2019 Ford Edge: 6 Things We Like and 4 Not So Much

Ford’s mid-size Edge SUV is refreshed for 2019 with a new drivetrain, a larger arsenal of standard safety tech and subtle front and rear styling changes.

Related: 2019 Ford Edge Review: Solid, But the Shine is Wearing Off

Even in a crowded class of mid-size SUVs — which includes the Chevrolet Blazer, Honda Passport, Hyundai Santa Fe and Nissan Murano — the Edge still stacks up with comfortable ride quality, adept handling, impressive safety ratings and plenty of cargo space. In our 2019 Mid-Size SUV Challenge, which included six contenders, the Edge finished a respectable third.

Things We Like

1. Polished Ride Quality

A strength of this current-generation Edge is ride quality, and the 2019 Edge does not disappoint. The SUV is comfortable and carlike with good high-speed isolation and shock absorption. The performance-tuned suspension on the ST trim, however, makes for a much firmer ride.

2. Handling and All-Wheel Drive

The Edge handles capably, too. Steering is crisp, and the SUV has good body control. Efficiency also benefits from the available all-wheel drive, which is improved for 2019. The system now idles the connection to the rear wheels when AWD isn’t needed, but can almost instantly transfer power back to the rear when it’s needed.

3. Standard Safety and Driver-Assist Tech

Ford added some much-needed updates to safety technology for 2019. Automatic emergency braking, which wasn’t even available in the 2018 Edge, is standard in the 2019 model. Lane departure warning with steering assistance, automatic high-beam headlights and blind spot warning are also included in the standard Co-Pilot360 bundle of safety tech. Optional are adaptive cruise control and lane-centering steering, as well as perpendicular and parallel parking assistance. Additionally, the Edge earned top scores for crashworthiness to garner a 2019 Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

4. User-Friendly Multimedia System

Standard on SEL trims and above, Ford’s Sync 3 multimedia system is quick and easy to use on the 8-inch touchscreen. The display itself is placed well for the driver’s sightlines, and the voice-control technology is fairly accurate. Smartphone integration is standard, and you can make the Edge a Wi-Fi hot spot for up to 10 devices with a subscription.

5. ST Performance Trim

The ST trim looks the freshest for 2019; it has aggressive bumpers, blackened trim and blacked-out wheels. It also features a turbocharged 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine, which puts out 335 horsepower and 380 pounds-feet of torque. It’s mated to the performance-tuned version of the eight-speed automatic transmission, and Ford says the SUV can hit 60 mph in the 5-second range. The ST also improves upon the lower trims’ handling with more agility, sharper steering and an optional ST Performance Brake Package.

6. Ample Cabin Storage and Cargo Space

There seems to be a place for everything in the Edge. Storage bins throughout the center console are roomy, and a new gear dial frees up space for repositioned cupholders with adjacent bonus nooks. The door bins are also a good size, and there’s extra storage on the dashboard under a flip-up lid. In the back, the Edge has 39.2 cubic feet of cargo room, Ford says, and that nearly doubles when you fold down the second-row backrests to open up maximum space.

Things We Don’t

1. New Drivetrain

Ford replaced the Edge’s 3.5-liter V-6 engine with a turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder in most trims, which works with a new eight-speed automatic transmission. Though this new drivetrain puts out 250 horsepower and 280 pounds-feet of torque (up 5 hp and 5 pounds-feet from the last model), it’s slow to pack on power. This is especially apparent when paired with AWD. V-6 engines have more immediate power, but the Edge’s 2.7-liter V-6 is only available in the top (ST) trim.

2. Cheap Interior

While we found the interior roomy and the seats fairly comfortable, some of the materials aren’t what you’d expect for the price — which is especially true of the ST variant. Nice touches like metal-looking trim sit alongside cheap looking panels. As Meier said in his review of the Edge: “A fancy lighted volume knob and lighted bar-shaped push-buttons for radio tuning (why not a handier knob?) share space on a flat-gray plastic panel with functional but cheap-feeling plastic buttons.”

3. Low Visibility

Another issue we have with the Edge is visibility. For one, it’s hard to see out of the small rear window, and the rear-quarter windows are also pretty useless. The head restraints on the rear seats don’t fold down, which could make it a little easier to see behind you. Another problem is the chunky A-pillars, which intrude on forward sightlines.

4. Poor-Rated Headlights

While the IIHS rated the Edge a 2019 Top Safety Pick, the headlights prevented it from earning the agency’s highest award, Top Safety Pick Plus. The fixed LED projector headlights received a poor rating (among good, acceptable, marginal or poor), and the curve-adapted LED projectors were only rated acceptable.

More From Cars.com:

  • What’s the Best Mid-Size SUV of 2019?
  • 2019 Ford Edge Video Review
  • 2019 Ford Edge Hones Safety Tech, Performance Chops
  • 2019 Ford Edge ST Mashes Up Performance and Practicality
  • 2019 Ford Edge Edges Its Way Into Top Crash-Test Tier

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