2021 Ford Edge

The Ford Escape was initially introduced to an eager North American market for model year 2007; the Edge falls in between the popular Escape and full-size SUV, the Explorer.

Produced from the outset in Oakville, Ontario, and now in its second generation, this mid-size, 5-seat crossover was significantly refreshed in 2019 and continues to be a popular item on show room floors across the land.

Over the years, the Ford Edge has enjoyed a loyal consumer base. It continues to check off all the important boxes for loyal and yes, first-time buyers.

While it's unlikely it would ever be confused as an off-road threat, when equipped with all-wheel drive, this competent daily driver may have aspirations for some limited rugged usage.

Check out the new tech

The 2021 Ford Edge, this mid-size SUV has good interior capacity. The actual cargo area is quite large, and passengers will enjoy plenty of space -- leg room, head room -- and likely never feel restrained nor confined. Inside, five adults will fit comfortably.

Cabin materials in high-touch areas are nice and for model year 2021, Ford's new Sync 4 infotainment system running on a large 12.0-inch touchscreen, becomes standard, adding to the overall aesthetics and improving the Edge's cachet via tech appeal.

Sync 4 is a marked improvement over its predecessor and now offers features such as available over-the-air software updates, more natural voice command functions, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility -- and more. The 12-inch screen supports multi-tasking, enabled by splitting the screen into larger and smaller windows, just like the 2021 Ford F-150.

So, if a customer wants to keep their navigation route on the screen while changing songs, they can choose to display the radio or other streaming music services in the smaller display area.

Ford engineers and designers have also seen fit to add two USB ports in the front cabin area. The standard audio system has six speakers, while an optional Bang & Olufsen premium set-up has 12 speakers. Higher-end models will also see the addition of a dual 4.2-inch gauge cluster display and a wireless device charging pad.

Reliable powertrains

From a driving standpoint, acceleration is as might be expected from the Edge's standard turbo-four engine, but the sporty ST model's twin-turbo V-6 makes it, relatively-speaking, legitimately speedy. The standard engine is a 2.0-litre turbo- four producing 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. With this engine, FWD is standard, and AWD is optional.

All Edge models use an eight-speed automatic transmission, however, the 2021 Ford Edge ST has gained a new seven-speed automatic transmission. To be clear, the transmission for the 2021 Ford Edge actually remains physically the same as it was for the 2019 and 2020 model years. What has changed is the programming, with Ford eliminating the second gear from the existing eight- speed automatic!

The 2021 safety scores are up-to-date -- and then some. The Ford Edge earned a five-star overall rating by NHTSA testers and a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS. Automatic emergency braking and active lane control are standard on all models.

The Edge was the first Ford SUV to offer Ford Co-Pilot360 as a standard suite of features and continues to offer available advanced driver assist tech including Enhanced Active Park Assist, Evasive Steering Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go and Lane-Centering and a 180-degree front camera.

Looking for a true utility vehicle -- one that will handle the daily commute and weekend family adventures -- consider the 2021 Ford Edge.