mkaresh

The two are very similar, but share few if any exterior or interior panels. As others have said, these are much larger vehicles than the Edge and MKX. The key question is whether you need a third row, and which styling most appeals to you.

One Edge member in TrueDelta's panel has told me he had to have all four doors painted because Ford had not properly finished them, and all four were rusting where the door outer joins the door inner. The area is on the inside of the door, below the trim. You can only see this area when the door is opened. Just wondering whether this is an isolated case.

Most people enrolled in the panel have no problems with their vehicles. Just the way it is these days, with nearly all cars much more reliable than they used to be. I'm up to ten of these in the panel, so I'll start collecting data in May. I'd like to have far more. I already have 40 2007 Acura MDXs, for example. People will pay attention to CR as long as there is no real alternative. Help me create one. Vehicle reliability research

Just five of these enrolled so far. I'd really like to start collecting data, but need a few more first. In comparison, I already have 13 GMC Acadias and 20 Saturn Outlooks enrolled. Data collection started on those last month, and I'll have the first results in May.

Changing the diameter of the tire will throw the speedometer and odometer off. Specifically, going to a smaller wheel will cause the odometer to accrue miles faster, depreciating your vehicle faster and using up the warranty faster. So I wouldn't do it. That said, there is probably very little difference between the two. Anyone care to do the math?

Automotive News is reporting that Ford is providing a $500 factory-to-dealer incentive on the Edge SE. Such an incentive is not publicized, but if you ask about it the dealer is likely to pass it along to you. Ford is separately giving dealer salespeople bonuses that can reach $500. Ford claims the incentive is a good thing, because it means that demand for the pricier SEL and SEL Plus is running above projections, at about 80% of the mix.

I wouldn't get too wound up about a single problem--as long as they can fix it. Probably a sensor that needs replacing.

My sense is also that you'll be happiest with the MKX. Also consider that you'll get some of the extra money back when you trade/sell it. In comparison, mods can reduce your resale value.

Still looking for more Edge owners. I've started collecting data on the Saturn Outlook, but not the Ford Edge, because too few are signed up.

Perhaps the antenna simply unscrews? A boat wouldn't fit to either side anyway?

I am seeing much lower repair rates for the Five Hundred and Freestyle in their second year than in their first, so this may not be a bad strategy. On the other hand, the Fusion has been very reliable right out of the gate. If a few dozen owners participate in the research, I'd have results around the end of May. People are buying these, right? Friend of mine mentioned that his wife, who never notices cars, mentioned liking the look of the Edge the other day. So people are noticing it and liking what they see.

Even if you'd wanted the DVD, you can't get it with the roof. No space for it up there. They could have gone the console route, like the Murano, SRX, and others, but did not.

Because existing sources of auto reliability information left much to be desired, in late 2005 I started conducting my own reliability research at TrueDelta.com. TrueDelta reports absolute stats like "trips to the shop" that make the differences between cars much clearer. Results are updated four times a year, to closely track cars as they age. We've had very good participation by Edge owners, but additional participants would be very helpful, especially for the 2008 and 2009. Participants simply report repairs the month after they occur on a one-page survey. When there are no repairs, they simply report an approximate odometer reading four times a year, at the end of each quarter. To encourage participation, panel members receive full access to the results for free. For the details, and to sign up to help out: Vehicle reliability research Update, latest results: Updated results have been posted, and the Ford Edge continues to require few repairs--with one exception. 2007 AWDs continue to have much higher repair rates than other Edges because the power transfer unit for the all-wheel-drive system often leaks. Replacing the seal fixes this problem. For the full set of results, and to sign up to help: TrueDelta Vehicle Reliability Survey results

Good point on the moonroof. You can get a similar moonroof on some German SUVs, but none at this price. GM is offering a sunroof combined with a large fixed panel of glass over the rear seat in the new Outlook and Acadia, which reached the market a bit before the Edge. Not quite the same, but it's also compatible with a ceiling-mounted entertainment system.

Seems accurate enough based on my own test drive. The ride is better than the others, and the handling is squishier. I'm not sure I'd call the interior "extremely quiet," but it is quiet. But the price comparisons are the usual quick-and-dirty base-to-base variety. If you want more precise comparisons, my site's the only place that offers them: Vehicle price comparisons

Journalism at its best. An article based on two customers at a Detroit-area Ford dealership, only one of which actually bought an Edge.

