The Ford Edge was revealed back at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2015 and is now just a few weeks away from official release. It will be Ford's new flagship SUV in the 4x4 market and early signs suggest it could be a serious player in an increasingly competitive segment of the industry. The Edge will lock horns with the highly successful Audi Q5 which will also undergo a fresh design later in the year.
The engines in the Ford Edge immedeatly establish its status as a serious new contender. The 178bhp 2.0 TDCi diesel is the entry level model and includes a six-speed manual gearbox as well as plenty of interior technology including a large infotainment touchscreen allowing the driver to control many of the cars functions. There will also be popular featurs such as active noice cancellation and heated/cooled front seats as well as plenty of additional options for those who really want to spec out the Edge.
The interior itself also appears very clean and furnished with five-seats and an impressive layout. The dashboard takes on a very standard Ford feel, but with all the quality technology mentioned before its likely the Edge will possibly have the upper hand on its competitors when it comes to internal design. However, with the new Audi Q5 also looking towards the interior to appeal to customers we could see plenty more additions to this already plush design over the coming months and years. The Edge won't come up short on Safety tech either with Pedestrian Detection, Adaptive Steering and Pre Collision all featuring.
There is also a 208bhp 2.0 twin turbo diesel available which obviously provides a significant increase in power but will still offer a highly competitive 149g/km of CO2 and 48.7mpg.
The Edge has a unique design with a large front-grille similar to many Ford vehicles and spanning tailights that give the vehicle a sharper, sporty appearance. Its 20-inch alloy wheels also contribute to this feel.
2016 Audi Q5
The Edge's biggest rival may well come from the Audi corner where the Q5 has proved a big success. Arriving in late 2016 the updated model will have a slimmer, lighter yet characteristic design and much like the Edge plenty of exciting interior kit.
This includes Audi's slick nav system which uses both Virtual Cockpit and Google Maps to create one of the most high-quality navigation functions currently available. The addition of a longer wheelbase will also aid the comfort of the interior which should now have improved height and legroom.
Taking a look at what lies underneath its fiersome exterior and its apparent the Q5 will not be lacking in quality in this department. The 148bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder will offer front wheel drive and around 125g/km of CO2's making it one of the most economical SUVs seen on the market. But if that isn't low enough for you, Audi will also be offering a plug-in hybrid version of the Q5 which will provide impeccably low CO2s at around 90g/km. At the other end of the scale Audi is likely to debut a number of higher performanc engines including two 3.0-litre V6 engines and of course at the top of the tree the SQ5. This is also likely to get a slight refinement with a six-cylinder diesel capable of more than 340bhp expected. Audi will also be releasing an RS Q5 shortly after the Q5 so keep your eyes peeled for stats on that but initial rumours suggest it could output around 450bhp.
Both vehicles already look they could be strong successes but only time will tell which can come out on top.
