV as well. After driving the Edge, I have to say that it’s easily amongst one of my favorite SUVs that I’ve driven. Even passengers noted how quiet and comfortable this car was, and I think you have pretty resounding evidence that a car is good when even your passengers take note of how pleasant it is to ride in.
Despite the Edge’s initial strengths, it does feel bulky in its dimensions when you first get it out on the road. The Edge doesn’t strike me as a good city car like a compact or a subcompact SUV would. You get a similar aura that you would find in the Explorer, where the front windshield feels far away from the driver and the front hood appears big and angular from the driver’s seat. The pillars are on the thicker side, and the Edge feels wider than it looks on the outside. It’s not huge like an Expedition, but you definitely feel like you’re driving a larger vehicle.
While the Edge feels somewhat large, it doesn’t drive like a big car at all. It actually feels pretty light and it glides down the road with a smooth, effortless, car-like feel. The ride is very Lexus-like (or Lincoln-like as I should say), and this car is a breeze to cruise around in. Maintaining a constant speed out on the open road is incredibly easy with minimal throttle input, and the overall driving experience of this car is very relaxing.
While the Edge isn’t a sports car (nor does it pretend to be one), I found that I could take corners at normal and even somewhat high speeds and the vehicle still maintains good composure. The Edge goes around turns with good body control and it doesn’t lose its cool over harder turns at higher speeds. It’s all a very light, airy feeling experience, especially when you compare it to other entries like the Pilot or the Highlander. There is some body lean, but it’s at normal and respectable levels for a larger crossover.
As for the steering in the Edge, it is slightly ponderous off center, however it responds with smooth, direct, and fluidic motions. The steering weight is definitely on the lighter side, definitely lighter than the Escape and the Explorer, however it feels very predictable and gives you a good sense of control. You can always tell where the front tires are pointing and where the vehicle is going to end up. I will say that the steering can feel a little loose around harder corners, but it still feels relatively solid, and it does a good job at maintaining the vehicle’s position on the road and keeping the front wheels where you want them to be. The vehicle tracks evenly with bends in the road, and the steering plants the Edge on a steady course.
The Edge has good maneuverability as well. It doesn’t feel floaty to me at all, I always felt in complete control. At no point did I feel like the car wasn’t “listening” to what I wanted it to do. Even when you’re just steering with two fingers, you still feel connected to where the car is pointing. The chassis responds with a certain kind of smoothness and elegance around corners that you wouldn’t normally find in a midsize SUV.
The Edge also has this silky smooth ride quality that isn’t easy to find in a modern mainstream car. The Edge is easily one of the smoothest modern cars I’ve driven. It coasts down the road and it glides over bumps without any fuss. The ride is stiff enough to feel assuring around turns, but also very smooth out on the open road. You really do feel like you’re driving a Lincoln with Ford badges.
The standard 2.0T Ecoboost engine is a smooth, quiet, refined power plant. The torque feels nice and plentiful right off the line, and the engine provides good passing power. While the engine is not lightning quick, it always feels perfectly adequate even with a light foot. I never ran into a situation where I felt that I needed more power. The Edge gets up to speed smoothly and briskly, and the power delivery feels smooth and evenly distributed. The engine sounds decent for a 4 cylinder, and you always hear just the right amount of engine. It’s never loud or intrusive, but it’s never silent or muted either. Many crossovers an SUVs that I’ve driven feel underpowered, especially in the compact class, but the Edge is one of the few mainstream SUVs that seems to have the perfect amount of standard power.
The 6-speed automatic is a smooth partner for the engine. It seems to do a good job at keeping the engine in the optimum power band, and it doesn’t feel heavily tuned for fuel economy like some of the other compact and midsize SUVs on the market. I think the downshifts could feel a little more snappy, though. Small downshifts are pretty immediate, but in order to get that crisp passing gear, you’ll need to go about half throttle and wait for about a second. The shift quality can also feel a little bit jerky if you aren’t balanced with the accelerator, but when you apply even pressure on the gas and use a little finesse, the shifts feel silky smooth. Once you get used to driving this car, the transmission seems to perform really well and it rides out each gear for the perfect amount of time.
Throttle response is about what you expect from most Ford products. It has a nice even progression, and acceleration feels smooth and well modulated. The accelerator is responsive, but definitely not touchy or aggressive. The brake pedal has about the right amount of stiffness to it, and even though the “bite” from the brakes could be a little more defined, the Edge has really smooth stopping power. The brakes don’t make any noise, nor do you feel unwanted vibrations in the cabin or through the pedal while braking. A very minor gripe is that the actual brake pedal is a little bit small, and I felt like my foot kept hitting more against the upper “stem” of the pedal (the part that extends into the floorboard) rather than the pedal itself. Most people won’t notice it, but I thought I would just throw that in there.
Road and wind noise are both well subdued, again aiding to the relaxing nature of this car. There’s no rattles, no squeaks, no vibrations, no harshness. The Edge feels like a solid, well built vehicle. Visibility in this car is also pretty good, although I wish the pillars were a little smaller, and the front hood wasn’t as curvy or imposing from the driver’s position. Side mirrors provide good visibility with small cutouts for blind spots, and the rear window provides an open and unobstructed view of everything behind you. The front seats are supportive and comfortable, although they could use some extra thigh support.
And that about covers it. The Edge is a nice car to drive. It’s not a sporty ride but I wasn’t expecting that. This car met my expectations, and even exceeded my expectations in certain areas. It has a good blend of smoothness, composure, and maneuverability. It’s perfect for people who want something a little bigger than an Escape but not something that’s going to feel big and difficult to park like an Explorer. If you’re looking for a smooth, relaxing, easy to drive crossover SUV, something with more practicality and refinement than an Escape but with better maneuverability than an Explorer, the Edge hits that perfect sweet spot. The Edge has a nice blend of everything, and I would easily recommend this car to anyone.