DRIVE TIME FOR AN EDGE, TRY THIS FORD.Byline: GREGORY J. WILCOX Staff Writer Unsolicited comments speak volumes about a product. By that measure, Ford Motor Co. might have a hit with its new Edge crossover vehicle. "It's really nice, and I never thought I'd say that about a Ford," exclaimed a co-worker. "This is sweet," said a commercial real estate broker who currently has a tough commute to work and is in the market for a new car. "I'm definitely going to take one of these on a test drive." Both smiled as they examined the Edge's interior. Indeed, there is a lot to like about the Edge, especially the all-wheel drive, fully loaded SEL (SELect) A toggle switch on a printer that takes the printer alternately between online and offline. 1. SEL - Self-Extensible Language. 2. SEL - Subset-Equational Language. model we tested. It starts with the edgy design. Ford's team gave the vehicle a rather short snout snout the upper lip and the apex of the nose, especially of the pig. Called also rostrum. Has a specialized skin to survive the rigors of rooting, is supported by a separate bone (the os rostri), and also has a few sensory hairs. accented by a chrome horizontal grill that's dominated by the traditional, albeit it large, corporate logo. Large doesn't stop there, though. This model typifies what the crossover breed is all about -- the space of an SUV but with a sedan-like ride. Creature comforts abound, too. This model featured comfortable leather seats that seemed to have a tad shorter cushion than its bigger Explorer cousin. But they offered plenty of support and positions. You won't feel cramped, either, in this airline first-class-like space. The back seat is spacious, too. Ford's official specs say the first row offers 40 inches of head room and the second row (none of this second class, back seat lingo Lingo - An animation scripting language. [MacroMind Director V3.0 Interactivity Manual, MacroMind 1991]. ) 39.3 inches. Legroom leg·room n. Room in which to stretch the legs while seated. legroom Noun space to move one's legs comfortably, as in a car legroom n → is a generous 40.7 inches up front and 39.6 inches behind. There is plenty of space to haul stuff, too. The second row holds 69.6 cubic feet of your friends or stuff, and 32.1 cubic feet of space is available for stuff behind them. Push a button on the left side of the cargo area and the rear seats fold down, giving you the ability to cram more cargo into the Edge. Up front, a big video screen dominates the dash within easy reach of driver or passenger, and there is a six-CD changer Changer The name given to a clearing member that is willing to assume the opposite position of a futures contract within a larger alternative exchange, of which it also is a clearing member. with a touch screen. The Edge also features a standard auxiliary audio input jack for an iPod or MP3 player A digital music player that supports the MP3 format, which was the audio format that started a revolution in online music downloads and distribution. All portable music players, the iPod being the most popular, support MP3 along with one or more other audio formats. . Control buttons are located on the steering wheel, as is one for controlling the fan and temperature. The navigation system A GPS-based electronic system in a car or truck that provides a real time map of the vehicle's current location as well as step-by-step directions to a programmed destination. See GPS and vehicle tracking. is user-friendly, and I was able to program a route to a steakhouse in La Canada Flintridge. OK, I knew how to get there but I wanted to see if Edge knew. She did. I chose the route I always take, but it didn't fool the navigation system. It knew where we were. Another plus: The sound system includes nine speakers and subwoofer A speaker that reproduces the lower end of the audio spectrum. A subwoofer system may include a crossover circuit which switches frequencies at approximately 100Hz and under to the subwoofer, while passing the rest of the signal to the main speakers. . And, an on-board sonar system emits a beep when you get too close to something while backing up, but there's no camera to offer a peek as to what's behind. Want to let some sunshine in? The Edge will accommodate. Our model featured a glass roof over the rear seat, two big shade panels and a nice wide and long sun roof. And there was minimal wind blast in the open mode. The Edge didn't seem short on power, at least on city streets, thanks to a 3.5 liter V-6 engine. It handled the grade from Sunland up to La Canada Flintridge without loss of power, but we didn't get a chance to test it with a load. The all-wheel drive option provides a road-gripping sensation. The car also came loaded with safety features. An anti-lock braking system An anti-lock braking system (ABS) (translated from German, Antiblockiersystem) is a system on motor vehicles which prevents the wheels from locking while braking. The purpose of this is to allow the driver to maintain steering control under heavy braking and, in some is standard, along with a stability-control system that senses if the car is about to spin out or tip and then automatically applies countermeasures. Didn't test those, though. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the Web site Cnet, "the Edge compares favorably with the Mazda CX-7 and the Subaru B9 Tribeca. But the Edge isn't as quick as the Tribeca and generally feels like a much heavier vehicle." (Curb weight curb weight n. The weight of a fueled automobile with standard equipment but without cargo or passengers. Weight of a ground vehicle including fuel, lubricants, coolant, and on-vehicle materiel, excluding cargo and operating personnel. is 4,282 pounds.) Yes, Ford's new entry in the crossover race is nice. Too soon yet to know if it's going to give the company the edge it's looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. . greg.wilcox(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3743 FORD EDGE SEL TOP SPEED: 111 mph ENGINE: 3.5 liter V6 TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic SUSPENSION: 4-wheel independent BRAKES: 4-wheel disc with anti-lock system FUEL ECONOMY: 17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway PRICE: $25,320 base, $36,360 as tested TRIVIA: Bridges the gap between minivans and truck-based sport utility vehicles This page lists sports utility vehicles currently in production (as of April 2007), as well as past models. The list includes crossover SUVs, Mini SUVs, Compact SUVs and other similar vehicles. . THE MANUAL SAYS: The fuel gauge indicated how much fuel is left in the fuel tank (when the ignition is in the on position.) THE WIFE SAYS: "You'll never be lonely in this vehicle. She's always got something to say," referring to the automated female voice programmed into the navigation system. Source: Daily News research COMING NEXT WEEK: Lexus' LS 460L WHAT'S A CUV CUV Crossover Utility Vehicle (automobile) CUV Certified Used Vehicle (General Motors) CUV Compact Utility Vehicle CUV Commercial Utility Vehicle CUV Combat Utility Vehicle ? Crossover utility vehicles, or CUVs, look like sport-utility vehicles and offer the same kind of cargo space. Unlike SUVs, which are built like big trucks, CUVs are built more like cars. That helps make crossovers more fuel-efficient and ride more smoothly. CUVs also are easier to get in and out of than a higher-sitting SUV. For the first three months of the year, crossovers represented 15 percent of all new vehicles purchased in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , up from 13 percent during the same period a year ago. Crossover vehicles range in size from small vehicles, like the Toyota RAV4, to large crossovers, such as the GMC Acadia. The Ford Edge is a midsize crossover, and here's how it ranks in sales for the first three months of the year: 1. Toyota Highlander: 31,383 2. Nissan Murano: 26,417 3. Ford Edge: 24,478 4. Hyundai Santa Fe The Hyundai Santa Fe is a mid-size crossover SUV based on the Hyundai Sonata platform. It was introduced for the 2001 model year as Hyundai's first SUV, released at the same time as the Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute and Pontiac Aztek. : 21,239 5. Chrysler Pacifica: 16,432 Source: Power Information Network -- Detroit Free-Press CAPTION(S): 2 photos, 2 boxes Photo: (1 -- 2) Ford's new crossover Edge, above, offers the best of both worlds, with a ride that is sedan-like but not short on power, special safety features, and a spacious, comfortable interior, below, with lots of high-tech perks. Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer Box: (1) FORD EDGE SEL (see text) (2) WHAT'S A CUV? (see text) |
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