Edging out the Competition: the 2015 Ford Edge

Judy Antell |

Updated: Apr 12, 2016

2015 Ford Edge.

Midsize SUVs are the perfect vehicle for smaller, sporty families; the look and feel of a full-size SUV, but the maneuverability and better fuel economy of a smaller car.

After a week in the 2015 Ford Edge I was sold; and now the 2016 models are out, with even better technology and a more fuel sipping engine.

Since my youngest daughter is away at college, and I wanted to see what traveling with little kids was like, I suggested a little trip with my cousin and her young baby. My cousin hit the jackpot with this baby, who is not only adorable, she is the most even tempered infant I’ve ever met. She cooed from her car seat, which we easily latched into place, and she slept in her stroller when we went on walks.

Keeping everyone safe

When you have precious cargo like children on board, you are hyper aware of the safety of the vehicle, and the Edge shone in this department. Lane departure warnings, blind spot monitor and rear inflatable seat belts are just a few of the ways this SUV made is feel secure.

Car sick in the Ford Edge? Not on my watch

While all my daughters had their moments of motion sickness, my youngest was truly the Princess of Puke. I learned that one of the reasons children get sick so much is that when they are little, they can’t even see out the car window, so they can’t focus on the horizon, which helps stabilize their insides. But the Edge has a gigantic Vista moonroof, so even an infant in a rear facing safety sit can see outside. The huge sun roof is also great for bringing in some fresh air without opening the windows; it makes for a much quieter ride.

Parking in Boston is manageable. Almost

The Edge has Active Park Assist that works using ultrasonic sensors; it can guide you into a spot or help you out of a tight spot; the steering wheel turns itself. But I was parking in my brother-in-law’s extremely tight alley spot (there is almost no overnight street parking for out of towners) and I thought it was better to take control, rather than rely on a system I hadn’t used before. But, I was still helped greatly by those sensors; a schematic of the vehicle shows up on your touchscreen, with green where you are safe, yellow where you are close and red where you are going to need to call your insurance company.

Luxury edition

My cousin is teaching at Harvard University so we were glad to drive a top-of-the-line model with an Ivy League pedigree; the Titanium model had a sparkly white platinum tri-coat set off by the black leather interior. The hands-free liftgate and raing sensing wipers (including one on the rear) are extra touches that make using the Edge a lot easier.

If you haven’t been college shopping in awhile, you might be shocked by the total cost of a top tier university – about $62,000, all in. So the loaded, top of the line Ford looks like a relative bargain, at only about $42,000.

Where’s that heated steering wheel?

The steering wheel is loaded with buttons and switches so you can keep your attention on the road; there is a voice activation switch for the navigation system, volume and tuning for the stereo, adaptive cruise control and more. But although I saw that the Edge had a heated steering wheel, I couldn’t for the life of me find a way to turn it on. When I gave the Edge (reluctantly) back I asked, and it turns out, it’s on the infotainment screen! In the center console, below the touchscreen, there are buttons for the heated and cooled seats, but the heated steering wheel can only be turned on through the climate page on the touchscreen. Live and learn.

Sync with MyFord Touch

This is where the Edge earned a gentleman’s C plus. The nav system was slow to respond and the voice activation was almost impossible. I was driving to Garden Street, but the system heard I was going to “Hancock.” Not even close. And when you change stations, either via the steering wheel or the touchscreen, the system was sluggish; it took a full 3 beats for a new station. My husband would insist his touch hadn’t worked, so he’d hit the screen again; then, we’d be a station past where we wanted to be. We also couldn’t get our phones paired.

For 2016, the system has been updated with Sync3, which includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

What we loved

Hands-free lift gate
Vista moonroof
All the safety features

What you need to know

Base price: $35,600; price for the model we drove, with moonroof, extra safety features, rain sensing wipers and special paint job, $42,735
Fuel economy: 30 mpg on the highway, 20 mpg in the city; 24 combined
The heated steering wheel is accessed only through the touchscreen