Photos by Ulysses Ang

Dearborn, Michigan—At the eve of the Further with Ford Trend Conference, Ford Motor Company unveiled the all-new, second-generation Edge crossover at their world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan Considered now as part of Ford’s “global product portfolio”, the all-new Edge could find its way to markets such as South East Asia and the Philippines where it is seriously being considered (it’s actually sold already in markets such as China). Innovation and design come together truly as the 2015 Edge packs a fresh new design, more interior technology, and more fuel-efficient drivetrains than its predecessor.

The Edge now rides on Ford’s mid-sized architecture, the same one that underpins the Ford Fusion. The migration allows the Edge to get better vehicle dynamics thanks to its entirely new body structure as well as all-around independent suspension specifically developed to isolate road imperfections and absorb noise without compromising handling. The Edge retains a MacPherson-type front suspension, but features an entirely new, sophisticated integral-link independent rear with coil springs and a 23-millimeter antiroll bar. The advanced new system has been tuned to deliver a more dynamic and engaging driving experience that Ford says customers will feel immediately. The body is also 26-percent stiffer in bending and 16-percent stiffer in twisting compared to the previous Edge.



In terms of design, the Edge is now squarely in line with the rest of the Ford line-up. It continues to have a hexagonal grille, an Edge trademark, but framed with larger headlights. At the back, it departs from Ford’s other crossovers by getting a body-spanning taillight cluster with clear LED lighting with a red frame. The rear end is certainly very dramatic with the aggressively slanting roofline and large rear spoiler. On the Titanium trim, the Edge runs on standard 20-inch alloys while the higher-end Sport model receives 21-inch rollers.

Going together with the aggressive looks, the Edge features standard EcoBoost power in the form of the 2.0-liter unit that generates 245 horsepower and 270 lb-ft (366 Nm) of torque thanks to its twin-scroll turbo technology. The Edge also gets an automatic start/stop technology, the first time it will be made available with an EcoBoost engine. The 2.0T version is joined by a normally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6, shared with the Explorer. Though no power figures were given, it shouldn’t be far off from the 294 horsepower figure. Finally, the range-topping Edge receives a 2.7-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6. This engine is made from a compacted graphite iron block for impressive NVH characteristics and durability, producing figures north of 350 horsepower. All engines are mated to 6-speed automatics with Select Shift manual override. The 3.5 V6 and 2.7 are AWD models while the 2.0T is available in both front- and all-wheel drive configurations.


Inside, the 2015 Edge has a look and feel that’s familiar to current Explorer owners. It gets the same dual display instrument cluster along with the large central LCD touch screen. The touch capacitive controls are gone and are replaced with more traditional buttons for easier tactile access. In terms of convenience features, it’s available with a long list of available goodies such as heated/air conditioned seats, rear heated seats, heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, hands-free lift gate, active park assist with front and rear sensors, SYNC and MyFord Touch, blind spot monitoring system, inflatable rear seatbelts, and a front passenger knee airbag (that deploys from the glove box). The Edge is also the first Ford product to get adaptive steering technology that varies the steering ratio depending on speed.

“The original Edge was our first entry into the world of crossover utilities – a technologically advanced vehicle that was the perfect blend of sedan comfort and efficiency with SUV functionality,” said Raj Nair, group vice president, Global Product Development. “Now, we are building on that success, and building on the emotional appeal of the vehicle by offering more of the technology our customers want in a package that meets the highest expectations for quality and craftsmanship.”



Sales of the all-new Ford Edge start in the first quarter of 2015. At the global launch event, new Ford Motor Company President Mark Fields made an appearance alongside renowned business innovationist Clay Christensen and fashion designer Kenneth Cole. Ford announced that the all-new Edge will be sold to over 100 markets starting with North America. This will be followed with sales in Europe, South America, and Asia-Pacific. Representatives from Ford Asia-Pacific and ASEAN Communications, who were on hand during the launch, said that they are extensively studying whether or not to bring the all-new Ford Edge to the ASEAN market, especially in the exact configuration shown in Detroit. However, given journalists were flown to markets such as Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, the answer could be a yes!

2015 Ford Edge Key Technology Features:

• Active Grille Shutters: Available on select models to help counter air resistance
• Adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support: Uses radar to detect moving vehicles directly ahead and change the cruising speed if necessary
• Adaptive steering technology: Most advanced steering system ever from Ford makes Edge easier to maneuver and more fun to drive by optimizing steering response in all conditions
• Air curtain: Creates a curtain of air alongside the vehicle using smart duct work, improving aerodynamics at high speed 
• Auto Start-Stop technology: Turns the engine off to save fuel when the vehicle is stopped, then restarts the engine in milliseconds when the brake is released; specially tuned for Edge
• Blind Spot Information System: BLIS® uses radar to trigger a warning when another motorist is in the driver's blind spot
• Cameras: New 180-degree front camera with washer featured for first time on a Ford vehicle; standard rear camera
• Cross-traffic alert: Uses radar to help alert drivers to oncoming traffic when backing out of a parking space
• Enhanced active park assist: Builds on Ford parallel parking technology and includes a system to guide the vehicle into a perpendicular parking space. The system can also steer the vehicle into and out of a parallel parking space 
• Forward and reverse sensing systems: The systems provide audible alerts designed to help drivers avoid obstacles when parking 
• Hands-free liftgate: Allows customer to move leg below center of the rear bumper to unlock and raise liftgate
• Heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel: Amenities make occupants more comfortable, and every drive more enjoyable 
• Lane-keeping system: Alerts driver to steer the vehicle back into its lane if the vehicle is allowed to drift
• Side parking sensors: uses sensors and algorithms that measure speed and steering wheel angle to warn drivers of obstacles on either side of the vehicle during parking or low-speed maneuvers
• SYNC® with MyFord Touch®: Becoming available for more trim levels; standard on Edge Sport and Titanium series

Safety technologies available on the new Edge include:

• Active glove box knee airbag: Advanced new design uses glove box front to cushion the knees of the front seat passenger in a crash. A pliable, injection-molded plastic bladder is sandwiched between the inner and outer glove box door panels. On impact, a small inflator fills the bladder, extending the glove box outer door panel toward the passenger's legs
• AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control: Uses sensors to measure the roll rate of the vehicle and predict its roll angle. Based on this information and measurements from other vehicle dynamics sensors, the system can adjust engine torque and brake pressure at all four wheels to help the driver maintain control of the vehicle
• Curve Control: Uses the same sensors as Roll Stability Control to detect and measure roll rate, yaw rate, lateral acceleration, wheel speed and steering wheel angle to help drivers follow their intended path by slowing the vehicle more efficiently while maneuvering a curve
• Inflatable rear safety belts: An advanced restraint system that combines attributes of safety belt and airbag technologies. It is designed to reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear seat passengers in frontal crashes by distributing crash force energy across five times more of an occupant's torso than a traditional safety belt. Inflatable belts are available for second-row outboard seating positions