Ford has unveiled the 2019 Edge SUV with a major face-lift and technology overhaul. The new 2019 Ford Edge will come equipped with the standard 2-liter engine, offering enhanced performance and fuel economy compared to its predecessor. The new Ford car and its variants will reportedly be shown at the Detroit Auto Show next week.
2019 Ford Edge – what’s new?
Ford has fitted the standard Edge with an 8-speed automatic transmission, a stop-start engine, a wireless charging pad and standard four-wheel drive. The Wi-Fi capabilities support up to 10 devices. Further, drivers will be able to use a smartphone to lock and unlock the car, as well as remotely start and locate their SUV. A driver would also be able to keep track of tire pressure and fuel status from home.
Ford is also adding a performance version with the 2019 Edge ST midsize crossover. The Edge designer Steve Gilmore stated that the ST edition is powered by a 335 horsepower twin turbo V-6 engine, and has been designed to look “Sinister.”
Separately, Jonathan Crocker, the Edge’s chief engineer told reporters, “We shredded a lot of race tracks with this vehicle.”
The 2019 Ford Edge has dropped the traditional PRNDL shifter in favor of a beefy rotary E-shifter knob on the console, similar to what is used in the current Fusion sedan. The change has helped Ford to free up some space for things such as a wireless phone charger, notes DailyNews.
Further, owners would be able to upgrade the vehicle with an optional performance brake package and 21-inch wheels with sticky summer tires.
No real competition
Right now, the Edge has no close competition in the segment. The closest rival is the three-row V8 powered Dodge Durango R/T. Beyond this, Edge-like specs and features could only be found in SUVs belonging to the premium segment, according to FoxNews.
Stephanie Brinley, the senior analyst at IHS Markit, notes that both exterior designing and technology tweaks are done nicely, standing up to the expectations, according to USAToday.
Ford has still to reveal the pricing for the 2019 Edge ST. The current Edge Sport pricing starts at $41,670, hinting the ST version to be priced somewhere near. In 2017, Ford sold over 142,000 units of Edge, with Edge Sports contributing around 10% of the total.
Ford moving with the flow
Karl Brauer, executive publisher of the Cox Automotive Inc. brand, feels that the inclination of the consumer is more towards SUVs and trucks. Brauer feels it is the right time to have the performance elements of the car in SUVs as well, notes Fortune.
According to Raj Nair, head of Ford’s North America operations, the Edge is just the first car in the array of SUVs that Ford has planned. Next in line, according to the analysts, could be a compact Escape and subcompact EcoSport, notes Fortune.
As trucks and SUVs take the front row, Ford is planning to scale back on the cars. Reportedly, the Fiesta would soon be discontinued in the U.S. Ford’s new CEO Jim Hackett has already stated that he would re-allocate $7 billion in capital from cars to SUVs and trucks. According to MotorTrend, a portion of that capital has been siphoned to the overhauling of the Ford Edge.
