Just thought I would throw my 2 cents in. By no means a thorough review.
First, just so you know, I currently own an '03 MINI Cooper that I have tweaked a little. So, I am coming from a relatively performance oriented vehicle. My previous car was a '98 Audi Avant Quattro. My interest in the Edge/MKX is to get back to something like the Audi.
I drove an MKX the other day in Kalamazoo, MI. I have to say that I was definitely underwhelmed by the driving dynamics. There is a lot of roll in this vehicle when you push it at all. Straight line acceleration was acceptable, but nothing to write home about. I was also surprised by the amount of road noise. An area I wouldn't expect to come to my attention, given my current car with custom exhaust. The MKX is supposed to be quieter than the Edge.
I was pleased by the rear seat legroom, but the seats are so low that your knees are kinda up in the air. So, while there is some room behind the front seats, I don't think it is all that comfortable a place to ride if you are over 6'. It is better than being crammed into a MINI back seat, but still not luxurious.
I was surprised by the minimum amount of headroom as well. Definitely less headroom than the MINI. I think the front seats set a little higher, giving you more of a minivan or SUV seating style than a car seating style. Not sure how much the sunroof takes away from headroom, but it would be something I would consider leaving off for $1300. Besides the loss of headroom, all the glass and mechanisms make an already top heavy vehicle even worse.
Speaking of the sunroof. I was thoroughly confused by the sunroof/sunshade controls. Even after messing with it for a few minutes, I don't think I ever figured it out. I pressed buttons that seemed to work the first time, but had no effect the second time. It just isn't real clear which buttons control the sunshade and which control the sunroof.
I didn't do any panic stops, but in normal driving the brakes seemed reasonable. It does seem that every review lists them as a weak spot in the testing.
All that being said, I think that some of these things could be fixed. I have been considering an Edge with some aftermarket parts to customize it. First off, lowering springs and sway bars. Second, 20" wheels (I would love to do 22", but I live in MI so a 45 series tire is minimum). Aftermarket brake pads and rotors. Then I'll have to look into some engine performance mods, probably start small with intake/exhaust/chip.
I love what Mazda has done with their concept and the two other cars at SEMA. The Fords looked good too, but not as extreme as the Mazdas.
