2019 Ford Edge ST

A nice compromise

By James Park

   Life is making endless series of compromises, isn’t it? Sure, you’d rather drive down a twisty canyon road in Cayman GTS or slick-shifting MX-5, you know, a proper sports car.

   But life happens and you find yourself married with couple of kids and maybe a Golden Retriever and the yearning for a two-seat sports car, albeit reluctantly, gets replaced with something much roomier and way more practical: that is, either a minivan or a utility vehicle.

   To people finding themselves in such conundrum, Ford offers a compromise – the revamped 2019 Edge ST. This mid-size crossover combines the necessary characteristics of a CUV with bit of sporting flair, enough hopefully to find its niche.

   Ford recently came out of the closet as officially a truck company, ditching all non-truck/utility models, except for the Mustang. Enthusiasts all over are saddened to see the Focus ST (not to mention the fantastic RS) and the Fiesta ST sacrificed at the altar of financial expediency. ST badge lives on but now on a CUV.

   It is not the intention of this writer to sound jaded; there are lots to like about the Edge ST. But let’s get one thing out of the way. The vehicle’s basic profile has been around for a while and it looks chunky to say the least. It needs a complete makeover (I’m hearing new model is on the way).

   Still, compared to other models in the Edge lineup, the ST looks downright sinister with blacked-out grill and bumpers, black aluminum wheels and black trims everywhere. Incorporated into the rear bumper are dual rectangular chrome exhaust tips that definitely add to the vehicle’s image.

   The difference is more than cosmetic. While the rest of lineup makes do with a 2.0 litre turbo (Ecoboost) four producing respectable but not eyebrow-raising 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, the ST is motivated by a twin-turbo 2.7 litre V6 good for maximum 335 horses and 380 lb-ft of healthy twist. These are enough to propel the ST to 100 kph in less than six seconds.

   Such difference in performance is also reflected in the ST’s price. According to the Ford Canada website, the base SE starts from $34,099 before taxes and other fees. SEL and Titanium ask $34,599 and $39,999 respectively. The ST’s starting price is $45,699 and can easily punch through the 50K ceiling when enough option lists are checked.

   In fact, the test-vehicle provided to this writer came with $5,800 401A equipment group that included, among other things, panoramic sunroof, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, navigation, as well as hosts of electronic nannies working together to form what Ford calls ‘Co-Pilot’ system that can keep the car centered on a lane and keep safe distance from the car in front and so on. The twenty-inch alloys are $950 extra.

The Edge Sport (which the ST replaces) this writer drove four years or so ago had the proper gear-shift lever. This perfectly fine device is replaced by a rotary dial in the ST. That said the dial is much more intuitive and easier to use than push-button gear selectors.

   The eight-speed automatic transmission works smoothly in conjunction with the force-fed V6. As expected, it up-shifts quickly in normal operation to maximize fuel-efficiency. Push the Sport button in the middle of the gear-select dial and the vehicle becomes more belligerent. The tranny holds each gear longer and rev-matches during down-shifts, either on its own or manually by the driver using the wheel-mounted paddle-shifters.

   The engine also takes on more aggressive fuel-mapping and the normally very quiet sound it makes becomes louder and growlier, as if a sound-deadening barrier has been removed.

   In straight-line performance, the ST does respectably well. Where it loses bit of shine is when going around corners. The Ford engineers have done their best with what they have in their hands. At the end of the day, though, it is hard to ignore the reality of ST being a crossover weighing almost 4,500 lb with high center of gravity.

The mushy handling, combined with weak brakes, do not make the ST a confidence-inspiring track animal. Then again, if you want to go around the Nurburgring in record time, go get a proper sports car. As it is, the Edge St is a nice compromise for a dad or mom with kids and need for space put their stuff to taste that sports car flavor, while not sacrificing the practicality of a CUV.

   As a mid-size crossover, the Edge ST offers plenty of interior space. The front leather seats with ‘ST’ logo on them are comfortable and supportive. The rear seats are wide enough for three regular-sized adults and they get plenty of leg and headroom.

   The interior looks little dated but nonetheless the touch-screen infotainment is easy to use and all the buttons and dials, too, are pretty intuitive. The ST is indeed a nice compromise. (James Park is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada.)

2019 Ford Edge ST

Price: $45,699

As tested: $52,449

Engine: 2.7 litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 335 hp/380 lb-ft

Transmission: 8 spd auto

Drive: AWD

Fuel: 12.6 litres per 100km (city), 9.2 litres (highway)

Best: power, practicality

Worst: handling, weak brakes

Competition: no mainstream rivals