Revamped Ford Edges the Competition, Edmunds Readers Say

Revamped Ford Edges the Competition, Edmunds Readers Say

With the rest of the country focused on digging out from Snowmageddon or digging deeper into Toyota's recalls and fixes, the annual Chicago Auto Show opened its doors last weekend for the 102nd time. 
 
Perhaps it's fitting then that enthusiasts on Edmunds' Inside Line aren't buzzing about the 40th Anniversary Nissan 370Z or the "Furious Fucshia" Dodge Challenger SRT8 or even the 552-hp Lexus LFA, each clamoring for attention on the floor of Chicago's McCormick Place, as much as they are about a certain domestic crossover that's had a mid-cycle refresh.
 
Yep, it's true -- they're wild about the 2011 Ford Edge.

Says one, "I was always a fan of the current Edge. Not anymore. This new 2011 Edge KILLS it!"  Numerous posts praise the revised exterior, pointing out "hints of the new Explorer" and calling it "the best-looking SUV I've seen in a long time."
 
The upgraded interior also gets high marks, particularly the new gauge cluster, which one reader calls "very attractive for its price point" and says "reminds me of the new BMW."  This and the Edge's new MyFord display are described by another reader as "peerless."
 
Speaking of peers, versus the Honda Crosstour, the Edge earns kudos for being "much more attractive" with "decent visibility, too -- unlike much of its competition." Claims one, "This and the Crosstour aren't even worth mentioning in the same breath."
 
Compared to the Toyota Venza, the 2011 Edge holds its own among the Inside Line crowd.  Though one says it only looks "almost as good as a Venza," others point out that "the [base] 2L turbo Edge should beat it in hp and mileage."
 
And considering that the Edge "blows both away in terms of equipment" according to one reader, it's no surprise that the overall consensus is that "this vehicle pretty much destroys the competition." 
 
There is one thing about the new Edge that not everybody likes. "Wow, man -- too much face!"  That's one reaction to the Edge's new oversize chrome grille, a styling cue that was borrowed from the recently revamped Ford Fusion and that apparently suffered in the translation. "Looks like a fat lip," carps one, while someone else claims, "That face is deal breaker." Still, another who "liked the old face better" notes more hopefully that perhaps "we'll get used to it." 
 
Either way, most agree that "Ford has done a 180 in the past year" pointing to the Edge as the latest in a string the well-received re-dos, including the Fusion, Focus, Mustang and Taurus.  Sums up one, "I am impressed. I'll take a look at this. It might be my first domestic car in a long time."
 
And that's the word on the street. -- Mark Holthoff, Edmunds.com manager, Customer Support

Photo by Ford

Ford unveiled the revamped 2011 Ford Edge at the Chicago auto show last week.
 

Michelle Krebs:  is Editor-in-Chief of AutoObserver.com. Follow @AutoObserver on Twitter.