Ford has played it safe with the Edge, opting for the kind of comfort-orientated dynamic compromise that goes down well in the US.
Anyone moving up from the more firmly sprung Ford Kuga may be surprised by the car’s laid-back, gentle-riding demeanour; likewise anyone who’s always bought a Ford because, for the past couple of decades, doing so has delivered a better-handling car than the class norm.
The fact is, however, that big SUVs need to be comfortable – and a good-handling example is one that is not only compliant and refined but also precise, fluent, progressively controlled in its body movements and easy to place.
The Edge is most, if not quite all, of these things.
It’s certainly comfy – at least on 19in wheels. The Edge rides with a supple gait that smothers bigger bumps well, and while the suspension can fuss and check a little at low speeds, it rarely does so with any bite. The ride could be quieter, if only to match the refinement of the rest of the car, but it takes a coarse surface to really upset it.
The handling response, grip and body control are good enough to feel uncompromised by the suspension’s softness.
It feels its size on a country lane but declines to roll much when you turn in, takes up your intended line quickly and then sticks to it, dealing with mid-corner bumps well.
