Driving Impression: 2010 Ford Edge Limited

The line at the airport rental car counter was endless. The customers ahead of me had lots of little issues. Some had obviously never rented a car before. I waited and waited and waited. But, sometimes, good things come to those who wait. As a big guy who had waited patiently and politely while basic rental car concepts were presented to the clueless, I was rewarded with a free upgrade to a Limited Edition 2010 Ford Edge instead of whatever mundane mid-sized car was on my original travel itinerary.

The chance to drive a 2010 Ford Edge Limited was a nice change of pace and a chance to gain more insight into the cross-over phenomenon. My first impression of the Ford Edge was that it was roomy, stylish, sporty, and well-appointed. From the outside, the Ford Edge Limited looks good. It is sporty and confident looking. Inside, my Ford Edge Limited had a leather comfort package with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a leather wrapped shifter, and leather seats. My deluxe Ford Edge even had a wondrous Sirius satellite radio. In the back, there was plenty of room for my bags. From the front, I had a commanding SUV-like view of the road. The Ford Edge Limited was a great reward after a long day's travel. I was impressed as soon as I saw it.

On the road, I found the Ford Edge to be more maneuverable than expected. It had an edge over my 2006 Toyota Highlander, a Dodge Caravan that I had rented the previous year, and the old Ford Explorer that I still remember fondly. Compared to our old V-8 Explorer, the 3.5 liter V-6 engine in the Ford Edge seemed peppy, high revving, and responsive but not overwhelmingly quick. Compared to our 2006 Toyota Highlander, the engine, drivetrain, transmission combination in the Edge seemed to respond more directly to driver input. However, the Ford Edge is obviously not a performance vehicle. It reminded me a bit of an older Lexus RX300 that I have driven. The emphasis seems to be on providing a fairly smooth, responsive, untruck-like, feeling. The Ford Edge is sporty looking, but not a sports car.

I enjoyed the 2010 Ford Edge as I drove away from the airport. The leather looked and felt good. While I couldn't pay attention to all the features of satellite radio, the stereo sounded good and it was nice to have a plethora of narrowly formatted stations. This 2010 Ford Edge Limited was the first car that I've ever driven that had sensors in the rear bumper to indicate if you were going to back into something. When I backed into my parking space at my hotel, the Ford Edge would beep as I backed closer to the wall. It was a nice feature for a good-sized cross-over vehicle. I found the side rear view mirrors were a little unusual because they had a notch cut-out in the upper corners so that another mirror could provide a wider view. While it was actually a very thoughtful feature, I found it a little strange at first.

The interior was roomy and easily accommodated me - a big, 6'2", 400-pound, heavy-set, guy. The front seats offered great room and the rear seats looked pretty generous as well. The rear seats and cargo area were only slightly smaller than our capacious Toyota Highlander. Headroom was adequate in the front and rear seats. I think the Ford Edge has slightly less headroom than current Toyota Highlanders. The Ford Edge Limited easily has room for a family or carpool to ride in comfort. The rear cargo area had plenty of room, but was a little wider and shallower than the cargo area of our Toyota Highlander.

Even in a low mileage rental, I could see that the build quality of the Ford Edge Limited was excellent. I didn't see any obvious flaws in the trim or the finish and the vehicle seemed very solid. The Ford Edge Limited certainly offers a much higher build quality than we found in our old Chevy Cavalier. In fact, the build quality was equal to or better than our 2006 Toyota Highlander. I dare say that Ford has a vehicle in the Edge that can take on Honda and Toyota with ease.

Overall, the 2010 Ford Edge Limited is a practical vehicle that looks considerably cooler than a mini-van. The Edge has plenty of room for driver and passengers. The Edge performs well on the highway and seems to be substantially built. If you are looking for a practical vehicle with a little more style and a little more excitement than a family mini-van, the Ford Edge is a great place to start your search. After returning to my normal vehicles, I miss some of the nice extras that came with the Limited edition package. They gave the Ford an edge.