We unwittingly drove the 2011 Ford Edge Sport, with its 22-inch wheels, onto one of the darnedest washboard roads I’ve been on in years Sunday afternoon. It was out near Union Reservoir east of Longmont.
I know of washboard roads from my high school days when my folks had a home among 5-acre tracts at the south edge of Sterling. Those dirt roads between gradings would quickly form the corrugated effect; I may have even contributed to the washboard with my Ford two-door.
I slowed enough Sunday that the bump, bump, bump of the SUV crossover was tolerable for Jan and Ruth. Credit the outstanding suspension of the new Ford Edge, rather than my speed selection. A sport-tuned suspension, along with the big wheels, has improved level of ride, which has been firmed with revisions to front struts, rear springs and the rear jounce buffer.
Features on the Edge’s exterior for ’11 are a crisper finish, larger hood, black bar grille and the 22-inch aluminum wheels for the Sport model. The SE, SEL and Limited models come standard with 17- and 18-inch wheels. Tires on the Sport are Pirelli P265/40R22.
The Sport also is equipped with a new 305-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 engine (same as that used in the Mustang for the coming year), mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Adding quickness to the gear changes are small, well-positioned paddle shifters, much improved in use and appearance over those designed for the full-sized Ford Taurus.
The four-door, five-passenger all-wheel-drive Sport has a wide-track stance and weighs in at a hefty 4,400 pounds, thus the 3.7 engine is probably a better fit for it than the 285-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 used in the other Edge models. The vehicle is in front-drive mode under normal conditions, and torque is shifted to the rear wheels as needed to prevent wheel slippage.
Acceleration was smooth in my time aboard the Edge, shifts were quick and, in overall driving, fuel average was 19.3 miles per gallon. In past drives with 3.5-equipped Edges, averages were 21.2 and 18.9.
Acoustic dampening improvements have quieted the Edge’s interior, which is roomy in front and rear seating, and has 32 cubic feet of cargo space at the back.
Sticker price on the Sport AWD review model is $40,135. An SEL model with all-wheel drive can be bought for around $33,000.
Ford Sync, an easy-to-use voice-recognition system, is a highlight of the MyFordTouch navigation, entertainment, climate and phone setups. Much of the entertainment can be controlled from steering wheel buttons, and includes a Sony 12-speaker stereo setup.
Blind-sport warning lights in the sideview mirrors and rearview camera are among other amenities, including push-button start and remote start, leather seats, power liftgate, rain-sensing wipers and MyKey which makes possible limiting of top speed and audio volume.
Expected to be available to the Edge later in the model year will be Ford’s EcoBoost turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, with impressive horsepower and a noticeable boost of fuel mileage over the V-6 power.
The Edge crossover, since its introduction in 2007, has been an outstanding sales success for Ford Motor Co. More than 400,000 have been sold.
Notes from e-mail
Q: Bud, what has happened to efficiency? We drive a 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage that has the same engine size/transmission/weight as the Mazda2 you reviewed, and it gets a consistent 45 miles per gallon. It has 135,000 miles on it and has been totally reliable, and it goes right up the passes (we live in Chaffee County). What’s up? – J.P.
A: A lot of the difference, Jim, probably centers on your driving habits. You must coax extra mpg from your Mirage, for it certainly didn’t carry a 45 mpg highway rating back in ’98; it might have been around 38. You might average 40 or a little better if you drove the 2011 Mazda2.
Q: Bud, I wondered why you criticized the Mazda2 for having an 11.3-gallon fuel tank, compared with the 12-gallon tank in the similar Ford Fiesta. You’re talking about only a few miles difference, aren’t you? – A.S.
A: Well, Arnie, multiplying the Ford’s 12 gallons by its 37.3 miles per gallon gives 448 miles, compared to 385 miles when multiplying the Mazda’s 34.1 mpg by its 11.3 gallons. Even if the mpg were the same, say 35 for each car, the Ford still would go 25 miles farther on its tank than the Mazda.
2011 Ford Edge Sport
$40,135
(price as tested)
MPG City 17 Highway 23
Vehicle type: All-wheel-drive crossover
Wheelbase: 111.2 inches
Length/Width/Height: 184.2/76/67 inches
Weight: 4,428 pounds
Engine: 3.7-liter V-6
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Fuel mileage: 19.3 mpg
Fuel tank: 19 gallons
Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles basic; 5/60,000 powertrain
Competitors: Nissan Murano, Toyota Venza, Honda Crosstour, Mazda CX-7
Built at: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
THE STICKER
$38,070 base
$895 Push-button start, remote start, power liftgate
$395 Blind-spot warning, rain-sense wipers
$775 Destination
PLUSES
Handling
Flat ride
Those 22-inch wheels
Quietness
MINUSES
No EcoBoost yet
Heavyweight
