sranger

Can't say that I blame you... The Explorer is nice and does not seem to get that much worst gas milage....Obviously a MUCH better price....

Thanks for the info.... To be honest, I like the look of the 05-07 better, but it does have clean lines.... I have a FWD Lux 2005 Mercury Mariner ( Mercury's tarted up Escape ). It is a pretty good Little SUV ( or more accurately a small minivan that men will drive ). It drives well and handles well and has enough power ( V6 ). Mine has a comfortable leather interior and a good 6 CD/MP3 sound system. However, I am glad to see that they addressed the Escape/Mariner's biggest problem.... ROAD NOISE..... The older models have a loud ( I mean LOUD ) roar at Highway speeds. That is one of the reasons why I was looking at the Edge ( I also want AWD for Towing a boat )... If they have really reduced the interior road/wind noise, it might survive long enough to get the new 3.5L V6. If they put that engine in the AWD model, it would be a HUGE Success for Ford. I would buy one in a heart beat. That engine and the new 6 speed trans should be put in the Escape. If FORD is listening, you would be idiots not to make this combo in my opinion.... ( PLEASE!!!! )

I do not know why you are getting so upset. That was not my intention. I simply found it odd that you seem to prefer opinion over fact when evaluating a vehicle's preformance. I clearly stated in my post that the technical preformance data was collected at the track and that their overall driving impression was determined by drives on the road. I must admit that I do not understand why you object to doing acceleration, braking and handling tests on a track or other large safe driving surface. I would hope that you would not like to see these tests carried out on public roads. I can only guess by your comments that a vehicle will be determined to have braking issues only when you have rear ended the car in front of you in the "Real World".... This will be my last responce to you, as I do not want to see you get more upset for no good reason.

Obviously you have never seen a full test review in person. They typically get test data at the track or vacant parking lot using scientific testing equipment and then go for longer drives on the street to get their overall driving impression. In the case of braking, it is a very straightforward test. I doubt there will be much difference between their test and reality. Based on the amount of miles that you claim to drive I would find it hard to believe that you do not occasionally find your self in a short distance stop situation. It happens to all of us and an extra 20-30ft of stopping distance can easily make the difference between a panic stop and an accident... I may not drive as much as you do, but I do drive about 30,000 miles a year in heavy Atlanta traffic. I for one want to see from a scientific point of view how a vehicles stops in a panic situation relative to it's competition. I would think that most people would want to know that little bit of information as well.

You mentioned "Guesstimates" a couple of times. So I assume you carry many $$$ worth of test equipment with you so that you get accurate preformance measurments instead of guessing it's performance by the seat of your pants?

Good points... I recently saw a brake swap on an 05 mustang. Using the same tires yeilded a 60-0 reduction of nearly 20 feet. This was done with larger drilled/vented rotors and dual calipers. Tires do certianly help, but to truly shorten the braking distances usually requires braking hardware upgrades. I have seen simple carbon fiber pads and stainless steel brake lines make a big difference.. I am certian that I could improve on the stopping distance of the Edge, but it would require about $2,000.00 worth of hardware/tire upgrades. I would not rule out this possiblity as I am the type that will modify a new car to suit me tastes... ( I.E. my supercharged mustang.. ) However, I am a little dissapointed in Ford for allowing this issue to potentialy harm an otherwise strong mechanical design. They had to have known about it in their testing if ( I SAID IF ) the magazine articles are accurate. It will wait until I can get a test drive to make my on decision... Of course, I should note that the thing probably stops better than my 05 Mariner. It's 60 year old rear drum technology is not very impressive... P.S. I think the main advantage in the CX-7 is that is is significantly lighter with better brakes...

Good Point, Although I think a Mercury waterfall Grill would look better than the Lincoln grill....

So far, the Edge is not getting very good reviews. If the braking tests are accurate, I would not buy one as it would be a safety issue driving in Atlanta traffic. Edmunds: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drive...photopanel..1.* Car And Driver http://www.caranddriver.com/roadtests/1186...l-plus-awd.html

I am currently trying to decide on a new vehicle and the Ford Edge seems to be the front runner. I currently own two other fords and know that their quility has greatly improved over the last several years. As a matter of fact I have owned 5 fords in the last ten years... I want a new small SUV type vehicle to replace my current 2005 Mercury Mariner. It is my company car and it has to meet several requirments that the Edge seems to do well. I also recently sold my 2000 F150 truck and need somthing that can tow a small fishing boat and utility trailer. The Mariner can tow the stuff ok ( also rated for 3500lb ) but lack of AWD can make a slippery boat ramp a little bit of a challenge. Also, I am 6'-4" tall and the little Mariner is not the most comfortable vehicle for me. The lack of a telescoping steering wheel is very annoying on long trips... I'll most likely go with a SLE Plus with the vista roof and leather interior with the upgraded Sound system and of course the towing package. Fortunately, I can live with the Mariner for another year or so to let the new wear off the Edge so that I can get a better price.... I am also considering the Toyota Rav4 V6, Hundai Santa Fe, and the Mazda CX-9.... I just wanted to say hello, I my be asking you guys more questions in the future...