Ford is looking to pump some excitement into its midsize SUV with an ST performance package.
Ford Motor Co. has offered, sometimes with minimal fanfare, a wide variety of very impressive performance vehicles that have turned some relatively sedate vehicles into something else for enthusiastic fans in Europe, North America and China.
Now Ford is offering the first SUV from its performance team — the 2019 Ford Edge ST, which is powered by a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine that has been calibrated to produce 335 horsepower and 380 foot-pounds of torque with the help of an all-new 8-speed transmission. Ford also says it is capable of going from zero to 60 in less than six seconds making it the quickest SUV ever put on the road by Ford.
The 2019 Edge ST is also equipped with all-wheel drive disconnect. The technology, a first for Ford, uses information received from dozens of sensors and artificial intelligence to determine within milliseconds whether all-wheel drive is needed, and then seamlessly shift between FWD and AWD without the need for driver input to save fuel.
The 2019 Ford Edge, which was produced by the re-organized performance team, also has been equipped with 20-inch tires, 21-inch tires are optional, a revamped suspension tuned to set off the engine’s power on out on the open road or on a closed course and bolstered seats that are both comfortable and easily hold driver and front-seat passenger in their seat on tight turns.
(Ford smartens up new Edge’s all-wheel drive system. Click Here for the story.)
Ford is hinting that it wants to see the Ford Edge ST compete for drivers from performance SUVs from Porsche, Jaguar, Audi and Mercedes-Benz AMG.
The new Edge ST more than looks the performance part, it offers higher performance with a 335-horsepoewr V6.
Against what Ford considers the competitive set, the new Edge ST compares favorably in important categories such as cargo space, fuel efficiency, horsepower and range. Moreover, it also beats the competition on price since its starts at less than $43,000 before the addition of the $995 destination charge.
Moreover, the engineers given the task of bringing the Edge ST paid close attention to the 2019 Ford Edge ST’s driving dynamics which are quite impressive.
The steering is very and leaves moving on a true line and the brakes inside the 21-inch wheels that my driving partner and I followed through the mountains outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. The overall ride is taut but not too taut and the vehicle stays flat though tight turns and the body roll is virtually non-existent, boosting the 2019 Edge ST’s credentials as a performance vehicle.
In addition, the Edge ST is equipped with a rotary shift and sport mode button in the center of selector model with an aggressive shift schedule that holds gear in the peak performance band. Up shifts are also tuned for quick gear change to boost acceleration and rev-matching to enable quick downshifts, Ford engineers noted.
The Ford Edge ST is also equipped with paddle shifter for fully manual driving.
Sporty on the inside as well as the outside, the Ford Edge ST offers better handling and braking in Sport Mode.
The transmission will automatically up-shift when the tachometer hits reaches redline. We also found during our test drive the transmission will hold its gear even during a long-run down a steep grade and quickly shift back during the uphill leg. Moreover, even on mountainous terrain, the shifts by the eight-speed transmission seemed sooth and surprising unobtrusive.
(Click Here to see Ford’s denials of plans to slash its European line-up.)
The Edge ST driveline is also equipped with all-wheel-drive and start-stop system that also is unobtrusive and responds immediately when it’s time to move away from a stop light or stop sign. In addition, the vehicle is also equipped with selector buttons that allow the driver to turn off the traction control for inspired driving.
The system allows drivers to select AdvanceTrac, Sport Track or even shut off AdvanceTrac.
Ford designers also have given the Ford ST is own front fascia with a wide-mesh grille for optimal cooling, as well as updated fog lamps as well as special badges and seat colors geared to the exterior paint.
Like the other members of the Edge family for 2019, the Edge ST comes with Ford’s Co-Pilot360, a suite of five driver assist technologies that come standard across the line-up, including pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, which includes pedestrian detection with forward collision warning and dynamic brake support, blind spot information system with cross-traffic alert, lane keeping system Rear backup camera with built in lens washer and auto high beam head lamps.
The new Edge ST also comes equipped with post collision braking that can help reduce the impact of a potential secondary collision by automatically applying moderate brake pressure when an initial collision event is detected.
The Edge ST adaptive cruise control with stop and go and lane centering, which can bring the vehicle to a stop when traffic slows and can accelerate back up to the pre-set speed within three seconds if the vehicle in front moves forward. The lane centering also helps the vehicle remain centered in its lane.
(To see more about Ford’s plans to change it structure and cut employees, Click Here.)
The 2019 Edge ST is definitely fun to drive and comes with an impressive list of equipment and a good value if by chance you think might need a performance-oriented SUV as daily driver.