2.7L EcoBoost Makes the 2015 Ford Edge Sport More Exciting Than Ever

Before the 2015 Ford F150 was introduced at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, there had been a rumor that the Ford team was working on a new, smaller EcoBoost V6 that would range in under the 3.5L EcoBoost that has been widely used and incredibly popular throughout the Ford and Lincoln lineups. It was expected that this new engine would be offered for the new F150, but this new engine makes a much bigger impact in the new Ford Edge, bringing proper power to the sportiest looking Edge Sport thus far. The result is a midsized SUV that offers impressive driving dynamics in a segment where “fun to drive factor” is often near-impossible to find – especially from an American automaker.

The midsized crossover/SUV segment has become a popular one, offering slightly less space, slightly less capability and slightly better fuel economy in a segment that is – as you might have expected – slightly less expensive than the larger SUVs. The problem with the midsized segment is that affordability and efficiency reign supreme, so most automakers won’t put the time and effort into making a sport package for a midsized SUV and even when they do, these models usually fall short of earning the “sport” designation.

Fortunately, with the new 2.7L EcoBoost V6, the 2015 Ford Edge Sport maintains solid fuel economy while delivering the kind of power that a midsized SUV needs to demand the Sport title. Couple that with an advanced all-wheel drive system, a sport tuned suspension setup and a lengthy list of features and the 2015 Edge Sport is a vehicle that can compete with the higher priced European midsized SUVs.

My 2015 Ford Edge Sport package had a base price of $38,995, but when you add the 401A package, the panoramic sunroof, the 21 inch black wheels and all-wheel drive, the price as tested rises to $46,780.

Exterior Design
The 2015 Ford Edge Sport looks a great deal like the rest of the new Edge lineup, but the Sport package adds a collection of features that are specific to this great looking package. This begins up front with a black grille, black headlight bezels, a deep reaching front fascia and a rear fascia that includes integrated dual exhaust tips. Also, the Edge Sport comes with bright polished 20 inch aluminum wheels with black painted pockets, although my test vehicle was sporting the optional 21 inch black painted wheels – which I consider a must for this package, as these black wheels add more than $995 worth of sportiness. Finally, the Edge Sport has a low profile rear spoiler above the backglass, along with the high tech LED taillights, projection headlights and daytime running lights.

The exterior design of the 2015 Ford Edge Sport isn’t extreme, but the simple cues go a very long way in allowing this performance package to stand out from the crowd.

Interior Amenities
The 2015 Ford Edge Sport, like many performance packages, comes heavily appointed in standard form, but the available options lift this sporty midsized SUV to luxury brand levels. My test vehicle was fitted with the 401A popular equipment package, which includes the features of the Technology Package along with heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, HID headlights and much more.

Standard features includes the leather wrapped sport seats up front, folding leather rear seats, push button start, multi-zone climate control and the premium SYNC infotainment system with MyFord Touch and a Sony interface and speaker system, so when the 401A package is added, there is really not much else you could ask for from a midsized SUV.

More importantly, the 2015 Ford Edge Sport offers tons of seating space whether you are sitting up front or in the back, with the outboard rear seats offering plenty of space for even very tall adults. The front seats have a ton of seating space in every dimension, but you would expect that – the rear seating space is where you get the wow factor.

Finally, the Edge Sport has a gigantic rear storage area and a panoramic sunroof that is worth every cent of the $1,595 upcharge, so this is a vehicle that could comfortable seat four guys going golfing for the day, with plenty of room for golf bags and an open-air experience for everyone.

The Drive
The entire 2015 Ford Edge lineup offers the long list of standard features and their own unique appearance packages across the trimlines, but where the Sport package is vastly unique from the other trimlines is in the drivetrain and suspension setup.

This begins with the new 2.7L EcoBoost V6, delivering 315 horsepower and 350lb-ft of torque to all four wheels via a 6-speed SelectShift automatic transmission. The tiny turbochargers of the new 2.7L EcoBoost allow this new V6 to create all of that power in a hurry, so acceleration is shockingly quick for a midsized SUV. When you put the hammer down, the quick torque blast uses the advanced AWD system to grip the road hard and move out in a hurry while the steering wheel mounted paddle shifters allow you to pick your gears with impressive precision, upshifting and downshifting for optimal performance whether you are blasting away from a stop or cruising through the twisties.

So, cruising through the twisties sounds a little odd for an American, affordable midsized SUV and make no mistake, this isn’t a sports car – it is a midsized SUV. However, the 2015 Edge Sport offers more driving excitement than any midsized SUV under $50,000 that I’ve driven, and that includes the European competitors. This isn’t an SUV that you are going to take to open track days, but for someone who needs or wants the amenities and capabilities of the new Ford Edge, the Sport package adds fun to drive factor better than any Edge before – and any American midsized SUV.

The sport tuned suspension setup of the 2015 Edge Sport affords this vehicle better cornering with less body roll than the other Edge models, but the ride quality is still comfortable enough that there are no concerns about this vehicle offering a smooth ride during your daily commute. It is slightly stiffer, but this is an SUV and for an SUV, the ride quality is impressive considering how well it will handle a corner.

Again, the acceleration efforts are the star of this show, with the 2.7L EcoBoost offering great get-up-and-go from a stop and impressive pull through the midrange, allowing the Edge Sport to quickly climb to speeds well above any posted limit. Best of all, when not driven hard, the Edge Sport AWD offers 17mpg around town, 24mpg on the highway and 20mpg combined. During my time in the Edge Sport, I fell short of that average number – recording 19.3mpg during my 8 days in the sleek midsized SUV – but that shouldn’t reflect poorly on the Edge Sport, as my love for the feel of boost kept my right foot buried in the floorboards. Also, the Edge Sport allows you to hear the spooling sound of the turbos and the hiss of the relief system when you let off, both of which add that little extra something to the sporty nature of this premium package.

The Final Word
If you want a vehicle that has a ton of interior technology, comfortable seating for 4 tall adults, a ton of cargo space and a drivetrain that combines sporty driving fun with impressive fuel economy and all-wheel drive surefootedness, the 2015 Ford Edge Sport is the SUV for you. The new 2.7L EcoBoost makes for a great economy engine in the new F150, but it makes for an even better sport package engine in the 2015 Edge Sport.

Ford has made an Edge Sport that is one of the very few midsized SUVs that can claim to be a sport package – all without any compromise in the aspects that make this vehicle class so popular.