Most of any review is subjective, it's the nature of the beast. I actually hate it when people tell me they've ruled a vehicle out based on one of my reviews. I frequently stress that I'm just mentioning what I noticed, as things someone doing their own test drive might pay close attention to--if they car about the item in question. If something like lateral support isn't a priority for them, then it shouldn't matter what I say about lateral support. That's just one of my priorities. My general take on reviews, comparison tests, etc.: Comparison tests, what are they good for? The most damning charge I feel I level at the Edge is that it brings absolutey nothing new to the segment. This is the product of seeing what others have been doing, and doing much the same thing. No brilliant insights or breakthroughs, no bold moves. Which might just be one more thing many people couldn't care less about. After all, the Freestyle is innovative in many ways, and it hasn't set the sales charts on fire.

I took an Edge for a test drive last Friday. Dealer said they'd had them for a week. But I'm near Detroit, where new models often show up relatively early. Overall, I didn't find any strong positives or negatives. Just a good overall crossover that will have to compete with a number of other good crossovers. Compared to a Nissan Murano, the main differences are styling that some will see as more tasteful, but others will see as more boring, better ride quality, and squishier handling, especially at higher speeds. The interior could use less hard plastic, but that's true of many cars these days. My full review: Ford Edge review

He takes quite a while to actually get around to the vehicle evaluation. Few surprises, unfortunately. I was hoping for reports of exceptional handling, but based on this review the Edge is nothing special in this area. Ride quality appears to have been a higher priority. The review inaccurately suggests that the all-new 3.5 is an update of the 3.0. Though I suppose this is Ford's fault for calling it a a Duratec. He attributes the ride quality partly to the use of "couplings." Any idea what these are?

This is the case for just about any car right now because the Canadian dollar is around 90 cents. A few years ago, when the Canadian dollar was at 65 cents, the opposite was the case, and then some. Manufacturers stabilize prices rather than shifting them directly with exchange rates because otherwise demand would fluctuate too much. In the long run, this best serves both manufacturers and consumers. A better way to look at it is that the price is no higher in Canadian dollars than it would have been a few years ago, and is probably a bit lower than it would have been. Unless your income has declined as the Canadian dollar has risen, you're in no worse a position than you would have been if the currencies hadn't shifted.

This is a very typical price for AWD. In fact, $1,750 is the exact amount at which I used to value AWD in price comparisons. This was what Audi charged for quattro, and many others adopted Audi's pricing. Currently I value AWD at $1,700. On some models it's as little as $1,200, though.

From what I've been picking up, and my own initial impressions, I think the Edge will get just so-so reviews. That said, I am seeing good hits on this forum. Journalists have been slamming the Dodge Caliber, but it has been selling well to people who are VERY enthusiastic about it. I had 40 enrolled in my reliability panel within a couple months of it going on sale--this is almost unheard of. If owners are similarly enthusiastic about the Edge, then it similarly has a shot. One mistake is that they've priced it about $2,000 higher than they should have to have an impact. They're pricing for immediate profits, and that's just not the way to go. They need to buy some positive buzz, even given their current condition. Ford's official curb weight is 4073 pounds for FWD, and I think a bit under 4,300 for AWD. So I'm not sure where the 4,500 is coming from, unless Ford is cheating the specs. Curb weights of comparable vehicles: Mazda CX-7: 3,710 Nissan Murano: 3,851 Lexus RX: 3,870 Okay, so even with Ford's official weight it's a couple hundred over where it should be... Ford offers three three-row vehicles: Freestyle, Explorer, Expedition. They probably didn't put a third row in the Edge because they figured the Freestyle had that spot covered. But people aren't seeing the two as even roughly equivalent. The biggest problem might be that people keep thinking that the Edge is a compact SUV, when it's really a midsize SUV. The rounded front end and large alloys are probably largely to blame: it does look smaller than it is. The question is how to correct this perception. Hopefully, for Ford's sake, seeing the Edge in the metal will do the trick.

I've input pricing for the MKX (I keep wanting to call it MKZ and vice-versa) into my database, so it's now possible to compare prices. Even after adjusting for equipment differences it's about $4,000 more than the Edge. It'll be interesting to see how much they've differentiated the MKX to warrant such a premium. Lincoln MKX price comparisons

A vehicle's "true competitors" are the vehicles consumers most commonly cross-shop it against, which might not be the same vehicles the manufacturer wants them to cross-shop. The vehicles the Edge is being compared to most often on my site (link above): 1. Mazda CX-7 2. Toyota RAV4 3. Nissan Murano 4. Honda Pilot 5. Acura MDX 6. Ford Explorer Actually, looks like more people perceive the Edge as midsized than I realized. The Toyota RAV4 is the only one of the six that suggests otherwise.

Very true, but the Murano also happens to be the most expensive non-premium brand five-seat crossover. How many Muranos are sold? If Ford sold that many Edges, would it be happy? I think they're going for a higher volume, and that will require lower prices. I don't remember which plant these are coming out of, and how much of that plant they have to fill, though.